Riverside Brookfield Team Camp Recap
It is the beginning of June and of course that means the start of the 16th annual Riverside Brookfield High School Summer Shootout. As always the field was loaded with the top tier high schools from across the state of Illinois. Here’s a look at some of the notable players and games from this weekend.
The Duo of Jerry Hernandez and Trey Calvin
Jerry Hernandez (St. Viator – 2019)
As one of the best players coming into the event Hernandez didn’t disappoint this weekend. He kept defenses on their heels with his slashing and strong finishes at the rim. When teams adjusted and guarded the lane he made shots showing he’s not a one dimensional player. He’s started Sunday with a 32 point performance against Plainfield East and from there he rolled to a R-B shootout championship earning Co-MVP honors.
Trey Calvin (St. Viator – 2019)
Calvin was in rare form Saturday afternoon in a matchup against city powerhouse Curie. He picked a team apart who’s known for disrupting ball handlers with its defense. Trey moved the ball well on traps and kept it for easy layups whenever he had a 1 on 1 matchup. He made several shot s from three as well. His play elevated the team to a win for that game and he boosted his stock even more. On Sunday it was more of the same as he made six threes to defeat Marian Catholic in the semifinals. With his teammate (Hernandez) they both shared Co-MVP of the R-B Shootout.
Hiden Gems
Latik Murphy (Morton – 2019)
This weekend was my first time seeing Latik. He was exceptional in transition play making great decisions on the move. At 6’3 he has long arms and good size. He excelled with the ball in his hands and gets to the rim with no problems where he finished through contact. Murphy showed on Sunday that he can shoot from distance as well connecting on four three pointers. Latik could be this year’s breakout performer.
F RJ Ogom (Homewood Flossmoor – 2020)
Ogom was a huge surprise this weekend. Sometimes overshadowed by his teammates RJ stepped up big time this weekend. The wide bodied junior rebounded the ball well but he also moved his feet on defense becoming a major factor. On the offensive side he showed he has good hands and works hard to gain great positioning around the rim. The most surprising part was his ability to shoot the three this weekend. He made four threes on Sunday in their matchup vs Downers Grove North.
Whitney Young v Vashon
In one of the best matchups of the event Whitney Young against Vashon touted thee of the best players from the Missouri area regardless of class and the possible the #1 team in 4A next season in Illinois. The fast paced game started with Vashon’s Mario McKinney and a lot of his aggressive acrobatic plays to the rim that kept his team in the lead. It wasn’t until the second half when another nationally ranked kid Camron Fletcher went down with a leg injury. With him out Young was able to get to the rim and guard Tyler Beard went into another gear he made some incredible drives to the basket that ended up in strong finishes. With help from his teammates Young soon saw themselves in the lead. Wing Keenan Jones was instrumental on keeping Vashon off balance making one strong ball fake and turning it into a nice dunk. Down the stretch Vashon was able to make an eight point lead dwindle to two points with the ball and four seconds on the clock. McKinney was sure to get the ball as he drove hard right to the corner where he pulled up for three and was fouled. He went to the line and missed all three free throws. Young advanced.
Return of Reeves
G Antonio Reeves (Simeon – 2019)
In his return back to Chicago after leaving Kenwood Academy for a year and winning a state championship in Arizona, Reeves picked up where he left off. A knock down shooter who will go around defenders if they try to play him tight. He played a significant role for the Wolverines an is a great addition to this year’s team.
Big Three in 2022 Make Choices Official and Debuts
Some of the top 2022 players played with their new high school teams this weekend. These three could be the three premier players in the class. All 3 had great debuts
PF Andre Casey (Simeon)
G Jaylen Drane (Simeon)
G Amari Bailey (Morgan Park)