#HardWorkSZN Kickoff: Scotty B’s Sunday Notebook
In this article:
It was another great day of hoops from Appleton, Wisconsin at the #HardWorkSZN Kickoff. Let’s dive into what we saw on in #HardWorkSZN Kickoff: Scotty B’s Sunday Notebook! DiveseCity Falls in Sunday Morning Contest The 16U DiverseCity squad fell…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingIt was another great day of hoops from Appleton, Wisconsin at the #HardWorkSZN Kickoff. Let’s dive into what we saw on in #HardWorkSZN Kickoff: Scotty B’s Sunday Notebook!
DiveseCity Falls in Sunday Morning Contest
The 16U DiverseCity squad fell in their first game of the morning in Appleton, but a pair of prospects from Illinois made a name for themselves. Really liked the play of Peoria High 2022 combo forward Dashawn Wells. Thick bodied lefty is a solid defender anchoring down low and is willing to take a charge. Capable 10-15 foot shooter. Scored off the bounce including a sweet spin move. Zach Schroeder from Metamora is a crafty scoring combo guard. He lived at the line when we were watching having a knack for putting it on the deck and getting fouled creating body contact.
2023 Prospects Emerge in Chicago Lockdown vs Illinois Hoopstars 15U Battle
Yesterday we came away very impressed with several prospects from Chicago Lockdown. That continued on Sunday. Homewood Flossmoor 6’7” power forward Miles Rubin is one of the biggest 2023 stock risers from the event. Mobile post is so quick around the hoop with an explosive second jump. Protects the rim. Sunday he showed skill too hitting a corner three and another from mid-range. Hillcrest 6’0” scoring combo guard KJ Cobb is a powerful left handed bucket getter. He gets to the rim with his strength on straight line drives and has acrobatic layups to finish at times. Capable shooter as well. Brother Rice center Ryan Kenney is another young post to track with his broad shoulders, ability to board, and mid-range shot.
For the Illinois Hoopstars Jawan two jumped out to us. The first was Bloom 6’6” four man Mike Gardner. He is a big time athlete that uses it on the defensive end shot blocking and gets on the offensive glass for second chance points. Finished some dump off passes too. Sullivan combo guard Ephraim Chase is a 6’2” guard that plays with a high motor. Deep range on his three point shot and has speed with the rock in his hands.
Hoopstars and HIT Battle for Illinois 17U Supremecy
The game we had circled from the minute the schedule came out was Illinois Hoopstars National vs HIT 17U. It featured 14 players ranked inside the top 100. In the end the Hoopstars took home the win 68-52.
Early on it was the Jaiden Lee Jaiden Lee 6'4" | SG Joliet West | 2021 State IL show. The Joliet West 2021 shooting guard is an elite shooter with a long and projectable frame. He has no D1 offers at this point! Elite spot up threat with a quick release off the catch. Also mixed in some straight line takes off the bounce. Lee went for 15 points. He was joined in the backcourt by another under recruited wing James Dent out of Springfield Southeast who can also really stroke it from deep. The point guard spot was taken care of with a strong effort from Peoria Notre Dame lefty Noah Reynolds. Crafty lead guard that makes crisp passes, is shifty off the bounce, and has a knack for scoop shots with his body control. Also a capable pull up game. Reynolds contributed 8 points. The highest ranked prospect on the floor was Ty Johnson from DePaul Prep. The combo guard got off to a slow start, but then had it rolling as he won off the dribble with his easy acceleration and burst slithering through the defense for scores. Such a smooth athlete in the backcourt. Burst in transition being able to hit another gear as he finished with 10 points. The real story was up front for the Hoopstars. Springfield Lanphier 6’9” center KJ Debrick was a grown man! The physically built five man was excellent in post defense and contesting shots. Mauls on the glass. Creates space offensively with his body. Finished through contact and flashed a hook shot. He had 8 points. Champaign Central power forward Khailieo Terry is a bit undersized and not overly skilled, but he has a super high motor and a knack for rebounding. Used his quickness around the hoop to board and finish. Went for 12 points. Keep an eye on Thornton 2021 face up four Donald Coats. Skilled four with plus athleticism can stretch the floor and guard inside and out. Ended the game with 8 points.
