Pitt Jam Fest Day 3

In the final day of the Pitt Jam Fest, champions were crowned and big-time players made plays. In the 17u division, OBC and Sports U faced off for the Gold Bracket championship, with Sports U out of New Jersey winning it. In the 16u gold championship, Sports U took on Team Loaded. Team Loaded (VA) and the Martin twins would take the title home overcoming an early 14-0 deficit at the start of the ship. It was another big day with plenty of players living up to their hype and others making a name for themselves. Here are a couple standout players from championship Sunday.

Kevin Johnson 2013 6'3" Cincy Summit Country Day/OBC
      An active guard, who really did a good job of attacking the rim and drawing fouls. Looked to push the ball in the open court and made some nice decisions. Hit a number of mid-range pull-ups, using his athleticism to elevate above defenders out stretched hands. Locked up many of the opponents best guards, coming up with numerous steals. Was big for OBC all weekend on their run to the championship.

Sidiq Ochua 2014 6'7" Yates (TX)/Houston Defenders
     The athletic forward runs the floor hard, resulting in many open lay ups and dunks. Crashes the O boards using his athleticism and length to go get them. Had a couple big blocks on the day along with a couple impressive drop step dunks.

Josh Davenport 2013 6'4" Cincinnati Moeller (OH)/OBC
     Has the size and skill to play both at the 2 and 3. A bigger guard who rebounds well, having a number of easy offensive put-backs because of it. Attacked the rim, using his size to finish amongst the trees down low. Shot the ball well all weekend, hitting both the 3 and mid-range.

DeAndre Bembry 2013 6'6" St Patrick (NJ)/Sports U
     Bembry is a smooth wing who scored most of his points in the mid-range area. His high release on his J combined with his size makes it hard for shot blockers to contest. Also stepped out and knocked down a couple 3's. Was not only a scorer from 15-17 feet on in but made plays for his teammates and had a couple on a string high-low passes. Ran the floor well in transition and finished above the rim.

Alec Brennan 2014 6'10" Milton Academy (MA)/Expressions Elite
      Has good size with a nice baby hook over his left shoulder. Stepped out and hit a couple of 3's, but will need to continue to be more consistence. Was not afraid to get inside and fight for position, even though he doesn't have the strongest lower body. Has the potential to be a very good face up forward at the next level.

Jared Nickens 2013 6'6" St Patrick (NJ)/Sports U
     Thin but long frame, who has a quick release from deep. Can really stroke from deep when he gets hot. Will need to add muscle and strength at the next level but has nice length and athleticism. Used his length to get some boards. Constantly looking to spot up for the 3.

Abdul-Malik Abu 2014 6'8" Kimball Union Academy (NH)/Expressions Elite
     Abu is a very explosive finisher around the rim, getting off the ground quick and finishing strong. Had three big-time drop step dunks in the first half alone of the 16u semi-final game. Goes after the boards hard on both ends and has a motor to go along with it. Was a monster in the paint, offensive and defensively, not giving up position easily and making his opponents work.

Karl Towns Jr. 2015 6'10" St Joes (NJ)/Sports U 16s
     The big fella is already well known by many people around the circuit and proved what all the hype was about. He has a nice skilled for his size and can hit the 3 from well beyond the college or high school line. Sometimes he does rely on his great shooting ability too much and stays outside but its hard to tell him to stop when he is making more then he misses. He has a great upside and it will be exciting to see how he continues to develop his all-around game.

Quadri Moore 2014 6'8" Linden (NJ)/Sports U
     Great frame, with his combination of size, strength and overall body mass. If he shed a couple pounds he could really be dominant. Has a nice stroke from deep and was not worried about being close to the line. Used his body to bang down low and score over smaller, weaker defenders. Was a very hard match up for other forwards, with his skill set and size. Can be a very deadly option in the pick-n-roll because of his ability to hit the J and strength to finish on the roll.

Caleb Martin 2014 6'6" Davie County (NC)/Team Loaded (NC)
     Is probably the better shooter between the Martin twins, hitting a number of J's throughout the weekend. Showed he can handle the rock in transition and make the correct decision. Got up and finished above the rim on drives and in transition. Right now he doesn't have a totally clear position but he knows the game well, can do multiple things on the court and can play both the 2 and 3.

