Team Rose Fall League Team Breakdown

With the fall league season beginning to wind down, I made my way back to the [program_tooltip program_id='2078408' first='Team' last='Rose'] Fall League over the weekend to take a closer look at several Chicago-area programs. Rather than focusing solely on individual standouts this time around we take a team-by-team look at the players, strengths and overall makeup of some of the schools that took the floor. With the regular season approaching Saturday's action provided another opportunity to see how these teams are coming together.   Brother Rice   Brother Rice received strong guard play on Saturday, led by [player_tooltip player_id='2455377' first='Uriah' last='Davis'], who consistently attacked the basket and took advantage of mismatches against smaller defenders. Davis used his strength and ability to play through contact to score around the rim, while his activity on the glass allowed him to grab rebounds and immediately push the ball in transition. I continue to be impressed with [player_tooltip player_id='2950754' first='Jayvion' last='Yancey'], a transfer with a strong frame for a high school guard who competes on both ends of the floor. Yancey brings defensive toughness while also showing the ability to score at all three levels. [player_tooltip player_id='2632084' first='Daniel' last='Salkauskas'] continues to improve with each rep, showing versatility as both a wing and stretch big. He can rebound, push the ball in space and make plays from the post. The Crusaders picked up a nice win over an improving King squad.   King   Despite the loss, King made plenty of noise behind its talented backcourt of Corey Wellere and Terrell Keys. Wellere brings lockdown on-ball defense and the ability to put points on the board in multiple ways, including knocking down shots from deep. Keys is more of a facilitator, constantly looking to get his teammates involved while applying pressure to opposing ball-handlers the length of the floor. Two of his favorite targets are brothers [player_tooltip player_id='3724008' first='Jakob' last='Wren'] and [player_tooltip player_id='3724076' first='Jakobe' last='Wren'], a pair of rugged and athletic forwards who can slide between multiple positions. Their activity on the glass and physical style make them difficult matchups in the frontcourt. Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='3687258' first='Larnell' last='Smith'], a 6-foot-7 big, also provided valuable minutes off the bench with his rebounding and interior presence. King already looked like a potential dark horse in the CPS, and the additions of [player_tooltip player_id='2532031' first='Roosevelt' last='Thomas'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2915584' first='DK' last='Heard'] could turn the Jaguars into legitimate contenders.   Mt. Carmel   It was the [player_tooltip player_id='2767906' first='Ronald' last='Johnson'] show for much of Mt. Carmel's game. Johnson consistently created offense off the bounce, scored at multiple levels and made plays for his teammates. He also delivered one of the highlights of the day with a powerful one-handed slam over a defender. The biggest eye-opener, however, was Tim Adrenele. The 6-foot-10 big man looked as fluid as I have seen him during his high school career. His activity as a shot blocker and ability to high-point rebounds immediately stood out, and he added a couple of dunks of his own to show his offensive potential. Frontcourt teammate [player_tooltip player_id='2403910' first='Logan' last='Wessel'] was also in strong form, scoring in a variety of ways both in transition and in the half court. Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='2344767' first='Tobi' last='Farley'] continued to show that he can contribute at the varsity level, displaying scoring ability and confidence from beyond the arc.   Perspectives MSA   After an impressive showing the previous week, the Wolves welcomed one of their top players back to the floor in Demarco King. The 6-foot-3 guard is a versatile scorer who can create around the basket and find different ways to finish. Against Mt. Carmel, King consistently used his strength to absorb contact and score over defenders. [player_tooltip player_id='2429933' first='Jonathan' last='Costello'] provided valuable size and helped control the glass, while [player_tooltip player_id='2411521' first='J'vion' last='Tilly'] brought an aggressive interior presence and finished a fastbreak with an impressive two-handed slam. William Chapman adds additional depth to the backcourt and gives the Wolves another capable ball-handler. With King back in the lineup, Perspectives MSA has another major piece to build around heading into the season.   