NY2LA Next Level Invitational Recap: Day 4
MEQUON — Day four of the NY2LA Sports Next Level Invitational featured bracket play in the open division with teams vying to advance to championship Sunday…
TOP PERFORMERS
Jake Buchanan – 2019 – PG – Wisconsin Blizzard
Buchanan performed well in the spring and looks even better in July. Primed to be one of the top players in the NY2LA Association next season, Buchanan dropped 30 points in a win on Saturday. The skilled and speedy guard toyed with defenders, pouring in 26 points in the first half alone. Buchanan broke down the defense off the bounce got into high percentage areas at will. While Saturday was about his scoring, Buchanan is also a good drive and dish guard that plays well in a crowd. Buchanan is drawing some Division 2 interest early on. He would be a really good fit at that level.
Donovan Ivory – 2019 – F – Wisconsin Blizzard
One of the fastest rising players in the state, Ivory continues to blow up. Starting to receive Division 1 attention, Ivory went for 19 points and eight rebounds in a blowout win over the Wisconsin Playmakers. Showing off his high upside, Ivory had his jumper working on Saturday. Pulling up off the bounce and knocking down 3’s and mid-range jumpers with a hand in his face, Ivory is pretty much unguardable when defenders have to respect his shot. Polishing off an exciting offensive showing, Ivory had a number of athletic finishes around the rim. The 6-foot-4 senior has nice handles and plays more of a point forward role in AAU. He needs to cut down on his turnovers and continue working on expanding his range, but schools like him more as a combo forward at the next level anyway.
Carter Lancaster – 2021 – SF – Wisconsin Swing
Lancaster had 16 points in an easy win for the Wisconsin Swing to begin 15U bracket play. A good-looking wing, Lancaster is about 6-foot-2 and looks like he’ll be around 6-4/6-5, if not bigger by his senior year. The sophomore has a nice mid-range game and score going away from the basket. A blue collar prospect, Lancaster has a high motor and works hard away from the ball and on the glass, making plays that don’t always end up in the box score, but in the end, add up and make a substantial difference.
Cameron Palesse – 2021 – W/G – Phenom University
Palesse scored 15 points to help Phenom University advance to Sunday. The 6-foot-2 sophomore is developing into a tough matchup. Palesse has an advanced post game for his size/age and loves taking defenders down on the block and making them uncomfortable. Even if the defense keeps him away from the rim, Palesse has a really nice fade away jumper from 8-10 feet out. Also a standout defender, Palesse’s length and anticipation helps him plays the passing lanes and he responsible for creating a number of turnovers on Saturday.
Carlos Ramsey – 2019 – SG – Milwaukee Rebels-Spartans
Ramsey went for 23 points in Saturday morning’s win. Continuing his huge travel season, Ramsey was instant offense for his team. A nightmare to handle is isolation, Ramsey’s strength and speed on the ball gave defenders fits. Able to absorb contact, hang, and finish at the rim, Ramsey relishes delivering contact to defenders. Ramsey needs to develop his right hand and gain a consistent jumper, but when he gets to his left, Ramsey is fun to watch. Often orchestrating the one-man fast break, Ramsey has a knack for toying with defenders and can score despite multiple bodies around him.
STOCK BOOSTERS
Dustin Beauprey – 2021 – PG – Randolph Boys Club
It was a rough game for Randolph Boys Club against a loaded Martin Brothers squad, but Beauprey did some nice things. A young prospect with good size for the point guard spot, the 6-foot-2 sophomore is a strong and skilled player. He handles the ball very well and has the toughness to play through contact on his drives. Beauprey can be a little out of control at times and try to do too much in traffic, but was mostly composed, facing a loaded squad from Iowa. Beauprey shot the ball well off the dribble and made sound decisions in the pick n’ roll.
Eli Considine – 2019 – SF – Randolph Boys Club
One of the state’s best kept secrets, Considine impressed against the Michigan Playmakers Saturday morning. A blue collar, hard-nosed forward that can do a little bit of everything, Considine brings a different type of energy to the floor. Able to handle the ball, score at the rim, and facilitate, Considine creates a lot of offense for Randolph Boys Club. The 6-foot-4 senior is a bring your hard hat and lunch pail to work type prospect — not afraid of doing the dirty work. His defensive tenacity against bigger, longer athletes stood out. He also has some sneaky above the rim athleticism that should make him intriguing for small college programs.
Jaylon Gentry – 2019 – PG – Milwaukee Rebels-Spartans
Gentry made some big plays down the stretch to help his team advance to the next round. The fearless, 5-foot-9 point guard nailed a couple of 3-pointers and finished off some tough drives to the basket while the game was still in the balance. The Rebels-Spartans fed off his energy and eventually pulled away.
Jimmy Gillespie – 2019 – SG – Wisconsin Playmakers
Gillespie shot the ball well in a loss to Wisconsin Blizzard Ivory. The 6-foot-1 guard does a good job of moving without the basketball, setting his feet, and releasing the basketball quickly. An honorable-mention all-conference player last season, Gillespie should be attracting small school attention.
Kobe Johnson – 2021 – G – Phenom University
Defensively, Johnson good be one of the better talents in Wisconsin’s 2021 class. The lengthy guard has a knack for getting his hands on the basketball and disrupting the flow of the offense. Johnson caused plenty of havoc and was the unsung hero of Phenom University’s win on Saturday — a game that was tighter than expected. The younger brother of former Sun Prairie standout Rod Johnson, now at East Tennessee State, and five-star 2020 G/F Jalen Johnson — and the son of former UW-Milwaukee player Rod Johnson, Kobe certainly has a chance to follow in their footsteps as a Division 1 prospect.
Henry Noone – 2019 – SG – Randolph Boys Club
Quietly, Lourdes Academy has produced some real hidden gems in the state of Wisconsin recently and has some more young talent coming up through the program. Noone had some nice moments against the Michigan Playmakers in 17U play. The 6-foot-2 senior had some difficult mid-range shots and displayed a good stop and pop release. A kid that averaged about 16 points per game last season, Noone is an efficient sharpshooter that small school programs should be watching this month.