Cody Martin 2014 6'6" Davie County (NC)/Team Loaded (NC)
     Cody is more of a slasher and is constantly in attack mode. Can score with ease from 15 feet on in, and with his combination of quickness and size, made him a tough match up. Hit a number of jumpers on the day, with a smooth one-dribble pull-up. Hit the O boards hard, taking advantage of his defenders lack of boxing out. An athletic wing who could turn out to be a very nice swingman.

Look for one more write up from the Pitt Jam Fest coming tomorrow, with some more notes and evals from the weekend.

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Motown Showdown 15u

Team Bolt won the championship over The Family in the 15u division. Here are a couple standout 15u players.

Rodney Scales 2015 6'5" Inkster/REACH
     The lefty forward was big for Reach on both ends of the court. He uses his length to block shots. Is not the most explosive athlete but still was able to block and alter plenty of shots. Did the majority of his work around the rim on offense, but showed he can make moves from 15 feet. With a couple more inches of growing to do he will most likely end up to be a very good face up 4 man.

Curtis Davison 2015 6'0" Grand Rapids Creston/GR Storm
     An explosive guard, who constantly got to the rim. Made plays and pushed the tempo. Step up his bigs for a number of dump-offs and easy lay-ups.

Brad Brechting 2015 6'8" Cedar Springs/GR Storm
     Tall and thin forward, who will be better as his body gets stronger. Made some nice post moves and finished around the rim. Used his length on the boards, and threw a couple shots away. Has the size to be dominant in the future.

Armani Lee 2015 6'4" Detroit King/REACH
     Made some nice moves from the wing, using his athleticism to finish at the rim. Can hit the mid-range jumper and also scored with his back to the basket. Showed his athleticism and handle when he got out in transition. Has a bright future and he continues to work on his perimeter skills.

Xavier Cochran 2015 6'4" Ann Arbor Huron/The Program
     The lefty has nice size and finished around the rim. Had a number of elbow isolations that he took advantage of, with his length and quickness.  Was active around the rim and on the O boards. Will be one to keep an eye on this spring and summer.

Check out the All Tournament Team from all age groups from the Mustang Motown Showdown on Mlive.

All Tourny Team

Watch for updates next weekend from the King James Shooting Stars Tournament in Akron, OH.
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Pitt Jam Fest Day 2

Here are some standouts from Day 2 of the Under Armour Hoop Group Pitt Jam Fest:

-Denzel Watts 2013 6'1" Flint Carmen Ainsworth (MI)/Dorian's Pride
    With Robert Morris in the stands after recently offering him this past week, the junior proved why he has double digit D1 offers on the table. He is a strong guard who can get to the rim and draw fouls all day long. Had a couple big time finishes in transition, one being a euro-step between two defenders and finishing with his off hand, or left. Doesn't shoot much from outside but showed he can hit them. His nice combination of size and strength made him hard to stay in front of. Lead his team to an 11-point win Saturday afternoon, in which he finished with 25 points. Look more offers to start pouring in after these two live periods.

-Darryl Reynolds 2013 6'9" Lower Merion (PA)/Philly Pride
     Big and strong forward, who was active on the offensive boards. Was constantly going after O boards but was not out of control when running in. Was able to still crash but be smart about it at the same time, often anticipating where the ball was heading. Finished well around the rim on offense and rolls hard off a pick-n-roll. Got up a couple times and tossed back a couple shots.

-Andre Wilson 2014 5'10" Austin East (TN)/Nashville Celtics
     Smooth lefty guard who was able to get to the rim both ways. Hit a number of 3's, off the catch and pull-up. Drew fouls and was constantly at the free throw line.

-Terrell Miller 2014 6'7" Arlington Country Day (FL)/D12 Warriors
     Miller showed off a couple nice mid-range back to the basket moves. Can hit the 15 footer and knocked in a couple turn around J's from the post. A wide and strong frame, that he is constantly throwing around. Stayed after the boards on both ends.

