Prep Hoops Live: Scotty B’s Friday Notebook

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>***Use Code “ScottyB30” for 30% off your subscription***</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Hoops Live kicked off on Friday evening with four sets of games from Batavia High School.&nbsp; There were some really fun matchups and prospects that emerged.&nbsp; I look at the four games I watched here in <strong>Prep Hoops Live: Scotty B's Friday Notebook</strong>!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>First Look at Class of 2030</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Friday was my first chance to see some of the players that will become the next group of prospects in the state's 2030 class as we saw the [program_tooltip program_id='2452456' first='Mac' last='Irvin Fire'] 14U top [program_tooltip program_id='2075481' first='Fundamental' last='U'] Grind 15U 73-66 in the opener.&nbsp; Several prospects caught our attention for the Fire.&nbsp; The headliner is incoming Marist guard Robert Smith Jr.&nbsp; Yes that is the son of the GOAT of Illinois High School basketball coaches Robert Smith from Simeon who actually coaches this group.&nbsp; Smith Jr already has nice positional size at 6'2” with a long and athletic frame.&nbsp; Got it going in the second half with a pair of corner threes.&nbsp; Can win off the bounce with advanced handles finishing well through contact at the rim.&nbsp; High basketball IQ playing both on and off the ball along with rebounding well for his position.&nbsp; Plus backcourt defender as well.&nbsp; Went for 14 points.&nbsp; Nasir Faniel of Merrillville (IN) has a bright future.&nbsp; The plus athlete at the shooting guard position presents a long and wiry strong frame with burst and pop off the ground.&nbsp; Quick cuts and has a nice pull up game as he notched 16 points.&nbsp; St. Laurence 2030 6'4” small forward [player_tooltip player_id='2409341' first='Bennett' last='Meier'] had a good showing with 15 points.&nbsp; Versatile and fluid combo forward that can play inside and out.&nbsp; Skilled prospect putting it on the deck, scoring in the paint, and was a monster as a weakside defender.&nbsp; Bright future.&nbsp; Mt. Carmel is adding another nice young piece to their core in Tobi Farley.&nbsp; The 5'10” point guard had 16 points in the win knocking in an array of threes, soft touch finishes, and getting to the line.&nbsp; Good feel as a passer setting up his teammates.&nbsp; Simeon 6'4” power forward [player_tooltip player_id='2966991' first='Kamarion' last='Sandifer'] is a plus athlete that impacts as a rebounder and defender.&nbsp; Explosive off the ground snatching rebounds in traffic and blocked/altered a ton of shots in the paint as he had 6 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Patrick 6'0” shooting guard [player_tooltip player_id='2829539' first='Patrick' last='Tait'] is a flame thrower in the 2029 class.&nbsp; He has way beyond college range as he poured in six from beyond the arc in the loss.&nbsp; Super quick release getting it off fast!&nbsp; Moves well without the ball to get open as he had 20 points.&nbsp; Braylon Henkel is a 5'11” guard from Huntley who also shot it well with four triples of his own for 14 points.&nbsp; Aidan Yazdan is another name to watch as a smaller guard that is quick with the rock and capable shot maker as he had 10 points.&nbsp; St. Ignatius big man Owen O'Neill has the size and frame at about 6'7” to work with down the line for Iggy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[program_tooltip program_id='2076459' first='Breakaway' last=''] Gold 17U Continues to Shine in Spring</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The [program_tooltip program_id='2076459' first='Breakaway' last=''] Gold 17U recorded an easy win against Team 1848 on Friday.&nbsp; Stagg big man [player_tooltip player_id='2389793' first='Dovydas' last='Zuperka'] had the best game we have seen out of him in his career.&nbsp; Long and lanky four has always intrigued with the physical tools, but the production matched in this game.&nbsp; He was assertive on the glass high pointing rebounds in traffic.&nbsp; Also displayed versatility on the defensive end.&nbsp; Plus shooter in spot up along with pick/pop situations from beyond the arc.&nbsp; He had 17 points.&nbsp; Lockport twin duo of [player_tooltip player_id='2125668' first='Nedas' last='Venckus'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2125671' first='Nojus' last='Venckus'] are always a joy to watch.&nbsp; They play off each other so well with their passing, cutting, and athleticism.&nbsp; Nedas had the big game in this one tallying 10 points in the victory.