Adam Lopez Tournament Saturday Standouts
PrepHoopsIllinois was in attendance Saturday at the Adam Lopez Thanksgiving Tournament for the final day of action. We saw a ton of the best prospects in the state and found some new names that emerged. Take a look at the…
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Continue ReadingPrepHoopsIllinois was in attendance Saturday at the Adam Lopez Thanksgiving Tournament for the final day of action. We saw a ton of the best prospects in the state and found some new names that emerged. Take a look at the top performers from Saturday.
PF Jeremiah Tilmon (East St. Louis – 2017 – Committed to Illinois)
Tilmon is the state’s top prospect and this event was the first time he was back on the court in a competitive game since last April. The first thing that stood out was he seems to be in fairly good shape. Said he is still trying to get his legs back, but his body looks strong and athletic. Not overly bulky and he moved well on both ends of the floor. He got on the glass early for a couple put backs. Made quick moves with the ball and displayed a soft touch around the rim. Hit a baseline mid-range jumper. Rebounded well high pointing balls. Also did his usual thing on the defensive end swatting shots. Tilmon was limited in the game only playing 19 minutes because of foul trouble. He had 14 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 3 steals.
SF Terrence Hargrove (East St. Louis – 2019)
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.
SG Da’Monte Williams (Peoria Manual – 2017 – Committed to Illinois)
The Illini commit took home the MVP of the tournament after a statement performance in the third place game against CBC. The strong and physical shooting guard had one of the best games we have seen him play in his career. He started off on fire from the start opening with a flourish. Williams who playing in front of his future head coach began with a mid-range jumper, and-1, and a deep three. He was in a zone. He continued going to work from there throughout the contest. Williams was very aggressive taking the ball to the rim where he got to the foul line or scored. Great body control at the rim. Williams flew in from the perimeter throughout the game for defensive rebounds grabbing them away from opponents. Also was solid passing the ball having several nice finds to teammates. He finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists.
SF Kale Catchings (CBC, MO – 2018)
The St. Louis product is a strong wing with solid size. He showed that he can take over a game when needed on Saturday. Catchings is at his best slashing to the rim where he consistently converts. Really works well attacking from the mid-post area with a couple quick dribbles and finishing. Plus offensive rebounder that can get them and put it in after securing the rebound. Low-major programs need to be take a serious look at him.
SG Tim Finke (Champaign Central – 2018)
Finke showed off his versatility in the championship game. The 6’5” shooting guard has a great combination of size, skill, and athleticism. He has noticeably gotten stronger in his upper body since the conclusion of the summer. Finke worked most of the night in the middle trying to facilitate their offense against Lanphier’s defense. He made several sweet dishes and also scored in the paint. Hit a mid-range jumper and one big three late, but most of his damage was inside. Jumper which is usually one of his strengths wasn’t falling as he only hit 1-7 from deep. Competed on the defensive glass and had the play of the day with a monster LeBron come from behind block that ricocheted to the other end for a key score late. Finke finished with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. High-major prospect.
PG Bailey Dee (Champaign Central – 2018)
The other junior for Champaign Central that is a prospect to track is their point guard. Dee is a strong and stocky build guard in a small stature. He is tough as nails and displays great leadership qualities. Very powerful with the ball scoring off the bounce and converting with acrobatics in the lane. Gets to the charity stripe. Handles it well in tight spaces. Solid rebounder for position. Struggled with some turnovers in the game. Dee finished with 13 points and 5 rebounds.
PG Aundrae Williams (Springfield Lanphier – 2017)
Williams was hot from the perimeter in the championship game. When you are banking in threes you know it is your night. That is exactly what it was for Williams as he started the game off with his defensive intensity really getting after it on that end of the floor as he always does. Quick and athletic combo guard that has active hands and moves great laterally staying in front of his man. Like we said he drilled five big triples for Lanphier in their win. Plus shooter off the catch with pure mechanics. He had 17 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals. More D2 programs need to be recruiting this senior.
PG Yaakema Rose (Springfield Lanphier – 2017)
To be honest for most of the game it wasn’t a stellar performance from Lanphier’s point guard, but when the ‘ship was on the line he brought it! Rose hit some crucial shots late including a three and the layup at the end to seal the deal. Only shot 6-17 from the field, but he hit them when it mattered most late. Did a nice job of getting to the foul line. His defense was superb throughout the contest. In your face defender. Rose had 19 points in the win.