Ridgewood Live Event: Scotty B's Friday Notebook

***Use Code “ScottyB30” for 30% off your subscription***   The Ridgewood Live Event kicked off on Friday with games going for 10+ hours.  PHI had four scouts in the gym.  Here is a look at what I saw in Ridgewood Live Event: Scotty B's Friday Notebook!   Neuqua Valley 1-2 Punch Starts Off Event with Statement   Neuqua Valley opened up with a 63-51 victory against Lincoln Park.  What is special about this team is everyone understands their roles.  Class of 2027 star [player_tooltip player_id='2839878' first='Mason' last='Martin'] is an elite shot maker as the Illini commit poured them in one after another from three, stopping and popping in the mid-range, along with pushing in transition for 21 points.  [player_tooltip player_id='2531981' first='Cole' last='Kelly'] is one of the truly special prospects as a point-forward that is an elite passer and knock down shooter.  Showcased both of those especially in the second half.  More to his gamer as he put it on the deck for scores at the cup, hit the glass, and competed defensively.  Showed it all on one play where he defended on the perimeter, got the rebound, pushed in open floor, then hit man for a dime.  Went for 18 points.   Lincoln Park got a breakout performance of 25 points from 2028 6'1” guard [player_tooltip player_id='2838585' first='Terrell' last='Eason'].  Slender guard got to his spots for multiple threes, baseline jumpers and slick takes to the rack.  Pesky defender and rebounds very well for his size.  [player_tooltip player_id='2542413' first='Alvin' last='Robinson'] is a 2028 wing that had his moments.  Struggled shooting it, but used his size and athleticism on the perimeter to get downhill along with scoring out of the post.   Choice's Offense and Rams Defense Combine for Opening Victory   DePaul Prep cruised to a victory against Rock Island.  [player_tooltip player_id='2842573' first='Blake' last='Choice'] has fully taken on the role of the primary offensive option for the Rams.  He scored 19 points in their first game as the projectable combo guard knocked in 15 footers off the dribble along with several threes.  The jumper was on point!  Fellow 2028 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2751053' first='Jacob' last='Only'] is fitting in nicely with this group as he locks down defensively along with hitting a pair of threes.  Kalob Hayes put his name on our radar with a nice outing as the 2029 5'10” guard is a scrappy defender that plays with speed and vision.  Overall as always with this squad the team defense was so impressive!   [player_tooltip player_id='2712818' first='Deven' last='Marshall'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2455389' first='Arthur' last='Abbey'] each showed flashes for Rock Island.  Marshall is a quick twitched guard that created off the bounce for pull up threes along with acrobatic layups.  Abbey is a shifty guard who pushes pace, can hit an open shot, and is nimble with his footwork in the paint.   Benet Dominates Powered by Stasys   The Redwings of Benet continue to show why they need to be in the conversation again for the best team in the state with a 63-36 W over Glenbrook South.  They got a quality outing from the top senior post in the state [player_tooltip player_id='2323620' first='Ed' last='Stasys'].  Strong and super explosive four man that threw down several big dunks, swatted shots, and as always was dominant on the glass.  [player_tooltip player_id='2425956' first='Perry' last='Tchiegne'] makes excellent decisions as a passer, gets two feet in the paint, and defended at a super high level.  Few emerging prospect that caught our attention included 5'10” 2029 point guard Eli Wright with his three point shooting, junior athletic two guard Gio Sanderlin attacking the rack with authority, and [player_tooltip player_id='2839940' first='Tanner' last='Telford'] who is an impactful 2029 wing that defends along with showing skill.   Glenbrook South 2028 five man [player_tooltip player_id='2438695' first='Hunter' last='Thiel'] is a big bodied five that has touch around the hoop with a variety of low post moves including spins, hooks, and reverse layups.  Rebounded well in his area as well.   Pettigrew Toughs Out Foot Injury Dropping 25 in Win vs Buffalo Grove   I was with top 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2531973' first='Brady' last='Pettigrew'] at Nike Elite 100 where he hurt his foot pretty bad on Wednesday night.  In fact I drove him back to the dorm with my golf cart skills.  He didn't play on Thursday and was doubtful for Friday at Ridgewood, but the top player in the state was out there for both Raiders games including leading them to a 51-44 win against Buffalo Grove.  Pettigrew dropped 25 points in the victory as he came out aggressive in both the half court and transition putting pressure on the defense with downhill drives, transition takes, and burst on the baseline.  