-Ronald Booth 2014 5'9" Allen Academy (MI)/Detroit Spartans
      A small and quick guard who got constantly got to the rim. Drew a bunch of fouls and had the body control to still get the shot up. Hit a couple nice pull up 3's showing he can hit from deep. Was also an active defender who pressured the ball and came up with a number of steals. Small but explosive guard, will be one to watch as he continues to work on his game.

-Quadir Welton 2013 6'8" Math Civics and Science (PA)/Philly Pride/St Peters Commit
     Showed off some nice moves down low and used his crab dribble effectively. Was able to feel the double team, kick it out and back further down for better position. Keeps the ball high on the offensive rebounds and stays after the boards.

-Adonis Dela Rosa 2014 6'10" Christ the King (NY)/Move Your Feet NYC
     Is a big body down low, that takes a lot of effort to move. Worked hard for position down low and made some nice baby hooks. As he continues to work on his body and conditioning he could be very good. Didn't have to much trouble dominating the boards.

-Kevin Degnan 2014 6'7" Pearl River (NY)/Team Frenji
     Nice size, with a solid face-up game. Had a couple crafty finishes around the rim, reversing and using both hands. Hit the boards on both ends. Hit a couple mid-range J's which brought the defense out and was able to pump fake and get to the rim.

-Evan Payne 2012 6'1" Dorian's Pride
      The Cleveland native, who was at Huntington Prep for most of last season, had an impressive weekend. A super athletic guard who threw down a couple big time dunks. Can hit the three and made some nice quick moves to the game. Had a smooth 20 point game Saturday night, in a win.

-Vince Hunter 2013 6'7" Detroit Consortium (MI)/Detroit Stars
     Was one of the big reasons why the Stars were able to stay with the talented Houston Defenders for most of the game. Is a super long wing, who really stretches out on his drives. His length and athleticism was especially on display in transition. As he continues to work on his J, he could become very difficult to guard.

-Tyler Ptacek 2013 6'3" Padua (OH)/OBC
     No question that he can shoot from deep, hitting a couple big time 3's for OBC. Also made some things happen off the dribble. It was nice to see him be aggressive in transition, getting to the rim and constantly drawing fouls on the break. Was inform by OBC director Michael Duncan that most of the MAC has offered.

-Nick Light 2013 6'6" Riverside (WV)/West Virginia Wildcats
     A bouncy athlete, who used his length as a shot blocker. Was active on the boards on both ends. Runs the floor well, look for him to continue to expand his game on the offensive end. Didn't do too much offensively but finished around the rim.

-Markell Lodge 2014 6'6" Miller School of Albemarle (NC)/Team Loaded (NC)
     Big time athlete, who had a couple monster drop step dunks. Long shot blocker who got his hands on tons of shots. Finished dump-offs strong and has a nice second bounce, getting plenty of tip ins.

-Tyler Kohl 2015 6'5" Perkioman School/We R 1
     Kohl is a wide body, who works hard down low. Has the ability to play both on the wing and in the post. Got past bigger defenders with his quick first step and was able to use his strength when finishing the rim. Works hard on the defensive box outs, moving his feet to keep the player from getting around him.

-Tyvez Monroe 2015 6'2" Bishop O'Connell/Team Loaded (VA)
     Has a very similar body type as Kohl just a couple inches shorter. Moves his feet well, showing off a couple nice spin moves around the hoop. Was able to bring bigger defenders outside by hitting multiple 3's. Truly has a football body, like a fullback or linebacker. Was not afraid at all to bang inside with bigger and taller forwards.

-Devonte Campbell 2015 6'5" St Davids Blues (CN) 15u
     A long and athletic wing who can do a lot on the court. The more you watch of him the more he shows you he can do. Has the size and strength to finish inside, but also has the skill set to handle in transition. Campbell would often grab the D board turn and push it himself, more times then not making the correct read, as far as finding the open man or taking it himself. Is a surprising good passer for his size, even mixing in a couple no lookers in the full court. Looks comfortable on the wing, showing he can hit the 3 and also has a smooth one-dribble pull-up in his repertoire. Has the potential to be another special one coming out of Canada.

