Scouting the State: Saturday Takeaways
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We have a monster recap of the day on Saturday from what we evaluated around Illinois. The five games we scouted included Glenbard West vs Lyons, Hinsdale South vs Glenbard West, Danville vs Normal Community, Bloomington vs Peoria, and Niles…
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Continue ReadingWe have a monster recap of the day on Saturday from what we evaluated around Illinois. The five games we scouted included Glenbard West vs Lyons, Hinsdale South vs Glenbard West, Danville vs Normal Community, Bloomington vs Peoria, and Niles Notre Dame vs Fenwick! Read all about the action in Scouting the State: Saturday Takeaways!
Glenbard West 2022 Duo Show Out in Multi-Team Event
The 1-2 2022 punch for Glenbard West opened the day off with a show. Class of 2022 power forward Braden Huff Braden Huff 6'11" | PF Glenbard West | 2022 State #58 Nation IL and shooting guard Caden Pierce Caden Pierce 6'5" | SG Glenbard West | 2022 State IL were excellent in their first game of the multi team event against Lyons. Huff is a 6’9” skilled four man that can beat a defense in a variety of ways. High/low finish, straight line take off the bounce, three from top of the key, hook shot, and even a euro step finish. Such an effortless player. Also impacts on the defensive end with his shot blocking and rebounding where he often grabs a defensive board and takes it the other way on the break. Went for 12 points in the running clock game vs Lyons. He was even better in the second contest against Hinsdale South. Did pretty much whatever he wanted drilling an array of threes. Sweeping hook shots and acrobatic reverse layups. Went for 23 points in their win over Hinsdale South. High-major recruit had quite an afternoon. His running mate Caden Pierce Caden Pierce 6'5" | SG Glenbard West | 2022 State IL has been more of a distributor early in the season, but in this contest he came out aggressive ready to score. Several tough takes off the dribble for scores. Also went coast to coast for a nice play. Can post up smaller defenders. Several on the money outlets and rebounds very well for a guard. He had 12 points vs Lyons and 11 points against Hinsdale South. D1 recruit.
Unsung Role Players for Glenbard West
A couple of under the radar seniors for Glenbard West flashed in this one and will make a nice addition at the small college level. Power forward Troy Glover Troy Glover 6'7" | PF Glenbard West | 2021 State IL is an athletic four that rim runs and block shots. Snatches rebounds. Little raw offensively, but tools to work with. On the skilled side there is 2021 6’5” power forward Aidan Murphy Aidan Murphy 6'5" | PF Glenbard West | 2021 State IL . The senior drilled a pair of corner threes along with running the floor well for a big man. Can’t forget about 2022 wing Paxton Warden Paxton Warden 6'2" | SG Glenbard West | 2022 State IL . Jack of all trades shooting guard that can get out in transition, post up weaker defenders, and hit an open three. He has a knack for always being around the ball.
Tavari Johnson Tavari Johnson 6'0" | PG Lyons Township | 2022 State #171 Nation IL Has Game
It was our third time checking out Tavari Johnson Tavari Johnson 6'0" | PG Lyons Township | 2022 State #171 Nation IL this season. The Lyons 2022 floor general burst on the scene this summer and in his first varsity action is living up to the billing. Slick handling point guard that has feel for the game. Hit a trio from distance in their first game of the day against Glenbard West. Becoming an adept pull up shooter from beyond the arc. Like how he works around ball screens and can dish off a live dribble. D1 prospect for sure.
Younger Brothers Establishing Themselves at Hinsdale South
Billy Durkin Billy Durkin 6'3" | SG Hinsdale South | 2020 State IL and Aaron Tims Aaron Tims 6'7" | PF Hinsdale South | 2020 State IL were the stars of Hinsdale South the last couple years. Now it is their younger brothers 2022 wing Bobby Durkin Bobby Durkin 6'6" | SF Hinsdale South | 2022 State IL and 2021 power forward Ahmad Tims who are the go to players. Durkin is a wing with quality size at 6’5”. Has always been a plus shooter and he put that on display against Glenbard West draining a trio of them. Moves well without the ball to get open and is quick from catch to release. Flashed some of the improved athleticism from the fall we saw on a couple drives. Went for 12 points. Low-major programs need to track him. Tims is a bouncy four man that is quick to the glass and finishes well on junk points around the hoop. Displayed some improved skill putting on the deck a pair of times from the high-post for scores. Went for 9 points. Small colleges and JUCOs should monitor the 6’6” post.
