Summer Draft League Elite Division Semifinals: Best Five

On Thursday, August 7th, I attended the KB3 Elite/Gold Standard summer draft league elite division semifinals. The first game featured the Playmakers against Beast Squad, and the second game featured the Shamrocks vs. Team Juice.   There was a good amount of talent on the floor and a really awesome summer league environment. Below are the best five performances I saw. Tomorrow, I'll have the second five.    Alimadhi is a really intriguing long term prospect who has a well-rounded offensive game and the size and strength to succeed athletically. He's 6-foot-2 and long, and he does a great job facing up with his dribble and using in-and-out moves and crossovers to get to the rim. Once he gets into the paint, he has sound footwork and craft, which allows him to finish in a variety of ways. He can shoot it from three, too, although he could get a bit more consistent there. Alimadhi will be a sophomore at Lexington High School this coming season, and I bet he won't be there for too long after that.     Arache was probably the best athlete on the floor in the first semifinal game. The 6-foot-2 combo guard is incredibly smooth offensively and uses his handle and quickness to breeze by defenders and then finish at the rim. He can elevate above the hoop but also has the body control and balance to convert with contact, and the rising freshman is able to shoot it from outside too. He'll be going to St. Paul's this coming season and though it may be hard for him to get lots of minutes initially, he has a very bright future ahead.     Pastore totally wow'd with his offensive bag and skill set. Sure, he's only 5-foot-7, but the Billerica rising sophomore has the ball on a string and has every dribble move in the book. Crossovers, hesitations, spin moves, smitty's -- you name it, he has it. He also strokes it from three and got super hot during Thursday's first semifinal game; he can shoot it off the catch and off the dribble, with little space. Oh, and he has really solid vision when the help defense comes. He needs to grow and get stronger to really kickstart his recruitment, but you won't find many more skilled guards that Pastore. Joy to watch.     McCarthy totally dominated the second semifinal game with his athleticism and motor. The 6-foot-3 wing bodied his way to the cup time and time again and was simply too big and strong for the defense to contest; he also bulldozed his way to the paint for offensive rebounds and putbacks. The lefty has really nice slow step moves and a nice finishing bag at the hoop, too. Defensively, he guarded the opposing team's best player with solid discipline and consistency, sliding his feet well laterally and not getting too handsy. If McCarthy continues to grow and get stronger, the rising freshman could be a really intriguing long-term prospect.     Smith was probably the best athlete I saw Thursday night. The 6-foot combo guard is a freight train in transition and uses his excellent upper body strength to move bigger defenders out of the way in the paint. Once he does so, he's able to finish athletically with both hands and takes contact quite well in the air. Despite a very odd looking shot, Smith hit some threes and looked solid from the free throw line, though I think he'll need to shore up his release if he wants to play high level college ball. I hear he plays football, though, and I would imagine he's pretty dominant there as well.

On Thursday, August 7th, I attended the KB3 Elite/Gold Standard summer draft league elite division semifinals. The first game featured the Playmakers against Beast Squad, and the second game featured the Shamrocks vs. Team Juice.