We still had a lot of unanswered questions about where things stood with regard to the top players nationally in the Class of 2017 when we left the NIKE EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League) session in Atlanta, GA a-month-and-a-half ago.  But not anymore, as 6'9 Jr Michael Porter from Seattle (Nathan Hale) WA made a very strong case for being the #1-ranked nationally in the Class of 2017 with 31 points, 14 rebounds, 12-19 field goals, and 2-5 3-pointers in the quarterfinals, 25 points, 13 rebounds, 9-13 field goals, and 2-5 3-pointers in the semi-finals, and 33 points, six rebounds, 12-16 field goals, and 5-6 3-pointers in the Championship Game of this year's NIKE EYBL Finals at the Peach Jam in North Augusta, SC.  However, even more important, he led his team to impressive 99-66, 83-65, and 93-65 wins over Means Streets, California Supreme, and the PSA Cardinals and, in the process, had three tough match-ups in those games when he had to face 6'7 Brian Bowen from La Porte (La Lumiere) IN in the quarterfinals, 7'1 DeAndre Ayton from Phoenix (Hillcrest) AZ in the semi-finals and 7'0 Mohamed Bamba from West Chester (Westtown School) PA in the title game.  Porter also finished ranked #3 in scoring 26.4 ppg and #4 in rebounding with 11.4 rpg when we combined toals from both pool play and the playoffs and showed that he has the size, versatility, skills, and athleticism to do just about everything, including hit a half-court shot at the buzzer to put his team up by 18 points at halftime in the Championship Game.

Ayton and Bamba are also Porter's top two challengers when we start talking about who should be the #1-ranked player in the Class of 2017.  Ayton finished ranked #7 in scoring with 21.6 ppg, ranked #2 in rebounding with 12.8 rpg, and played much better and was more of a dominate force around the basket than the previous times we'd seen him play earlier in the spring at the NIKE EYBL and Pangos All-American Camp.  Bamba finished ranked #5 in rebounding with 11.1 rpg and was tied for second in shot blocking with 2.4 bpg, but physically isn't big and strong enough to overpower people inside, like Ayton can, and he's not as skilled nor as versatile as Porter is away from the basket, which is why we would drop him to #3, behind Porter and Ayton, if we had to publish new rankings today.

The race also is no longer too close to call between 6'2 Trae Young from Norman (North) OK and 6'0 Quade Green from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA after their head-to-head match-up in the Championship Game.  Not only did Young have 28 points, 11 assists, three steals, 9-15 field goals, 6-10 3-pointers, and 4-5 free throws, but he also has an extremely quick release and what seems like unlimited range on his outside shoot, did a good job defensively against Green, as is evident by the fact that he only had nine points, six assists, 3-11 field goals, and 0-5 3-pointers, and he gets to the basket quicker than you can say Stephen Curry.  And, with the way he lights up a scoreboard, gets his teammates involved, and refusal to let his team lose, Young really does play a lot like Curry.  Green, on the other hand, has a lot of Kyle Lowry in him and he too showed what a great player when he he finished with 21 points, six assists, three steals, 7-11 field goals, 2-3 3-pointers, and 5-8 free throws and was the catalyst behind his team overcoming a 20-point deficit and knocking off Team Penny in the other semi-finals game.  Green also finished tied at #14 in scoring with 16.7 ppg and led the tournament inn both assists and steals with 8.1 apg and 3.7 spg, while Young finished ranked #2 in scoring with 27.0 ppg and was right on Green's heels in both assists and steals with 7.3 apg and 3.1 spg.  like 5'10 Daron Russell from Philadelphia (Imhotep Charter) PA, 6'0 Justin Roberts from Indianapolis (Pike) IN, 6'4 Andrew Platek from Northfield (Northfield-Mt. Hermon) MA, 6'3 Devontae Shuler from Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA, and 6'7 Jr Ignas Brazdejkis from Orangeville (Prep) ON.

As a matter of fact, we think Green and Young are both so good that they should be be ranked in the four to six range nationally, behind Porter, Ayton, and Bamba, along with 6'4 Trevon Duval from Dallas (Advanced Prep) TX, and, ahead of 6'10 Billy Preston from Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA, 6'10 Wendell Carter from Atlanta (Pace Academy) GA, 6'4 Hamidou Diallo from Putnam (Putnam Science) CT, and 6'5 Gary Trent from Apple Valley (H.S.) MN.  Unfortunately Preston was sidelined with a finger injury on the first day of action and, a result, is not included on list, which can be found below, of the top players based primarily on their performance in camp.  And Carter also was somewhat of a disappointment, as this 6'10, 260-pound physical specimen did not appear to be in top playing shape and only averaged 9.0 ppg, 8.2 rpg, and 2.0 bpg.  On the other hand, he once again impressed us with his ridiculous athleticism and did most of his damage slashing the basket en route to 21.5 ppg, which ranked him #8 in the tournament in scoring,  It also comes as no surprise that Trent was the leading scorer in the tournament with 30.0 ppg.  However, we were kind of surprised by the fact that he finished ranked #7 in rebounding with 10.0 rpg.  We also don't want to forget about 6'7 Brian Bowen from La Porte (La Lumiere School) IN, who turned in the top individual performance that we saw during pool play when he finished with 36 points. 10 rebounds, and three blocked shots against NIKE South Beach.  And, this is important, because Bowen is currently ranked #12 nationally in the senior class, but deserves a spot in the top 10, which means that one of the four aforementioned players (Preston, Carter, Diallo, and Trent) will have to drop.

We also thought 6'10 Jr Marvin Bagley from Chatsworth (Sierra Canyon) CA played the best we've seen him play in a while and want to give special accolades to 6'8 P.J. Washington from Henderson (Findlay Prep) NV, 6'7 John Petty from Huntsville (J.O. Johnson) AL, and 6'0 Jr Alex Lomax from Memphis (East) TN, because they were the heart-and-sole of Team Penny, which lost 66-64 to the PSA Cardinals in the semi-finals and arguably were the third best team in the tournament.  Washington is a good old-fashioned undersized 4-man who plays with a chip on his shoulder, is not adverse to contact, and garners more than his share of rebounds.  He also has a high basketball IQ, is a tough match-up when he attempts to score in the paint, can step out and keep you honest with his jump shot, and is good enough to be the exception to the rule when it comes to undersized inside guys no making it in the NBA.  Petty is another guy who simply doesn't know how to lose, has the speed, quickness, athleticism, skills, and versatility necessary to play anywhere from the one to the four spot, and be very effective doing so.  Lomax was one of the unsung heroes in the tournament, as this strong physical athletic point guard averaged 14.0 ppg and knocked down 4-6 3-pointers in his team's two playoff games and finished ranked #4 in the tournament in assists with 5.8 apg.

This also is a good place to mention that 6'4 Jordan Goodwin from Belleville (Althoff) IL, who is currently ranked #63 nationally in the senior class by the HOOP SCOOP, was one of the guys who helped himself the most.  We're talking about a tough hardnosed competitor who is more of a slasher than a shooter, but still managed to finish ranked #6 in scoring with 21.8 ppg and #6 in rebounding with 11.0 rpg and, along with 6'5 Chaundee Brown from Orlando (First Academy) FL, is one of the only two players ranked among the top 20 on our List of the Top Players in the NIKE EYBL Finals at the Beach Jam that is not ranked among the top 25 players nationally in his class.  And, on the other extreme is 6'8 Kevin Knox from Tampa (Catholic) FL, who pretty much reinforced the fact that he too is more of a slasher and not yet a finished product, as he averaged 18.0 ppg, but was only 29-78 from the field and only 2-15 from behind the arc.  In sharp contrast, 6'0 Jr Darius Garland from Brentwood (Academy) TN did a good job of both getting his teammates involved and knocking down the outside shot and 6'3 Jr Brandon Williams from Encino (Crespi Carmelite) CA averaged 16.7 pgp, which tied him at #14 in the tournament in scoring and made him one of the better combo guards in camp.  This also was the best that we've seen 6'6 D.J. Harvey from Hyattsville (DeMatha) MD play in a long time, 6'4 Lucas Williamson from Chicago (Whitney Young) IL has quick hands and feet, is an excellent defender & good outside shooter, and was one of the players who surprised us the most in camp, and 6'7 Marcus Santos-Silva from Saxton's River (Vermont Academy) VT simply picked up where he left off when we saw him at the NIKE EYBL session a-month-and-a-half ago in Atlanta, GA and was a force to be reckoned with on the boards, as is evident by the fact that he finished as the #3-ranked rebounder in camp with 12.6 rpg.

And, when we dig a little deeper, we find some other guys, like 5'10 Daron Russell from Philadelphia (Imhotep Charter) PA, 6'0 Justin Roberts from Indianapolis (Pike) IN, 6'4 Andrew Platek from Northfield (Northfield-Mt. Hermon) NY, 6'3 Devontae Shuler from Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA, and 6'7 Jr Ignas Brazdejkis from Orangeville (Prep) ON, on this list that we haven't recently talked about or included in our recently published Ranking of the Top 100 Rising Seniors Nationally.  Russell is a jet quick little point guard who did a good job running the show, getting his teammates involved, and putting up numbers to the tune of 21.4 ppg, which ranked him #9 in scoring in camp.  Roberts is more of a combo guard than a pure point guard, but he too has excellent speed and quickness, good moves to the basket,  and the ability to knock down the outside, which makes him a good catch for the DePaul University.  Platek is a tough hardnosed competitor with the skills and outside shooting necessary to be ranked in the top 50-100 range nationally.  Shuler does not shoot the basketball very well, but he is a tough hardnosed defender and Team CP3 had plenty of other weapons out on the perimeter, like 6'3 Michael Huiett from High Point (Christian) NC, who can flat out shoot the basketball, and 6'2 Lavar Batts from Concord (Robinson) NC, makes a living with his speed and quickness in the open court and explosiveness to the basket.  Brazdejkis is blue collar 4-man who rebounds and does the dirty work around the basket, plus he can step out and knock down the open three.