Worked well out of the mid-post, showcased a soft touch finishing game, and his passing was at a high level in the win.  [player_tooltip player_id='2415542' first='Nathan' last='Woods'] had a nice day as he showcased his perimeter shot making more so in the first game, but also against Buffalo Grove.  Shooters with size are always a commodity!  [player_tooltip player_id='3599119' first='Blake' last='Williams'] emerged as a 6'3” shooting guard with a physical body and frame.  Rebounds well and can provide some scoring for this squad.   Buffalo Grove 2027 center [player_tooltip player_id='2323618' first='Alex' last='Sirbu'] more than backed up his recent offer spree with his play against Bolingbrook.  The top true center in the senior class had 20 points and double digit boards.  Super high level rebounder that was dominant on both ends grabbing them in traffic.  Nice array of post moves with shakes, spins, and using his physicality.   Quintet of Young Prospects Shine and Mt. Carmel Senior Continues to Elevate Stock   Five of the best young players in the 2029 and 2030 prospects were on display as Mt. Carmel took on Bloom.  [player_tooltip player_id='2915584' first='DK' last='Heard'] is a high-motor small forward that is so impactful with his defense, rebounding, and attacking from 15 feet in for the Caravan.  [player_tooltip player_id='2767906' first='Ronald' last='Johnson'] is a well built point guard who has such great burst with the ball ripping past defenders and passes on the money.  Mt. Carmel also got a big game out of [player_tooltip player_id='2403910' first='Logan' last='Wessel'] as the rising senior has a lot of helium right now as a plus three point shooter that can attack a close out for sweeping finishes along with pushing off the defensive glass.   Bloom lead guard [player_tooltip player_id='2918205' first='Keiwon' last='Gulley'] is an athletic bowling ball of a player who is tough to stop when he has a head of steam behind him as the 2029 guard was in attack mode along with showing some passing off live dribbles.  [player_tooltip player_id='2918202' first='Kaden' last='McClellan'] shines with his quickness and slick handles in both the half court and open floor.  [player_tooltip player_id='3665027' first='Larry' last='Ellis'] is a 2030 lead guard who early in the process is one of the best we have seen.  Splits the defense consistently, knocks in threes, and throws dimes through traffic including a bounce pass to a cutter.   Lake Forest Academy Shows Out vs Providence   It was a dominant performance for Lake Forest Academy winning 75-29 against Providence.  The breakout performer was Goran Davidovic as the 6'3” shooting guard poured in a plethora from deep along with multiple mid-range jumpers and floaters for 22 points.  It was a lethal shot making display!  [player_tooltip player_id='2125684' first='Tej' last='Johnson'] at the lead guard spot is a well built combo that can play on or off the ball.  Strong frame which helps him get in the paint, defend, and rebounds.  Knocked in a pair of threes in the win for 14 points.  Boti Szabo-Zsamba is a big bodied five that has excellent hands, garners deep post position, and understands angles to finish in the paint.  Touch around the basket and seals tremendously well.  He also rebounds at a high clip in his area.  [player_tooltip player_id='2877543' first='Landon' last='Lethunya'] continues to show promise as a long and lanky four man with quick twitched tools around the hoop as a finisher and shot blocker.  Connective passer as well.   Naperville North Sharp Shooter Steals Show in Victory over Northridge Prep   In the summer you go into a game with one scouting goal and get a completely different outcome.  That is what happened in Naperville North's 70-31 win against Northridge Prep.  We wanted to see 6'10” Northridge Prep big man Peter Chojniak, but he was fighting a back injury and after a dunk in the high/low was pretty much done for the night.  For Naperville North it was an elite shot making display from 6'1” 2027 shooting guard [player_tooltip player_id='2409224' first='Jack' last='Zitko'] as he poured in NINE balls from the land of three!  Every time it left his hand it looked like it was going down.  Senior post [player_tooltip player_id='2426029' first='Nolan' last='Scarbrough'] flashed some intriguing tools as a small college post prospect with his positioning and skill.  Like the upside long term of 2029 wing [player_tooltip player_id='2899165' first='Tobias' last='Kapusta'] as a 6'4” prospect that can shoot it with a clean release, defend multiple spots, and get on the offensive glass.   Leo's Defense is Stellar in Win   This game wasn't close from the start as Leo blew out Prosser.  Overall what stands out about Leo is their defense will keep them in almost any game.  