First Impressions: Class of 2019
The Class of 2019 is wrapping up their high school careers and are about to head off to college. We thought it would be fun to look back at the first time we evaluated some of the best players in…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe Class of 2019 is wrapping up their high school careers and are about to head off to college. We thought it would be fun to look back at the first time we evaluated some of the best players in the class. Here is a look at the first time we saw the current top 10 ranked players in the 2019 PrepHoopsIllinois Rankings.
EJ Liddell (Belleville West)
Background:
Every year I attend the SWIC Team Camp in early June usually on my way to St. Louis for Nike Elite 100 Camp. It is annually held at Southwestern Illinois College along with Belleville East High School. Great opportunity to see the majority of the top teams in the metro east area. Like always I checked out Belleville West, but was actually looking at a couple of upperclassmen they had when another post I hadn’t seen caught my eye. I went up to him after and asked for his name and year……EJ Liddell….rising freshman!
First Eval:
Liddell was a pleasant surprise. After watching Belleville West there was this post that played with a motor and showed flashes of promise. Then to learn he is a 2019. Ok we have something! The Belleville West 6’5” power forward is the cousin of former St. Louis University standout Tommie Liddell. This 2019 post is a wide shouldered four man that has a nice combination of strength, long arms, and a good build. He plays hard and competes on the glass. Liddell can block a shot every now and then. Offensively he finishes around the hoop, has great footwork, and takes high percentage shots. One to watch for down the line!
Looking Back:
I was very intrigued right from the jump with Liddell. He had a mature game for his age while still having upside. Thought there was a lot of intriguing tools there to work with from a developmental standpoint. On the way to St. Louis I remember calling multiple high-majors that recruit the metro east that this is one to watch!
Markese Jacobs (Uplift)
Background:
We caught a brief glimpse of Jacobs during his freshman year, but our first full look at him was the opening weekend of travel team season in between his sophomore and junior year.
First Eval:
The 5’11” point guard from Uplift established himself this weekend among the premier 2019 prospects in the state of Illinois with his play. He was consistent game in and game out at the Swish N Dish. He is a quick and explosive guard with good handles that got in the lane at will against his opponents. He missed some shots on the interior, but also made a ton. Great at drawing contact at the rim and getting to the charity stripe with his strength. Capable three point shooter. Scoring point guard for sure! Defensively has good lateral quickness going side to side. One of the top lead guards in his class early on.
Looking Back:
I remember thinking that I didn’t believe he was going to grow much more, but his athleticism and scoring ability were off the charts. The majority of what was said in that first evaluation is still true today for the DePaul commit.
Dajuan Gordon (Curie)
Background:
The Battle at the Lakes tournament in Minnesota each May has proven to be a breakout event for top Illinois prospects over the years. We saw Gordon play on a Sunday morning with Team Rose and he put on an epic performance.
First Eval:
Gordon probably had the most impressive performance of the day. The 6’2” Curie shooting guard is a long and thin wing. Will need to add strength on, but has time and a nice frame on his side. Gordon was absolutely in a zone from deep! He was particularly hot from the corners where he drilled a handful of triples. Confident player that when he gets hot is a force. This was our first extensive look at him, but he projects as a plus plus shooter that should make an immediate impact at Curie next season doing exactly that. Solid athlete that mixed in a few transition scores. Potential to be a nice all-around player. Dropped 37 points in a win.
Looking Back:
I remember after this having a lot of anxiety because this would be the only time I would see Gordon before having to rank him in the next update. Was this the greatest game of his life or a sign of things to come? I have been a believer in his ability from that game on. He has grown height wise and evolved his all-around scoring game which will make him a standout at Kansas State.
Terrence Hargrove (East St. Louis)
Background:
I was at the new Springfield Lanphier Thanksgiving Tournament excited to see top 2017 prospect Jeremiah Tilmon. Before the tip I was sitting with a mid-major coach who said he had heard some buzz about a sophomore for the Flyers. I came away extremely impressed with Hargrove that initial viewing.
First Eval:
Tilmon gets all the attention for ESL and with good reason, but Hargrove is one to watch for the future. The 6’5” small forward has a long and angular frame which allows him to be a force on the defensive end which he absolutely was. The sophomore swatted shot after shot. Explosive bounce off the floor and has timing blocking shots while not picking up fouls. Also can defend on the perimeter with his lateral quickness. Offensively he is a bit raw, but flashes potential. He is really effective cleaning up on the offensive glass with a great second jump. A lot of his points came off pure energy. Shoots a good ball and did hit one mid-range jumper, but that will need to improve. Trouble with turnovers when putting it on the deck. Raw upside prospect with a ton of untapped potential! He had 13 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 blocks. One to track at the D1 level.
Looking Back:
His athleticism and high activity level were what I remember the most about that game. I was so impressed with how well he rebounded and was very intrigued going forward because of his non-stop motor and elite hops.
