Those three Tar Heels were supposed to anchor the North Carolina backcourt entering the 2011-12 season. With Reggie Bullock and P.J. Hairston, the Tar Heels figured to have one of the deepest set of guards in the country to pair with a great front line led by Tyler Zeller and John Henson. And that’s before accounting for Harrison Barnes, projected to be one of the best wing players in the country.

But injuries decimated North Carolina’s backcourt, forcing coach Roy Williams to run with little-used freshman Stilman White and jack-of-all-trades Justin Watts in the team’s most important game of the season, an Elite Eight clash with Williams’ old squad, the Kansas Jawhawks, in St. Louis. Who knows what the result would have been if Marshall had not fractured his wrist against Creighton in the third round. But in the end, North Carolina’s championship aspirations ended with an 80-67 loss to the Jayhawks.

Entering the NCAA tournament, the ACC looked poised to make some noise, with North Carolina running almost even with Kentucky as a championship favorite, before Marshall hurt his wrist, of course. In addition, Duke looked dangerous as a No. 2 seed and Florida State was one of the hottest teams in the country as a No. 3 seed. Neither of the Tar Heels’ ACC brethren lived up to expectations.

With their shocking loss to Lehigh in the Blue Devils’ first game of the tournament, Duke became the first No. 2 seed to lose to a No. 15 seed in, well, about four hours when Norfolk State took out No. 2 Missouri. But before Missouri and Duke went down March 16, no No. 15 seed had won since 2001, when Coppin State upset the Jamaal Tinsley-led Iowa State Cyclones.

Florida State at least made it past the team’s first game — barely. The Seminoles needed to rally against No. 14 St. Bonaventure to avoid a heart-braking loss in the second round of the tournament. But Florida State couldn’t get the offense ignited in the third round, in which No. 6 Cincinnati pulled off the upset to end the Seminoles’ season.

NC State had the best showing in the NCAA tournament for the ACC as a No. 11 seed, beating No. 6 San Diego State, then dispatching No. 3 Georgetown. New coach Mark Gottfried had NC State playing like a Final Four-caliber team by the end of the season, and expectations are high in Raleigh.

Virginia was the fifth team to reach the Big Dance from the ACC, though by March, the Cavaliers were slumping after an 18-3 start to the season. Virginia lost six of its final 10 games before getting pasted by Florida, 71-45, in the second round of the tournament.

Among the teams that did not reach the NCAA tournament, Maryland was a pleasant surprise. The Terrapins started life after Gary Williams with a respectable 6-10 finish in the ACC and a winning overall record. That’s more than many experts expected from Maryland, and it provides hope that new coach Mark Turgeon might return Maryland to glory sooner rather than later. Sophomore Terrell Stoglin was a critical piece of Maryland’s success, as he led the ACC in scoring at 21.6 ppg. However, Stoglin left the team for the NBA Draft after learning that he would have been suspended all of next season for violating team rules.

At the bottom of the standings, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest labored to 4-12 records in the conference. All four finished with overall records below .500. Hokies coach Seth Greenberg lost his job in part because of the team’s lack of success, though the university’s athletic director cited a lack of stability as a primary catalyst for the change. Several Hokies assistant coaches have left for other programs in recent years, including former associate coach James Johnson, who signed with Clemson in what could be best described as a lateral move.

However, within a few days of Greenberg’s departure, Johnson returned to Blacksburg after accepting the university’s offer for the head coaching job. He faces the tough task of rebuilding the program after several graduations and transfers, including the departure of Dorian Finney-Smith, a member of the All-ACC Freshman Team and a highly rated recruit entering last season.

Final standings:

1. North Carolina 32-6, 14-2
2. Duke 27-7, 13-3
3. Florida State 25-10, 12-4
4. Virginia 22-10, 9-7
5. NC State 24-13, 9-7
6. Miami 20-13, 9-7
7. Clemson 16-15, 8-8
8. Maryland 17-15, 6-10
9. Wake Forest 13-18, 4-12
10. Virginia Tech 16-17, 4-12
11. Georgia Tech 11-20, 4-12
12. Boston College 9-22, 4-12

Conference tournament notes:

Florida State put an end to Duke’s latest domination of the ACC Tournament, thanks in large part to the outstanding play of junior Michael Snaer. The Blue Devils had won three consecutive tournaments and 10 of the past 13 before losing to the Seminoles in the semifinals in Atlanta. Snaer was huge in that game, hitting a 3-pointer in the closing minutes to give Florida State a lead that the team wouldn’t relinquish down the stretch.

Snaer came up big again in the Noles’ 85-82 championship game win against North Carolina. He finished the tournament averaging 18 ppg and shot 59 percent from the field. Even more impressively, Snaer made 9-of-12 3-point attempts. He had only three turnovers in 99 minutes of ACC Tournament action.

