2009 Hoop Group Elite Recap

READING, Pa. - For the first time in a long time, the Hoop Group Elite Camp, previously known as Eastern Invitational, was held in a location other than the College of New Jersey.  The event moved to Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania this year, and based on conversation the move seems to be well-accepted.  Most spoke highly of the facilities, especially the new outdoor courts, and although the location means a longer trip for some (this writer included) it means a shorter trip for others and no change for some.

The camp was home to over 700 players, and as you might imagine, there was no way to see them all.  Nonetheless, we managed to get a look at quite a few along the way.  Here is a look at some of the players we saw.

Kazembe Abif (6′6″ Sr. PF, Newark (NJ) University HS) Lefty post player has a thin lower body and showed some skills to work with.  Though he didn’t own the boards, he was a factor there, while he got up and down the floor well and made a nice turnaround jumper on the low block.

Mike Accaoui (5′10″ Sr. SG, Winchendon (MA) School) He seems to be developing a niche as a player who finds a way to contribute on any team he plays for.  Here, his long range shots were either swishes or bad misses early, before he shot it much better later on from deep.  Additionally, in a camp where unselfish guard play was at a premium, he showed it with a few nice passes, including on the interior.

Raphael Akepejori (6′9″ Sr. PF, Wichita (KS) Sunrise Christian Academy) Well-built post player was the best post player here by a good margin.  He showed good ball toughness, used up fakes well when he got the ball inside, and rebounded well at both ends, getting a few stickbacks on the offensive end.

Sarkie Ampim (6′5″ Sr. SF-PF, Groton (MA) Lawrence Academy) He showed a nice improvement in his play here.  He looked more fluid, ran the floor well, was a factor on the boards and wasn’t afraid to use his left hand.  Although he didn’t suddenly put up numbers, it was clear that his improvement is picking up.

Dwaun Anderson (6′3″ Jr. SG, Suttons Bay (MI) High) Athletic wing scored often in transition and was aggressive in going to the basket.  He didn’t really try to shoot, but he did well as a driver and also posted up a smaller guard successfully.

Zach Anderson (6′4″ Sr. SF, Englewood (NJ) Dwight Morrow HS) A plus athlete, his body isn’t there yet but he showed some good potential.  He showed a good stroke, including off the dribble, and he surely won over some coaches when he dove for a key loose ball.

Andre Armstrong (6′2″ Sr. SG, Queens (NY) Forest Hills HS) Mature-bodied guard showed a touch shooting the ball as his main offensive ability.  He showed range out to the three-point line, hitting several shorter jumpers later, and also scored on a few runners heading to the basket.

Ike Azotam (6′7″ Sr. SF-PF, Roxbury (MA) Marianapolis Prep) One of the better players at the camp, he played like he wanted it and it showed in the results.  He was successful facing up and driving, consistently got the better of some good individual matchups, and played hard.  In short, he showed some of what he is capable of.

Melsahn Basabe (6′7″ Sr. PF, (NY) St. Mark’s School) Well-built forward looks stronger and went to work inside.  He rebounded well and worked to get post position and offensive chances, but the shots weren’t falling in one game.  To his credit, he didn’t stop working, and he got better results later and saw it pay off in an all-star selection.

Stephen Battle (6′5″ Sr. SF, Waldorf (MD) Thomas Stone HS) A well-built wing, he did a lot to help his team without scoring much.  He’s athletic and made several good passes to go with his ball skills, including a couple of drive and dish plays.

Marcus Blake (6′7″ Sr. PF, Plantation (FL) American Heritage HS) An interesting prospect, he looks like he might be relatively new to the game because the speed of the game seemed to be a little difficult for him to handle.  On the other hand, he did show a few hints of ball skills that aren’t often seen in power forwards, so there was a positive in there.

Aaron Bodie (6′6″ So. SF-PF, Newark (NJ) Eastside HS) An intriguing prospect, our first look came during drills, where he hit several mid-range shots but seemed to take them in slow motion.  A plus athlete, his body isn’t there yet and he looks a little raw on offense, and he didn’t look very assertive, but he can improve those areas and his ball skills as he gains experience.