Look for Pitt Jam Day 3 to be posted tomorrow, along with move evaluations from the weekend.
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Pitt Jam Fest Day 1

The Under Armour Hoop Group Pitt Jamfest kicked off earlier this night, and was the start of the live period, were D1 coaches could watch players. With the heavy traffic in downtown Pittsburgh, I was not able to get to see all the games I planned to but was still able to see some major talent. Here are a couple players who had some big performances.

Nathan Adrian 2013 6'8" Morgantown (WV)/West Virginia Wildcats Select (West Virginia Commit)
     With his future head coach Bob Huggins on the sideline watching, Adrian went to work early, hitting three 3's in the first 8 minutes of play. A long forward has a sweet stroke from deep. With his ability to pick n pop, it made guarding the pick-n-roll very hard for defenders. Might not look like the strongest player but really battled bigger, heavier post players on D, not giving up position. He makes up for his lack of strength with his smarts. He can read the defense, make the correct pass and also out think players when on D. He could possibly move outside and play the wing, if he improves his perimeter skills and foot speed, but will most likely be a face up 4-man who can really stretch the defense with his shooting touch.

Devin Williams 2013 6'8" Cincinnatti Withrow (OH)/OBC
     A big and strong forward who showed why he has been attracting tons of college looks. Xavier's HC Chris Mack was on hand along with coaches from WVU, UD and others, to watch Williams. He took advantage of the smaller forwards of the Gauchos, and physically dominated them. Had three or four And 1's, were he just went right through the contact and finished. Can hit the 15 footer, but it was good to see him not settle. Would like to see Devin exploded quicker after receiving dump-offs from his guards, instead he waits for the contact and then goes up. Has a very strong frame that he is not afraid to use and throw around. Stayed active on the boards and was a factor on defense, making it hard for other forwards to score down low.

-Keep an eye out tomorrow night for a report on the top performers from Day 2 of the Pitt Jam Fest.
-Follow on Twitter for constant scores and notes all day long from the Pitt Jam, @NSchmidta2

Motown Showdown 16u

The Family would take this championship over the IN Fire, Sunday afternoon. Here are a couple players that stood out in the division.

Darsean Woodson 2014 5'8" Pershing/REACH
     The lefty point controlled the tempo of the game and pushed in transition when the opportunity was there. Has a quick crossover and will continue to get better as he adds strength. He was able to grow and learn a lot playing behind Felder this past season, and it is paying off. Does a very good job of drawing fouls when getting to the rim, gets into the body of the big and still gets it up. he is one to keep an eye on as the summer goes on.

Dre Dentmond 2014 6'8" Lansing CC/Shot Doctor Elite
     Long and athletic, got after it on the boards all weekend. He is working on his perimeter game, sitting down and guarding guards and wings, along with handling the ball in the full court. Will most likely be a face up forward, and couple possible be a wing. Hit the three with some consistence, but sometimes spends to much time out there against lesser defenders. Time will only tell with him, has a lot of potential with his length, size and bounce.

Reynaldo Cheney 2014 6'9" Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills/Michigan Mustangs Blue
     Cheney has real nice size and length, and can be a very big impact when he uses it. Is constantly improving and starting to put everything together. Has a ton of potential and with time and more experience he could become dominate. Scores mostly in the lane, from drop offs and offensive rebounds, made a couple nice back to the basket moves but will still need to improve.

Leander Williams 2014 5'5" Northside (IN)/Indiana Fire
     A small but strong and explosive guard who made big plays for the runner-up IN fire. Had good body control when finishing at the rim. Was one of the main scorers for a short handed Fire team, was explosive when around the rim. Uses his muscle a lot, being physical even with taller guards.

Chuck Key 2014 6'4" Cass Tech/Michigan Mustangs
     Does his work from the mid-range area (15 ft) on in, and does it well. Knows where he is effective and does not try to play out of his game. Can hit the mid-range j with consistence. Made some nice moves on baseline, spinning away from defenders. Hit the boards hard. As he keeps expanding his game and skills he could end up as a dangerous wing with his size and frame.

