Great Lakes Finals: Teddy’s Sunday Morning Notebook

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's my notebook from Sunday mornings action at the Great Lakes Finals in Chicago</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>All-In 16u Williams Opens with Quarterfinal Win&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This was my first time covering All-In's 16u Williams squad. Overall, it's a very strong group with several highly ranked prospects. One of them being [player_tooltip player_id='2390523' first='Evan' last='Okey'], who controlled the game early with his touch around the rim. Also stretching out for a 3-ball. Libertyville's [player_tooltip player_id='2540198' first='Terrence' last='Davis'] was also stellar. Showcasing an explosive burst to the rim. Got bouncy with a dunk and a blocked shot in this opening half while staying productive as a playmaker. These two combined for 25 points I. The first half. In the later stages, Okey stayed aggressive attacking the rim, while also shoring off some solid post moves and footwork. He drew some fouls and converted most of his free throws, too. It took no time for All-in take a commanding 20-point lead in the second half. KY Rise would fight back a little, but it wouldn't be enough. Davis and Okey shined, but I was also impressed with [player_tooltip player_id='2976449' first='Aiah' last='Baldwin'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>A look at [program_tooltip program_id='3151256' first='Midwest' last='Renegade']s 15u and 16u</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I spent the later morning covering [program_tooltip program_id='3151256' first='Midwest' last='Renegade']s 15u and 16u squads. Both teams faced Phenom United in the quarterfinals. For the 15's, I was most impressed with Aaron Harrington. Lefty point guard found his groove as a scorer and playmaker. Converting buckets from all three levels. For the 16's, DJ Laye impressed with his hustle and playmaking abilities. Worked effectively as a passer in the pick-and-roll and shows confidence with his mid-range abilities. Already won a state championship this winter with Chicago Marshall. [player_tooltip player_id='2894590' first='Alijah' last='Johnson'] worked well with him in the post. Utilizing the pump fake quite a bit to score for this squad. Am impressive run to the 16u semifinal came</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>up short against a powerful Phenom United squad with loads of prospects</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Phenom United 16u's are an exciting group</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'll try not to waste everyone's time with these notes since everyone has seen what they've been able to do and many scouts are covering it. But I do have some thoughts to share. First and foremost, 6'5 SG Chance DeRossett is incredibly exciting and might have the most long-term potential on this team. He's already bouncy at 6'5" but I think he can grow a little bit more, too. He made a huge impact [program_tooltip program_id='3151256' first='Midwest' last='Renegade']. Playing hard at both ends of the floor. Nice lefty shooting stroke to complement. Another guy is Jashawn Coffey, who's incredibly explosive with the ball and can fly down the lane. A top 10 player in Indiana. A big win was capitalized by some powerful, athletic dunks from 6'7" F Elynn Stearns as they cruised into the 16u championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[program_tooltip program_id='2078374' first='Full' last='Package'] 16u Black play a tight game to end their weekend</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I ended the morning covering [program_tooltip program_id='2078374' first='Full' last='Package']s 16u black squad face off vs DTFP NextPro. It took [program_tooltip program_id='2078374' first='Full' last='Package'] a little bit to get going in this contest. But the matchup turned into a really exciting affair. [player_tooltip player_id='2834510' first='Juan' last='Cruz'] had an excellent game as he was unfazed attacking the rim and scoring over taller defenders. Plays with pace in transition and led them on a really nice run in the second half to give them a slight advantage at that moment. Guard [player_tooltip player_id='2834513' first='Nick' last='Baker'] from Libertyville was all over the floor in this contest. Had a few second chance buckets and showed he can fly up and down the lane. A lot like Cruz. Oliver Gradek looked solid and hit key outside shots, while Warren's [player_tooltip player_id='2827432' first='Jason' last='White'] was a physical presence on the interior. The matchup vs DTFP did not disappoint.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->