Chris Payton (Bloomington)
Background:
The first time I saw Payton was at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament his freshman season. He had an older brother who had a lot of hype at that time and we had heard the younger brother might be even better.
First Eval:
Payton is a 6’5” wide shouldered small forward that has big time athleticism just like his older brother. Impresses on the interior with his play above the rim on alley oop slams and offensive rebounds. Flashes ability off the bounce from the high post although for his high school team plays mostly inside. Plus passer on the interior. Comes from the weakside to block shots. High ceiling for this freshman wing!
Looking Back:
We initially projected him as a wing. Those full blown perimeter skills never quite developed, but Payton did grow to 6’7” where he could play as a post at the college level.
Marquise Kennedy (Brother Rice)
Background:
We saw Kennedy for the first time at the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic in a late night game while at Crete Monee. I remember setting with a scouting friend saying “that kid is going off right now.” At the time he was a complete unknown.
First Eval:
Kennedy is a new name on our radar. The 6’1” combo guard put on a show on both ends of the floor. Thought his defensive intensity set the tone for his game and his team. Quick and angular guard that gets up in your face and doesn’t give the opponent much room to move. Had multiple steals that he turned into points on the other end. Good ball handler that attacked the rack. Also hit several threes. Prospect on the rise had 28 points.
Looking Back:
This is one where Kennedy didn’t play in a ton of events in either high school or travel team ball for while before falling in the rankings. Then reemerged as an upperclassmen as a legit mid-major plus prospect. Should have trusted our initial thoughts on him longer.
Jeremiah Hernandez (St. Viator)
Background:
We saw Hernandez for the first time in the fall of 2016 at the PrepHoops Top 250 Camp. This has become a place for players to breakout at the same stage of their careers and Hernandez showed us a lot of things to like.
First Eval:
Hernandez is a 6’4” athletic and rangy small forward. One of the more intriguing upside wing prospects in the 2019 class. He has a smoothness to his game on the perimeter. Looks effortless handling it and slashing off the bounce. Likes to play above the rim finishing with big dunks. Playmaker as a finisher getting out in transition. D1 prospect that should pick up some offers this spring.
Looking Back:
His smooth and effortless scoring game is still what he hangs his hat on. The Kent State commit has elevated his game even more as a senior.
Nate Ferguson (Lemont)
Background:
Back gym in Mequon, Wisconsin with nobody else back there I went to get my first look at the 16U Chicago Lockdown squad. Ferguson jumped off the floor immediately as far and away the best prospect.
First Eval:
This Lemont 6’7” power forward got on our radar in a major way at the NY2LA Sports Invitational. Strong frame and good length. He is a stretch four man that can knock down pick and pop shots with ease. Faded away from drivers on several occasions for feathery jumpers. Was dominant on the glass. Ferguson was a beast on the defensive glass. Also very effective on the offensive glass not only high pointing balls for himself, but when he can’t grab it he taps it out to his guards. Does this numerous times a game.
Looking Back:
I just remember being so impressed with his combination of size, strength, and skill. The athleticism wouldn’t come along until the next summer which took his stock up to mid-major territory.
Tom Welch (Naperville North)
Background:
We actually got a tip from a person in the Naperville basketball community about a dual sport athlete that was also a soccer standout. We caught him for the first time his sophomore season against Naperville Central who had several upperclassmen big men.
First Eval:
Welch is a 6’5” sophomore with good length and should grow a little more. He is a solid athlete that displayed quickness around the hoop. Got on the offensive glass. Had an and-1. Ran the floor well. Bad free throw shooter. One to add to our radar!
Looking Back:
I remember thinking he was a well-built post that had a chance. The athleticism and ball handling weren’t necessarily there at that stage. Those were the aspects that have elevated him as a player later in his career.
Ray J Dennis (Oswego East)
Background:
Out of all ten of these prospects Dennis was the last one we saw chronologically. We had heard some buzz about him during the second half of his junior season as he picked up a few D1 offers. I watched a highlight tape and came away impressed. Usually I don’t put much stock in highlight tapes, but there was a smoothness and basketball IQ that could be seen through it along with plus shooting. Surprisingly the first time we saw him he didn’t live up to our expectations off the tape as we made a point to see him with the Milwaukee Spartans at Swish N Dish.
First Eval:
Dennis was one of the prospects we were most looking forward to evaluating at the event. He had a nice second half of his junior year at Oswego East and we were impressed with his highlights, but needed to see it in person. Didn’t have the big game we were hoping for. Drilled a couple threes, but beyond that didn’t contribute much. Shoots a clean shot mechanically. They just weren’t falling. Athletic two guard that can play some both on and off the ball. Look forward to watching him again soon.
Looking Back:
Despite that a less than spectacular outing the shooting mechanics and fluidity were evident. We would see him a few weeks later where he put it all together shooting, working in the pick/roll, along with proving he was a point guard. Boise State is getting a good one!