Southern Illinois Fall Skills Day: Evaluations
PrepHoopsIllinois attended the Pure Sweat Southern Illinois Fall Skills Day run by Justin Barrington on Sunday in Carterville. It was a great day of hoops that featured many of the best prospects from the 618 and a few standouts from out of state as well. Check out all of our player evaluations right here!
Class of 2019
PG Bryce Bultman (Nashville – 2019)
Bultman is one of my favorite southern Illinois prospects. At 6’5” he has plus size for position at the lead guard spot. The Nashville point guard has nutty vision especially in the open floor. Several times he put the ball right on the money and his teammates didn’t convert because they weren’t ready for the pass. Long strides and likes the euro step in the lane. Crisp ball handler for his size. Hit some jumpers. Solid shooter, but this is the area he needs to continue to improve.
SF Khalifah Muhammad (Belleville East – 2019)
Muhammad transferred from Althoff to Belleville East where he will be their go to guy as a senior. He has size and length on the perimeter at 6’6”. Was one of the premier scorers at the event. Clean looking shots when he focuses in on it. At times the release point can waver, but when he was on point with it mechanically it went down fairly consistently. Plays hard. Scores well in transition. Fluid ball handler in space. Major sleeper that should see his stock rise as a senior.
SF Landon Wolfe (Effingham – 2019)
Wolfe in my opinion is one of the most underrated prospects in the state. The 6’5” small forward has strength on the perimeter. BIG TIME jump shooter! Absolutely lethal pull up game from both mid-range and three. Stops and pops on a dime with a quick and consistent release. Can also finish with strength on the interior through his man and gets on the glass from his wing spot. D2’s are insane for not offering him.
SF Keith Kiner (Chester – 2019)
Kiner is a sleeper in the 2019 class. The Chester 2019 combo forward is a quick twitched athlete. The jumper was pretty inconsistent throughout the day. Shoots it with good form though. Like his toughness and all out motor. Quick second jump. Finishes well in transition and should be able to defend multiple positions at the next level.
PF Tyler Jowett (Mascoutah – 2019)
Have a day Tyler Jowett! We have seen this 6’6” big man in a variety of settings in camps, travel team, and high school. This was without question the best we have seen him perform. The senior has a strong base which allows him to anchor down low on the block. Crafty scoring around the hoop with a nice right handed hook shot. Worked well handling it from the mid-post area in where he could also hit a short jumper. Was just so efficient every time the ball touched his hands.
SG Connor Diecker (Freeburg – 2019)
Diecker is a two guard with a thick body. He plays with strength and is a crafty ball handler. Not going to wow you with his athleticism, but time after time when you looked up it was Diecker at the rim finishing another layup. Sound perimeter shooter that can stretch it to three. Will be a very good small college player at the next level.
PG Cameron Bowlby (Marissa-Coulterville – 2019)
Bowlby is a flashy 5’11” point guard that has a quick first step. The lefty has length and range at the lead guard spot. Speed and vision in transition. Shot the ball pretty well especially in the pull up game. Lot of flair to his game.
Class of 2020
C Davion Bradford (Mehlville, MO – 2020)
Bradford stands at nearly seven feet tall with a very strong body. The St. Louis post played at a prep school last year in Arizona before returning back to the Lou. At 255 pounds he definitely seemed to be in much better physical shape than we had seen him in the past. Bradford didn’t play in the games, but during the drills you can see more fluid movements. Powerful spins in the paint and finishes with force. Flashed a little bit of a jumper, but overall it needs refinement. Should post consistent double doubles as a junior. There is no one at his size in the area.
SF Lamontay Daughtery (Mehlville, MO – 2020)
Daughtery was one of the top 2020 prospects in Illinois before his transfer to Missouri. The 6’7” small forward has length, athleticism, and continuing emerging skill. That was shown during the workout. Clean looking pull up jump shot and his overall footwork on the perimeter has improved since the summer. Has potential on his jump shot. Quick second jump around the hoop. Lot of upside with this wing. Consistency is the biggest thing he has to prove this high school season because he has the talent no doubt!
SG Dylan Branson (Mehlville, MO – 2020)
Branson is the original Mehlville prospect that will be surrounded by Daughtery and Bradford this season in STL. Size on the perimeter at 6’4” and is a plus perimeter shooter. He has a decent skill set being able to pass it and handle a little. High IQ and tough on the wing. Good awareness and floor spacing.
SG Carson Parker (Nashville – 2020)
Parker is a 6’5” shooting guard that might have had the most impressive performance of the day. He scored in every way possible and with so much ease. The junior has seen his stock steadily rise over the last 9 months and that continued at the workout. Was effortless with the way he drained jumper after jumper. Smooth elevation off the floor and the ball comes so easy off his hand. Pull up and threes off the catch went down all game long. Also scored off the bounce as he got to the rim consistently throughout the day. Finishes well with both hands and is an excellent layup maker. Burst off the dribble.
SG Caleb Zurliene (Breese Mater Dei – 2020)
Zurliene is a top 30 prospect in the 2020 class. The long and rangy 6’4” two guard has both length and athletic pop at the two guard spot. Effortless shooter with great elevation off the floor. Creates space for his shot at times with a step back. Early in the day it was about his shooting, but as the day went on he started shifting toward his scoring off the bounce as he threw down several impressive dunks. Zurliene is going to post just stupid numbers this year as one of the best scorers in southern Illinois.