Top Players in the NIKE EYBL Finals at the Beach Jam

1) 6'9 Jr Michael Porter from Seattle (Nathan Hale) WA (Mokan Elite)

2) 6'2 Trae Young from Norman (North) OK (Mokan Elite)

3) 6'0 Quade Green from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA (PSA Cardinals)

4) 7'1 DeAndre Ayton from Phoenix (Hillcrest) AZ (California Supreme)

5) 6'7 Brian Bowen from La Porte (La Lumiere School) IN (MeanStreets)

6) 6'5 Gary Trent from Apple Valley (H.S.) MN (Howard Pulley Panthers)

7) 6'10 Jr Marvin Bagley from Chatsworth (Sierra Canyon) CA (Phoenix Phamily)

8) 6'8 P.J. Washington from Henderson (Findlay Prep) NV (Team Penny)

9) 6'6 Hamidou Diallo from Putnam (Putnam Science) NY (NY Rens)

10) 6'7 John Petty from Huntsville (J.O. Johnson) AL (Team Penny)

11) 7'0 Mohamed Bamba from West Chester (Westtown School) PA (PSA Cardinals)

12) 6'4 Jordan Goodwin from Belleville (Althoff) IL (St. Louis Eagles)

13) 7'0 Nick Richards from Elizabeth (The Patrick School) NJ (Expressions)

14) 6'5 Chaundee Brown from Orlando (First Academy) FL (NIKE South Beach)

15) 5'10 Tremont Waters from South Kent (Prep) CT (Expressions)

16) 6'5 Lonnie Walker from Reading (H.S.) PA (Team Final)

17) 6'6 Charles O'Bannon from Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman) NV (Las Vegas Prospects)

18) 7'0 Mitchell Robinson from Chalmette (H.S.) LA (Pro Skills)

19) 6'7 Cody Riley from Chatsworth (Sierra Canyon) CA (Phoenix Phamily)

20) 6'10 Wendell Carter from Atlanta (Pace Academy) GA (Team CP3)

21) 5'7 Chris Lykes from Washington (Gonzaga) DC (Team Takeover)

22) 6'8 Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA (Team Final)

23) 6'1 R.J. Cole from Jersey City (St. Anthony) NJ (NJ Playaz)

24) 6'8 Jr Simisola Shittu from Montverde (Academy) FL (CIA Bounce)

25) 6'8 Kevin Knox from Tampa (Catholic) FL (E1T1)

26) 6'6 Brandon Randolph from West Chester (Westtown School) PA (PSA Cardinals)

27) 6'6 Troy Brown from Las Vegas (Centennial) NV (Las Vegas Prospects)

28) 6'0 Jr Alex Lomax from Memphis (East) TN (Team Penny)

29) 6'0 Jr Darius Garland from Brentwood (Academy) TN (St. Louis Eagles)

30) 6'10 Jaren Jackson from Indianapolis (Park Tudor) IN (Spiece Indy Heat)

31) 6'10 Luka Garza from Washington (Maret) DC (Team Takeover)

32) 6'2 Lavar Batts from Greensboro (Day) NC (Team CP3)

33) 6'3 Jr Brandon Williams from Encino (Crespi Carmelite) CA (California Supreme)

34) 6'6 D.J. Harvey from Hyattsville (DeMatha) MD (Team Takeover)

35) 6'0 Soph Tyger Campbell from La Porte (La Lumiere School) IN (Spiece Indy Heat)

36) 6'7 Jordan Tucker from White Plains (Archbishop Stepanic) NY (NY Rens)

37) 6'4 Ethan Thompson from Torrance (Bishop Montgomery) CA (California Supreme)

38) 6'4 Lucas Williamson from Chicago (Whitney Young) IL (MeanStreets)

39) 6'7 Marcus Santos-Silva from Saxton's River (Vermont Academy) VT (BABC)

40) 6'4 Jay Jay Chandler from Katy (Cinco Ranch) TX (Houston Hoops)

41) 6'0 Jose Alvarado from Middle Village (Christ the King) NY (NY Rens)

42) 5'10 Daron Russell from Philadelphia (Imhotep Charter) PA (Team Final)

43) 6'0 Justin Roberts from Indianapolis (Pike) IN (Spiece Indy Heat)

44) 6'7 Kimani Lawrence from New Hampton (Prep) NH (Expressions)

45) 6'3 Michael Hueitt from Concord (Robinson) NC (Team CP3)

46) 6'2 Soph Cole Anthony from Briarwood (Archbishop Molloy) NY (PSA Cardinals)

47) 6'4 Andrew Platek from Northfield (Northfield-Mt. Hermon) MA (Albany City Rocks)  

48) 6'6 Jermaine Samuel from Weston (Rivers) MA (Expressions)

49) 6'3 Devontae Shuler from Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA (Team CP3)

50) 6'7 Jr Ignas Brazdejkis from Orangeville (Prep) ON (CIA Bounce)

The 2016 NY2LA Sports Summer Jam, which was held at Homestead High School in Mequon, WI, was exactly what the doctor ordered for those of us in the business who wanted to see something new during the second Live Evaluation Period.  And right at the top of the list was the Iowa Barnstormers, which totally dominated en route to the championship in the 16-Under Division and featured 6'6 Jr Joe Wieskamp from Muscatine (H.S.) IA.  We're talking about a 6'6 wing forward with a long wing span, deceptive athleticism, good size and skills for his position, and the ability to flat out shoot the lights out.  He's also has great poise and tremendous court savvy and he is good enough to be ranked among the top 25 players nationally in the Class of 2018.  And it's probably a pretty safe bet that a-year-and-half from now he will end up being a McDonald's All-American, as he clearly is on track to be the best player to hail from this state since Marcus Paige and Harrison Barnes.  And, unlike the two aforementioned guys, it looks like this one isn't going to get away (he verbally committed to the Hawkeyes back in early June) and, as a result, it came as no surprise that University of  Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery was clearly visible at a lot of his games.  The Iowa Barnstormers also featured a very well balanced attack, but the other guy that really impressed us was 6'2 Jr A.J. Green from Cedar Falls (H.S.) IA and he did a great job of running the show, controlling the game, and getting his teammates involved.  He too will have to get bigger and stronger physically, but, with his good ball handling and passing skills, high basketball IQ, and excellent leadership qualities, he's like a coach on the floor and probably will to project as a high major player a year from now.  On the other hand, the early favorite has to be  Northern Iowa, which is where his father happens to be the recruiting coordinator for the Men's Basketball program.

The best individual performance that we saw all week was turned in by 6'2 Soph Armaan Franklin from Fishers (H.S.) IN, who knocked down seven 3-pointers and had 31 points when we saw him on Saturday evening in the round of 16 in the 15-Under Division.  Franklin also had 18 points and three treys in the quarterfinals and 14 points and three more treys in the semi-finals, but what first caught our eye about this athletic 2-guard were his excellent moves and explosiveness to the basket.  He also has a great nose for the ball, rebounds well for his size, and has good ball handling and passing skills for his position, plus he's not yet on most people's radar screen yet due to the fact that he has taken his game to another level this spring and his team was off the beaten path at Brown Deer High School until the final day action.  He also is very adept at creating his own shot and making tough shots and was the catalyst behind his team's run all the way to the title game, where they got knocked off by Dream Vision.  And, if he grows several more inches and, with normal development and progression, we're talking about a likely future NBA player.  He's that good and he's one of those guys who consistently makes plays and does a little bit of everything.

He also also had plenty of help from the likes of 6'2 Soph Justin Hensley from Indianapolis (Chatard) IN, 6'1 Soph James Franklin from Indianapolis (Cathedral) IN, and 6'7 Soph Ozzie Johnson from Ft. Wayne (Horizon Christian) IN.  Johnson is the one with the most upside based on his size, length, and athleticism, but he's not a tough customer and is much more of a potential guy than a finished product right now.  The other Franklin not only impressed us with his quickness and ability to run the show, but he also knocked down a three and a pair of  free throws to score the last five points of the game and give his team a 69-66 over the Wisconsin Playground Warriors in the quarterfinals of the 15-Under Division.  What Hensley does best is knock down the outside shot and he did so to the tune of three or four 3-pointers in every game.

Another guy that you've probably never heard of before, but has superstar written all over him is 6'5 Jr Musa Jallow from Bloomington (North) IN, who led his team in a major upset against the Wisconsin Playground Warriors in the second around of playoffs on Saturday morning and had 20 points when we saw him in his team's quarterfinals loss against the Iowa Barnstormers in the 16-Under Division.  Not only does Jallow make a living using his ability to get to the basket and knocking down the outside shot, but he also has a good combination of strength and athleticism, rebounds well for his size, and is versatile enough to play multiple positions.  He also is good enough to project as the best player to come out of Bloomington, IN since Sean May and he too will be in the discussion when it comes time to start voting a year-and-a-half from now for the McDonald All-American Game .

However, none of the players that we've mentioned thus far are as good as 6'3 Jr Courtney Ramey from Webster Groves (H.S.) MO and 6'5 Jr Ayo Dosunma from Chicago (Morgan Park) IL.  The former picked up where he left off last summer when we saw him lead his team to the Championship in the 15-Under Division in both this tournament and the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament by leading the Jets/Ramey United to a runner-up finish in the 16-Under Division.  He also has excellent quick hands and feet, is an excellent defender, and is equally adept at either guard spot, plus he has great moves to the basket and is an excellent outside shooter.  The latter is another guy who can play either guard spot and was virtually unstoppable with his explosiveness in transition and great moves to the basket en route to a 30 points when we saw him in pool play with the Mac Irvin Fire.

