Summer Challenge: Scotty B’s Friday Notebook
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The PrepHoops Summer Challenge kicked off July on Friday night! We were at M14 in Aurora for 17U action! Let’s dive into the four games we caught on opening night!
All-In Williams Holds Off Windy City Magic
Great game to start the night loaded with quality small college prospects! All-In took home the win 75-72 in the back and forth affair. Nazereth rising seniors shining was a theme of the night. In the first game it was post Darnell Hanson. He is a physical undersized post that mauled on the interior getting second chance points off the glass and was efficient with his touches. Even hit a three. He had 12 points and easily double digit boards. Whitney Young combo guard Elliot Sieger was excellent in stretches doing the little things that got them the win. Most of his damage was on tough plays around the rim. Went for 14 points. Christian Czerniak stepped up big in the second half for AIA recording 9 of his 13 points in the last half. Whitney Young power forward CJ Johnson CJ Johnson 6'5" | PF Whitney Young | 2020 State IL emerged scoring 9 points. Mobile on both ends of the floor and has some skill. For Windy City Magic Leo Serdar of Sandburg put on an absolute shooting clinic from three! He had 19 points with the majority of them coming from beyond the arc. Tough as nails guard with deep range. Tommy Ferriter from Lockport presents solid size as a combo forward and the ability to stretch the D with his shooting. Crafty driver and rebounds in traffic. Scored 8 points. The top overall prospect on the team is Sandburg small forward Atharva Atreya. Long and lanky wing who is a plus passer seeing the floor in the half court. Capable three point shooter and projectable defender. He had 11 points.
All-In Gauntlet Takes Down Metro East Star on Gateway
This game featured multiple potential D1 prospects. They all had their moments they shined. In the end All-In Gauntlet took home the W 95-67. We have to start off talking about the play of Bogan small forward Kyndall Davis Kyndall Davis 6'5" | SF Bogan | 2020 State IL . He was fantastic and keeps building on what he did in the spring. Big and strong wing is playing with the most confidence we have seen him in his whole career. Explosive slasher that sliced the defense up over and over finishing through contact. So powerful! He knocked down mid-range jumpers along with threes. Really like the versatility he brings to the table on the defensive end of the floor as a multi-positional defender. Glenbrook South wing Dominic Martinelli Dominic Martinelli 6'5" | PF Glenbrook South | 2020 State IL was incredible last weekend at Ridgewood. With his travel team he once again used his crafty game to get buckets. Scored from all three levels including bombing in a few threes. RJ Ogom RJ Ogom 6'6" | PF Homewood Flossmoor | 2020 State IL of Homewood Flossmoor is a grown man! He punishes on the glass and plays through contact. The biggest growth in this athletic four man’s game is his ability to put it on the deck and get to the cup. Kalliem Taylor from Wisconsin also had a big night drilling an array of threes while fellow Milwaukee native Darius Hannah showed off his defensive prowess with his length. For Gateway Illinois their star is top 15 2020 Collinsville point guard Ray’Sean Taylor. He was as always a scoring machine from the point. Acrobatic finishes at the rim and deep threes throughout the night. Very aggressive getting downhill. His running mate at Collinsville Cawhan Smith played well at the point too. Scored with floaters and mid-range jumpers.
Illinois Stars Comeback to Defeat Southwest Jets
It looked like it was going to be all Southwest Jets in this in-state battle of north vs south, but the Stars superstar Sincere Parker took over late to get the Illinois Stars the 70-67 win. Early on the Jets were rolling especially East St. Louis center Armond Williams Armond Williams 6'5" | SF Curie | 2020 State IL who was using his length to swat shots and offensively rim running for dunks. Also hit a mid-range jumper and converted some dump off passes for 11 points all in the first half. Mt. Vernon wing Simon Wilson Simon Wilson 6'4" | SG Mt. Vernon | 2020 State IL was stretching the floor the best we have seen out of him this spring/summer for 10 points. Trinity (MO) power point guard Rashad Weekly-McDaniels was using his shake, power, and flair to score in bunches while dishing out dimes. Went for 18 points. In the end though the best prospect on the floor took over as Sincere Parker went on a personal 7-0 run late to get them back in it and ultimately win the game. The jumbo wing is a sniper from deep as he drilled an array of super deep pull ups that were nothing but net. Late he got a big steal and took it the other way for a dunk. He had 21 points. Kirkwood CC commit Chris Burnell was his usual self attacking downhill and playing with power at the rim going for 13 points. Hillcrest Prep (AZ) reclass Sha’Den Clanton is a versatile two way wing that made plays slashing and on D for 10 points.
Tagen Pearson Tagen Pearson 6'2" | SG Nazareth | 2020 State IL Drills Game Winner for Mercury Elite
Minnesota Select Cave led almost the entire game in this one, but the only score that mattered was the one at the final buzzer and that read 51-49 in favor of Mercury Elite. That was because Nazareth shooting guard Tagen Pearson drained a Bryce Drew type shot at the buzzer on a similar play that Valpo ran back in the day to win an NCAA Tournament game. Pearson did more than just that shot however. He is a straight bucket getter who scored from all three levels showing range on his shot and a smooth handle getting to the cup. Natural scorer had 17 points! Huntley shooting guard Ryan Sroka struggled early, but when it was crunch time he lit it up late with several key scores. Kid plays so hard! Scored all 10 of his points in the second half. Link Year Prep (MO) and former Oswego wing Dylan Engler is an underrated wing with positional size, length, plus athleticism, and skill. Showed that off early being aggressive taking it to the rack and getting on the glass. Went for 10 points in the win. A couple role players who stood out were West Aurora’s Axel Motola and Lake Park’s Trevor Montiel. Motola is a plus athlete that was super bouncy around the rim swatting shots. Montiel is the ultimate glue guy as an undersized four grabbing rebounds and passing it well. For Minnesota Select Tyree Ihenacho was very good. Athletic wing that got out in transition, hit the glass, and had a smooth pull up game. Finished with 11 points. Ryan Thissen was their top prospect. Wing with size and plays so light on his feet. High level shot maker that moves well without the ball to get open. Parker Nielsen also made an array of threes in the pick and pop game and behind screens for 11 points.