With a quartet of senior guards in [player_tooltip player_id='2527254' first='Brian' last='Kizer Jr'], [player_tooltip player_id='2323606' first='Asa' last='Harris'], [player_tooltip player_id='2532329' first='Jeremiah' last='Echols'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2632058' first='Karon' last='Shavers'] they have four guards that change the game with their quickness and defensive intensity.  They can turn that defense into offense in a split second.  [player_tooltip player_id='2834484' first='Nathan' last='Stephens'] brings an enforcer on the backline along with throwing down dunks offensively.  Their top long term prospect is 2029 power forward [player_tooltip player_id='2964028' first='Elon' last='Henderson'].  Passed it well, scored in the paint with a hook shot, finished through defender on the move, and drained a jab step three while showcasing potential as a rim protector.   Smith Continues to Impress for Lyons Making Winning Plays in Battle of Trio of Top 20 2028s   Lyons 2028 forward [player_tooltip player_id='2538631' first='Grant' last='Smith'] has a ton of helium right now as mid-major and high-majors are intrigued.  He scored 22 points displaying his shooting, rebounding, passing instincts, and athleticism in a 48-47 double OT victory vs Peoria.  The winning plays were shown toward the end as he hit a three to send the contest to OT.  Then blocked a shot to extend to double OT.  He closed it out with an aggressive drive where he was fouled hitting the game winning free throw.  Their 2027 point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2839879' first='Timmy' last='Sloan'] is a prospect we are super high on.  He is a jumbo lead guard with great size and strength.  Love his passing feel along with being able to mix in scores when needed.   Peoria High's 2028 backcourt of [player_tooltip player_id='3665311' first='Kayden' last='Turner'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2834186' first='Nigel' last='Moore'] had their moments.  Turner is a 6'4” two guard who came out firing with a pair of back to back feathery triples.  Knocks in shots off movement at a high level along with being a solid perimeter defender as he notched 16 points.  Moore is a speedy left handed guard that pushed coast to coast along with hitting several jumpers.   Welch Shoots Lights Out, but Not Quite Enough as Yorkville Junior Duo Get Win   Yorkville won 49-34 against Moline.  The 1-2 combination of [player_tooltip player_id='2194655' first='Braydon' last='Porter'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2532003' first='Joey' last='Jakstys'] will be the recipe for them to win games this season.  Porter had a quality game using his strength and athleticism to get to the rim with powerful drives as he put pressure on the rim throughout the game.  Jakstys is a long and athletic combo forward who got to the line and impacted defensively.   For Moline it was all about their 2027 point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2455383' first='Brady' last='Welch'] as he scored 27 of their 34 points.  He is a fun floor general who can really shoot the ball from distance draining four of them in this game along with a flurry of mid-range shots and creative layups.  The small college or D2 who lands him will be very happy.   New Trier Closes Night with Win Behind Massive Front Line   In the last game of the night New Trier got a 65-60 victory against Libertyville.  The size was just overwhelming as their frontline of [player_tooltip player_id='2405910' first='Denym' last='Wallace'], [player_tooltip player_id='3430149' first='Matthew' last='Logue'], [player_tooltip player_id='2839877' first='Elton' last='Jaegerskog'], and Owen Foster took over especially in the second half.  They dominated on the glass.  Wallace with a force with his power game down low throwing down dunks, hitting hook shots, and making crafty moves in the paint.  Also had a LBJ chase down block catching his man and swatting it against backboard.  [player_tooltip player_id='3430149' first='Matthew' last='Logue'] had a big second half as the four man hit spot up threes, sealed in the paint, attacked from the mid-post, and got his team a ton of second chance points.  Also keep an eye on 6'3” 2028 shooting guard [player_tooltip player_id='2438564' first='Fintan' last='Pierce'] who brings size, feel, and a connective piece to this squad.   Libertyville got a big first half from [player_tooltip player_id='2540198' first='Terrence' last='Davis'].  The athletic 2028 combo guard is a slick downhill driver who can finish with their hand.  Mixed in turnaround jumpers out of the mid-post and was dynamic getting downhill as he scored 17 points.  Class of 2028 fellow guard [player_tooltip player_id='2834513' first='Nick' last='Baker'] caught lightning in a bottle in the second half as the lengthy guard made shot after shot from thee and crafty moves from 15 feet in.  [player_tooltip player_id='2390523' first='Evan' last='Okey'] is a sleeper post who we liked in the spring that can play with skill as a mid-range shooter.

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