CBG ECE 24 Big Standouts
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The Commonwealth Basketball Group put together their East Coast Elite 24 Camp, which brought together some of the top prospects from across the east coast to train with and compete against each other for college coaches on a live stream.…
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Continue ReadingThe Commonwealth Basketball Group put together their East Coast Elite 24 Camp, which brought together some of the top prospects from across the east coast to train with and compete against each other for college coaches on a live stream. The event brought together players from NJ, PA, MD, WV, DC, VA, NC and SC, and was a super high level and talented event with kids that were eager to compete and play hard against each other.
There wasn’t a dud in the group, and here we take a look at the top bigs from the event.
Favour Aire Favour Aire 6'10" | C Bishop McNamara | 2022 State #86 Nation MD | 6’10” | Bishop McNamara (MD) 2022
Aire is considered one of the top bigs on the east coast and was one of the biggest names in the camp, and he showed why even in a camp setting that doesn’t really gear toward the strength of big men. Known as a rim runner and a rim protector, Aire showed that he has a skill set that is very underrated on the offensive end as he showed good hands and especially good footwork in the post, he showed good touch over both shoulders and he dunked pretty much everything that he caught in the paint. He’s surprisingly mobile for his size and quick off his feet, and once he gets a good entry pass he can either score it easily in the post or he can kick inside-out. He’s also a high level rebounder, and finished the camp averaging 12.5 points while shooting 76% from the field, and pitched in 5.5 rebounds per game.
Maliq Brown Maliq Brown 6'8" | PF Blue Ridge | 2022 State #123 Nation VA | 6’8” | Blue Ridge (VA) 2022
Brown is widely considered the best big man in the 2022 class in Virginia, and he showed why with his high motor and efficiency on the offensive end and his versatility on the defensive end. There isn’t much that’s going to wow you about Brown’s game, but the thing he does very well is converting opportunities in the paint and guarding multiple positions on the defensive end. He’s a good athlete that runs the floor hard and can finish above the rim, he has great hands and catches very tough passes in the post and he can protect the rim and switch in pick-and-roll situations as well. Although he didn’t get many touches, as is the usual for bigs in a camp like this, he finished every opportunity he had and didn’t miss a shot throughout the camp.
Houston Emory Houston Emory 6'10" | C Blue Ridge | 2022 State VA | 6’10” | Blue Ridge (VA) 2022
Brown’s teammate at Blue Ridge, Emory returned this season after missing the entire 2019-2020 season with a back injury, and he showed that he’s really been in the gym working on his game and has improved significantly in a number of ways over the past few years. The defensive minded big man will be the first one to tell you that he doesn’t care too much about the offensive side of the ball, but he showed the ability to get off his feet quickly on catch and finish opportunities and played above the rim throughout the event. He’s a guy who runs the floor hard and plays with a good motor, and he showed improvement on his jumper as he was 2-for-2 behind the arc, adding a whole new dimension to his game moving forward. He was extremely efficient going 75% from the field on the day, and was one of the top shot blockers in the camp as well.
Miles Webb Miles Webb 6'7" | PF St. Stephen's St. Agnes | 2022 State VA | 6’7” | St. Stephen’s St. Agnes (VA) 2022
Webb is one of the more underrated and under recruited guys in the state of VA, and he showed that he can play with the best and has some very intriguing versatility to his game. The 6’7” forward is long and athletic and is very mobile allowing him to run the floor and guard multiple positions, and he can play both on the perimeter and in the post. He’s great in the dunker spot on catch and finishes, he can handle in transition and is a good passer and he rebounds well on both ends of the floor. He’s improved immensely over the past few years, and as he fills out and continues to develop he’ll likely see his recruitment take off moving forward.
Kyrese Mullen | 6’7” | Massanutten (VA) 2022
When speaking about improvement, the way that Mullen has improved in both his game and his body over the past few years at Massanutten has turned him into a very intriguing prospect. He showed some of that improvement on Sunday, as he looked mobile and was explosive enough to play above the rim, he was great as a screener and roller and showed his range as he hit a couple of corner three-pointers as well. He’s turned himself into a stretch four man that still has the ability to bang in the paint and clear out guys with his size, but he can also step out and hurt you from deep as he’s become very consistent from downtown as well.
Keyontae Lewis Keyontae Lewis 6'7" | PF LC Bird | 2022 State VA | 6’8” | LC Bird (VA) 2022
While we say that camps aren’t really meant for big men, it was good to see Lewis continue to do the dirty work and the little things despite not getting many touches on the offensive end. He was one of the biggest kids in the camp, and he used his size well as a screener and walled up defensively in the paint, and he showed good touch when he did get shot opportunities in the paint and out to the elbow. He was one of the more underrated guys in the camp, and he’s a guy who’s set to have a big summer this year after a solid junior season.
Carter Lang Carter Lang 6'9" | C St. Anne's Belfield | 2023 State #199 Nation VA | 6’9” | STAB (VA) 2023
Lang is widely considered the best big in the 2023 class in the state of VA, and he was extremely productive throughout the day including a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds in the second game he played. He’s a high motor big man that plays extremely hard on both ends and runs the floor well, he rebounds everything both in and out of his area, he’s a big time rim protector and challenges shots without fouling and he’s terrific at sealing and providing a big target then finishing in the paint. He showed his improved range as well, which will add another dimension to his game, and he played so well that he picked up an offer from Ole Miss following the event. He led the camp in rebounding at 10.5 per game and in blocks with 3 in two games, and he averaged 12 points per game as well.
James Okonkwo | 6’9” | Beckley IJN (WV) | 2023
Okonkwo is a prospect that not too many people know about yet as he just got to the States from Great Britain last year, but he has the physical and athletic tools to be a big time prospect once he puts everything together moving forward. At 6’9” he’s extremely athletic and can run the floor with the guards, he rebounds and blocks shots well above the rim and he plays with a great motor and loves the physicality of playing in the paint. He still has so much room to grow moving forward, and in a couple of years he’s going to be a very highly touted big man recruit across the country.
Eli DeLaurier | 6’8” | Miller School (VA) 2024
DeLaurier is one of the most intriguing young prospects in the state of VA and already holds a few offers as just a freshman, and he showed flashes of what makes him that way. He’s athletic for his size and able to run the floor with guards, he can step out and shoot the ball out to the three-point line and he plays with a great motor on both ends of the floor and isn’t afraid to bang with bigger and stronger guys in the paint. He was one of the top rebounders in the event at 5.5 per game, and he’s only going to get better with time moving forward.