Next Level Invitational: 2020 Evals Pt 1
PrepHoopsIllinois took in all the action from the Next Level Invitational in Mequon, Wisconsin this past week. Now we dive into our player evaluations from the event. Here is our 2020 Evaluations Part 1!
PG Ray’Sean Taylor (Gateway Illinois 16U)
This Collinsville point guard has seen his stock soar to inside the top 25 with his play this spring. Taylor is an athletic point guard that can score and dish equally well. He is a strong ball handler that has the ball on a string. Makes plays coming off ball screens getting in the lane where he finishes extremely well at the cup. Pushes it with burst in transition. Capable shooter although he only connected on one in this game. Most of his point production came getting to the basket and on trips to the free throw line. Also a quality passer that made a lot of on the money outlets and cross court passes to shooters.
C Keydrian Jones (Gateway Illinois 16U)
Jones is a big bodied five man that is about 6’6”. Plays bigger than his height and is a bully down low on the block. Rebounds extremely well inside his area. Gets on the offensive glass for quite a few points a game. Light on his feel and is actually a pretty good athlete for his size.
PG Isaac Gaines (Mercury Elite 16U)
Gaines stands at 5’7” from Willowbrook High School. This point guard had a few nice drives off the bounce with burst going downhill including an and-1 through a defender.
PG Benjamin Bastain (Mercury Elite 16U)
Bastain is a Wheaton Warrenville South 5’11” point guard that pushes it in the open floor and connected on a pair of threes including banking one in.
SF Connor Webb (Mercury Elite 16U)
Webb might be the most intriguing prospect on Mercury Elite’s 16U group. He has positional size and handles it well especially in space.
SG Donovin Brown (Mercury Elite 16U)
This 6’2” Crete Monee rangy wing has broad shoulders and rebounds well defensively. Very active player especially on the defensive side of the ball.
SG Malik Green (Gateway Illinois 16U)
Green is a well built two guard that is a streaky perimeter shooter. Good offensive rebounder that did most of his scoring in the paint.
SG Ethan Young (Gateway Illinois 16U)
Young is a plus shooter from three that can also slash to the hoop on occasion. The Edwardsville two guard is one to track.
PF Chris Conway (ET21 Buckeyes 16U)
Friday night was the best I have seen this Naperville Central power forward play. He has all the tools with a skilled offensive game and he put that on display. Screen and roll, quick post moves, and takes from the mid-post. Defensively he was a monster blocking shots and protecting the rim over and over again! Great timing.
PG Alec Millender (ET21 Buckeyes 16U)
Millender is a lead guard from St. Rita that works well in ball screen situations manipulating them and taking advantage of what the defense gives him. Slick handles in traffic gliding through defenders to the rim. Showed continued growth as a distributor kicking to shooters.
SG Sami Osami (ET21 Buckeyes 16U)
Osami was on fire from the perimeter for ET21 in the morning on Thursday. The Oak Lawn 6’1” shooting guard connected on several picture perfect triples. Also mixed in a few nice scores off the bounce. Competitive kid that plays within his role on the team.
SF Kayman Hopkins (ET21 Buckeyes 16U)
There was quite a bit of interest from college coaches in this intriguing upside forward. Bouncy forward at 6’4” that hails from Fremd. He is a quick twitched athlete that has big time bounce! Shot blocking presence and plays above the rim catching oops.
PG Elliot Sieger (All-In Athletic Williams 16U)
Sieger is a point guard from Whitney Young that had a bit of an up and down showing in the two games we saw. Looks a lot thicker than we remember even during the high school season. Wasn’t great shooting it from deep missing a lot of threes. Was best pushing the tempo and when he looked to pass made some solid plays.
PG Joel Watts (All-In Williams 16U)
Watts stood out when we saw him at the Hoop Group camp recently and was very good again for AIA. The St. Rita point guard is quick off the bounce with tight handles in traffic. He is slippery getting in and out of the defense and made several tough layups. Playmaking guard that can shoot and pass it a little too.
SF Kyndall Davis (All-In Athletics Williams 16U)
Davis is headed to Bogan next year and he will fit right in with their athletic wings! This 6’5” small forward has a strong build and plus athleticism. Was impressed with his skill set and power combination off the dribble. Crisp ball handler that showed he could win off the bounce and get to the rim where he consistently finished through contact.
SG Collin Woods (All-In Athletic Williams 16U)
Woods is a rangy two guard with uber long arms and a thin frame. He has easy acceleration with the basketball in his hands slashing. Connected on several mid-range pull up jumpers. Helped himself with his play in Milwaukee.
C Joe Fanning (All-In Athletic Williams 16U)
Fanning is a big bodied post that is coming off an injury and will have to get in better shape, but he is actually a natural rebounder that has a feel for where the ball is coming off snatching them in traffic. Not the greatest athlete.
SG Caleb Zurliene (Illinois Bears 16U)
Zurliene is a long and rangy athlete that has a lot of scoring potential. He can shoot it from the deep and has sneaky bounce.
SF Daulton Burgner (Illinois Bears Zurliene 16U)
Burgner was a key player in the Bears comeback victory early in the event. The Belleville Althoff wing used his length and activity level to get in passing lanes and create turnovers on the defensive end which he and his teammates turned into points on the other end. He has some sneaky athleticism and can finish with both hands at the rack.
SF Isaiah Rivera (Quad City Elite 16U)
Rivera didn’t wow us on Thursday, but the #4 2020 prospect in the state showed a lot of the tools that make him a top prospect. He didn’t have his jumper falling as consistently as it usually does. Did most of his damage using his strength in the paint to finish through contact for quite a few and-1 opportunities. Would like to see him be a little more aggressive looking for his shot. One question we had coming into the event was defensively and he answered those questions staying in front of his man with his lateral foot speed. Rivera had the dunk of the event jumping over a man.
C Devon House (Quad City Elite 16U)
House stands at about 6’8” with a wide body. He has established himself among the best young posts in the state early in his career. Despite his size he is actually a fairly good athlete that is light on his feet and runs the floor well. Displayed quality moves in the post, but struggled finishing consistently. Where he was a beast was on the boards. He owned the glass in both games we saw. House snatches rebounds in traffic with his mitts.
SG Kameron Whiteman (Quad City Elite 16U)
Lincoln is known for their quality and high IQ guards. The next in line might be Whiteman. Rock solid guard that can shoot it some off the catch.
SF Jack Holmstrom (Quad City Elite 16U)
Came away very impressed with this Rock Guilford wing. He is a strong and stocky 6’6” wing that gets after it on the defensive end. Plus perimeter defender. Rebounds well in traffic. Offensively he is a spot up shooter. Definitely put himself on our radar.
PG Myles Tucker (Quad City Elite 16U)
Tucker is a rangy point guard from Ottawa High School that has some developmental upside with his speed. Little wild with the ball having some turnover problems in the games that we saw.
SG Jackson Watson (Quad City Elite 16U)
Watson is the ultimate glue guy for Quad City Elite. This Libertyville 6’3” shooting guard did all the little things well making sound passes and playing good defense.