Theo Boyomo (6′8″ Sr. PF, Kent (CT) School) You know what you’re getting with him: good effort inside at both ends of the floor.  He has a good frame and rebounds well, is fundamentally sound, and can score out to mid-range when posting up.  He knows what he is and doesn’t try to be a wing.

De’Mon Brooks (6′6″ Sr. PF, Hopewell (NC) High) Undersized power forward has a good body that hasn’t fully matured yet and is a plus athlete.  The lefty showed better post moves later in the event and thus was more of a factor.

Armani Cotton (6′5″ Sr. SF, New York (NY) Dalton HS) Active wing had his struggles shooting the ball at first, but made a few jumpers later.  All the while, he kept competing, showing a nose for the ball, and his body still has maturing to come as he has a thin upper body.

Yandell Denis (6′3″ Sr. SG, Brooklyn (NY) Xaverian HS) An athletic guard, he’s not physically mature yet but played tough.  He finished while fouled, posted up a smaller guard for a basket and got stickbacks inside.  His jumper is an unknown quantity as he rarely looked to do that.

Gabriel Dos Santos (6′3″ Jr. SG, Coral Springs (FL) High) Although he often brought the ball up for his team, he didn’t show any playmaking skills and often looked like a ball hog.  He’s a plus athlete and has a good body, but his shot selection and decisions left something to be desired.

Oliver Ellison (6′8″ Jr. PF, Washington (DC) Gonzaga College Prep) Long lefty post player is raw but showed some potential.  He’s athletic and ran the floor well, and while he got few touches on offense and wasn’t a huge factor defensively, he wasn’t invisible, either.

Justin Exum (6′3″ Sr. SG, Brooklyn (NY) Xaverian HS) A plus athlete who hasn’t fully matured physically, he was active on defense and made his share of plays.  Offensively, he didn’t star, but did make a nice shot going to his left from mid-range along the way.

Eric Fanning (6′5″ Jr. SF, Trenton (NJ) Central HS) Very active forward was one of the better wings here just in terms of what he got done on the court.  His body’s not mature yet, but that didn’t matter as he plays bigger, was all over the boards at both ends of the floor, and finished well, especially in transition.

Jeff Fields (6′3″ Sr. SG, Baltimore (MD) Parkville HS) Athletic wing showed range out to the three-point line but looked more like a scorer than a shooter.  He scored often in traffic and made a nice play to score on a left-handed runner on a drive.

Naofall Folahan (6′10″ Sr. C, Fitchburg (MA) Notre Dame Prep) We saw this very long big man several times in the spring, and he never approached the level he played at here.  While he looks very new to the game with some of the shots he tries, he doesn’t lack for fluid motion and runs the floor well, but most of all, he was very active and played with a good deal of intensity, and by the end he played well enough to make the Top 20 All-Star game.  He still has a good deal of work to do, but his play here was a big step forward.

Brandon Ford (6′2″ Jr. SG, Brandywine (MD) Gwynn Park HS) At first, he looked a bit limited because he seemed very right-handed, but he showed a little more later on.  He finished well, including when fouled, has a good body, and later knocked down a shot from around the foul line off the dribble.  More of those shots would make him more dangerous.

Lionel Gomis (6′8″ Jr. PF, Blairstown (NJ) Blair Academy) Long an intriguing prospect, this native of Senegal has a game that’s rough around the edges but has many reasons for optimism.  He played physical inside and looks more fluid all the time, and was active on the boards, including the occasional stickback.  He’s not a shot-blocker and needs to realize that before he gets into consistent foul trouble, and he has a thin lower body, but there are lots of good signs in his play here.

Cameron Gunter (6′8″ Sr. SF-PF, Folsom (PA) Ridley HS) An intriguing prospect, he has a slight frame but some physical maturity in his body.  He didn’t showed much of a feel for the game, although he did show some hints of ball skills along the way.

Jayon James (6′6″ Jr. SF, Paterson (NJ) Catholic HS) Very talented wing has a mature body and is a plus athlete, but those don’t stand out so much with him.  He’s very capable of being the best player on the floor, but doesn’t always play like it as there are times when he settles for questionable shots or doesn’t seem to have the desire.  There’s nothing he does exceedingly well, but he’s skilled and very capable of going to his left as a right-handed player.  He is likely to re-classify into the class of 2011 and change schools next year.