Speaking of the Mac Irvin Fire, this Chicago-based NIKE-sponsored program also featured one of the top players - 6'6 Justin Smith from Lincolnshire (Stevenson) IL - in the 17-Under Division and another guy - 6'6 Soph Khalil Whitney from Chicago (Solario) IL - who came out of the woodwork in the 15-Under Division.  Smith is currently ranked #45 nationally in the senior class by the HOOP SCOOP, but, after watching him both in this tournament and a week ago in the NIKE EYBL Finals at the Peach Jam, we think it's save to say that the value of the stock of this 6'6 slashing athletic wing forward is dramatically on the rise   And the big reason is his improved outside shooting.  Whitney has good length and athleticism, plus he has the skills necessary to play both inside and outside and he was so good in his team's final game of the evening on Thursday night that Roy Schmidt of the Illinois Bulls-Eye Report was heard telling anybody who would listen that the sky is the limit, if he continues to grow and with normal development.  And, if that wasn't enough, the Mac Irvin Fire also featured a pair of outstanding young guards in 6'1 Soph Kejuan Clements from Chicago (Simeon) IL, who did most of his damage off transition and slashing to the basket, and 5'11 Soph Davarion Jacobs from Chicago (Uplift Community) IL, who has big time athleticism, but is more of a facilitator than a scorer.

And, if all three of these Mac Irvin Fire team's had stuck around, instead of bailing out to play in another tournament on Saturday and Sunday, they might have won the Championship in all three age groups, because they really were that much more superior in terms of both talent and athleticism.  However, that left the door open for a very well balanced Dream Vision, which included 6'3 Frosh Kiimani Holt from Scottsdale (Rancho Solano) AZ, 6'6 Soph Solomon Davis from Temecula (Rancho Christian) CA, 6'5 Soph Julien Franklin from Villa Park (H.S.) CA, and 6'8 Soph Jake Kyman from Rancho Santa Margarita (Santa Margarita) CA.  Holt is more of a slasher than a shooter, but we liked his strength and athleticism, willingness to compete, and ability to defend.  Davis and Franklin are both rail thin and will need to get bigger and stronger physically, but they both look like they are going to continue to grow, have the foot speed and quickness necessary to guard out on the perimeter can knock down the outside, and are oozing with upside and potential.  Kyman might not have as high a ceiling, but he's not gun shy from behind the arc and he has excellent perimeter skills.

There also was 6'9 Frosh Jaemyn Brakefield from Madison (Madison Ridgeland Academy) MS, who was playing up a year in age and arguably was the best player in the game when MBA Hoops got knocked off by Howard Pulley Washington in pool play.  And that's saying a lot, because 6'5 Soph Zeke Nnaji from Lakeville (Lakeville North) MN was one of the best players in this age group and he led his team into the semi-finals before getting knocked off by the eventual champion.  Brakefield will need to get stronger and tougher, but he's got an incredible wing span, is very quick and athletic around the basket, and also is a threat out on the perimeter with his outside shooting, as is evident by the fact that he knocked down four threes en route 21 points.  Nhaji is a big time athlete with quick hands and feet, is aggressiveness around the basket, and has the ability to beat you with his mid-range game.  He's also a thoroughbred in transition, has a competitive edge, and it looks like he's got plenty of room to continue to grow.  And yet another one to write down for the future is 5'10 Frosh Blaise Beauchamp from Hopkins (H.S.) MN, who impressed us with both his ability to attack the basket and knock down the outside shot en route to 18 points and four 3-pointers.

We also don't want to forget about 6'9 Soph Nobal Days from Racine (Racine Park) WI, who rebounds, blocks shots, and is an intimidating presence at the defensive end, but must learn to play harder and develop more of an offensive repertoire in order to living up to his press clippings, and 5'10 Soph Matthew Brown from Kenosha (St. Joseph) WI, who is an excellent defender, tough hardnosed competitor, and terrific 3-point shooter that finished with 20 points and four 3-pointers when we watched his team play on Saturday night against the Kevon Looney Running Rebels, which featured three pretty good players in 6'5 Soph Kamron Battle from Plainfield (Oswego East) IL. 6'5 Soph Evan Taylor from Glen Ellyn (Glenbard West) IL, and 6'4 Soph Jeremiah Hernandez from Arlington Heights (Saint Viator) IL.  Battle is the son of former University of Illinois star Kenny Battle and he appears to be a chip off the old block with his high energy level, versatility, athleticism, ability to defend smaller guys out on the perimeter, and knack for rebounding and blocking shots when he's in the post.  He will need to get bigger and stronger physically and develop more of an outside shooter's mentality, but he's probably going to grow some more and it's hard not to like his upside and potential.  Taylor is a lefty 3-point shooter with the versatility and athleticism necessary to play both wing spots and Hernandez is an athletic 3-man who does most of his damage when he's attacking the basket.

One of the biggest surprises of the weekend came when Team Blaze upset the Wisconsin Playground Warriors in the second round of the playoffs in the 16-Under Division and, as a result, we only got a chance to see 5'11 Jr Jordan McCabe from Kaukauna (H.S.) WI, 6'4 Jr Tyler Herro from Greenfield (Whitnall) WI, and 7'2 Jr Adam Trapp from Esko (H.S.) MN  play once in pool play.  And McCabe was as good in the game as he was bad at the NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp, as his lack of speed, quickness, athleticism, and size were not nearly as glaringly obvious and he was able to highlight the things that he does well, like run the show, find the open man, and shoot the lights out, in more of a team setting.  Herro is another guy who flat out fill it up and the fact that he just continues to grow should make him a great fit for somebody like Wisconsin or Iowa at the big time college level.  Trapp is still fragile and he's a work in progress, but does effect the game with his tremendous length and surprising mobility and he is another guy who just continues to grow, which should make it very interesting to see where he's at in two years.

There also are four other players that we want to mention from the 16-Under Division and they are 6'9 Jr Ja'Raan Brooks from Seattle (Garfield) WA, 6'2 Jr Isaiah Bujdoso from Bel Aire (Sunrise Christian) KS, 6'8 Jr Michael Barber from Jackson (Jackson-Academy) MS and 5'5 Jr Chase Adams from Chicago Heights (Marian Catholic) IL.  Unfortunately Adams still hasn't grown and he didn't have the supporting cast necessary to take the heat off of him when he was attempting to bring the ball up the court and run the show.  And even more cause for concern is the fact that he missed some key free throws, had a tendency to force bad shots, and still does not appear to have a lot of confidence in his outside shooting.  The good news for Barber is that he led his team to all the way to the semi-finals and he is still very effective with his ability to rebound and score around the basket.  The bad news is that he's bulked up too much and lost most of the speed and quickness that helped make him so effective out on the perimeter.  Bujdoso has excellent speed and quickness and he is very good at picking up the pace, competing, defending, and getting his teammates involved.  He will need to improve his outside shooting, but he's also got plenty of court savvy and is good enough to be ranked in the 50-100 range nationally in the junior class.  Brooks has long arms, a nice frame, and the athleticism and skills necessary to be a force to be reckoned with around the basket.  He also is good enough to be ranked in the 20-40 range nationally in the Class of 2018 and was apart of an excellent one-two punch that also included 6'0 Soph Pierre Crockett from Napa (Prolific Prep) CA, as Dream Vision advanced all the way to the final four in the 16-Under Division.

The best player in the 17-Under Division was clearly 6'2 Nick Weatherspoon from Camden (Velma-Jackson) MS.  And that's saying a lot, because 6'6 Troy Brown from Las Vegas (Centennial) NV and 6'5 Charles O'Bannon from Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman) NV are both sure to get a lot of votes for next year's McDonald's All-American Game.  What Weatherspoon does best is use his quickness and athleticism to get ot the basket and score.  He also is an excellent 3-pointer shooter, has the ball handling and passing skills necessary to play some point guard, and he just gets better and better every time we watch him play.  Thus, explains why schools like North Carolina, Georgetown, N.C. State, Indiana, Mississippi State, and Western Kentucky were all represented at this event.  As for Brown and O'Bannon, it really did depend upon which game we saw with regard to which one we liked better.  O'Bannon had a 30-point game, where he knocked down three 3-pointers and did a good job attacking the basket.  However, he also disappeared in some other games and this also was the best we've ever seen Brown play, as he appears to have more confidence, was better defensively, and was pretty much unstoppable at times with his explosiveness in transition.  We also thought 6'7 Michael Duggins from Saxton's River (Vermont Academy) VA and 6'10 Jr Kwame Hymes from Phoenix (St. Mary's) AZ played key roles in the Las Vega Prospects' advancement all the way to the semi-finals in the 17-Under Division.   Duggins is more of a four right now, thanks to his great nose for the ball and ability to get put-backs and rebounds  in the paint.  However, he also has the quickness and foot speed necessary to defend smaller guys out on the perimeter and his ball handling skills are more than just adequate, which means he might be able to project as wing forward down the road.  What Hymes does best is block shots, rebound, and score around the basket, but he also has some range on his jump shot and showed us a nice touch when he did so.

Another guy everybody was talking about was 6'11 Jacob Epperson from Victoria, Australia.  Not only does he have great hands and tremendous length, but he runs the court extremely well and is surprisingly mobile and agile for somebody so big and so young.  He will need to get bigger and stronger physically, but he does know how to compete, always seems to be around the ball,  has a good feel for the game, and has an enormous amout of upside and potential.  And, if that weren't enough, the AUSA Platinum also featured a jet quick point guard in 6'0 Noah Thomas, who is originally from Sydney, Australia, but now appears to bound for Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, VA, where he is sure to get a lot better while playing against guys like 6'1 Matt Coleman and 6'3 Lindell Wigginton.  We also thought 6'2 Jr Tre Jones from Apple Valley (H.S.) MN picked up where he left off at the NIKE EYBL Finals at the Beach Jam, as he once again impressed us with speed, quickness, and athleticism and ability to both get to the basket and lock his man up defensively.  And, if that wasn't enough, Howard Pulley also featured 6'8 Jr Daniel Oturu from St. Paul (Cretin-Derham) MN.  He's still very raw offensively, but he's got a nice body, is very aggressive on the boards, and has grown five inches in the last two years.

