Boost Mobile Elite 24 Classic Player Notes; Upcoming Interviews
by Alex Schwartz
The Boost Mobile Elite 24 Classic at Rucker Park in Harlem, New York on Friday was a fantastic event. Yes, it was a flashy streetball-esque affair, but what do you expect? That's what you get when you combine all-star games with famous streetball courts. A number of payers stood out and performed well, while a select few struggled under the bright lights and watchful eyes. Here is what I thought of many of the participants' performances in the actual game alone, which was a 135-121 win for the Blue squad:
BLUE/SKIP TO MY LOU
Dominic Cheek '09, St. Anthony's (NJ): Cheek displayed great scoring ability. He can put the ball in the hole in three different ways. "Cheeks" demonstrated an ability to shoot the rock as well as get to the cup. In addition, the Garden State stud, who received co-MVP honors, was able to take passes down low and finish. Despite his thin frame, Cheek's athleticism was evident. He scored 23 points and I ranked him #3 based off in-game performance.
Tony Wroten, Jr. '11, Garfield (WA): The all-everything rising sophomore played well in front of his cousin Nate Robinson, who was in attendance at the event. He knocked down free throws and played solid defense. His stellar performance on D related directly to him not being intimidated by fan favorite Lance Stephenson in a few one-on-one showdowns. Wroten showed no fear and played a quality game. He scored four points and I ranked him #13 based off in-game performance.
Kenny Boynton '09, American Heritage (FL): Both Boynton and Team Breakdown (FL) U-17 AAU teammate Brandon Knight '10 had great showings. Kenny has been knocked for being a shoot-first player, but for much of the Elite 24 Classic he dished the ball well. Boynton was flashy with many of his passes, but was a good distributor. A number of his passes came off drives, displaying his ability to drive and dish, as he gets to the hoop well. What made the rising senior dangerous was that in addition to being able to drive and pass, he could knock down the long-range three. Kenny hit at least two triples, and his triple-threat offensive game made him difficult to guard. Boynton finished up with 16 points and I ranked him #9 based off in-game performance.
Derrick Favors '09, South Atlanta (GA): The big man was dominant in the, and fittingly earned the nickname "The Sure Thing." Derrick dunks pretty much everything, and a number of his points came on put-backs. He is tenacious and athletic. Favors scored seemingly all of his points in the paint and rarely popped out for a J. He scored 16 points and I ranked him #4 based off in-game performance.
Doron Lamb '10, Oak Hill Academy (VA): The former New York high school baller had a great showing. Although he was quiet, he played well. Lamb shot the ball well from the field and the charity stripe. He also displayed some smooth moves reminiscent of Memphis-bound Tyreke Evans '08. Doron scored 25 points and I ranked him #6 based off in-game performance.
John Wall '09, Word of God (NC): John Wall was flat-out fantastic on his way to co-MVP honors. He showed off great ups, amazing quickness, and good court vision both with and without the rock in his hands. That led to Wall having the pill a lot, as it seemed the ball was always in his hands. He drives and dunks a lot and also scores off of alley-oops frequently. John was flashy and dribbled the ball well. The main flaws he showed were that he didn't play good defense—but then again, it was an all-star game—and he also didn't shoot much. Wall scored 10 points and I ranked him #1 based off in-game performance.
Karron Johnson '09, Mt. Zion Academy (NC): Johnson struggled to backup his big reputation. He was not bad, but he wasn't good either. The main strength that Karron showed was his great athleticism. Interestingly, he seemed to be playing zone defense a lot in the middle at the bottom of the paint even though everyone else was usually in man D. Johnson scored four points and I ranked him #18 based off in-game performance.
Jordan Hamilton '09, Dominguez (CA): Hamilton did not disappoint on his trip to the East Coast, but he was also not as spectacular as he could have been in a style of play that really played to his biggest strength, his athleticism, as it was an all-star event. Jordan did get to the hoop well and also was a solid distributor of the rock. He dropped 13 points and I ranked him #10 based off in-game performance.
