Scouting Report: 2016 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — One of the top tournaments in the country, the Tournament of Champions featured numerous nationally ranked teams and players and drew more than 25,000 fans to the three day even held on the campus of Missouri State…
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Continue ReadingSPRINGFIELD, Mo. — One of the top tournaments in the country, the Tournament of Champions featured numerous nationally ranked teams and players and drew more than 25,000 fans to the three day even held on the campus of Missouri State University.
Seventh-place: Kickapoo 71, Bolivar 64
Fifth-place: Christ the Kind 59, Bishop Gorman 55
Third-place: Chaminade 61, Rainer Beach 39
Championship: Oak Hill 49, Sierra Canyon 48
All-Tournament Team:
Ty-Shon Alexander, Oak Hill (MVP); Lindell Wigginton, Oak Hill; Jose Alvarado, Christ the King; Devearl Ramsey, Sierra Canyon; Cody Riley, Sierra Canyon; Jared Ridder, Kickapoo; Tyler Cook, Chaminade; Jayson Tatum, Chaminade; Sam Cunliffe, Rainier Beach; Charles O’Bannon, Bishop Gorman; Zach Collins, Bishop Gorman
2016
Jayson Tatum, 6-8, Chaminade (Duke)
Tatum, who has signed to play at Duke, is ranked by many at or near the top of the 2016 class and it is easy to see why. He has incredible size at 6-foot-8, 200-pounds, and athleticism and a diverse skill set, capable of doing a host of different things at a high level. He reminds you a little of Grant Hill due to his versatility and size. He has has the potential to be a lockdown defender, which he showed in the third-place game against Rainier Beach, locking up Arizona State signee Sam Cunliffe for much of that contest. Tatum not only projects well to the next level, but is already being lauded as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft by NBADraft.net.
Zach Collins, 6-11, Bishop Gorman (Gonzaga)
Not long after the Tournament of Champions concluded, Collins was named a McDonalds All-American, which surprised no one who saw him play over the weekend. Not only does Collins meet the physical attributes, long, great frame with athleticism, but he has an extremely high skill set with the ability to play in the post or on the perimeter. Collins played behind two All-Americans last year in Chase Jeter (Duke) and Stephen Zimmerman (UNLV) and his national profile has certainly raised this season with added playing time and a bigger role at Bishop Gorman.
Braxton (Blackwell) Key, 6-7, Oak Hill (Alabama)
We got to see a lot of Key during the EYBL session and during the summer as he played his grassroots ball with Team Penny. It is hard to describe his game, he’s a really unique player. He has some similarities to Draymond Green, although he might not be quite as big (tall). On the flip side, he is a might be a better ball handler at the same age than Green was and is able to create a little more with the bounce.
Mario Kegler, 6-7, Oak Hill (MIssissippi State)
Kegler is a physical specimen, just has a huge frame. At first glance you might think he lives in the paint, but that’s not really his game. He floats around the perimeter a lot and can really stick the 3 ball. Shoots with poise and confidence from the outside. Has the ability to put the ball on the deck, but really, like a lot of the Oak Hill kids, you don’t get to see everything they are capable of because there is so much talent on the roster. Kegler seems content to let things come to him, and, at least at the TofC, that mostly meant shooting the rock from long distance.
Sam Cunliffe, 6-6, Rainier Beach (Arizona State)
Talented wing player who can really sky, as well as shoot and handle the ball. An elite level shot creater as well as a kid with unlimited range on his 3. Gets tremendous elevation on his perimeter shot, making it difficult to challenge for defenders. Also has a nice mid-range shot and can get to the bucket off the dribble.
Tyler Cook, 6-8, Chaminade (Iowa)
Cook is bringing the “power” back to the power forward position. He has a rare combination of size, strength, a powerful build, and explosive athleticism. He is an improving all-around offensive player, but he is at his best dominating in the paint where he finishes with authoritative slams.
Keith Smith, 6-7, Rainier Beach (Oregon)
According to head coach Mike Bethea, Smith has been slowed by knee injury throughout his high school career. He has a diverse skill set, as well as length and athleticism, but he didn’t appear to be at full strength at the TofC.
2017
Cody Riley, 6-8, Sierra Canyon (Cal.)
A man child, Riley is a strong, bruising power forward with a knack for carving out space in the post to score the ball. With the transfer out of Ira Lee, and the pending transfer in of Marvin Bagley, Riley really carried SC, all the way past Chaminade and within moments of the championship. He hasn’t yet committed to UCLA, but the school seems to be a heavy favorite at this point and UCLA head coach Steve Alford and several assistants were on hand to watch Thursday and Saturday.
Matt Coleman, 6-2, Oak Hill (Va.)
