The Expo Illinois: Steve’s Elite Performers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Saturday The Expo: Illinois was the first session of three camps Prep Hoops Illinois will hold in the western suburbs this weekend. With a loaded group of players attending the camp I picked out my absolute top players from the games I watched at the Supreme Courts. Here are my top guys from today's games.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2125660' first='Lamari' last='Carpenter'] 2027 Glenbard North&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lamari is a blast to cover in events like this. His three-level scoring is amazing to watch starting with his drives to the bucket and how well he finishes. Carpenter has a quick first step with his handle and can tear the rim off if you can't contain him. As a shooter he can stretch it out to the three but is very comfortable in the mid-range pocket. A dangerous prospect who is onlygoing into his junior year.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2455373' first='Oturo' last='Redento'] 2027 Glenbard North&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oturo is a smooth wing with nice length and feel for the game. His versatility makes him a realistic prospect. His athleticism and handle to get to the basket for his size at 6'5 makes him a mismatch out of the gate. When players played him for the drive he knocked down shots with ease on the perimeter. He and Carpenter are set to be a strong duo for the next two years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2125619' first='Dshaun' last='Bolden'] 2027 Oswego East&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bolden showed how bouncy he was from the start of the game. First, it was a chase-down block followed by two dunks. Later he spiked a shot near out of bounds after catching a missed layup off the rim that he flushed with two hands. He plays with a continuous motor and uses his bounce to fuel his game. He's primed for a breakout season on varsity.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2125659' first='Kristopher' last='Mporokoso'] 2027 Waubonsie Valley&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kris came to the expo ready to prove he's more than a catch-and-shoot player. His handle and ability to get to the basket were on full display. In fastbreak opportunities, he showed his athleticism and how effective of a passer he is. At 6'5 with two years left to go he is a no-brainer D1 prospect.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2125668' first='Nedas' last='Venckus'] 2027 Lockport&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Energetic guard who caught me by surprise with his bounce. Nedus played hard through the whistle on both ends of the court being an active defender and even cleaned up a couple of missed shots on the offensive glass. A key moment in the game for Venckus was when he stole an inbound pass for a two-handed dunk. A twin his brother Nojus is very similar and will be a good tandem at Lockport this upcoming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2927775' first='Cedrick' last='Carter'] 2026 Intrinsic Downtown&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carter was a player that only I and a few other scouts have seen in the city. It's strange because at 6'8 with his size and ability players like him don't go under the radar. Today he showed his talents. Long agile forward who has a good shooting stroke and feel around the basket. Gets up and down the court to finish with dunks and is a heck of a rebounder. As he works on that motor for the next level he is a talent that can open eyes starting in November.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2469076' first='Travis' last='Brown Jr'] 2027 West Aurora&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brown is a dynamic two-way guard who gets after it on defense and causes a lot of havoc with his length and alertness in the passing lanes. As the primary handler, he gets in the paint and finishes with touch on his shots. Has been a consistent top 5 player in the class and even with his stature he finds a way to make plays. Travis can be a 20-point scorer this season when he locks into it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->