Durrand Johnson (6′6″ Sr. SF, Baltimore (MD) Parkville HS) Tuesday was a better day for this wing, who scored in several ways and didn’t appear to have one way he scored better than another.  He showed the ability to finish with his left (off) hand along the way and was around the ball a good amount.

Mustafa Jones (6′0″ Sr. PG, Philadelphia (PA) St. John Neumann-Goretti HS) A thin guard, he’s athletic and showed good range on his jumper.  At one point, he couldn’t miss, then later he had a small stretch where the shots weren’t falling, suggesting he’s a little streaky.  He scored on jumpers off the dribble as well as off the catch.  The concern is that his size dictates that he’s a point guard, and he didn’t show much in the way of playmaking skills.

Quasim Jones (6′0″ Sr. SG, Philadelphia (PA) Bartram HS) Quick guard has scoring ability but didn’t show anything in the way of playmaking.  He showed a touch out three-point range and wasn’t afraid to go inside with the trees.

Evan Kelley (6′4″ Sr. SG-SF, Norwalk (CT) High) After not looking overly impressive early, he came on strong late and was a key for his team.  His body isn’t there yet, but he scored in transition and from mid-range off the dribble, and was around the ball often later.

Chad LaBove (6′7″ Sr. SF, Shrewsbury (MA) St. John’s Prep) A good glue guy-type, he’s well-built and played well here within the team concept.  He didn’t stand out, but was around the ball and made enough plays that you had to notice him, and he helped the team.

Roy Mabrey (6′1″ Sr. SG, Lincroft (NJ) Christian Brothers Academy) He looked like your prototypical CBA player: fundamentally sound, doesn’t try to do too much and solid.  He scored in a couple of ways, showing range out beyond the three-point line on his jumper, while also making nice passes and showing a feel for the game.  He has a thin upper body, the most notable physical area for improvement.

Antoine Mason (6′3″ Sr. SG, New Rochelle (NY) High) Athletic guard has a good body, plays bigger and isn’t afraid of contact.  Besides bouncing off defenders, he even showed that he can evade them, and he has range out to the three-point line on his jump shot.

Harold McBride (6′0″ Jr. PG, Bronx (NY) St. Raymond’s HS) Still a baby physically, he showed some solid point guard play in a camp where many didn’t do that.  He showed an effective hesitation move and was able to drive and dish a few times, while mixing in a couple of shots from long range.  He’s been a member of the class of 2010, but the camp roster listing him as a junior suggests he may re-classify into the class of 2011.

Cleveland Melvin (6′8″ Sr. SF, Fitchburg (MA) Notre Dame Prep) Very athletic wing was deadly in transition, as he finished well and used his athleticism to get out ahead of defenders.  He’s not the strongest player and has a thin upper body, but he makes up for it by being active and with his athleticism.

Derrick Millinghaus (5′10″ Jr. PG, Schenectady (NY) High) Though not the quickest point guard, he has the physical tools to be effective at the position.  He showed a good hesitation move and has enough quickness to get by defenders, and he did so a few times here to score on drives.

Deshawn Murphy (6′4″ Sr. SF, New Haven (CT) Hyde School) Athletic wing has a good motor, and that was a big reason he was as effective as he was.  His body still has some developing to do, while he was active on the boards and had a nose for the ball.  He has range out to the three-point line on his jumper.

Khalil Murphy (6′7″ Sr. PF, Pennsauken (NJ) APEX Academies) Once viewed as a solid mid-major prospect, he has put on some weight and doesn’t look like the same player.  While he still runs the floor reasonably well, he didn’t seem to have much lift on his jumper, and he wasn’t the factor he can be.

Marcus Pilgrim (5′11″ Sr. PG, Forestville (MD) Bishop McNamara HS) Aggressive floor leader was constantly attacking the basket, as he wasn’t afraid to go inside with the trees.  He used his strong upper body to his advantage, rebounding as well as finishing close, while also showing a touch out to long range on his jumper.  It didn’t stop there, as he dove on the floor for loose balls as well.

Chase Plummer (6′6″ Sr. SF-PF, Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick’s HS) In previous viewings, he looked very much like a nice glue guy-type.  But here, he was one of the best players in the camp and clearly more than just a glue guy.  A plus athlete with a good body, he showed some combo forward capability, including some good range on his jumper among his skills.

