Riverside Brookfield: Steve’s Day 1 Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Riverside-Brookfield Shootout tipped off Friday with a loaded field and plenty of college coaches in attendance. From established stars to emerging prospects, several players elevated their stock throughout the day. Here are the top performers from Day 1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Players in the State</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2531973' first='Brady' last='Pettigrew'] | Bolingbrook | 2028</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With all the transfer news announced Friday afternoon, [player_tooltip player_id='2531973' first='Brady' last='Pettigrew'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2531981' first='Cole' last='Kelly'] have quickly become not only the headliners of Illinois' 2028 class, but the state regardless of class. Pettigrew lived up to the hype, drawing a large crowd of coaches for his opening games. The explosive wing was electric in transition, throwing down several highlight-reel dunks, including a pair of tip slams off missed shots. Beyond the athletic plays, Pettigrew showed growth as a shot creator, attacking off the bounce and scoring in rhythm. His performance only strengthened his case as the state's No. 1 player in the Class of 2028.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2531981' first='Cole' last='Kelly'] | Neuqua Valley | 2028</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kelly continues to make a strong argument as one of the most complete players in Illinois regardless of class. After a solid opening game, he was outstanding in his matchup with Pettigrew. Kelly showcased his ability to score from all three levels, knocking down deep transition threes and finishing efficiently around the basket. When defenses collapsed, he consistently made the right reads and found teammates, including sharpshooter [player_tooltip player_id='2839878' first='Mason' last='Martin']. His combination of scoring, passing, and basketball IQ remains elite.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>First Look</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2458187' first='J'dyn' last='Lloyd'] | Belleville West | 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>My first look at Lloyd did not disappoint. The 6-foot-5 wing possesses a polished offensive game and passed the eye test immediately. He effortlessly knocked down mid-range jumpers and perimeter shots while showing impressive touch on turnaround jumpers. Lloyd also flashed his athleticism with a pair of transition dunks. He posted back-to-back 20-plus point performances on Friday and looks like a prospect that should draw significant Division I interest moving forward.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2826489' first='Collin' last='Tobin'] | Niles North | 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tobin was one of the biggest surprises of the day. The strong-bodied 6-foot-3 guard can score in a variety of ways and has legitimate range from beyond the arc. He uses his physicality to finish through contact but is equally dangerous as a perimeter shooter. Tobin buried five three-pointers in his opening game and finished with 31 points. His performance generated plenty of attention from college coaches in attendance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Other Standouts</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2125687' first='Travis' last='Brown'] | West Aurora | 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brown continues to stack impressive performances this summer and did it again in front of a strong coaching contingent. The explosive guard shot the ball exceptionally well and consistently put pressure on defenses with his speed in transition. He displayed creativity with the ball, reliable shot-making ability, and even added a couple of highlight dunks. Despite standing just 5-foot-11, Brown's athleticism, IQ, and toughness allow him to impact the game in numerous ways. He finished with 30 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2963414' first='Stephen' last='Dixon'] | De La Salle | 2028</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dixon continues to emerge as one of the key leaders for a young De La Salle squad. The attacking guard set the tone offensively, creating scoring opportunities for himself while also generating looks for teammates. He played with confidence throughout the game, showing his ability to break down defenders and make plays after drawing help defense. Dixon finished with 22 points against Lockport and remains a prospect worth monitoring closely.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2839876' first='Ryan' last='Dinnon'] | Andrew | 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After missing Hoop Mountain last weekend, Dinnon made sure his presence was felt at Riverside-Brookfield. The 6-foot-7 forward may have elevated himself from a borderline Division II/low Division I prospect into a clear Division I target. Dinnon shot the ball extremely well from the perimeter, knocking down jumpers from the mid-range and beyond the arc with confidence. His versatility stood out as he showed the ability to score both inside and outside while utilizing his size and strength effectively. Several Ivy League coaches were particularly impressed with his performance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2323617' first='Markese' last='Peoples'] | St. Laurence | 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Peoples continued to prove why his name has generated so much buzz over the last two months. The 6-foot-2 guard looks leaner and more explosive while maintaining his physical style of play. He attacked relentlessly downhill, finishing through traffic and making smart decisions once he entered the lane. Peoples also displayed strong playmaking instincts and the ability to create for teammates. His performance drew considerable attention from multiple Division I programs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Contributors</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- [player_tooltip player_id='2125688' first='Tray' last='Alford'] | Oswego | 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- [player_tooltip player_id='2386611' first='Luke' last='Alvarez'] | Loyola | 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- AJ Enyia | St. Laurence | 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- [player_tooltip player_id='2125641' first='Jamier' last='Montgomery'] | Crane | 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- [player_tooltip player_id='2369872' first='Cody' last='Rader'] | Geneva | 2029</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- [player_tooltip player_id='2389107' first='Haze' last='Massey'] | Warren | 2028</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- [player_tooltip player_id='2431475' first='David' last='Udoiwod'] | Geneva | 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- [player_tooltip player_id='2499191' first='Rory' last='Haas'] | Lake Forest | 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Noah Van Tholan | Riverside-Brookfield | 2028</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->