Rich Township   Rich had a competitive showing, with guard Terrance "TJ" Smith continuing to show that he has the tools to become a lead guard. Smith played well off two feet in the lane, allowing him to stay under control while creating opportunities for himself and his teammates. His ability to make decisions in traffic and generate paint touches stood out. [player_tooltip player_id='2966991' first='Kamarion' last='Sandifer'] also made an impact by running the floor hard and converting a couple of opportunities in transition. The energetic freshman brings size, athleticism and bounce to the frontcourt and has the tools to provide an immediate boost at the varsity level.   Brooks   The Eagles didn't come away with the win, but they showed a promising trio that could make plenty of noise this season. [player_tooltip player_id='2432131' first='Isaiah' last='Hall'] is a dangerous deep scoring threat who has the confidence to let it fly as soon as he crosses half court. [player_tooltip player_id='3725633' first='Justin' last='McElroy'] provides a steady presence in the backcourt, giving Brooks another guard who can attack off the bounce and create opportunities. Inside, [player_tooltip player_id='2895441' first='Malik' last='Arogundade'] brings a rugged, physical presence to the frontcourt. The left-handed forward is a true glass eater who finishes well around the basket and plays with an underrated level of athleticism. With that combination of perimeter scoring, guard play and interior toughness, Brooks has the pieces to put together a strong season.   Hyde Park   Hyde Park had little trouble on Saturday, cruising to a convincing victory over Farragut. [player_tooltip player_id='2880101' first='Keontae' last='Douglas'], [player_tooltip player_id='3430125' first='Camarion' last='Weathers'] and Brandon Hightower set the tone defensively with aggressive pressure that consistently disrupted the Admirals' offense. The Thunderbirds turned multiple turnovers into transition opportunities, while their ball pressure also forced Farragut into difficult shots. Hyde Park's ability to create offense from its defense was one of the biggest takeaways from the matchup. If that defensive intensity carries over into the regular season, the Thunderbirds could be a difficult matchup for teams that struggle against pressure.   Curie   Curie had a relatively easy afternoon against a shorthanded Phillips squad, with its backcourt once again leading the way. [player_tooltip player_id='2540149' first='Tobyus' last='Banks'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2844431' first='Dream' last='Horton'] give the Condors a dynamic scoring combination, with both guards capable of producing at all three levels. Banks uses his athleticism to attack the basket and finish through traffic, while Horton provides a bigger threat from the perimeter and can stretch the defense with his shooting. [player_tooltip player_id='2844456' first='Amir' last='Green'] gives Curie another intriguing piece at 6-foot-6, combining size and athleticism on the defensive end. Green showed the ability to erase shots around the basket, clean up the glass and immediately turn rebounds into transition opportunities. The Condors have a nice balance of perimeter scoring and frontcourt athleticism.   Dyett   Dyett turned in one of the more convincing performances of the day with a strong win over Lindblom. [player_tooltip player_id='2385688' first='Stan' last='Strong Jr']. continues to establish himself as one of the top incoming lead guards in the class, and his chemistry with his teammates is becoming increasingly noticeable. Strong does an excellent job delivering the ball to teammates in stride when they cut to the basket, while his ability to control tempo gives Dyett a steady presence at the point. He also remains effective when Dyett turns up the pressure defensively, showing the ability to play through a fast pace without losing control of the offense. Playing alongside him is 6-foot-6 Jayden McNeil, who provides toughness in the frontcourt, rebounds well in traffic and can make plays around the lane. Dyett has the pieces to become a potential trap game for several CPS opponents this season; teams that overlook the Eagles could find themselves in a dogfight by the fourth quarter.

With the fall league season beginning to wind down, I made my way back to the Team Rose Fall League over the weekend to take a closer look at several Chicago-area programs. Rather than focusing solely on individual standouts this time around we take a team-by-team look at the players, strengths and overall makeup of some of the schools that took the floor. With the regular season approaching Saturday's action provided another opportunity to see how these teams are coming together.