On the Hoops Intensity side of things Naperville North 2021 power forward Grant Johnson showcased what he will bring to the next level with his ability to stretch the floor. Solid athlete that can put it on the deck a little too. He recorded 11 points. Brian Mathews (DePaul Prep) and Luke Braman (Roanoke Benson) each had their moments. Fought hard against Debrick. Mathews was solid on the boards, hit a short jumper, and even stretched out for a three. Braman displayed a left handed hook shot and a short jumper. Benet 2021 wing Tyler Van Eekeren Tyler Van Eekeren 6'5" | SF Benet | 2021 State IL continued his strong weekend. Handles have improved so much over the last year being able to win off the bounce with more consistency and finish through the trees in the paint. Also hit a three which is one of his strengths. He had a team high 14 points.
Bolingbrook Backcourt Shines for Hoopstars Nelson 17U
The Illinois Hoopstars Nelson 17U squad is anchored by a pair of backcourt mates in high school for Bolingbrook. Isaiah Stafford Isaiah Stafford 6'1" | PG Crispus Attucks | 2021 IN is one of the better combos in the class. Silky smooth offensive game. Crisp handles allow him to set up his shot which he did on a regular basis pulling up for jumpers. Also got to the rim in the open floor showing bounce. Kyonte Thomas is another Bolingbrook guard that should be drawing college attention. Among the premier on ball defenders in the class. He is so active with his hands defensively, throws passes with zip, and can knock down a pull up mid-range shot. Coach Rob Brost has a great duo here for next season!
1:50 Game Standouts
What prospects made an impression during the second to last set of games? For South Cook Jaguars 17U we liked the activity level of Lemont 6’2” shooting guard Kyle Kostaes. The thick bodied guard always seemed to be around the ball on both ends being able to make a play. Decent skill set being able to hit an open shot and finish around the hoop.
On the Hoops Intensity Training Select 17U squad it was Yorkville 6’6” forward Cash Rebarcak that stood out. Long and lanky small forward that can stretch the floor with a feathery shot and he crashed the glass for multiple put backs.
Decatur MacArthur 6’7” power forward Nick Spannaus continued his strong weekend for Illinois Hoopstars White. The 2021 prospect has upside with his length and athleticism. He plays with a ton of energy. Showed flashes of skill including hitting a three. Versatility on the defensive end.
Illinois Hoopstars National 16U Falls in Finale
The last game of the weekend we saw was the Illinois Hoopstars National 16U against South Dakota Venom. The Venom took home the win 67-53. Several Illinois prospects did have nice games. For us it all started with the play of Bloom 6’8” power forward Emondrek Ford. The lefty is a rangy four man that is known as an energy rebounder and shot blocker. In this game he stepped out to hit a pair of threes and used his quickness from the mid-post in to score. This offensive development along with what he already brings to the table is a good sign for the future! He was helped inside by Homewood Flossmoor 6’5” power forward Christian Meeks. Nobody plays harder than this forward on both ends of the floor. Tenacious rebounder and brings toughness scoring in the paint. His ball handling keeps getting better as he showed on a couple aggressive drives and in the open floor. Even hit a mid-range jumper, but his shot isn’t one of his strengths at this stage. Marian Catholic 2022 shooting guard Jeremiah Jones continued to flash like he did all weekend. Long and rangy 6’2” guard is best in transition where he can use his strides to cover a lot of ground. Also proving to be a better shooter than we thought previously. Simeon 2022 shooting guard Jayquan Adams Jayquan Adams 6'6" | SG Simeon | 2022 State IL has grown to 6’5”. He is one of many rising juniors that will make a varsity impact for the first time next season at Simeon. Plus size, athleticism, and he rebounds well for a guard. Potential on his shot.