Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Reebok All-American Camp, July 8

This article was originally written on July 8.

PHILADELPHIA – The July live evaluation period made another stop on Wednesday, as coaches and scouts from around the country headed to Philadelphia for the Reebok U All-American Camp at Philadelphia University. The first two days were closed to the media, but NBE was on hand – along with dozens of coaches – to check out the action in the City of Brotherly Love.

The talent level was down considerably from last year, with many of the nation’s top players in the Midwest at the King City Classic and the adidas It Takes 5ive Classic. Still, there were plenty of high-major stars in attendance – both on the court and in the stands.

Devon Collier, 6-8, St. Anthony (N.J.), 2010: Played well in his first game, grabbing rebounds at a high rate and crashing the offensive glass for put-backs. He didn’t show off his versatility and handle as much, but he had a good baseline drive and dunk. He also had an up-and-under for a basket and foul.

John Johnson, 6-1, Girard College (Pa.), 2011: The guard with the knuckleball three reminds me a lot of Scottie Reynolds – from the way he looks to the way he plays. He can drive to the basket and finish, but is a streaky jump shooter. Johnson is a quick guard who can beat his defender.

Tyree Johnson, 5-9, Penn Wood (Pa.), 2010: Johnson seems to have grown stronger and bigger since last season, but is still quick. He has very good handle and can run the break effectively, finishing himself or dishing to a teammate. Johnson takes excellent care of the ball too.

Ashton Pankey, 6-9, St. Anthony (N.J.), 2010: Pankey played very well early on, affecting shots with his long arms and athleticism. He is a solid player inside and can finish around the rim. Pankey was very aggressive going to the basket and scored several baskets. He also had a nice face-up jumper from around the perimeter.

Dave Coley, 6-2, Thomas Jefferson (N.Y.), 2010:
As usual, Coley showed off his strength and quickness over and over. He has great handle and can beat his defender. However, Coley does need to work on his jump shot, as he struggled to knock down perimeter jumpers. Furthermore, he needs to cut down on his turnovers and play more in control.

Myles Mack, 5-10, Paterson Catholic (N.J.), 2011: Mack played very well in the games that I watched him in. He ran the team with effectiveness, driving to the basket for easy lay-ups or finding open teammates for baskets. Mack was at his best when pushing the ball in transition and pulling up for three-pointers or running a fast break. If his jump shot was falling, he would have been unstoppable.

Kyle Anderson, 6-7, Paterson Catholic (N.J.), 2012: He played fairly well, but did not have much prediction. He stole the ball from Dave Coley on an attempted crossover and a nice pass to a cutting teammate. The most impressive thing he did was defend the post.

Jaylen Bond, 6-7, Plymouth-Whitemarsh (Pa.), 2011: Bond is something of a mystery to evaluators that have seen him multiple times. He has great size for his position and a very versatile, all-around skill set. He can score inside and knock down jump shots from the perimeter. He is athletic and can rebound and defend. However, he struggles to produce – the numbers simply aren’t there.

Devonte Newbill, 6-4, Strawberry Mansion (Pa.), 2010: Newbill was at his best when running up and down the floor and finishing baskets in transition. He had several lay-ups off of fast breaks and most of his points came in a full-court setting. In the half-court, he struggled with his jumper when his crafty driving ability was taken away.

Isaiah Sykes, 6-5, Finney High School (Mich.), 2010: Sykes did not show much at all. He ran the floor well and grabbed a few rebounds, but the lefty was mostly invisible. He did not look for his shot at all, and mostly took a few dribbles and immediately passed the ball. Sykes needs to develop more of a perimeter game for someone his size.

Shabazz Napier, 5-11, Lawrence Academy (Mass.), 2010: The New England point guard is skinny and needs to add muscle, but he has good handle and changes directions very well. He is very shifty with the ball and is tough to keep out of the lane. Napier is a good passer and had a few kick-outs off penetration.

Aaron Brown, 6-3, St. Benedict’s (N.J.), 2010: Brown was arguably the most impressive player of the morning session. He was nearly impossible to stop going to the basket, driving past any defender who stood in his way for easy lay-ups. He was at his best in transition, pushing the ball and beating lazy defenders to the rim. He had a couple of drives spanning the length of the court. Brown does need to work on his shot, though.