Ryan Kelly '09, Ravenscroft (NC): Kelly did not do all that much at Rucker Park. He was somewhat soft and was not strong in the post. Ryan did not have all that good of a showing, and did not really showcase his jumper. He scored two points and I had him unranked based off in-game performance.
Josh Smith '10, Kentwood (WA): Smith was beastly in the paint. He is absolutely huge, and is strong and powerful. He was more of an offensive player, and was great on the offensive glass, and worked well in the post. Down low, Josh finished well and regularly put the ball in the cup. Defensively, Smith's strong point was his rebounding. He scored 11 points and I ranked him #14 based off in-game performance.
WHITE/THE GOAT
Durand Scott '09, Rice (NY): The main thing that Scott displayed was his ability to score. He found open spots on the floor, which then led to him receiving a number of passes down low. As well, he got to the rack well. Durand was basically a pure scorer in the game. He dropped 15 points and I ranked him #11 based off in-game performance.
Lance Stephenson '09, Lincoln (NY): So much can be said about Stephenson's co-MVP performance on his home turf at the Elite 24 Classic. Positively, he dribbled the rock well and showcased a nice step-back jumper. Lance boarded at both ends of the floor and got to the hoop well with the pill in his hands. As well, he was a vocal coach for his teammates on defense. On the other side of things, "Born Ready" did get mad at teammates a few times when they made mistakes on defense and seemed to get frustrated somewhat easily, as he let things get to him, specifically his numerous one-on-one battles. Overall, Stephenson was very good and was the event's top scorer. Lance had 29 points and I ranked him #2 based off in-game performance.
Dion Waiters '10, TBD: Waiters, who was a fill-in for one of the two players (Michael Gilchrist '11 and Jereme Richmond '10) who was taken off the roster, had a nice showing. The Syracuse-commit dribbled the ball well and displayed and ability to get to the cup. Dion played better than his point total indicates. He finished the affair with eight points and I ranked him #12 based off in-game performance.
Brandon Knight '10, Pine Crest (FL): Brandon was not particularly flashy, but played extremely well. He seemingly got to the basket with ease. Once there, he usually scored on a finger roll rather than a dunk. The rising junior was quick and aggressive. He had a nice showing and his trip to the Northeast was worthwhile. Knight scored 12 points and I ranked him #8 based off in-game performance.
Nolan Dennis '09, Richland Hills North (TX): Quite frankly, Dennis was overmatched in the all-star showcase. He struggled to play up to the expectations that come with being a Memphis-commit, though like Dion Waiters '10, Nolan was an alternate in the game. On the positive side, he did get open well away from the ball. He scored four points and I had him unranked based off in-game performance.
Maalik Wayns '09, Roman Catholic (PA): The Villanova-commit had a great showing. He played like a true point guard, and it led to him receiving co-MVP honors. Wayns was able to get to the cup well, and he would either kick it off or put the ball in the hole. Maalik was flashy and quick, and displayed good court vision. His point total does not go to show just how well he played. Wayns scored 10 points and I ranked him #7 based off in-game performance.
Dexter Strickland '09, St. Patrick's (NJ): The Elite 24 Classic dunk champion had a great overall game. Dexter displayed a great ability to scored as well as phenomenal athleticism. He was smooth and got to the cup well, though a few times he chose not to jam it home and just scored off a finger roll, much like Brandon Knight '10. Strickland was able to get around his defenders well. Dexter did struggle to hit free throws, but his overall showing was quite good. The North Carolina-commit scored 17 points and I ranked him #5 based off in-game performance.
Abdul Gaddy '09, Bellarmine Prep (WA): The Evergreen State baller struggled in the Elite 24 Classic. He just did not do very much. Gaddy though, did demonstrate a good crossover. His jumper was high and arcing. Abdul did not score and I had him unranked based off in-game performance.
Jeremy Tyler '10, San Diego (CA): Tyler came into the game with a big reputation for being talented but inconsistent, and that seemed about right. He was a fancy dunker, but was not able to finish down low at least three times. Finishing in the paint was Tyler's main weak point in the game. He scored eight points and I ranked him #15 based off in-game performance.