It also was pretty much status quo for 6'3 Christian Popoola from Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman) NV, 6'6 Donnie Tillman from Henderson (Findley Prep) NV, and 6'6 Evan Battey from Villa Park (H.S.) CA, as Dream Vision got knocked off by the Minnesota Warriors in the round of 16 in the 17-Under Division.  In contrast, we thought 6'4 Roberto Gittens from Tacoma (Foss) WA, who is an absolute scoring machine with his outside shooting and ability to attack the basket, was one of the guys who helped himself the most in this age group.  Another guy who can really score is 6'5 Jason Pickett from Belleville (East) IL and this University of Illinois-bound athletic 2-guard had 18 points and three treys when we saw Jets/Ramey United in a game in pool play.  We also don't want to forget about guys like 6'3 Demarius Jacobs from Chicago (Uplift Academy) IL, 6'8 Brandon Hau from Mukwonago (H.S.) WI, 6'9 Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler from Norfolk, NE, 6'0 Tai Bibbs from West Chicago (H.S.) IL, and 6'8 Mileek McMillan from Merrillville (H.S.) IN.  Jacobs is a scoring combo guard who can finish with either hand, is a very good on-the-ball defender, and was arguably one of the biggest sleepers that we saw in this tournament.  Hau had six 3-pointers in a game in pool play and this sharpshooting wing forward appears to be a great catch for IUPUI.  Bibbs is a skilled point guard with a good nose for the ball, a high basketball IQ, and the ability to more than just keep you honest with his outside shooting.  Bear-Chandler is physical presence with his strength around the basket and he's very aggressive on the boards.  McMillan is not very skilled nor is he very touch, but his length, size, and athleticism sure makes him intriguing.

With 1,101 teams in the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic, nearly 500 teams in the Las Vegas Fab 48, in the neighborhood of 300 teams in the adidas Super 64, almost 100 teams in the 2016 NY2LA Sports Final Chapter, and who knows how many teams in the three different Big Shots Las Vegas events and several other less publicized tournaments, over 2,000 teams and over 20,000 players, plus parents, college coaches, and media, have descended upon Las Vegas, NV and will show their wares the rest of the week during the final Live Evaluation Period this summer for NCAA Division I College Coaches.  And, to make things even more interesting and get some great match-up right off the bat, at least three of the above mentioned events tipped things off earlier this evening with Showcase Games that transcend shoe company and tournament lines.

However, there are times when even the most carefully made plans can go astray and before the games ever began, 6'9 Michael Porter from Seattle (Nathan Hale) WA, 7'0 Mohamed Bamba from West Chester (Westtown School) PA, 6'2 Trae Young from Norman (North) OK, 6'0 Quade Green from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA, 6'6 Hamidour Diallo from Putnam (Putnam Science) CT, 6'7 P.J. Washington from Henderson (Findlay Prep) NV, 6'5 Markelle Futz from Hyattsville (DeMatha) MD, 6'1 Matt Coleman from Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA, 6'5 M.J. Walker from Jonesboro (H.S.) GA had already been siphoned off to play for the 2016 USA Basketball 18-Under Team, which is currently playing in Valdivia, Chile.  And, if that weren't enough, other high level players, like 7'0 DeAndre Ayton from Phoenix (The Hill School) AZ, 7'0 Brandon McCoy from San Diego (Cathedral Catholic) CA, and 6'4 Ethan Thompson from Torrance (Bishop Montgomery) CA, also were missing in action when the games began earlier this evening.

So, with all of this in mind, it should come as no surprise that we were pretty excited when we found out that 6'4 Trevon DuVal from Dallas (Advanced Prep) TX and 6'10 Billy Preston from Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA who are currently ranked #4 and #6 respectively in the Class of 2017, would both be playing in the same game when WE R 1 and Belmont Shore squared off on Court #1 in the final set of games on the first night of action at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, NV.  However, things quickly went South, as Preston was even worse than usual in terms of over handling and playing too much with the basketball out on the perimeter and DuVal was often out of control and missed shot after shot when attacking the basket.  And this low level of play also became contagious to the rest of the players in the game, as it disintegrated into the type of game that not only has become synonymous with post season high school all-star games, but also lacked any type of discipline, defense, and team play. DuVal still managed to score 24 points and helped his team win the game, 76-64.  Preston had 20 points of his own and knocked down several impressive 3-pointers, but he also did so at the expense of his teammates and, quite honestly, this was one of the those games that we'd just like to forget.

On the other hand, it was hard not to be impressed with the 29-point performance that was turned by 5'7 Chris Lykes from Washington (Gonzaga) DC, as he almost single handedly brought his team back from an eight-point deficit with just over a minute left in the game on Court #1 in the second set of games at Spring Valley High School in the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic.  And, if Lykes had continued driving to the basket on what turned out to be the final possession of the game for his team, instead of passing it out to the man in the corner, he may either have gotten fouled and cut the deficit to one or had a chance to covert a 3-point play the old-fashioned way to tie the game with about 12 second remaining.  We're still not sure the position for which Lykes is best suited.  However, it really doesn't matter, because he's so quick with the ball, is such a tough customer, and he simply finds a way to overpower would be defenders.  He's also an excellent defender, has a knack for coming up big at crunch time, and one college coach even went so far as to call him "Mighty Mouse."

We also thought 6'5 D.J Harvey from Hyattsville (DeMatha) MD, who finished with 20 points and four 3-pointers, continued to show signs of getting his game back on track and 6'10 Luka Garza from Washington (Maret) DC, who is one of those guys ideally suited for a more structured offense, but always seems to get a lot done around the basket, also chipped in with 10 points.  However, they were not able to get over the hump against Team Final, which won the game 82-80 and was led by 6'5 Lonnie Walker from Reading (H.S.) PA, who finished with 22 points and is a do-it-all wing forward with plenty of athleticism and Philly toughness.  We also once again were impressed with the quickness, athleticism, and ability of 6'8 Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA to finish around the basket and thought 5'10 Daron Russell from Philadelphia (Imhotep Charter) PA did a good job of using his jet-like speed and quickness to run the show and both score off transition and from behind the arc en route to 18 points and two 3-pointers.

We also were very impressed earlier this evening at the Las Vegas Fab 48 with the 32-point performance by 6'2 C.J. Roberts from North Richland Hills (Richland) TX, as this prolific scoring athletic combo guard led Team Beastmode to impressive 95-79 win over the Big Red Monarchs, which featured 6'0 Spencer Freedman and the entire Santa Ana High School team.  There also was the 27-point performance by 6'6 DeAundre Ballard from Atlanta (Southwest Christian) GA, as this slashing athletic wing forward led the Georgia Stars to a 78-62 win over the Georgia Tornadoes.  And what about 6'5 Soph Bryan Antonie from Tinton Falls (Ranney) NJ and 6'5 Soph Scottie Lewis from Tinton Falls (Ranney) NJ, who combined for 34 points and led Team Rio National to an impressive 67-52 win over Team Texas Elite in a 16-Under Division Game?   The former is an athletic combo guard who is very efficient with his pull-up jumper, ability get by his made, and make plays.  Lewis has big time athleticism, great instincts, and he is very adept at finding ways to score.

It used to be a big deal to come to Las Vegas, NV and win one of the major tournaments in late July.  But not anymore, as a number of the top players in the nation are nowhere to be found this time around and an alarming number of those who are here play like they have nothing more to prove, despite the fact that an overwhelming number of the Division I college coaches, basketball media, and scouting service people are here to watch them play.  Too many games, too many teams, too many players, too many venues, and not enough time to digest it all and put things into perspective are just some of the complaints that we have heard numerous times during the last three days from just about everybody we have talked with in all three of the above mentioned groups of people, as well as parents, club team coaches, and fans alike.  And, of course, there is the entitlement of the players, which goes hand-in-hand with our culture and society and helps explain why players don't play hard anymore, why many of the games are so bad, and why the caliber of play is at an all time low.

And, to illustrate this point even further, we had seen at least a part of more games than we care to remember at the Las Vegas Fab 48 at Bishop Gorman High School, the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic at Spring Valley High School, and the adidas Summer Championships at the Cashman Center and 48 hours had gone by before we finally ran across something great.  We're talking about the 40-point performance by 6'5 Jr Romeo Langford from New Albany (H.S.) IN and he scored 10 points in the first five minutes of the game, had 25 points at the intermission, and finished with 40 points, eight rebounds, 12-19 field goals, and 11-13 free throws against Justin Win Academy.  He also had five treys, gave his team the lead for good with a lay-up with 46 second left in the game, and hit two clutch free throws with 25 seconds to help seal the deal in a 79-75 win by Eric Gordon Elite.  Langford will need to get bigger and stronger physically, and play better defense, but there is no doubt about the fact that he is capable of putting up prolific numbers and, if he plays like this all of the time, there is no doubt about the fact he is a top five player nationally in the Class of 2018.  However, that's a big if, because this also was the same guy who was as good as anybody in camp on the first day at the NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp, but by the end of the week had faded into such oblivion that we were wondering if he had gone into the camp's witness protection program.