Has an old-school type game and wants to help set up others. Is a true pass-first point guard who really doesn’t look for his own shot much. Has elite speed and quickness and can get to the bucket whenever he wants. Is working on his jumper and in the opening round he took several pull-up jumpers from 15 feet or so. Holds a host of offers from Power 5 schools.
Chuck O’Bannon, 6-5, Bishop Gorman (Nev.)
The son of former UCLA star Charles O’Bannon, the easiest way to describe Chuck O’Bannon’s game is smooth. He has a nice handle and seemingly glides through the game. Has a host of major offers, including Kansas, California, Arizona, Oklahoma and others.
Devontae Shuler, 6-2, Oak Hill (Va.)
An impressive guard who can do a little bit of everything at a high level. Can really handle and create his own shot, and is at his best in attack mode. Plays fast and puts pressure on opposing defenses and appears to able to score at all three levels. His perimeter shot is flat and can be inconsistent, but he has the ability to create shots against good defenders. Is already drawing recruiting attention from numerous Power 5 programs.
Ty-Shon Alexander, 6-2, Oak Hill (Va.) (Creighton)
Big-time shooter with great balance, elevation and form on his outside shot. Shoots with confidence, but doesn’t take bad shots either. Seems to take his opportunities when they are there without forcing the issue. Hit the game-winner out of the corner in the championship game, the fifth 3 he made in the game. Played Friday in front of Creighton head coach Gregg McDermott.
Jose Alvarado, 6-0, Christ the King (N.Y.)
His coach, Joe Arbitello, called him the best point guard in New York city, and after watching him play over the course of three days, he might be right. Alvarado has a toughness about him and combines that with great leadership attributes. He is tough for opponents to stay in front of and keep out of the lane where he is both a strong and good finisher, and a terrific passer, making dump down and kick out passes for easy buckets. Alvarado is hearing from a host of Big East and Power 5 schools.
Remy Martin, 5-11, Sierra Canyon (Cal.)
Super quick point guard with hops, Martin is a blur in the open court and at his best attacking the bucket with flair. He entered the tournament as the team’s leading scorer, averaging 13.1 points, to go along with 3.7 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game.
Jared Ridder, 6-7, Kickapoo (Mo.)
Ridder combines size and length with a smooth perimeter jumper. Has also found creative ways to score around the basket, including a baby jump hook that he can make consistently. Still needs to get stronger and get a little better at the defensive end and off the dribble, but he is already drawing interest from a wide range of Division I schools.
Adam Seiko, 6-3, Sierra Canyon (Cal.)
We really liked this kids game: he’s tough, hard-nosed, all of those hard-work type adjectives fit his game. He is seemingly always at the right place at the right time and does everything thing well, including defend. Averages 8.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists, but those numbers don’t really tell the whole story of his game.
Brandon Emmert, 6-6, Bolivar (Mo.)
A potential Division I football prospect, Emmert isn’t quite at the level in the basketball recruiting world that many of the others on this list are, but he is a really good high school player who gets the most out of his physical tools. Has a big frame with wide shoulders that he uses to create space in the lane. Has a soft touch around the basket and is a solid passer and rebounder as well. Went for 25 against Kickapoo in the seventh-place game on Saturday.
2018
Marvin Bagley, 6-10, PF, Sierra Canyon
We didn’t get a chance to see Bagley in game action, but we were able to sneak a peak at the SC warm-ups in Hammons, and honestly, that’s all it took to walk away impressed. Not only is Bagley and long and athletic with tremendous bounce, but the most impressive aspect of his game is how well he handles it for a kid that is 6-10. Might have as much upside as any player in the high school game, in any class.
Kenny Nwuba, 6-9, Oak Hill (Va.)
Fans only got a glimpse of the Oak Hill future as Nwuba played sparingly, but he might be as gifted a player as there was. He is a powerfully built, 6-foot-9 power forward that combines power and athleticism. He is a physical specimen that would remind you of Andre Drummond or Bam Abedeyo. He has already started to draw major college interest and his time on the Oak Hill front line is coming.
Kevin Porter, 6-5, Rainier Beach (Wash.)
Although a little inconsistent at times, Porter can really play. Has a tight handle, can get his own shot from anywhere on the floor, and does it all with elite size. Has broad shoulders and a big frame and plays bigger than even his 6-5 listed height. He battled foul trouble at times at the TofC, but also had flashes of brilliance throughout. Is a high-level recruit that is already drawing interest from a host of Power 5-type programs.
2019
Amazingly, there wasn’t a single freshman that got significant run at the 2016 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions. There seemingly is always a couple of talented ninth-graders that show promise, but not this year. In fact, none of the teams even had a freshman listed on its roster.