Jared Sullinger '10, Northland (OH): Sullinger was not his usual dominant self in his showing at Rucker Park. The Ohio State-commit did not have a particularly great game, and he seemed to have subpar hands. Jared finished with six points and I ranked him #20 based off in-game performance.
The only players that I do not have notes on are Trae Golden '10 of McEachern (GA) and LaQuinton Ross '11 of Murrah (MS) for the Blue squad as well as Texas-commit Tristan Thompson '10 of St. Benedict's (NJ) and Florida-commit Erik Murphy '09 of St. Mark's (MA) for the White team. Here is actual list of my rankings based off in-game performance. For a recap of the actual game, see my Boost Mobile Elite 24 Classic Overview. The interviews I conducted will be coming soon. Here's a list of the people I caught up with:
- Former NBA player Kenny Anderson
- Derrick Favors '09, South Atlanta (GA)
- Josh Smith '10, Kentwood (WA)
- Jeremy Tyler '10, San Diego (CA)
- Ryan Kelly '09, Ravenscroft (NC)
- LaQuinton Ross '11, Murrah (MS)
- Nolan Dennis '09, Richland Hills North (TX)
- Chris Broussard of ESPN the Magazine
- Myck Kabongo '11 of St. Benedict's (NJ), a spectator at the actual game
- Brandon Knight '10, Pine Crest (FL)
- Trae Golden '10, McEachern (GA)
- Abdul Gaddy '09, Bellarmine Prep (WA)
- Kenny Boynton '09, American Heritage (FL)
- Tristan Thompson '10, St. Benedict's (NJ)
- Dominic Cheek '09, St. Anthony's (NJ)
- Durand Scott '09, Rice (NY)
- Erik Murphy '09, St. Mark's (MA)
Be sure to check back soon as these interviews, as well as others, will be posted over the upcoming days and weeks!
Note- all photos are from http://scouthoops.scout.com/.
The Boost Mobile Elite 24 Classic at Rucker Park in Harlem, New York on Friday was a fantastic event. Yes, it was a flashy streetball-esque affair, but what do you expect? That's what you get when you combine all-star games with famous streetball courts. A number of payers stood out and performed well, while a select few struggled under the bright lights and watchful eyes. Here is what I thought of many of the participants' performances in the actual game alone, which was a 135-121 win for the Blue squad:
BLUE/SKIP TO MY LOU
Dominic Cheek '09, St. Anthony's (NJ): Cheek displayed great scoring ability. He can put the ball in the hole in three different ways. "Cheeks" demonstrated an ability to shoot the rock as well as get to the cup. In addition, the Garden State stud, who received co-MVP honors, was able to take passes down low and finish. Despite his thin frame, Cheek's athleticism was evident. He scored 23 points and I ranked him #3 based off in-game performance.
Tony Wroten, Jr. '11, Garfield (WA): The all-everything rising sophomore played well in front of his cousin Nate Robinson, who was in attendance at the event. He knocked down free throws and played solid defense. His stellar performance on D related directly to him not being intimidated by fan favorite Lance Stephenson in a few one-on-one showdowns. Wroten showed no fear and played a quality game. He scored four points and I ranked him #13 based off in-game performance.
Kenny Boynton '09, American Heritage (FL): Both Boynton and Team Breakdown (FL) U-17 AAU teammate Brandon Knight '10 had great showings. Kenny has been knocked for being a shoot-first player, but for much of the Elite 24 Classic he dished the ball well. Boynton was flashy with many of his passes, but was a good distributor. A number of his passes came off drives, displaying his ability to drive and dish, as he gets to the hoop well. What made the rising senior dangerous was that in addition to being able to drive and pass, he could knock down the long-range three. Kenny hit at least two triples, and his triple-threat offensive game made him difficult to guard. Boynton finished up with 16 points and I ranked him #9 based off in-game performance.