SF Daulton Burgner (Belleville Althoff – 2020)
Burgner helped his stock last weekend at Top 250 in Chicago and against his fellow southern Illinois competitors he shined. The Althoff wing has excellent positional size at 6’5”. Really like his high skill level being able to pass, shoot, and handle it. Little bit of a slow release on his shot, but it goes in. Sneaky athlete. One of the bigger sleepers in the metro east heading into the season!
SG Luke Ervie (Freeburg – 2020)
Ervie is a tough and gritty combo guard for Freeburg. He has a nose for the basketball and plays with a high motor. From the guard position he rebounded well especially on the offensive glass. Best as a scorer in the mid-range with pull up jumpers and runners.
SG Blake McKay (Woodlawn – 2020)
This 6’1” shooting guard from Woodlawn displayed more athleticism than we had previously seen. Scored on a couple acrobatic takes. Works well in the pick and roll. Like his potential as a developing combo guard. If he can improve his lead guard skills it will help his stock moving forward.
PG Grant Allyn (Evansville Day School, IN – 2020)
This 6’0” point guard from Indiana is a lefty that has a plus looking shot. Didn’t shoot it a ton, but when he did it looked good.
SG Kaiden Taylor (Weber Township – 2020)
Taylor is a combo guard that was at his best shooting from 15 feet throughout the camp.
PG Seth Levan (Trico – 2020)
Levan is a 5’10” lefty point guard that scored a couple times on quick slashes off the dribble.
SG Dawson Yates (Pinckneyville – 2020)
Yates is a 6’1” shooting guard from Pinckneyville that is a slick driver of the basketball. He lived in the lane where he converted difficult layups throughout the entire day. Takes quality angles and can finish with both hands. Kid that plays so hard on every single possession.
PF Joe Brumleve (Cobden – 2020)
This 2020 post is an undersized four man that has broad shoulders. Did a nice job crashing the offensive glass for put backs. Shot blocking presence at times even though he is only 6’4”. Look for him to have a strong season this year for his high school team.
Class of 2021
SF Nathan Thompson (Effingham – 2021)
Thompson is a prospect that emerged this spring and we have continued to like where his game is going. Plus shooter from deep at 6’3”. Has some projectability so the Effingham wing could continue to grow. Decent athlete that has potential defensively checking multiple spots.
PG Parker Wolfe (Effingham – 2021)
Wolfe is a smaller point guard that is a tough and gritty lefty. The sophomore broke out back in the spring leading the way for the Illinois Bears 15U squad. He is a crafty scorer that has a knack for getting in the lane and converting difficult layups. Pushes in traffic. Always has his head up looking to make a play.
SG Dre’ Scott (Pinckneyville – 2021)
Scott jumped on our radar with his play. This sophomore stands at 6’3” with length and some projectability. Already has size and was a solid shooter although his release was a bit slow.
PG Carter Bishop (Vienna – 2021)
Bishop is a smaller point guard at 5’9” that pushes it in the open floor and hit a deep three.
SG Landon Zurliene (Fairfield – 2021)
Zurliene is a sneaky wing in the sophomore class. Like what he brings to the table at 6’3”. Good size already for his position. Shot the ball tremendously well as he connected over and over again from both three and mid-range. Gets his shot off quick. Like his projectability moving forward as a shooter with a chance to develop as a complete scorer.
SG Austin Garbe (Carterville – 2021)
This sophomore two guard was on his home floor and he looked very comfortable from the jump. Garbe stands at 6’2” with a lot of toughness and grit. Proved to be a knock down mid-range shooter that scored on some difficult slashes in the paint. Competed on the defensive end moving well laterally.
SF Michael DeJarnett (Johnston City – 2021)
This long and lanky 6’3” wing has some projectability to grow a few more inches over the next couple years of high school. Decent looking shot. Had a brace on his leg.
PG Haddon Lybarger (Salem – 2021)
This Salem sophomore point guard is a tough guard with a slight hitch in his shot. Should be a good system player for the Wildcats down the line.
PG Jahlil Roundtree (Edwardsville – 2021)
Roundtree is the younger brother of Shawn Roundtree who was a star for Edwardsville a few years back. Definitely have to put this 5’10” lead guard on our radar moving forward. Was excellent on the defensive end with his quickness and anticipation. Had a come from behind block and several steals. Pushes it offensively in transition. Decent shot although it has a slight hitch. Could be the next in a long line of quality Edwardsville lead guards.
SG Jaxon Goforth (Nashville – 2021)
Goforth will provide even more depth for a loaded Nashville squad. This 6’4” wing is a long and lanky two guard that has some athletic pop. Crafty around the hoop and runs the floor very hard.
SG Eli Brown (Paducah Tilghman, KY – 2021)
Brown is out of Kentucky and this kid is definitely a scorer. The 6’0” two guard has long arms and should continue to grow. Like his shot a lot from deep. Smooth offensive game and can crash the glass on occasion. Has the potential to develop into a go to scorer in time.