Jarrod Davis, 6-6, Lakewood (N.J.), 2011:
Davis wasn’t as aggressive as he is with his high school team, but he showed flashes. He had a nice penetration and dish as well as a nice drive to the basket for a lay-up. However, his perimeter shot looked terrible, as he missed two three-pointers – badly.

Sidiki Johnson, 6-8, St. Raymond’s (N.Y.), 2011: Johnson, a “warrior” as described by more than one on-looker, rebounded the ball well and defended, but struggled mightily offensively. He was called for a travel three straight possessions and forced his drives to the basket. He needs to work on his footwork.

Pe’Shon Howard, 6-3, Oak Hill Academy (Va.), 2010:
Howard, a very strong, physical player with excellent size and build for the point guard position, had a solid game. He defends well because of his physicality and is tough to keep out of the lane because of his strength. Howard can hit perimeter shots and is also a very good passer.

Cameron Ayers, 6-4, Germantown Academy (Pa.), 2010:
Ayers does all the little things. He does not stand out with explosive drives to the basket or no-look passes to cutting teammates, but he can do everything. He has a nice mid-range jumper and can handle the ball well. Ayers defends very well and can guard multiple positions.

Chris Coleman, 6-11, Mt. Zion Academy (N.C.), 2011: The new Florida International-commit looked much better at the All-American Camp a year ago than he did today. He added weight and did not pick up much athleticism. He did not get too many touches and when he did, was ineffective.

Stacey Poole, 6-5, Andrew Jackson High School (Fla.), 2010:
The five-star prospect had a slow start but really picked things up as the game went on. He is a versatile scorer who can get points going to the basket or hitting mid-range jumpers. Poole runs the floor very well and can finish at the rim in transition or in the half-court. He is athletic and can rebound the ball very well. Poole had several acrobatic finishes and can use both hands.

Andre Henley, 6-6, Brehm Prep (Ill.), 2011: The lefty had his moments, but did not stand out too much. He made a couple of nice passes, one a look-ahead pass for a transition lay-up, the other a nice bounce pass to a cutter. However, he was too loose with his handle and missed a lay-up.

Davontay Grace, 6-1, Thomas Jefferson (N.Y.), 2011: Grace is a bulldog of a point guard who is tough to keep out of the lane when he wants to get to the basket. He has a stocky build but is physical and strong. Grace is quick to the rim and protects the ball well when driving. He can pull-up off the dribble for jumpers and can also finish very well when in the lane.

Recruiting Notes:

- John Johnson:
Virginia Tech (offer), St. Joseph’s (offer), St. John’s, Marquette, La Salle (offer), UCLA, Clemson, Notre Dame (offer).

- Isaiah Sykes: Syracuse, Oklahoma, Michigan, South Florida, Tennessee, Michigan State

- Stacey Poole: Clemson (offer), South Carolina (offer), Indiana (offer), Connecticut, Louisville, Kentucky, Miami (offer)
- Wants to visit UConn, L’Ville and UK in August

- Aaron Brown: Virginia Tech, Virginia, Harvard, Penn, Temple, Auburn, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall

- Davontay Grace: Providence, Villanova, West Virginia, St. John’s, Marquette, Virginia Tech

- Tre Bowman: Marquette, Penn State, Xavier, Duquesne, UCF, Maryland, La Salle, Clemson, Villanova

- Devonte Newbill:
La Salle, Drexel, Marquette, DePaul, Niagara, Nebraska, Temple

- Dave Coley: Fairleigh Dickinson, Auburn, Virginia Tech, Hofstra, St. John’s, Kent State, George Mason

- Sidiki Johnson: Connecticut, Arizona, Kentucky, Wake Forest, St. John’s, Providence, Pittsburgh, West Virginia

- Cameron Ayers: Clemson (offer), Georgetown, Virginia, Michigan, Temple (offer), La Salle (offer), Saint Joseph’s (offer)

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