Derrick Favors '09, South Atlanta (GA): The big man was dominant in the, and fittingly earned the nickname "The Sure Thing." Derrick dunks pretty much everything, and a number of his points came on put-backs. He is tenacious and athletic. Favors scored seemingly all of his points in the paint and rarely popped out for a J. He scored 16 points and I ranked him #4 based off in-game performance.
Doron Lamb '10, Oak Hill Academy (VA): The former New York high school baller had a great showing. Although he was quiet, he played well. Lamb shot the ball well from the field and the charity stripe. He also displayed some smooth moves reminiscent of Memphis-bound Tyreke Evans '08. Doron scored 25 points and I ranked him #6 based off in-game performance.
John Wall '09, Word of God (NC): John Wall was flat-out fantastic on his way to co-MVP honors. He showed off great ups, amazing quickness, and good court vision both with and without the rock in his hands. That led to Wall having the pill a lot, as it seemed the ball was always in his hands. He drives and dunks a lot and also scores off of alley-oops frequently. John was flashy and dribbled the ball well. The main flaws he showed were that he didn't play good defense—but then again, it was an all-star game—and he also didn't shoot much. Wall scored 10 points and I ranked him #1 based off in-game performance.
Karron Johnson '09, Mt. Zion Academy (NC): Johnson struggled to backup his big reputation. He was not bad, but he wasn't good either. The main strength that Karron showed was his great athleticism. Interestingly, he seemed to be playing zone defense a lot in the middle at the bottom of the paint even though everyone else was usually in man D. Johnson scored four points and I ranked him #18 based off in-game performance.
Jordan Hamilton '09, Dominguez (CA): Hamilton did not disappoint on his trip to the East Coast, but he was also not as spectacular as he could have been in a style of play that really played to his biggest strength, his athleticism, as it was an all-star event. Jordan did get to the hoop well and also was a solid distributor of the rock. He dropped 13 points and I ranked him #10 based off in-game performance.
Ryan Kelly '09, Ravenscroft (NC): Kelly did not do all that much at Rucker Park. He was somewhat soft and was not strong in the post. Ryan did not have all that good of a showing, and did not really showcase his jumper. He scored two points and I had him unranked based off in-game performance.
Josh Smith '10, Kentwood (WA): Smith was beastly in the paint. He is absolutely huge, and is strong and powerful. He was more of an offensive player, and was great on the offensive glass, and worked well in the post. Down low, Josh finished well and regularly put the ball in the cup. Defensively, Smith's strong point was his rebounding. He scored 11 points and I ranked him #14 based off in-game performance.
WHITE/THE GOAT
Durand Scott '09, Rice (NY): The main thing that Scott displayed was his ability to score. He found open spots on the floor, which then led to him receiving a number of passes down low. As well, he got to the rack well. Durand was basically a pure scorer in the game. He dropped 15 points and I ranked him #11 based off in-game performance.
Lance Stephenson '09, Lincoln (NY): So much can be said about Stephenson's co-MVP performance on his home turf at the Elite 24 Classic. Positively, he dribbled the rock well and showcased a nice step-back jumper. Lance boarded at both ends of the floor and got to the hoop well with the pill in his hands. As well, he was a vocal coach for his teammates on defense. On the other side of things, "Born Ready" did get mad at teammates a few times when they made mistakes on defense and seemed to get frustrated somewhat easily, as he let things get to him, specifically his numerous one-on-one battles. Overall, Stephenson was very good and was the event's top scorer. Lance had 29 points and I ranked him #2 based off in-game performance.
Dion Waiters '10, TBD: Waiters, who was a fill-in for one of the two players (Michael Gilchrist '11 and Jereme Richmond '10) who was taken off the roster, had a nice showing. The Syracuse-commit dribbled the ball well and displayed and ability to get to the cup. Dion played better than his point total indicates. He finished the affair with eight points and I ranked him #12 based off in-game performance.