Besides Florida State’s run, NC State was the next most impressive team, cementing an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament with wins against Boston College and Virginia in the opening and quarterfinal rounds. Many experts thought NC State needed to beat North Carolina in the semifinals, but the Wolfpack’s impressive effort in a 69-67 loss apparently helped the team sneak into the NCAA tournament. The team’s play in Atlanta was a harbinger of a great run in the Big Dance.

ACC Awards

Player of the Year: Tyler Zeller, North Carolina

Rookie of the Year: Austin Rivers, Duke

Defensive Player of the Year: John Henson, North Carolina

Coach of the Year: Leonard Hamilton, Florida State

First-Team All-ACC

• Tyler Zeller, North Carolina
• Mike Scott, Virginia
• John Henson, North Carolina
• Austin Rivers, Duke
• Harrison Barnes, North Carolina

Second-Team All-ACC

• Kendall Marshall, North Carolina
• Terrell Stoglin, Maryland
• Michael Snaer, Florida State
• C.J. Leslie, NC State
• Erick Green, Virginia Tech

Third-Team All-ACC

• Seth Curry, Duke
• C.J. Harris, Wake Forest
• Lorenzo Brown, NC State
• Kenny Kadji, Miami
• Mason Plumlee, Duke

All-Freshman Team

• Austin Rivers, Duke
• Ryan Anderson, Boston College
• Dorian Finney-Smith, Virginia Tech
• Shane Larkin, Miami
• Nick Faust, Maryland

All-Defensive Team

• John Henson, North Carolina
• Bernard James, Florida State
• Jontel Evans, Virginia
• Michael Snaer, Florida State
• Andre Young, Clemson

Season highlights:

What we expected:

Duke and North Carolina battled for the regular-season title, with the Tar Heels edging the Blue Devils for the title with a win at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the teams’ last game of the regular season. Austin Rivers delivered one of the highlights of the season with a game-winning 3-pointer in Chapel Hill in the teams’ first meeting, giving Duke a remarkable 85-84 win even though Duke trailed by double digits with two and a half minutes to go. North Carolina got its revenge a couple of weeks later when the Tar Heels body-slammed the Blue Devils at home, 88-70.

Austin Rivers, son of Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, entered the season with lots of hype, and he mostly delivered, averaging 15.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 2.1 apg. Some criticized his killer instinct and shot selection, but Rivers looks like a bona fide NBA lottery pick in this year’s draft.

While Rivers was slicing and dicing his way through most opponents, he struggled against Florida State, shooting less 40 percent from the field in three games. But that’s not a big shock, considering the Seminoles had one of the best defenses in the entire country once again. With Bernard James and Michael Snaer leading the way, the Seminoles finished with the 15th-best defense based on points per possession.

The success of Duke, Florida State and North Carolina often came at the expense of Boston College, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest. Not surprisingly, those three teams struggled. Boston College had an extraordinarily young team after losing most of its roster to graduation the previous season. Wake Forest lacked proven talent, while Georgia Tech failed to live up to its potential.

What we expected but failed to happen:

Miami struggled a little more than anticipated in Jim Larranaga’s first season as the Hurricanes’ coach. Only one Hurricane, Trey McKinney Jones, played every game for Larranaga, and several key players battled injuries throughout the season. That includes Reggie Johnson, who missed the first 10 games while rehabbing a knee injury that limited his effectiveness most of the season. With Johnson healthy and several shooters returning, Miami could be in store for a surge toward the top of the standings next season.

Miami wasn’t the only underwhelming team in the ACC this past season. Virginia Tech also failed to live up to expectations, which weren’t terribly high in the first place. Nearly half of the Hokies’ games came down to the final minute, with Virginia Tech going 6-9 in games decided by five points or less. Besides Erick Green, former coach Seth Greenberg didn’t have many reliable options on offense. Dorenzo Hudson was the only other player to average in double figures at 10.9 ppg. That’s a big drop-off from his 15.2 ppg a couple of seasons ago. With a struggling offense and inconsistent defense, the Hokies struggled to get out of the ACC’s basement.

It seems unfair to knock the leading scorer from the regular-season champion. But Harrison Barnes failed to wow scouts and fans this season. Although Barnes led North Carolina with 17.1 ppg, he often tended to disappear for stretches. His shooting wasn’t particularly eye-catching either at 44 percent from the field and 36 percent from 3-point range. Those are only modest improvements compared to his freshman season. Most importantly, Barnes did not demonstrate that he could take over a game on his own, especially when the Tar Heels needed him to do so. That weakness was glaringly apparent when Marshall was not on the court.