Denzell Primus (5′10″ Sr. PG, Washington (DC) St. John’s HS) A baby physically, he doesn’t play like it and also showed a good touch from long range.  Like many point guards here, his playmaking skills didn’t stand out, but he has the physical tools and his shooting means opposing defenders have to guard him.

Dominique Raney (6′4″ Jr. SG, Oklahoma City (OK) Putnam City HS) A talented offensive player, he shot the ball well from mid-range and long range, including off the dribble.  Physically, he has a good upper body and wasn’t afraid to battle inside.  The one down side is that he seemed to be a black hole on offense, determined to put up even a bad shot.

Mike Rivera (6′0″ Sr. PG, Fall River (MA) Durfee HS) He continued to shoot the ball well here, knocking down a number of three-pointers.  For good measure, in one game he banked home one from each wing.  He’s likely headed to a junior college in the fall.

Richard Rodgers (6′3″ Jr. SG, Shrewsbury (MA) St. John’s Prep) Thick wing is more athletic than he looks, as a first glance might not give that impression.  He showed good ball skills and had a nice highlight with a long bounce lead pass for an assist, also indicative of how well he plays within the team concept.

Ryan Romich (6′5″ Sr. SF, West Groton (MA) Groton Dunstable Regional HS) It was a good few days for him, as he was aggressive often and played well enough to be selected to an all-star game.  He drove the ball and dunked, caught it and made a quick score on the block, hit from mid-range and long range, and all in all played about as well as he ever has.

David Samuels (6′7″ Sr. SF-PF, Bronx (NY) Blessed Sacrament HS) A promising forward, he showed more ability to play the wing here as that’s often where he was on the court.  He ran the floor well and got in transition often, finished well, and showed a touch on a runner.  While he didn’t shoot very well, he’s showing a lot of the tools for playing the wing.

Lamont Samuels (6′4″ Sr. SG, Brooklyn (NY) Boys & Girls HS) A talented guard with a good body, he looked a little too shoot-first for our liking at times.  More of a scorer than a shooter, he faded on a number of jumpers and thus struggled, although he hit a couple of shots from long range in a later game.

Will Simonton (6′8″ Sr. PF, Falls Church (VA) George C. Marshal HS) Although he didn’t star for his team, we like the way he ran the floor to be a factor.  On several occasions in one game, he beat opposing players up the court and was rewarded with a chance to score, which he cashed in.  His body isn’t there yet, but he has good size and his ability to run the floor bodes well.

Daichi Taniguchi (6′7″ Sr. SF-PF, South Kent (CT) School) He won’t blow you away with physical gifts, but he’s not entirely lacking them, either, as he’s a plus athlete with a mature body.  He showed a nice move where he drove and spun for a lefty layup, and while he looked more to score on the go than shoot, he did knock down a three-point shot.

Anthony Taylor (6′2″ Sr. SG, Egg Harbor (NJ) Township HS) Although he looks like a shooting guard at first glance, he could be a combo guard as he made some good passes and showed a reasonable ability to handle the ball.  He scored more on driving field goals and in transition, but showed enough range that his jumper must be respected around the three-point line.  We also like how he battled and at times fired up his team.

Quincy Taylor (6′1″ Sr. SG, Wichita (KS) Collegiate HS) A good scorer with a mature body, he had a good showing here that earned him a place on an all-star team.  He didn’t show any one way in which he scores exceedingly well between runners and finishing drives.  One of several players here who is a member of the class of 2009, he’s qualified and looking to play college ball this fall.

Michael Terry (6′0″ Sr. PG-SG, Philadelphia (PA) North Catholic HS) Lefty guard showed good quickness and several good intangibles to go with being constantly in transition.  He was active and around the ball often and has a good motor, which just made him even better.

Dockery Walker (6′7″ Sr. PF, West Chester (PA) Westtown HS) Post player is a plus athlete and has a good body.  He got few touches in early games, and while he didn’t get many later, he ran the floor well and finished one break with a dunk.

Kerry Weldon (6′4″ Sr. SF, Bronx (NY) St. Agnes HS) Lefty wing is athletic and has a good body, and he was around the ball a good amount at both ends.  He showed a touch out to long range on his jumper, but will need to improve his dribble to score better on drives as it was a hard dribble lacking smoothness.