Brandon Knight '10, Pine Crest (FL): Brandon was not particularly flashy, but played extremely well. He seemingly got to the basket with ease. Once there, he usually scored on a finger roll rather than a dunk. The rising junior was quick and aggressive. He had a nice showing and his trip to the Northeast was worthwhile. Knight scored 12 points and I ranked him #8 based off in-game performance.
Nolan Dennis '09, Richland Hills North (TX): Quite frankly, Dennis was overmatched in the all-star showcase. He struggled to play up to the expectations that come with being a Memphis-commit, though like Dion Waiters '10, Nolan was an alternate in the game. On the positive side, he did get open well away from the ball. He scored four points and I had him unranked based off in-game performance.
Maalik Wayns '09, Roman Catholic (PA): The Villanova-commit had a great showing. He played like a true point guard, and it led to him receiving co-MVP honors. Wayns was able to get to the cup well, and he would either kick it off or put the ball in the hole. Maalik was flashy and quick, and displayed good court vision. His point total does not go to show just how well he played. Wayns scored 10 points and I ranked him #7 based off in-game performance.
Dexter Strickland '09, St. Patrick's (NJ): The Elite 24 Classic dunk champion had a great overall game. Dexter displayed a great ability to scored as well as phenomenal athleticism. He was smooth and got to the cup well, though a few times he chose not to jam it home and just scored off a finger roll, much like Brandon Knight '10. Strickland was able to get around his defenders well. Dexter did struggle to hit free throws, but his overall showing was quite good. The North Carolina-commit scored 17 points and I ranked him #5 based off in-game performance.
Abdul Gaddy '09, Bellarmine Prep (WA): The Evergreen State baller struggled in the Elite 24 Classic. He just did not do very much. Gaddy though, did demonstrate a good crossover. His jumper was high and arcing. Abdul did not score and I had him unranked based off in-game performance.
Jeremy Tyler '10, San Diego (CA): Tyler came into the game with a big reputation for being talented but inconsistent, and that seemed about right. He was a fancy dunker, but was not able to finish down low at least three times. Finishing in the paint was Tyler's main weak point in the game. He scored eight points and I ranked him #15 based off in-game performance.
Jared Sullinger '10, Northland (OH): Sullinger was not his usual dominant self in his showing at Rucker Park. The Ohio State-commit did not have a particularly great game, and he seemed to have subpar hands. Jared finished with six points and I ranked him #20 based off in-game performance.
The only players that I do not have notes on are Trae Golden '10 of McEachern (GA) and LaQuinton Ross '11 of Murrah (MS) for the Blue squad as well as Texas-commit Tristan Thompson '10 of St. Benedict's (NJ) and Florida-commit Erik Murphy '09 of St. Mark's (MA) for the White team. Here is actual list of my rankings based off in-game performance. For a recap of the actual game, see my Boost Mobile Elite 24 Classic Overview. The interviews I conducted will be coming soon. Here's a list of the people I caught up with:
- Former NBA player Kenny Anderson
- Derrick Favors '09, South Atlanta (GA)
- Josh Smith '10, Kentwood (WA)
- Jeremy Tyler '10, San Diego (CA)
- Ryan Kelly '09, Ravenscroft (NC)
- LaQuinton Ross '11, Murrah (MS)
- Nolan Dennis '09, Richland Hills North (TX)
- Chris Broussard of ESPN the Magazine
- Myck Kabongo '11 of St. Benedict's (NJ), a spectator at the actual game
- Brandon Knight '10, Pine Crest (FL)
- Trae Golden '10, McEachern (GA)
- Abdul Gaddy '09, Bellarmine Prep (WA)
- Kenny Boynton '09, American Heritage (FL)
- Tristan Thompson '10, St. Benedict's (NJ)
- Dominic Cheek '09, St. Anthony's (NJ)
- Durand Scott '09, Rice (NY)
- Erik Murphy '09, St. Mark's (MA)
Be sure to check back soon as these interviews, as well as others, will be posted over the upcoming days and weeks!
Note- all photos are from http://scouthoops.scout.com/.
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