Tevin Smith Tevin Smith 6'4" | SF Danville | 2021 State IL Perimeter Growth
Danville 2021 wing Tevin Smith Tevin Smith 6'4" | SF Danville | 2021 State IL has been a known prospect since his freshman season. Early in his career it was the freak athleticism that stood out above the rest. After a couple injuries he is still athletic, but has learned he needs to rely on his skill level more. That was on full display against Normal Community. He shot is about as well as we have seen him connecting on four from beyond the arc. Clean mechanics and fluid shot. Doesn’t seemed rushed at all and his body is quiet. Hit them both off the catch and pulling up behind ball screens. As the game went on he got out in transition for some scores and had a couple of highlight reel takes off the dribble to the rim. Like the toughness he brings on the boards and has really improved as a passer consistently finding open teammates when the defense collapsed on him. Went for 29 points in the win. Showing growth as a multi positional defender swatting shots and using his length to get deflections. Good overall performance for the Cal State Fullerton commit.
Zach Cleveland Zach Cleveland 6'8" | PF Normal West | 2022 State IL Stock is Soaring
Cleveland is a name we had heard a lot of buzz about heading into the season. After two full game evals we believe the hype. The 6’7” four man has a great combination of skill and athleticism playing the new age four man role. He is so effective around the hoop catching passes in traffic for finishes or making a quick cut to get it going toward the rim. Can take his man off the bounce from the high-post and hit a three in this game. Volume rebounder that gets after it on both ends by aggressively going after them. His ability to rim run gets him several buckets a game as well. Went for 28 points.
Guard Battle in Danville vs Normal Community
While Cleveland and Smith were the headliners there were a pair of quality guards in this one as well. Danville 2021 power point guard Nathanael Hoskins Nathanael Hoskins 6'2" | PG Danville | 2021 State IL has a thick body and plays at his pace. More of a slo-mo type point guard that evaluates the defense and makes sound decisions with the ball in the half court. Hit a step back three and a 15 footer off a hesi dribble. Also showed strength on drives whether it was taking it all the way for a score or dishing off to a teammates. Went for 11 points. No brainer at the D2 level and a JUCO might be able to steal him late. Normal Community 2022 point guard Trey Redd Trey Redd 5'11" | PG Normal Community | 2022 State IL didn’t have a particularly huge game, but there were some things we liked. For his size he rebounds very well for a guard. Grabbed a ton of defensive rebounds and raced it down the other way with his tremendous speed. Crisp passer in the half court that can skip it across the floor off a live dribble. His two scores were on a coast to coast layup and a corner three off movement for 5 points. Low-major and D2s should pay attention. A new name we wanted to make sure we mention is Danville 2023 6’4” small forward O’Shawn Jones-Winslow. Bouncy and wiry forward that hit a pair of baseline jumpers looking comfortable as it came off his hand. Displayed quickness on defense and made a couple nice passes.
The Adam Beasley Adam Beasley 6'1" | PG Bloomington | 2023 State IL Show in 1st Half
Bloomington 2023 point guard Adam Beasley Adam Beasley 6'1" | PG Bloomington | 2023 State IL was spectacular in the first half for Bloomington. Going against another highly touted young guard he wanted to bring his A game. He did indeed early and often as he got his team out running. One of the more explosive end to end guards in the 2023 class which is loaded with quality PGs. Jukes defenders in the open floor changing angles on a dime. Change of direction and pure burst with the ball in his hands continue to leave us intrigued. Pushes the pace in the open floor with passes ahead or shovel passes in the paint. Flew in for an acrobatic tip in en route to 11 points. Effective drawing defenders with his speed and finding open shooters. Another in a long line of standout sophomore lead guards to watch!