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Motown Showdown All Tournament Teams

Here are my All Tournament Teams from the Mustang Motown Showdown.

Motown Showdown All Tourny Team

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Motown Showdown 17u

The best game of the tournament took place in the 17u semi-final between the Mustangs and The Family. These two very talented teams went at it, with the leading going back and forth for the majority of the game. The Family would prevail, 66-62. They would move on to beat Team Bolt by double digits in the championship game. Here are a couple of standout performers from this weekend at the Mustang Adidas Motown Showdown.

Jonathan Williams 6'3" Southfield Lathrup/Michigan Mustangs
     Was a big-time scorer all year for Lathrup and turned out a solid weekend. Really like his size and athleticism and when he becomes more comfortable with his new AAU team he will show how good he really can be. Hit a couple very nice step back 3's, showing he has the range to really stroke it from long. Could turn out to be a big time scorer for the Mustangs.

Wes Clark 2013 6'0" Romulus/The Family
     The explosive guard showed off his play making abilities in the full and half court, finding teammates for open shots. Clark has a tight and quick handle on the ball, but sometimes makes one too many moves when attacking and allows for help side defenders to come and help stop his drive. Uses his strength and off arm to get past defenders and score at the rim. Didn't have his greatest shooting day but when he gets going he can really stroke it from deep.

Kendahl Amerson 2012 6'2" Henry Ford/Franklin All-Stars
     Amerson showed he can score the ball in bunches, was in constant attack mode. Hit a number of quick pull-ups inside the arch. He is a quick, explosive and strong guard who loves creating contact and drawing fouls in transition. The plan for him is most likely prep school next year, not exactly sure which one, if not prep then JUCO.

Terron Ramsey 2013 6'6" Melvindale ABT/The Family
     Ran the floor hard and got easy lay ups. His position at the next level isn't exactly clear, having the size and athleticism to be a forward but his perimeter and mid-range game is getting better every time out which could move him out to the wing. Made some nice drives from the wing and elbow area. Was an active rebounder on both ends of the court and is able to guard multiple positions, with his size and good foot speed.

Fredrick "Boo Man" Edmond 2012 6'4" Lansing Eastern/Michigan Mustangs
     Will be taking a post grad year at a prep school, most likely outside the Midwest but it is not official. Is coming off a big HS season on the wing, which gave a lot of Michigan a first time to see how good he really is. Played a lot of forward this weekend because of all the talented guards on the Mustang but he can get away with it because of his athleticism and strength. He is an explosive athlete, who stays active and above the rim on the offensive glass. Doesn't have great form on his shot, shooting from the top of his head but he can hit some from deep. Look for him to continue to develop his J and his perimeter skills next year at prep school.


-The 16u and 15u division standouts will be posted very soon.
-I will also be at the Pitt Jam Fest next weekend, keep an eye out for nightly recaps all weekend. Also make sure you follow on twitter for daily news and scores from tournaments.

Follow on twitter: @NSchmidta2
    

Aaron Jackson Talks Recruiting

As you may have previously read, Gahanna Lincoln's Aaron Jackson had a great start to his final year of AAU this weekend at the Buckeye Prep Report Invitational. The 6'5" guard had a good high school season and is looking forward to having a even better AAU season. We recently got to talk to Aaron about how the recruiting process has gone for him so far and his plans for the future.

Jackson currently holds offers from Toledo, Akron, Bowling Green, and Northeastern. He also had offers from Ohio and Miami (OH) but with the coaching changes those are up in the air. He plans on visiting VCU in the near future and has been gaining interest from the likes of Dayton, Cleveland St., DePaul and Xavier.

This year with the merger of Ohio Varsity and King James on the 17u level, Aaron will be on the EYBL circuit with King James Shooting Stars. This weekend coming up they will be back in Columbus for the All Ohio Nike Cup. The following weekend, 20th-22nd, the EYBL kicks off with the first session in Minneapolis, MN. In the second weekend, 27th-29th, of the open period he will be at the second session of the EYBL at Boo Williams. Jackson is one to keep an eye on this spring and summer. Also check back with Full Court Hoops to get all the updates on his recruitment and much more.