&nbsp; He was assertive taking it off the bounce and had a nasty dunk on a back cut.&nbsp; Glenbard West 2027 guard Bennett Kammes picked up his first D2 offer earlier this week.&nbsp; The 6'1” guard is tough as nails and a competitive kid.&nbsp; Shoots it well off movement, is strong with the rock in his hands, and has flair passing the rock.&nbsp; York guard [player_tooltip player_id='3572122' first='Sawyer' last='Asgedom'] does what he is best at which is letting it fly from beyond the arc as he poured in a plethora of threes for 12 points.&nbsp; Oak Forest 6'5” four man [player_tooltip player_id='3575083' first='Enoch' last='Olukolade'] is a strong bodied 6'5” junk yard dog four that plays with a super high motor and above the rim snatching boards and threw down a sick lob where his head was at the rim!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For Team 1848 they were paced by guard Hayden Schultz and combo forward Brayden Jeanquart.&nbsp; Schultz is a tough shot making guard that made several pull up threes along with floaters in the mid-post.&nbsp; Jeanquart is a tough stretch four that knocked in several threes and was crafty around the basket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Geek Squad Wins Thriller vs 937 Hoop Dreams as Stars Duel</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This was a fun 17U game that went down to the wire as Geek Squad got the stop on the last possession to top 937 Basketball 85-84 in a game where defense was optional.&nbsp; Simeon 2027 combo guard [player_tooltip player_id='2532341' first='Keyae' last='Lacy'] went off!&nbsp; The long and rangy guard got whatever he wanted whenever he wanted scoring effectively from all three levels with feathery pull up twos and threes along with using his athleticism to score with ease at the cup.&nbsp; Notched 31 points in the win.&nbsp; He got help from Leo 2027 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2632058' first='Karon' last='Shavers'] who was a huge part of the Lions state run.&nbsp; Competitive lead guard who can play make for others while scoring when he needs to as he netted 15 points.&nbsp; Leo guard DJ Brown is a name in 2028 our Steve Parham has loved this spring.&nbsp; We can see what he likes with his broad shoulders, length and two way potential on the perimeter as he poured in 13 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jayden McGraw was a monster in this game.  The strong bodied undersized four man was in attack mode all game long taking it at the team of all guards.  He used his physicality, straight line drives, and finishing through traffic to score 37 points.  Give and goes, passing to cutters, and ran the floor hard.  It was quite a performance for the Ohio product for 937 Hoop Dreams.  Connor George is a sharp shooter that drained four of them for 12 points.  Dawson Paulus is a well built post that has nimble footwork and can stretch with his shooting going for 11 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Payton Among Top 2029 Posts in Illinois?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When we saw that 2029 Andrew 6'6” post [player_tooltip player_id='2921082' first='Titus' last='Payton'] was on [program_tooltip program_id='3042869' first='Road' last='2 Greatness'] 15U we had to take a look and man was it worth staying past 10 PM to see!&nbsp; The power forward had 21 points and probably double digit rebounds in their 54-38 win against [program_tooltip program_id='2076459' first='Breakaway' last=''] National Red.&nbsp; Payton used his broad shouldered frame to get on the glass for put backs, was fluid getting up and down the floor, and could put it on the deck.&nbsp; He is a true inside/out big man that can establish his inside game then take it to the perimeter with drives and showed touch on a three.&nbsp; The skill level progression since we had last seen him was noteworthy.&nbsp; Athletic big man that checks a lot of boxes early in the process in a class not filled with size in 2029.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='2861941' first='Dashaun' last='Franklin'] of Bloom also caught our attention as a wing that plays with a high-motor and is explosive off the bounce mixing in some pullups for 8 points.&nbsp; Kamar'jai Pickett had it working in the first half as he sliced and diced his way in the paint for 8 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Vincent Delfiacco led the way for [program_tooltip program_id='2076459' first='Breakaway' last=''] as a shooter with size that also plays with a high activity level as he had 10 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->