Southwest Jets Practice: Standout Performers
Tuesday night PrepHoopsIllinois was at Alton High School to check out the Southwest Jets travel team practice. The Jets are annually one of the top programs in the Midwest and have featured players that have gone on to play in…
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Continue ReadingTuesday night PrepHoopsIllinois was at Alton High School to check out the Southwest Jets travel team practice. The Jets are annually one of the top programs in the Midwest and have featured players that have gone on to play in college at all levels. That includes 22 D1 and 17 D2 players in just the last eight years alone. This upcoming spring and summer they will be on the PrepHoops Circuit in the Hard Work Region. Thanks to Andre McMurray and Dana Morgan for having us in the house. Take a look at the prospects that caught our eye!
Class of 2020
C Armond Williams (East St. Louis)
We said it during the high school season and after watching him on Tuesday it cemented our feelings even more. East St. Louis post Armond Williams is primed for a breakout spring/summer. The long and lanky 6’9” post is rail thin. He showed tons of flashes throughout the year, but was limited in the playoffs with his playing time. Yes there are some raw qualities about him skill wise, but the way he runs the floor, protects the rim, rebounds, and finishes are super impressive. Williams was dominant with his length swatting anything and everything that came in the lane. Finished extremely well around the hoop showing a soft touch. Put a couple of impressive combination moves together that gives us reason to believe the skill is going to just continue to get better to more work in the gym.
SG Lashawn Johnson (East St. Louis)
Johnson missed the second half of the high school season with the Flyers. He showed he is back and ready to make a statement with his play. Long and rangy two guard with positional size. Feathery looking jumper. Speed in the open floor with and without the ball. Got to the rim consistently. Played with a high-motor on both ends of the floor. He got after it on the defensive end with his length and lateral quickness. Also had an impressive block.
C Patrick Readye (Belleville Althoff)
Readye is one of the more intriguing post prospects in the class. He has legit size and seemed to have slimmed down since we last saw him. Had a nice runner in the lane. Overall though he spent too much of the night shooting threes. He has improved in this area, but he is best using his strength and size dominating weaker opponents inside. Big summer ahead of him for his recruitment.
G Rashad Weekly-McDaniels (Trinity Catholic, MO)
This 6’1” combo guard is built like a college running back. Thick bodied guard is a strong and physical on ball defender. He gets after it with aggressive perimeter defense. Powerful turning his shoulders and getting downhill to the rim. Showed some passing feel in the lane finding teammates on several nice passes.
SG Jackson Creel (Mt. Vernon)
Creel is a high IQ guard that can shoot it. Best as a spot up shooter, but he has improved some athletically over the last year including getting a layup in transition.
SG Simon Wilson (Mt. Vernon)
Wilson is a plus shooter with size. Shot wasn’t falling at its usual rate, but we know the Mt. Vernon wing can do that. One to track this spring to see what other areas he adds to his game.
SG Ky’Lun Rivers (Alton)
Rivers is a 6’1” combo guard that has a strong build. Decent looking shot. Plays with a high-motor and is a capable perimeter defender.
Class of 2021
SF Quani Rudd (Mt. Vernon)
Rudd was one of the top new names on the night. He didn’t play much on the varsity level until the end of the year. Wow did we come away impressed with the long term developmental potential of this wing. At 6’5” he has size and length to play both the two and three spots. Uber bouncy small forward that skied above the rim for quite a few slams. He was a force in transition! Sound finisher on the interior. Also knocked down a pull up jumper.
PF Ben Eberlin (Calhoun)
This 6’8” post burst onto our radar with his play. Broad shoulders and a frame where he should be able to add strength going forward. At his size he has a silky smooth jumper that can stretch out to three. Skilled offensive weapon. Defensively he rebounded very well in his area and also got on the offensive glass a few times.
PF Shaun Riley (O’Fallon)
Riley impressed us at the O’Fallon Shootout during the high school season. He made an even bigger statement with his play on Tuesday night. He is about 6’5” and super super bouncy. He was like a pogo stick out there blocking shots left and right. Multiple occasions he blocked them back to back. Rebounded well in traffic. Ran the floor so hard! Extremely active and finishes in the paint with his high energy. Improving handles from the mid-post and in.
PG Ethyn Brown (Belleville Althoff)
Brown got injured late in the practice, but there is a lot to like here with this young point guard. Excellent feel for the game reading the defense creating for himself and others. Attacks the hoop with strength. Smooth acceleration on his first step. Capable shooter. Active on ball defender that picks the pocket of other point guards and goes the other way.
PG AJ Smith (Metro East Lutheran)
Smith is the younger brother of Mizzou point guard Mark Smith. Like his older brother he has size for position at the point. Showed some explosion with a monster dunk. Rebounds very well for a guard. Tough defender that uses his strength to play physical against weaker guards. I came away impressed with his feel for the game in the half court.
SG Brennan Weller (Edwardsville)
Weller is a tough defender. Finishes around the hoop. Scrappy glue guy that does a lot of little things well.
PG Marlon Owens (McCluer North, MO)
The 5’10” point guard from across the river is a gritty point guard that showed a knack for getting to the rim. Handles it well in traffic.
PG Jamarkus Gary (Alton)
We came away extremely impressed with the progress in Gary. He was all over the floor with his speed and length. Major factor on the defensive end using his lateral quickness and active hands. Offensively he consistently got to the hoop, pushed with his speed in the open floor, and made a couple sweet dishes in the paint.
SG Cole Farrell (Hazelwood Central, MO)
Farrell stands at 6’4” with plus athleticism. He was a tough cover with his slashing ability and burst with the rock in his hands. Also has a perimeter game to match knocking down a three with a fluid release. Might have had the move of the night with a spinning baseline jumper. A lot of upside here!
SG Jaden Winfield (Chaminade, MO)
Winfield is a big time transition athlete. Long strides and bounce are the name of his game. Potential to develop into a go to scorer and lockdown defender.
Class of 2022
PG Caleb Burton (O’Fallon)
Burton projects as one of the top 2022 point guards in the class from what we have seen to this point. The 6’0” point guard is super smooth with the ball in his hands and has an advanced feel for the game for a freshman. Sound passer and is the kind of point guard that players gravitate toward as the leader. His jump shot has great form, but he needs to speed up the shot which will help him get it off along with being more consistent making it.
PF Damarkus Bean (Metro East Lutheran)
This 6’6” Metro East Lutheran post is a big bodied post that was a dominant rebounder in his area. Long arms allow him to grab rebounds at their highest point. Very intriguing young post!
PG Mekhi Phillips (Springfield Lanphier)
Phillips was LIGHTS OUT shooting the basketball from the perimeter. The 5’9” Lanphier point guard is next in line of small scoring guards for coach Blake Turner at Springfield Lanphier. He knocked down an array of threes with a quick lefty release.
SG Peyton Mueller (O’Fallon)
Mueller is a thin and rangy 6’0” guard. Good looking jump shot and is willing to stick his nose in on the glass.
Class of 2023
SG Jordan Pickett (Belleville East)
Pickett is the younger brother of Mizzou freshman standout Javon Pickett. This was our first look at the 8th grader who was playing up with the 15U group. He stands at 6’2” and has a world of potential. Broad shoulders and long arms. Should continue to grow. On a couple of his smooth drives it was hard not to see a little bit of his brother on those takes. Silky smooth ball handler that has a burst on his first step. Also had an impressive steal that he took the other way for a layup.