Here is a link to King James summer schedule

Here are some of Jackson's highlights from the HS season

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8th Annual Buckeye Prep Report Invitational Final Results

Here are all the championship results, along with all-tournament teams and MVPs from each age group.

Final Results

A couple last notes from the weekend-BPR

As I was going over my notes from the weekend there were a couple players that stood out that I forgot to mention, so here they are.

Mark Williams 2013 6'7" Benedictine/King James
     Another wide body down low for King James. Williams has a very solid frame and is a decent athlete. There were times when he couldn't be stopped down low this weekend, because of his size and strength. But also times were he might of settled a little too much against lesser defenders. He does have the skill to attack from 17' out and hit jumpers from there but he needs to make weaker defenders pay. Cleaned up the boards on both ends all weekend. Look for him to be King James main low post threat as the season goes on.

Brandon Peters 2016 5'8" Cleveland CC/TNBA
     The lefty was big time for TNBA all weekend. He is small but strong, and physically looks a couple years older. Has a quick first step which makes him very hard to stay in front of. Peters was able to get in the lane and make plays for his teammate or finish using his strength. Made some huge plays for TNBA especially when they took down the eventual champs Dorian's Pride in pool play. He will be attending the John Lucas camp this summer.

Matt Moyer 2016 6'2" VCC Ohio Warriors
     This big wing has a bright future ahead of him. He has the size but also the quickness and skill to get things done out of the perimeter. Has a nice handle on the ball for his size, which makes him a hard match up especially for his age. He has a smoothness to his game but sometimes can fade to the background. Knows how to use his size when getting to the rim and finishing. The next step for him is to keep improving his quickness and lateral movement so he can guard a 1 or 2 on defense. Was told that he is planning on going to Gahanna Lincoln next year but was not 100 percent sure.

Tyler Bybee 2016 6'2" Cleveland CC/TNBA
     A long wing, who showed he can get things done inside and out. He is quicker then most forwards his age and uses it to get to the rim. The lefty knocked down a couple 3's, showing he can make them but will just need to get more comfortable and consistent out there. He really uses his long arms and bounce to rebound offensively, and was quick at putting them back up and in. Will be one to watch as he continues to grow and mature.

Parrish Martin 2014 6'0" Alliance/SMAC
     Had a break out game Saturday afternoon against Ohio Varsity White, lead his team to a double overtime loss. He was outstanding all game long, finishing with 24 points. Has a lighting quick crossover, which he uses to create separation and hit the mid-range jumper. Isn't the tallest but is strong and quick. On his mid-range he does a good job of elevating so that he is hard to block. Was for the most part unknown coming into the weekend and sure did make a name for himself with his play. He will be one to keep an eye on as the spring goes on.

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Day 3: Buckeye Prep Report Invitational

In the 17u division it was a rematch of two pool teams in the final, King James and Nova Village. King James came away with the first victory Saturday night and would get this one as well. In the 16u division Ohio Varsity-White took on Dayton Nets/Buckeye Prep in the final, with OV taking it by a score of 60-47. In the 14u division it was another rematch of two pool teams that had previously faced off. In the first meeting between TNBA and Dorian's Pride, TNBA won by 8 points but DP was not going to let that happen again, winning the ship by a score of 40-17. Here are a couple standouts from Day 3.

Aaron Jackson 2013 6'5" Gahanna Lincoln/King James
     AJ was huge for King James all day but especially in the finals. He had numerous strong takes, in which he would finish thru contact and get the And-1. Two of his And-1's were towards the end of the first half while King James was making their run to extend the lead. Jackson is a bigger, strong guard, who attacks the rim hard and can get up and finish at the rim. His outside shot wasn't falling like it normally is but he still showed he can hit them and is very comfortable out there. Can score in a variety of ways, getting to the rim, posting smaller guards, transition, one-dribble pull-ups and from long range. His strong play all weekend long not only helped his team win the championship but earned him MVP honors.