The other guy who seemed play like he still had something to prove and separated himself from all of the rest of the players during the last two days was 6'2 Collin Sexton from Mableton (Pebblebrook) GA, who had 24 points and led Team CP3 to a hard fought 70-62 win over Team Final in the semi-finals and had 20 points and led his team to an impressive 88-72 win over Mokan Elite in the Championship Game of The Eight Bracket, which featured eight of the best teams in the Big Foot Las Vegas Classic.  On the other hand, this shouldn't be that much of a surprise in light of the fact that Sexton led the NIKE EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League) in scoring this past spring and also was named Co-MVP while playing for the USA Team in the FIBA 17-Under World Games.  Obviously what Sexton does best is score and, in addition to more than keep you honest with his outside shooting, he also has a lethal mid-range game, and makes a living with his speed, quickness, and moves to the basket, which allows him to draw a disproportionate number follows and complete the 3-point play the old-fashioned way.

CP2 also got the inside presence that it needed from 6'10 Wendell Carter from Atlanta (Pace Academy) GA, who finished with 15 points in the semi-finals and 14 points in the Championship Game, and perimeter scoring from 6'3 Michael Hueitt from High Point (Christian) NC, who had 12 points in the semi-finals, and 6'2 Lamar Batts from Conord (Robinson) NC, who had 16 points in the Championship Game.  However, even more important, Carter looked like he's gotten some of this quickness and athleticism back (he looked slow, lethargic, and out-of-shape at the EYBL Finals at the Peach Jam) and, as a result, the value of his stock may be back on the rise.  It's pretty obvious that Hueitt needs to get bigger and stronger physically, but it's hard not to like the way he can get to  the basket and knock down the outside shot.  Batts is versatile enough to play either guard spot, which allowed him interchangeable in the backcourt with Sexton.  But what he does best is use his speed, quickness, and athleticism to create havoc defensively and explosive in transition to get to the basket and finish at the rim.

We also don't want to forget about Mokan Elite, which helps us tie all of above points together and illustrate the new level of mediocrity that has been achieved at the grass roots level by many of the players and teams that we've seen this week in Las Vegas, NV.  We're talking about a team that came to town without 6'9 Michael Porter from Seattle (Nathan Hale) WA and 6'1 Trae Young from Norman (North) OK, but still managed to beat the Mac Irvin Fire in the first round and Team Melo in the semi-finals of the The Eight Bracket.  If you will recall, Porter and Young combined to average close to 60 points per game in the EYBL Finals at the Peach Jam, but this team also still has several excellent outside shooters in 6'7 Jared Ritter from Springfield (Kickapoo) MO and 6'3 Bryan Trimble from Bel Aire (Sunrise Christian) MO, who combined for six treys in the first half of the semi-finals, and a more than solid  inside presence with 6'10 Jr Carte'are Gordon from Webster Groves (H.S.) GA and 6'10 Jr Jontay Porter from Seattle (Nathan Hale) WA, both of who are good enough to be ranked in the 25-50 range and the 50-75 range nationally in the Class of 2018.

Things also finally got a little more interesting earlier this evening when 6'1 Isaiah Washington from Bronx (St. Raymond's) NY and 6'8 Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA both took it to another level with 33-point and 32-point performances respectivley in back-to-back games on Court #1 at Bishop Gorman High School in the Las Vegas Fab 48.  Washington also did a great job of controlling the tempo in a game that seesawed back-and-forth several times before New Heights was able to secure the 78-66 victory over Belmont Shore.  Cosby-Roundtree, 6'5 Lonnie Walker from Reading (H.S.) PA, and 5'10 Daron Russell from Philadelphia (Imhotep Charter) PA also played with the same kind of zest, zeal, and aggressiveness that we'd seen out of them the previous two days when Team Final beat DC Premier 82-80 in the first Showcase Game on Court #1 at the Las Vegas Fab 48.and almost came back to beat CP3 in the other semi-finals game in the The Eight Bracket.

On the other hand, it was not one of the better shooting efforts earlier today that we've seen out of 6'2 Nick Weatherspoon from Madison (Velma Jackson) MS, who had 2-14 field goals, 1-6 3-pointers, and only six points against Chauncey Billups Elite in the first round of the playoffs in the Adidas Summer Championships.  If you will recall, Weatherspoon was one of the fastest rising players in the senior class nationally after turning in stellar performances at the NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp and the NY2LA Summer Jam, plus he was the leading scorer in the 17- Under Division of this tournament with 27-point, 24-point, and 29-point game prior to his team's 57-48 loss earlier today.  Also going down in flames in the first round of the playoffs, as Game Elite got knocked off 68-67 by West Michigan Lakers Black, was another one of the marquee names - 6'6 Jr Zion Williamson from Spartanburg (Day School) SC - on this year's adidas circuit.  Williamson finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds, 6-12 field goals, and 4-8 free throws, but he missed some shots that he normally would make and, quite honestly, we expected more for this physical specimen, especially if he is going to be ranked as one of the top two or three players nationally in the Class of 2018 and draw comparisons to guys like Larry Johnson, Rodney Rogers, and Jamal Mashburn.

We also don't want to forget about 6'4 Jr Luguentz Dort from Jacksonville (Arlington Country Day) FL, who has tremendous upper body strength and is a tough guy to match-up against when he attacks the basket.  He also is a better outside shooter than we originally thought he was, as is evident by the fact that he knocked down a pair of threes early in the game en route to 19 points in his team's 71-52 win in the first round the playoffs against the IEBP All-Stars.  And, for those of you who were wondering whatever happened to 6'10 Soph Antwan January, he had five points earlier today while playing for the 10 Celtics Blacks 2018 in their 80-61 loss against Texas Pro in the first round of the playoffs and the word is that he now plans to enroll this fall at Woodland Hill (Taft) CA.  And "enroll" is the key word, because, even though January is a physical presence in the paint and knows how to use his body and block on the boards, he does not appear to have the discipline necessary to make it either academically or in a structured basketball environment and, as a  result, the smart money is on January following in the footsteps of his older (Anthony January).

Rankings compiled by Clark Francis, Editor & Publisher of the HOOP SCOOP, & Ronnie Flores BallisLife.com

1) 6'2 Collin Sexton from Mableton (Pebblebrook) GA (CP3) 

2) 6'5 Jr Romeo Langford from New Albany (H.S.) IN (Eric Gordon All-Stars) 

3) 6'1 Isaiah Washington from Bronx (St. Raymond's) NY (New Heights) 

4) 6'5 Lonnie Walker from Reading (H.S.) PA (Team Final) 

5) 5'7 Chris Lykes from Washington (Gonzaga) DC (Team Takeover) 

6) 6'1 Makai Ashton-Langford from Ashburnham (Cushing Academy) MA (Mass Rivals) 

7) 6'4 Jemarl Baker from Corona (Roosevelt) CA (Earl Watson Elite) 

8) 6'8 Dhamir Cosby-Roundree from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA (Team Final)

9) 6'2 Nick Weatherspoon from Madison (Velma Jackson) MS (MBA Hoops) 

10) 6'1 Wabissa Bede from Ashburnham (Cushing) MA (Mass Rivals)

11) 6'4 Trevon DuVal from Dallas (Advanced Prep) TX (We R 1) 

12) 6'5 Soph Scottie Lewis from  Tinton Falls (Ranney) NJ (Team Rio National) 

13) 6'5 Soph Bryan Antoine from Tinton Falls (Ranney) NJ (Team Rio National) 

14) 6'1 Jr Spencer Freedman from Santa Ana (Mater Dei) CA (Big Red 17s)

15) 6'9 Soph Onyeka Okongwu from Chino Hills (H.S.) CA (Compton Magic) 

16) 6'1 Thomas Allen from Wolfeboro (Brewster Academy) NH (Garner Road) 

17) 6'6 Evan Battey from Villa Park (H.S.) CA (Dream Vision) 

18) 6'11 Wendell Carter from Atlanta (Pace Academy) GA (CP3) 

19) 6'7 Cody Riley from Chatsworth (Sierra Canyon) CA (Cal Stars Elite)

20) 6'6 Jr Zion Williamson from Spartansburg (Day) SC (Game Elite) 

21) 6'4 Jr Luguentiz Dort from Jacksonville (Arlington Country Day) FL (Brookwood Elite) 

22) 6'4 Brad Davison from Osseo (Maple Grove) MN (Howard Pulley Panthers) 

23) 6'5 D.J. Harvey from Hyattsville (DeMatha) MD (Team Takeover) 

24) 6'4 Kevin Anderson from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA (We R 1)

25) 6'7 Jr Jordan Usher from Marietta (Wheeler) GA (Atlanta Celtics) 

26) 6'5 Teddy Allen from Boys Town (H.S.) NE (OSA Crusaders) 

27) 6'3 Jr Prentiss Hubb from Washington (Gonzaga) DC (DC Premier)

28) 6'3 Jr Rasir Boyd from Martinsville (Carlisle) VA (Team Loaded Virginia) 

29) 6'5 Jr Kiyon Boyd from from Fairfax (H.D. Woodson) VA (Team Loaded Virginia)

30) 6'10 Billy Preston from Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA (Belmont Shore) 

31) 7'0 Nick Richards from Elizabeth (The Patrick School) NJ (Expressions Elite 17) 

32) 6'5 Jr Soph P.J. Fuller from Seattle (Garfield) WA (Seattle Rotary Select)

33) 7'0 Mitchell Robinson from Chalmette (H.S.) LA (New Orleans Elite) 

35) 5'11 Tremont Waters from South Kent (Prep) CT (Expressions Elite) 

34) 5'11 Jr James Akinjo from Richmond (Salesian) CA (Oakland Soldiers)

36) 6'3 Paul Scruggs from Indianapolis (Southport) IN (Indy Hoosiers 2017)

37) 6'6 Donnie Tillman from Henderson (Findlay Prep) NV (Dream Vision) 