Tafari Whittingham (6′6″ So. SF-PF, Avon (CT) Old Farms HS) Some coaches were eager to get a look at him after hearing about him before the camp.  He’s athletic and has some ball skills to play the wing, and had a nice highlight when he made an acrobatic reverse layup.  On the down side, he went up against the more physically mature Theo Boyomo and got abused at times.

Deshaun Wiggins (6′2″ Sr. SG, Bronx (NY) Wings Academy) Athletic lefty really forced the action often, and was generally effective in doing so.  He was good in transition, finishing well in traffic and leading the break at times.  Additionally, he showed some point guard capabilities, though that doesn’t appear to be close to his forte, knocked down some jumpers, takes contact and has a good body.

Ryan Woumn (6′2″ Sr. PG, Lynn (MA) English HS) You had to feel for him a bit in a game we saw here.  While quietly running the team, he snuck inside for some rebounds at both ends, but it seemed like every time he got inside at the offensive end, a big man was there to snuff it out.

Blake Vedder (7′3″ Sr. C, Las Vegas (NV) Impact Basketball Academy) Lefty post player certainly caught the eyes of college coaches with his size, but his play didn’t add to it.  He doesn’t get up and down the floor well, is thin, and struggled against a player seven inches shorter early on and later tried shooting from long range to no avail.

Other players who caught our attention:

Taylor Abt (6′7″ Jr. PF, Washington (DC) Georgetown Prep)

Kelvin Amayo (6′3″ Jr. SG, Newark (NJ) Nia Prep)

David Appolon (6′4″ Jr. SF, Philadelphia (PA) Imhotep Charter School)

Darion Atkins (6′7″ Jr. PF, Bethesda (MD) Landon School)

Antonio Barton (6′1″ Sr. PG-SG, Fitchburg (MA) Notre Dame Prep)

James Bourne (6′7″ Jr. PF, Arlington (VA) Bishop O’Connell HS)

Shonn Brandon (6′4″ Jr. SF, Huntersville (NC) North Mecklenburg HS)

Anthony Clinton (6′3″ Jr. SG, Chicago (IL) Dyett HS)

Joshua Daniel (6′7″ Sr. PF, Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick’s HS)

Denzel Dulin (6′3″ Jr. SG, Tucker (GA) High)

Maurice Eastwood (6′5″ Jr. SF, Hartford (CT) Weaver HS)

Jordan Gillhesy-Edison (6′7″ Sr. PF, Sutton (Ont.) Overton Grange School)

Maurice Harkless (6′7″ Jr. SF-PF, Forest Hills (NY) High)

Leroy Isler (6′5″ Sr. SF, Brooklyn (NY) Boys & Girls HS)

Deon Jones (6′4″ Jr. SG-SF, Fairfax (VA) Paul VI HS)

David Kagulu-Kalema (6′2″ Sr. SG, Alexandria (VA) Episcopal HS)

Khalid Lewis-El (6′2″ Jr. SG, Hamilton (NJ) Trenton Catholic Academy)

Frantz Massenat (6′3″ Sr. SG, Hamilton (NJ) Trenton Catholic Academy)

David Naves (6′1″ Sr. PG, Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha Catholic HS)

Nick Moore (6′5″ Sr. SF, Haddonfield (NJ) Paul VI HS)

Stephen Poarch (6′2″ Sr. SG, Hockessin (DE) Sanford School)

Mike Poole (6′6″ Sr. SF, Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s)

Soutiri Sapnas (6′1″ Sr. PG-SG, Newtown Square (PA) Marple Newtown HS)

Shane Southwell (6′6″ Sr. SF, New York (NY) Rice HS)

Cahli Thomas (6′1″ Jr. PG, Washington (DC) Gonzaga College Prep)

William Udoh (6′7″ Sr. PF, Glen Burnie (MD) Laurel HS)

Aishon White (6′2″ Sr. SG, Newark (NJ) Nia Prep)

David White (5′11″ Sr. PG, Shrewsbury (MA) St. John’s Prep)

Jabrille Williams (6′5″ Sr. SF, Stamford (CT) King Low HS)

Pendarvis Williams (6′4″ Sr. SG-SF, Princeton (NJ) Hun School)