Ty Hairston 2014 6'2" Northland/Ohio Varsity-White
      Hairston is super skilled on the offensive end and when he wants can be a scoring machine. He showed all weekend long the different ways he can score. His soft floater in the lane was very effective, and he was able to get it out of the reach of shot blockers, even when he faced SMAC's 7-footer. Can hit the three off the catch or a pull-up. Ty does a good job of changing speeds in the half court. Making a couple calm moves then making on hard move and attacking as opportunities presented them self. Will have a big role next year for the Vikings, as they lose four seniors.

Marlo Brown 2016 6'4" Southfield Christian/Dorian's Pride
     The super smooth lefty was huge all over the court for DP. He has the size to defend down low but also has the skills to handle the ball up the court, often running point guard. His skill set is very impressive for an 8th grader, as he can do many things on the court. The one thing that you hardly see, even in the older divisions is a mid-range game/jumper. Brown uses his mid-range jumper a lot, and it is very effective because with his height and length he can just shot right over defenders. The crafty wing was also quick enough to get past smaller guards and used his length to finish around defenders. He didn''t shot many 3's but in the championship game he went 1 for 2 from behind the arch, proving that he can step back and stroke it. I really like his mindset of not settling for 3's and getting to the rim and using his mid-range j. With his skill set look out for him to really flourish in Coach Baker's dribble-drive system.

Trey Fletcher 2013 6'6" Ironton/King James
      A wide body down low, who knows how to use it. Isn't the most athletic or strongest big but he knows how to use his size to shield off defenders. The lefty really took advantage of smaller defenders and made them pay. He will be one to keep an eye this summer as he continues to get better for KJ.

Geno Thorpe 2013 6'2" Shaler HS (PA)/King James/Penn State Commit
    The Big Ten commit came out attacking in the 17u semi-final against Millennium Fire, having six of the first ten points for King James. Proving that he can be a dominate scorer. Thorpe is at his best when he is attacking the rim and in transition but also showed off some impressive one on one moves. Geno had to leave early and was not able to stay for the championship game but he was a standout all weekend long for King James.

Alex Stewart 2014 6'5" Westerville North/Ohio Varsity-White
     A little undersized down low but makes up for it with his strength, motor and intelligence. Stewart has a very strong and solid frame that he puts to use often. He is not afraid to bang down low and uses his straight to box out more athletic players. Showed off some very nice post moves down low and even out to 15', using his quickness to get past slower bigs. One thing that will never be questioned about Alex is his toughness. He plays hard and was never afraid to get in there and work. A couple minutes into the 16u championship game, a collision happened between him and other player. His nose started bleeding heavily and when the blood was wiped away it looked to be broken. Alex didn't care, he wanted to play, begging the trainer to just bandage it and he would go to the hospital after. The trainer stayed firm and made sure he went to the hospital, were he found out that it was indeed broken. We wish Alex a speedy and healthy recovery, but knowing him he won't be out too long.

John Draper 2013 5'10" Columbus Eastmoor/Nova Village
     Strong guard who makes things happen. He was ready to compete every game, no matter who he was going up against. The lefty, got in the lane and had good body control when drawing contact against bigs. Showed he can hit from deep too, hitting a number of three's in a couple games. Was able to hand pressure and make plays for himself or teammates.

Algevon Eichelberger 2016 6'5" Saginaw (MI)/Dorian's Pride
     Continued his strong play, leading his team to the championship game and making sure they were not going to lose to TNBA again. Big Al made some very nice moves from the top of the key showing that he can do more than just bang down low. Also stepped out and hit a couple 15' jumpers. He made sure that DP was going to come away with the title, and in the process came away with the MVP award. I will say it again he is going to be a special one.

One team that I did not get a chance to watch was the King James 16s, who were playing up this tournament. Am hearing that they have a lot of talented guards and wings, will hopefully be checking them out soon. I also want to thank Rob Taylor and his staff at Buckeye Prep Report for another great event. Next weekend I will be at the Motown Showdown in Detroit, MI, so look for updates next weekend from that. Follow on twitter: @NSchmidta2

Day 2: Buckeye Prep Report

A couple standouts from day two of the Buckeye Prep Report Invitational.