38) 6'8 Jr Emmitt Williams from Bradenton (IMG Academy) FL (E1T1 17U) 

39) 6'8 Chuma Okeke from Atlanta (Westlake) GA (Georgia Stars) 

40) 6'2 Jr Tre Jones from Apple Valley (H.S.) MN (Howard Pulley Panthers) 

41) 6'8 Kris Wilkes from Indianapolis (North Central) IN - (Indy Hoosiers 2017)  

42) 6'5 Kevin Porter from Seattle (Rainier Beach) WA (Seattle Rotary Select) 

43) 6'8 Chris Seeley from Fresno (Central) CA (Splash City) 

45) 6'8 Kimani Lawrence from New Hampton (Prep) NH (Expressions Elite 17) 

46) 6'8 Jordan Nwora from Saxton's River (Vermont Academy) VT (NY Rens)

47) 6'8 Jr Carte'are Gordon from Webster Grove (H.S.) MO (Mokan Elite) 

48) 5'10 Daron Russell from Philadelphia (Imhotep Charter) PA (Team Final) 

49) 6'4 Jr Quentin Grimes from The Woodlands (College Park) TX (Basketball University) 

50) 6'6 Jordan Tucker from White Plains (Archbishop Stepanic) NY (NY Rens) 

52) 6'2 Frosh Jalen Suggs from St. Paul (Minnehaha Academy) MN (Grassroots Hoops)

53) 6'9 Soph Mathew Hurt from Rochester (John Marshall) MN (Minnesota 17U)

54) 6'5 Jase Febres from Houston (Westfield) TX (Texas Pro) 

55) 6'2 Lavar Batts from Concord (Robinson) NC (CP3)

56) 6'5 Jr Matthew Bradley from San Bernardino (H.S.) CA (Team Eleate 17s) 

57) 6'7 Justice Sueing from Santa Ana (Mater Dei) CA (Big Red 17s)

58) 5'11 Jordan Ratliffe from Fayetteville (Village Christian) NC (Garner Road) 

59) 6'8 Jr Jalen Smith from Baltimore (Mt. St. Joseph's) MD (Team Takeover 16) 

60) 6'6 Jr James Slater from Fairfax (Paul VI) (Team Takeover 16) 

I have good news and bad news about what we saw this past week at the adidas Summer Championships, Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament, and the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic during the final Live Evaluation Period of the summer for NCAA Division I college coaches.  The good news is that, after going through all of our notes and looking at our Ranking of the Top 60 Players based on what we saw at these three tournaments, it's pretty clear that it wasn't as bad as we thought it was at the time.  However, the bad news is that all three of these tournaments pale in comparison to a year ago when our list of the top 25-ranked players in these threes tournaments included:  1) 6'7 Myles Bridges from Huntington (Prep) WV, 2) 6'8 Josh Jackson from Napa (Prolific Prep) CA, 3) 6'10 Soph Marvin Bagley from Tempe (Corona del Sol) AZ, 4) 6'5 Mustapha Heron from Waterbury (Sacred Heart) CT, 5) 6'4 Malik Monk from Bentonville (H.S.) AR, 6) 6'10 Jr Wendell Carter from Atlanta (Pace Academy) GA, 7) 6'10 Harry Giles from High Point (Wesleyan Christian) NC, 8) 5'11 Jr Markus Howard from Henderson (Findlay Prep) NV, 9) 6'2 Dennis Smith from Fayetteville (Trinity Christian) NC, 10) 6'10 Wenyan Gabriel from Wilbraham (Wilbraham & Monson) MA, 11) 6'6 Jr John Petty from Huntsville (Johnson) AL, 12) 7'0 Thon Maker from Orangeville (Athletes Institute) ON, 13) 6'5 Zach Norvell from Chicago (Simeon) IL, 14) 6'8 Jayson Tatum from St. Louis (Chaminade) IL, 15) 6'4 Soph Javonte Smart from Baton Rouge (Scotlandville) LA, 16) 6'0 Bruce Brown from Saxton's River (Vermont Academy) VT, 17) 6'9 Jr Billy Preston from Dallas (Advanced Preparatory) TX, 18) 6'1 Jr C.J. Roberts from North Richland Hills (Richland) TX, 19) 6'2 Jr Makai Aston Langford from Ashburnham (Cushing Academy) MA, 20) 6'4 Jr Trevon Duval from Newark (St. Benedict's) NJ, 21) 6'5 Andrew Jones from Irving (MacArthur) TX, 22) 6'9 Tony Bradley from Bartow (H.S.) FL, 23) 6'6 Josh Langford from Madison (Academy) AL, 24) 6'6 Brandon Robinson from Douglasville (Douglas County) GA, and 25) 6'11 Sasha Killeya-Jones from Lynchburg (Episcopal Academy) VA.

In other words, it's like comparing night and day when contrasting this year's level of talent with what we saw a year ago and we're don't think 6'2 Collin Sexton from Mableton (Pebblebrook) GA, who edged out 6'5 Jr Romeo Langford from New Albany (H.S.) IN, 6'1 Isaiah Washington from Bronx (St. Raymond's) NY, 6'5 Lonnie Walker from Reading (H.S.) PA, 5'7 Chris Lykes from Washington (Gonzaga) DC, 6'1 Makei Ashton-Langford from Ashburnham (Cushing Academy) MA, and 6'4 Jemarl Baker from Corona (Roosevelt) CA for the #1-ranking on this year's list, would be ranked among the top 10 or 15 of the above mentioned players a year ago.  On the other hand, Sexton picked off where he left off earlier this spring and summer when he led the NIKE EYBL in scoring and was named the Co-MVP while playing for the USA Team in the FIBA 17-Under World Games, as he had 24 points against Team Final in the semi-finals and 20 points against Mokan Elite in the Championship Game of The 8 Bracket at the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Summer Classic.  He also is capable of playing either guard spot and can knock down the outside shot, has a great mid-range game, and makes a living getting to the basket, getting fouled, and converting more than his share of free throws.  However, it was his consistency and the fact that he was the key reason why his team won the championship while matched up against several of the better teams in the tournament.

Langford is second on our list due to the fact that he had the best individual performance that we saw during the course of the entire week when he had 40 points, eight rebounds, 12-17 field goals, 5-10 3-pointers against Just Win Academy in the first round of the playoffs in the adidas Summer Championships.  And a quick look at the stats shows that Langford also had  22 points against the Upward Stars, 20 points against DI Minnesota, and 18 points against Game Elite in his team's three games in pool play, but had only 11 points versus Basketball University in the second round of the playoffs and 10 points against the Juice All-Stars when his team went down in flames in the third around of the playoffs.  And, this is important, because toughness and a lack of consistency are the only things that are holding Langford back from being ranked as high as #2, behind 6'10 Jr Marvin Bagley from Chatsworth (Sierra Canyon) CA, on our list of the top players nationally in the Class of 2018.  Washington is another guy who turned in one of the top individual scoring performances of the entire week when he had 33 points against Belmont Shore and, in addition to putting up prolific numbers (he also had another game where he had 27 points), he did a good job of controlling the tempo of the game and getting his teammates involved.  Walker checks in at #4 on our list, because, he not only scored 22 points on first night versus Team Takeover, but also does a little bit of everything and was a model of consistency throughout the week.

We only saw Lykes play once when he had 29 points against Team Final on the first night, but several college coaches have told us that he was also excellent when they saw him later in the week and, as a result, he is the guy who rounds out our top five players from these three events.  Ashton-Langford checks in at #6, because he was the catalyst behind the Mass Rivals 22-0 run this summer and, although he is more of a facilitator than a shooter, he did a great job of running the show and getting his teammates involved, as he finished with 14 points, six rebounds, four assists, and 4-9 field goals in the Championship Game of the adidas Summer Championships.  Baker is much less of household name in recruiting circles than the six guys ranked ahead of him, but this athletic 2-guard was like money in the bank for Earl Watson Elite with 22 points and four 3-pointers in the semi-finals and with 20 points and four big 3-pointers that helped set the stage when his team jumped out to a 29-14 lead early against Splash City and coasted from there to an impressive 65-50 win in the Championship Game at the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament.

And rounding out the top 10-ranked players on our list of the top players in the above mentioned three tournaments are 6'8 Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA, 6'2 Nick Weatherspoon from Madison (Velma Jackson) MS, and 6'1 Wabissa Bede from Ashburnham (Cushing) MA.  Cosby-Roundtree was consistently good every time we saw him and it's hard not to like the way he runs the court and the energy he brings to the table when it comes to getting put-backs, rebounds, and scoring around the basket.  However, it was his 32-point game against the Georgia Stars on Friday night in the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament that really caught our attention.  Weatherspoon appeared to be on track to be the leading scorer in the adidas Summer Championships and the #1 or #2 player on our list with a 27-point performance against Team Carroll, a 26-point performance versus New Orleans Elite, and 29-point performance versus Team Magic in pool play.  But then he laid an egg with just six points, 2-14 field goals, and 1-5 3-pointers against Chauncey Billups Elite in the first round of the playoffs and, as a result, his team was eliminated.  Bede is a tough hardnosed athletic combo guard who can do a little bit of everything, including score in a variety of ways.  And he took his game to another level, as he provided the perfect complement to Ashton-Langford in his team's run to the title with 17 points, six rebounds, five assists, and 3-7 3-pointers and MVP honors in the Championship Game of the adidas Summer Championships.

