Victor Oladipo Skills Academy Wednesday Takeaways
HYATTSVILLE, MD — The Annual Victor Oladipo Skills Academy is back at DeMatha this week, and once again played host to dozens of division one coaches. Below are some takeaways from the first full day of action.
CHICAGO WELL REPRESENTED
The first game set wasn’t exactly the prettiest, but two players shined brightest. Talen Horton Tucker, and Xavier Castaneda, two of the top six recruits in the , put on tremendous performances for their respective teams. Tucker [22 PTS (8/12 FG, 4/5 3PT, 2/3 FT) 4 REB, 3 STL, 0 TO] led his team to a win as he shot the ball exceptionally well, and played stingy defense. Castaneda [12 PTS (3/5 FG) (2/3 3PT, 4/4 FT) 6 REB, 3 AST, 3 TO] played at a very good pace, defended, made shots, and was aggressive off the dribble.
NEW JERSEY GUARDS STEAL THE SHOW
Hudson Catholic G Luther Muhammad [19 PTS (7/12 FG, 3/6 3FG, 2/2 FT) 9 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 5 TO] put on a tremendous all around performance in the first game set. Muhammad played with a ton of passion and energy which rubbed off on his teammates. Immaculate Conception G Jalen Carey [10 PTS (4/6 FG, 1/3 3PT, 1/1 FT) 2 REB, 1 STL] showcased his entire offensive arsenal in the night cap. Carey is very adept at creating separation, and this was evident during his game winning shot.
Jalen Carey hits the go-ahead shot in front of Jim Boeheim, Mike White and Kevin Ollie. @yungswae5 opens camp with a strong outing. pic.twitter.com/LYLosu8m0r
— Marley Paul (@MarleyPaul22) July 20, 2017
TRE WOOD LOOKS PHENOMENAL
The numbers [7 PTS (3/7 FG, 1/2 3PT) 2 AST, 2 TO, 1 STL] don’t accurately reflect how impactful Tre Wood was in his team’s 14 point rout. While on the floor, no one could stay in front of the explosive lead guard. Wood defended the ball very well, and kept the defense honest by making shots from the perimeter.
NOAH LOCKE FINDS RHYTHM
Noah Locke (13 PTS (5/12 FG, 3/6 3PT) 2 REB, 2 STL, 1 AST, 1 BLK, 0 TO) struggled to make shots in the first half, but it didn’t take him long to find his groove. The resiliency he displayed to fight through his struggles and impact the game in other ways spoke volumes.
COLE SWIDER CATCHES FIRE
No one was surprised to see Villanova commit Cole Swider [24 PTS (9/15 FG, 4/7 3PT, 2/2 FT) 7 REB, 1 AST, 1 TO] light it up again. He’s been doing it all summer, and the energetic 6’8 forward was in vintage form on Wednesday. Swider didn’t take long to convert when he got to his spots.
ROACH, TIMBERLAKE MORE THAN HOLD THEIR OWN
Despite being two of the youngest players in attendance, Jeremy Roach [11 PTS (5/9 FG) 2 REB, 2 STL, 1 AST, 1 TO], and Earl Timberlake [9 PTS (4/5 FG) 7 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK, 1 STL] found multiple ways to produce. Roach, who is coming off a gold medal with the 16U USA Basketball Team, seems to constantly find ways to finish in the lane from difficult angles. Meanwile, Timberlake is one of the more versatile players we’ve seen regardless of class.