Algevon Eichelberger 2016 6'5" Saginaw/Dorian's Pride
     The big fella is as good as advertised. He was big and dominate for DP all day long. Uses his length well on defense, keeping his hands straight up and making offensive players try to shoot over him. His huge hands also helped him swat away shot after shot. On offense, he made quick, strong post moves, that were hard to stop. He is comfortable finishing with both hands around the hoop and showed he is working on turning over both shoulders. Big Al is going to be a special one in the years to come. Is already being talked about as one of the best 2016 bigs around.

Chris Wallace 2016 5'6" Jackson/Michigan Titans
     Wallace is a real active defender, who has extremely long arms for his size. Came up with a bunch of steals, both from playing the passing lanes and ball pressure. He used his quickness to get past defenders and get to the rim. Chris sometimes gets going so fast that he has to use tough angles to try to finish. Used his athleticism to finish around a couple defenders.

Heath Williams 2016 6'1" East Lansing/Michigan Titans
     A wide body, who knows how to finish around the rim. He is a little undersized but he gets it done down low. Used his strength to just flat out overpower smaller defenders. Has soft hands and was able to catch dump offs from guards and finish.

Matt Robb 2016 6'5" Dorian's Pride
    Has a solid frame and size. Crashed the O boards hard and was able to finish. Also showed he could step out and hit the 15' jumper. Has the size and mobility to be a very good face up forward in the future. Look for him to grow a couple more inches and for his body to fill out in the coming years. Will need to continue to get use to contact and be more physical.

Ronnie Williams 2014 6'2" Brookhaven/Ohio Varsity
     An extremely active and energetic player on both ends of the court. Was able to finish well in transition with few dribbles. Showed he can hit the three but will need to continue to get more consistent. Hustled and played hard the whole game, look for him to continue to expand his game offensively.

Randal Clarkson 2013 5'10" Brookhaven/King James Shooting Stars
     Randal is a small but strong point guard. He has the ability to really get after it on defense and put pressure on the ball. He used his quickness to get out in the passing lanes, get steals and easy lay-ups. His shots weren't falling outside but he still got in the lane and made things happen. Has good body control when finishing around the rim. Pushed the ball hard in the open court and was able to find his teammates open shots.

Marquiez Lawrence 2013 6'8" Marion-Franklin/King James Shooting Stars
     Lawrence was being a lot more aggressive than he was during the high school season. Stayed after offensive boards, using his length to tip them to himself. Got up and threw a couple shots to the stands (or wall). Did most of his scoring off transition, dump offs and o boards. Rebounds and runs the floor well. As he adds strength and experience his game will improve.

Shemar Waugh 2014 5'10" Canal Winchester/Nova Village 17u
     Waugh is playing up a division, like the majority of his team, but showed he was not timid or scared at all, going right at King James guards. The lefty has a smooth crossover and also keeps his head up in the lane and finds teammates. Was able to get to the rim and finish with either hand. Has a toughness to him that you can't teach.

To stay up to date with all the action tomorrow at the BPR Invitation follow on twitter: NSchmidta2

Day 1: 8th Annual Buckeye Prep Report Invitational

Here are a couple standouts from Friday night of the BPR Invitational.

Jalen Tucker 2014 6'5" Columbus Northland/ Nova Village 17u
      It was good to see Tucker be more aggressive around the rim. He was looking to dunk everything and in turn he was constantly at the free throw line. Long and thin frame, who is only getting longer. Really uses his length on the boards on both ends.

Manny Powell 2014 5'7" Gahanna Lincoln/Hidden Gems
      Was active on the defensive end, and pushed the ball in transition. Had a couple very nice full court passes that were right on the money. Showed he can hit the one dribble pull-up and also read the pick-n-roll.

Tyus Ferguson 2016 5'9 VCC Ohio Warriors
       This point guard has a very good feel for the game. He does a great job of calling for the outlet pass and actually going to get it. Is not afraid to use the pass to advance the ball, while making good decisions on whether to keep it or not. Showed he can also score the ball too, hitting some pretty floaters in the lane. Is constantly looking to hit his bigs on dump offs when their defenders step up.

To keep up with everything going on at the BPR tomorrow follow on twitter: @NSchmidta2