You also could make a case for 6'4 Trevon DuVal from Dallas (Advanced Prep) TX being ranked among the top 10 players on our list, but he did not finish well when we saw his team play against Belmont Shore on the first night and 6'1 Jr Spencer Freedman from Santa Ana (Mater Dei) CA and 6'4 Kevin Anderson from Philadelphia (Neumann-Goretti) PA stole the show when the Big Red 17s gave We R 1 a major scare in the Round of 16.  Not only did Freedman knock down six threes and finish with 22 points, but he also made clutch shot after clutch shot, including a lay-up that started a 9-0 run to put his team up 52-42 early in the second half, a big 3-pointer to put his team up 58-54 with 10:11 remaining the game, and another big 3-pointer to put his team up 75-74 with 4:19 remaining in the game.  However, if you live by the sword, you also can die by the sword and the outside shot stopped falling for Freedman in the final four minutes of the game and We R 1 emerged victorious with a 88-83 win in what clearly was the best game that we saw all week.  On the other hand, Anderson got hot from behind the arc and this strong versatile athletic sharp shooting 2-guard knocked down four straight three's in the second half to put the dragger into the heart of Big Red 17 Elite.  But, instead of sending the Big Red 17s home, the summer version of the Mater Dei High School Basketball team actually ended up advancing into the quarterfinals due to the fact that the We R 1 team was scheduled to fly home after the games on Saturday evening.

A couple of names to remember for the future are 6'5 Soph Bryan Antoine from Tinton Falls (Ranney) NJ and 6'5 Soph Scottie Lewis from  Tinton Falls (Ranney) NJ.  The former knocked everybody's socks off then he had 22 points on the first night in one of the Showcase Games at Bishop Gorman High School and the latter was so good later in the tournament that Frank Burlison of BurlisononBasketball.com is now touting Lewis as the best player nationally in the Class of 2019.  Also ranked in the 11-20 range are guys like 6'9 Soph Onyeka Okongwu from Chino Hills (H.S.) CA, 6'1 Thomas Allen from Wolfesboro (Brewster Academy) NH, 6'6 Evan Battey from Villa Park (H.S.) CA, 6'11 Wendell Carter from Atlanta (Pace Academy) GA, 6'7 Cody Riley from Chatsworth (Sierra Canyon) CA, and 6'6 Jr Zion Williamson from Spartanburg (Day) SC.  Okongwu averaged 11.0 ppg and 11.2 rpg, which ranked him #3 in rebounding in the adidas Summer Championships, and it's hard not to like his length and athleticism, the way he runs the court, rebounds, blocks shots, and scores around the basket, and his upside and potential . Allen led Garner Road all the way to the title game and he was was one the leading scorers in the tournament with 19.1 pgp and one of the best 3-point shooter that we saw all weekend, as is evident by the fact that he was 27-63 (43%) from behind the arc.

We also have to give credit to where credit is due with regard to Batty, because this strong physical and very skilled undersized 4-man had 30 points, 10 rebounds, 9-16 field goals, 1-2 3-pointers, and 11-14 free throws and made big play after big play down the stretch before Dream Vision finally got knocked off 80-78 in overtime by Team Loaded Virginia in the second round of the playoffs in the adidas Summer Championships. Carter had 15 points and 10 rebounds versus Team Final in the semi-finals and 14 points versus Mokan in the Championship Game of The 8 Bracket at the Big Foot Hoops Classic Summer Classic.  However, the big key here is that he looked like he's dropped a few pounds and was much quicker and in better shape than he was just a couple of weeks ago at the EYBL Finals at the Peach Jam.  Riley was a force to be reckoned with around the basket, he got more than his share of rebounds, and he had 28 points in quarterfinals of Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic.  Williamson averaged 16.3 ppg and 9.0 rpg, but his team got knocked off by the West Michigan Lakers Black and did not totally dominate like he did when we saw him at the NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp.

One of the biggest sleepers to emerge was during the week was 6'4 Jr Luguentiz Dort from Jacksonville (Arlington Country Day) FL and this strong physical athletic 2-guard not only makes a living attacking the basket, but he also averaged 20.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, and 2.4 apg, is a good defender, and can knock down the outside shot, as is evident by the fact that he hit 10-23 treys in six games at the adidas Summer Championships.  Also somewhat under the radar screen is 6'4 Brad Davison from Osseo (Maple Grove) MN and this University of Minnesota-bound 2-guard really helped pick up the slack for the Howard Pulley Panthers after 6'5 Gary Trent from Apple Valley (H.S.) MN left town early to attend the NIKE Skills Academy.  Not only did he lead his team to a second place finish in the Platinum Division in the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic, but he also had 15 points in the quarterfinals, 17 points in the semi-finals, and 26 points and hit three big 3-pointers in the second half of the championship game.  It also looks like 6'5 D.J. Harvey from Hyattsville (DeMatha) MD is back to his old self, as he had 20 points and four threes on the first night at Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic.  Another one of the guys who helped himself the most this past week was 6'7 Jr Jordan Usher from Marietta (Wheeler) GA, as this versatile athletic wing forward averaged 17.8 ppg and 9.5 rpg at the adidas Summer Championships.

Next our list are 6'5 Teddy Allen from Boys Town (H.S.) NE, 6'3 Jr Prentiss Hubb from Washington (Gonzaga) DC, 6'3 Jr Rasir Bolton from Martinsville (Carlisle) VA, 6'5 Jr Kiyon Boyd from from Fairfax (H.D. Woodson) VA, and 6'10 Billy Preston from Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA.  Allen turned in one of the top individual performances that we saw all week when he had 40 points and six 3-pointers and led the OSA Crusaders to a major upset against Indiana Elite in the Round of the 16 in the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament.  His younger brother (Tim Allen) plays for the Compton Magic and goes to school at Desert Ridge High School in Mesa, AZ and, as a result, we suspect he's originally from Phoenix, AZ.  Allen also will be a 5th Year Player and either go the prep school route or enroll at a junior college this fall.  Hubb is an athletic combo guard with good ball handling and passing skills, a high basketball IQ, and the ability to flat out score, as is evident by the fact that he knocked down six 3-pointers for DC Premier in the round of 16 over Sports U. in the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament.  Bolton led Team Loaded Virginia to a final four finish in the adidas Summer Championships and had 29 points, eight assists, 6-9 field goals, 3-4 3-pointerrs, 14-14 field goals when we saw him in the Round of 16 versus Dream Vision.  Boyd impressed us with his strength, athleticism, skills, mid-range game, and ability to get to the basket and he teamed with Bolton to provide Team Loaded Virginia with the one-two punch that it needed to advance all of the way to the semi-finals in the adidas Summer Championships.  Preston had 20 points against We R 1 in the Showcase Game on the first night, but he had a tendency to over handle out on the perimeter and sucked all of the oxygen away from teammates like 6'4 Jr David Singleton from Torrance (Bishop Montgomery) CA and 6'2 Jr Bryce Hamilton from Pasadena (H.S.) CA, both of whom are very athletic and normally make a living scoring off transition and from out on the perimeter, as Belmont Shore Got knocked off in the first round of the playoffs.

We also thought it was pretty much status quo for 7'0 Nick Richards from Elizabeth (The Patrick School) NJ.5'11 Tremont Waters from South Kent (Prep) CT, and 6'8 Kimani Lawrence from New Hampton (Prep) NH, all of whom play for Expressions Elite and scored 14 points, 14 points, and 10 points respectively when we watched their team play in the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament.  Also falling into the 31-45 range are guys like 6'5 Soph P.J. Fuller from Seattle (Garfield) WA, 7'0 Mitchell Robinson from Chalmette (H.S.) LA, 5'11 Jr James Akinjo from Richmond (Salesian) CA, 6'3 Paul Scruggs from Indianapolis (Southport) IN, 6'6 Donnie Tillman from Henderson (Findlay Prep) NV, 6'8 Jr Emmitt Williams from Bradenton (IMG Academy) FL, 6'8 Chuma Okeke from Atlanta (Westlake) GA, 6'2 Jr Tre Jones from Apple Valley (H.S.) MN, 6'8 Kris Wilkes from Indianapolis (North Central) IN, 6'5 Kevin Porter from Seattle (Rainier Beach) WA, 6'8 Chris Seeley from Fresno (Central) CA, and 6'0 Jose Alvarado from Middle Village (Christ the King) NY.  Fuller stepped ip and made strong case for being one of the top five or players in the Class of 2019 after 6'3 Jaylen Nowell from Seattle (Garfield) WA and 6'3 Daejon Davis from Seattle (Garfield) WA both left to attend the NIKE Skills Academy by scoring 16 points and knocking down four 3-pointers in the quarterfinals, scoring 18 points and knocking down four 3-pointers in the semi-finals, and scoring 12 points and leading Seattle Rotary Select to the Championship Game in the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic.  Robinson is one of the best shot blockers to come down the pike in a long time and he simply picked up where left off on the numerous occasions when we've seen him earlier this spring with 16.7 ppg, 6.7 apg, and 4.0 bpg in the adidas Summer Championships.

Akinjo has good ball handling and passing skills, a good feel for the game, and he is capable of creating for both himself and his teammates, as is evident by the fact that he scored 31 points in his team's quarterfinals win versus the Georgia Stars in the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic.  Scruggs and Wilkes both play well and would be ranked five to 10 spot higher if they had gotten their team over the hump against the OSA Crusaders in the Round of 16 in the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament and Tillman once again did a lot of the dirty work inside, as he averaged 17..7 ppg and 7.8 rpg and had one 30-point game in the adidas Summer Championships.  Williams used his quickness, athleticism, and explosiveness to the basket to pick up the slack for 6'8 Kevin Knox from Tampa (Catholic) FL, as he finish with 16 points in quarterfinals and 20 points in semi-finals of the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament.  Okeke is an athletic wing forward with the versatility necessary to score in a variety of ways and he verbally committed to Auburn University later on Sunday night after he scored 24 points in his team's quarterfinals loss to Oakland Soldiers in the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic.  Jones had 11 points in the semi-finals and 15 points in both the quarterfinals and the Championship Game at the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic and he reminds us of his older brother in a low of ways, although he is quicker and a better defender than Tyus Jones was at the same stage.  Porter makes the list because he had 14 points and hit the game winning free throws in the quarterfinals against the Houston Hoops and had 14 points in the Championship Game of the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic.  Seeley really impressed us when he had 15 points in both the Round of 16 and the semi-finals, but was pretty much a none factor with only six points when his team lost to Earl Watson Elite in the Championship Game of the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament.  And it was pretty much status quo for Alvarado, who had 17 points when we saw him play and later this quick little floor general guided the NY Rens all the way to the quarterfinals in the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament.