Pair of Peoria High 2022s to Monitor
Peoria came back to get the 51-41 win with a strong second half performance against Bloomington. They were led by a pair of 2022 prospects. Nathan Moore is a 6’3” two guard that has a slender build. Slithers through traffic for runners and scores in the paint or making trips to the charity stripe. Did hit a wing three along with quite a few free throws although he did miss some from the charity stripe as well. Went for 13 points. Dashawn Wells Dashawn Wells 6'4" | SF Peoria | 2022 State IL is your classic undersized junk yard dog. The 6’4” junior plays bully ball inside understanding how to position his body for buckets. Seals off his man and shields the ball from his defender using the hoop at times. Crafty and powerfully built post will be a dynamite small college or JUCO player as he had 9 points in this one.
Louis Lesmond Louis Lesmond 6'5" | SF Niles Notre Dame | 2021 State #163 Nation IL Makes Player of Year Statement
Most thought the Player of the Year awards would come down to Christie and Hopkins. Niles Notre Dame 2021 shooting guard Louis Lesmond Louis Lesmond 6'5" | SF Niles Notre Dame | 2021 State #163 Nation IL said Max and Bryce who? The top 10 recruit and Harvard commit put on the best performance of his career for Niles Notre Dame notching 35 points including a full court heave three in OT to give Notre Dame the win on the road against Fenwick 71-68. No wonder it went in as everything from beyond the arc did for Lesmond. The future Ivy League star hit seven threes in the game going for a ridiculous 35 points. One of the most true shots in the country with such a quick and effortless release with the same mechanics each and every time. It was more than just the shooting. He also had the play of the game early on where at the end of the first quarter he did a hesi around Hopkins and slammed it home for a poster. Plus athlete and elite shooter. This is the kind of player that wins Ivy League titles. He has firmly put himself in the Player of the Year conversation.
How About the Other Two of the ND Big Three?
It wasn’t all Louis in this one. The top uncommitted 2021 prospect in the state point guard Anthony Sayles Anthony Sayles 6'2" | PG Niles Notre Dame | 2021 State #167 Nation IL makes everything run so smoothly for Notre Dame. With him in the lineup they have not lost this season. Physical driver with his toughness and speed getting downhill. Can get buckets in traffic, dish off to teammates in the lane or from distance, and is not afraid at all to go to the charity stripe. Mid-major prospect no doubt who went for 20 points. It wasn’t Troy D’Amico Troy D’Amico 6'7" | SF Niles Notre Dame | 2021 State #181 Nation IL ’s sharpest day at the office. Only hit one three as he hasn’t shot it as consistently as we are used to early in the season. Moves well without the ball and is such a great passer at the small forward spot. Headed to Southern Illinois next year. Notched 9 points in the win.
Bryce Hopkins Bryce Hopkins 6'7" | PF Fenwick | 2021 State #32 Nation IL Double Double
Hopkins bookended the game with strong play. Early on he was aggressive taking it right at Notre Dame with powerful drives and spin moves. His go to move is basically driving right at his man or spin move to leave them in the dust. In overtime he took over when his team needed buckets scoring on three possessions to put his team in position to win. It wasn’t meant to be with the long Lesmond three. The Kentucky commit went for 24 points and 14 rebounds. All of his points came in the paint or at the line.
Gieser and Juette Star in Clutch Time
A pair of juniors stepped up when they were asked for Fenwick. Angular lefty point guard Denium Juette Denium Juette 6'3" | PG Fenwick | 2022 State IL is a force on the defensive end who put his name on the map last summer with the Illinois Jaguars. His quickness on the ball and ability to get in passing lanes was special. His intensity on that end along with some key post ups and a bucket late sent the game to OT. Went for 15 points. David Gieser David Gieser 6'3" | SG Evanston | 2022 State IL is a sharp shooter who also emerged last summer on the Prep Hoops Circuit playing for HIT. Didn’t do much early on, but made a pair of threes late in the fourth quarter along with a triple in OT for 11 points. Colleges always need shooters!