And, when we dig a little deeper, we also find that there are guys in the 46-60 range on our list, like 6'8 Jordan Nwora from Saxton's River (Vermont Academy) VT, 6'8 Jr Carte'are Gordon from Webster Grove (H.S.) MO, 5'10 Daron Russell from Philadelphia (Imhotep Charter) PA, 6'4 Jr Quentin Grimes from The Woodlands (College Park) TX, 6'6 Jordan Tucker from White Plains (Archbishop Stepanic) NY, 6'4 Jr Nikolas Bonitto from Ft. Lauderdale (St. Thomas) FL 6'2 Frosh Jalen Suggs from St. Paul (Minnehaha Academy) MN, 6'9 Soph Mathew Hurt from Rochester (John Marshall) MN, 6'5 Jase Febres from Houston (Westfield) TX, 6'2 Lavar Batts from Concord (Robinson) NC, 6'5 Jr Matthew Bradley from San Bernardino (H.S.) CA, 6'7 Justice Sueing from Santa Ana (Mater Dei) CA, 5'11 Jordan Ratliffe from Fayetteville (Village Christian) NC, 6'8 Jr Jalen Smith from Baltimore (Mt. St. Joseph's) MD, and 6'6 Jr James Slater from Fairfax (Paul VI) VA.  Nwora makes this list, because he had 24 points in the Round of 16 in the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament and we liked his aggressiveness around the basket and the way he got after it on the boards.  Gordon is a physical specimen around the basket and he provided the key block and hit the game winning shot against Team Melo in the semi-finals of The 8 Bracket at the Big Foot Hoop Las Vegas Classic.

Russell is the quick little point guard who can both score and facilitate and he did an excellent job of running show for Team Final in both the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament and the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic.  Grimes is an athletic combo guard who showed signs of developing the takeover mentality that he needs to take his game to another level with his 33-point and 14-rebound performance versus the Iowa Barnstormers in the adidas Summer Championships.  We've seen Tucker player better on other occasions, but he does have good size and athleticism for his position and he isn't afraid to knock it down from downtown.  Bonitto is an athletic 2-guard and he impressed us with his outside shooting, as he led the Florida Vipers all the way to the final four and had 20 points and four 3-pointers in the semi-finals of the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament.  Suggs is another one to write down for the future, as showed he can get it done against much older players with 21 points in one game and 11 points in an Exhibition Game versus Team Final.  Hurt is a face-up four man who had 24 points versus the Mass Rivals and averaged 14.7 ppg and 4.8 rpg and knocked down 7-17 3-pointers in the adidas Summer Championships.  Febres is still only 16-years old, but he knocked four 3-pointers and had 16 when we saw him in the adidas Summer Championships and he is starting to blossom into one of the better wing forward prospects in the Lone Star State.

Batts is an explosive combo guard who makes a living off transition and he impressed us with a strong 16-point performance in the Championship Game of The 8 Bracket in the Big Foot Hoops Las Vegas Classic.  Bradley is a beast around the basket and he had 22 points and 15 rebounds versus the Dallas Mustangs and averaged 13.0 and 8.5 rpg in  the adidas Summer Championships.  Sueing is a long athletic wing forward who knocked down more than his own share of outside shots and finished with 27 points in his team's quarterfinals loss against We R 1 in the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament.  Ratliffe is versatile enough to play either guard spot, but what he does best is score and he did so to the tune of 18 points in the Championship Game in the adidas Summer Championships.  Smith is a long lanky athletic 4-man who finished with 18 points and was the best player while playing for Team Takeover in the semi-finals of the 16-Under Division in the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament.  Slater is more a scorer than a shooter and he too impressed us with 17 points in the semi-finals of the 16-Under Division in the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tournament.

We also got a chance to watch some of the plethora of great young talent in the adidas Summer Championships and right at the top of the list were Iowa Barnstormers, which featured 6'6 Jr Joseph Weiskamp from Muscatine (H.S.) IA, 6'2 Jr A.J. Green from Cedar Falls (H.S.) IA, and 6'8 Jr Joey Hauser from Stevens Point (Area Senior) IA and lost to the Ohio Basketball Club in the Championship Game of the 16-Under Division and 6'8 Soph Patrick McCaffery from Iowa City (West) IA and 6'7 Soph Dylan Jones from Waukee (H.S.) IA and lost to Indiana Elite 2019 in the Championship Game of the 15 Under Division.  If you will recall, the Iowa Barnstormers won the 16-Under Division when we saw them a week ago at the NY2LA Sports Summer Jam in Milwaukee, WI and we have no doubt the fact that Weiskamp is one of the best 3-point shooters in the class and Green has all of the ingredients, except a lack of size, necessary to be one of the best point guards in the Class of 2018.  However, we failed to mention Hauser, who is a skilled 4-man with the ability to play either with his back to basket or facing the basket.  He also is an excellent rebounder, runs the floor extremely well, and is good enough to be one of the top big man prospects in the junior class nationally, as well as a high recruiting priority for schools like Michigan State, Wisconsin, Virginia, and Marquette, which appears to have the inside track due to the fact that his older brother (Sam Hauser) signed with the Golden Eagles a year ago.  We also had not seen McCaffery since last fall at the Pangos Midwest All-Frosh/Soph Camp and the improvement that he has made is dramatic, plus it's difficult not to be enamored with his incredible wing span, quick and hands feet and ability to guard smaller guys out on the perimeter, and soft touch on his jump shot, which he knocks down on a consistent basis from behind the arc.  He also is expected to continue to grow and it's our guess that he will follow in his older brother's footsteps and eventually make a verbal commitment to the University of Iowa, where his father is the head basketball coach.  Jones is another guy with tremendous talent and the versatility necessary to play both inside and outside, thanks to his skills around the basket and the fact that he can step and has a nice touch on his jump shot.

Another one of the highlights when watching the younger guys was a first round playoff game in the Gold Division between Urban DFW Elite, which featured 6'8 Jr Jahmar Young from Dallas (Oak Cliff Faith Family) TX, 6'0 Jr Montre Gipson from Waxahachie (H.S.) TX, and 6'3 Jr Cheis Mullins from Mansfield (Timberview) TX, versus 'Basketball University, which featured 6'7 Frosh Gregory Brown from Austin (Brentwood Christian) TX and 5'7 Soph Sahvir Wheeler from Houston (Christian) TX, in the 16-Under Division of the adidas Summer Championships.  DFW Elite won the game 72-66 and then went onto win the championship in this division, but Brown, who is arguably the best player nationally in the Class of 2020, and Wheeler, who is one of the top point guards in the Class of 2019, both gained valuable experience while playing up in class.  Brown only had nine points and he will need to get bigger and stronger physically.  However, that should come in time and was hard not to be impressed with skills, versatility, athleticism., and natural talent.  Wheeler had 16 points and his court savvy, basketball IQ, and ability to run a team is exceptional for somebody so young.  Young is another one of those guys with the versatility necessary to play both inside and outside, as is evident by the fact that he finished with 17 points and knocked down several threes.  However, it's his quickness around the basket, ability to block shots, and likelihood that he will continue to grow that really gets us excited,  Gipson is a strong physical athletic combo guard with a great nose for the ball and good upper body strength, which he used to make a living attacking the basket and finishing off transition.  Mullins only had four points, but he is quick-on-quick and great defensively, which explains why he seemed to come up with more than his share of steals.

Dream Vision beat Exum Elite Utah 74-65 in pool play and then knocked them off again 66-65 in the semi-finals of the 15-Under Division.  However, 6'0 Soph Rylan Jones from Logan (H.S.) UT is another one of those guys who plays like the coach's son that he is (his father is Utah State assistant coach Chris Jones) and every time we see him play he makes a quantum leap in his game.  Not only does he have a high basketball and IQ and knows how to run a team, but he's excellent in transition, can knock down the outside shot, has a knack for being able to find the open man, is an intense competitor, and he's on track to be one of the best point guards nationally in the Class of 2019.  He also has a good supporting cast to go along with him with guys like 7'4 Soph Matthew Von Komen from Pleasant Grove (H.S.) UT, 6'8 Soph Isaac Johnson from American Fork (H.S.) UT, and 6'2 Soph Brig Willard from Bountiful (H.S.) UT.  Von Komen already draws more than his share of Shawn Bradley-like comparisons due to his skinny frame and incredible height.  Bu he has improved dramatically since we last saw him several years ago and, even though he is still fragile and mechanical at times, he is surprisingly mobile and agile for somebody his size, he sets more than his share of picks and screens, has good hands, and is active around the basket.  Johnson is another big guy who is rail thin, but he's got a great combination of length, agility, and versatility and he too appears to be only just beginning to scratch the surface in terms of reaching his upside and potential.  Willard is a skilled 2-guard who is a tough hardnosed competitor and can beat you with his mid-range jump shot.

Players with their name in red played in the all-star game

Our rankings reflect what we saw at camp and are based primarily on performance at camp.  Many players played multiple positions and, as a result, we attempted to place as many players as possible at the position where they will be ranked the highest in camp.   All teams must have at least one center and one power forward, which means not everybody can be a point guard or a perimeter player.