What we didn’t expect:

After several consecutive disappointing seasons under former coach Sidney Lowe, NC State delivered a nice surprise by playing up to its potential this season. New coach Mark Gottfried finagled a fantastic finish out of C.J. Leslie, Lorenzo Brown, Richard Howell and company, and the Wolfpack now look like a truly elite ACC team. The Wolfpack came painfully close to knocking off the Tar Heels in the ACC Tournament, and NC State channeled that energy into upset NCAA tournament wins against San Diego State and Georgetown.

No one expects injuries to derail a season. Yes, they are part of the game. But the injuries that North Carolina encountered this season derailed a potential championship campaign. Leslie McDonald would have provided another reliable long-range shooter, while Dexter Strickland, one of UNC’s best defenders, missed the end of the season. John Henson’s injured wrist could have been the difference in the Tar Heels winning the ACC title against Florida State, but it didn’t hurt the team’s performance too much in the NCAA tournament. At least not in comparison to Kendall Marshall’s injury. Marshall fractured his wrist against Creighton in the third round, and North Carolina’s offense sputtered to a grinding halt a couple of games later in the second half against Kansas. With Marshall, North Carolina’s offense was a thing of beauty. Without him, the Tar Heels looked lucky to score at times.

Perhaps the biggest shocker of the season was Duke’s loss in its first tournament game. No. 2 seeds are supposed to be pretty much safe bets. But No. 15 Lehigh and C.J. McCollum had other ideas, pulling off an amazing 75-70 win. McCollum outplayed the much more highly touted Austin Rivers, putting up 30 points on the Blue Devils. Rivers played well, with 19 points. But Mason Plumlee was the only other Blue Devil to score in double figures. Duke’s primary supporting weapons, Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins, were nearly invisible with a combined 12 points on 3-of-18 shooting.

Team on the rise:

We might have picked Miami a year too early by tabbing the Hurricanes for a third-place finish this past season. However, the Canes look like they should be up to the challenge of moving toward the top of the standings in 2012-13. Miami has a fairly stable roster, minus the graduation of Malcolm Grant and DeQuan Jones. Although Grant could score in bunches, he also was one of the worst shooters on the team at 34 percent from the field this past season. With a healthy Reggie Johnson joining Kenny Kadji in the frontcourt and Durand Scott, Shane Larkin and Trey McKinney Jones holding down the backcourt, Jim Larranaga’s crew looks to have one of the best starting fives heading into next season.

Team on the decline:

North Carolina would seem like an easy choice here considering that the Tar Heels are losing 60-80 percent of their scoring, rebounding and assists. But coach Roy Williams has another great recruiting class joining James Michael McAdoo, Reggie Bullock, P.J. Hairston, Dexter Strickland and Leslie McDonald. The Tar Heels shouldn’t fall too far.

Clemson might not be so fortunate. The Tigers flew under the radar much of the season, with the team’s only great win coming early in conference play at home against Florida State. By losing Andre Young, Tanner Smith, Catalin Baciu and Bryan Narcisse to graduation, the Tigers will lose a lot of their starting and supporting playmakers. Devin Booker and Milton Jennings will remain productive players, but the Tigers might not have enough weapons around those two to remain anywhere near the middle of the pack in the ACC.

Next season outlook:

After nearly a decade of pain and suffering at the hands of hated North Carolina, NC State might finally be in position to surpass their Triangle rivals. The Wolfpack return plenty of talent and import a great recruiting class that should allow NC State to compete with Duke and Miami for the ACC championship. In fact, the Wolfpack will probably enter the season as the favorite. It will be interesting to see how coach Mark Gottfried gets his team to handle the pressure of being a frontrunner after successfully embracing the underdog role this past season.

In addition to NC State, Duke and Miami have a good shot of joining the Wolfpack as regular fixtures in the top 25 polls. North Carolina will probably fluctuate wildly as its infusion of young recruits adjusts to Division I competition. With the arrival of another pass-first point guard in Marcus Paige, the Tar Heels might not fall too far back toward the pack.

A few relatively new coaches will be looking to make strides this season, especially Georgia Tech’s Brian Gregory and Maryland’s Mark Turgeon. Gregory returns the core from last season’s team, though that might not make much difference unless the whole team drastically improves its shooting during the off-season. For Turgeon, the Terps must overcome the loss of Terrell Stoglin, the ACC’s leading scorer this past season.

Toward the bottom of the standings, Wake Forest’s Jeff Bzdelik could in some hot water if the Demon Deacons don’t show some serious progress in the coach’s third season. Bzdelik was hired to bring greater consistency to Winston-Salem after the university dismissed Dino Gaudio because his teams wilted late in the season. But I don’t think the Wake Forest top dogs had consistent mediocrity in mind when they made the switch. Bzdelik hasn’t had much success in recent years, with a 57-100 record in five seasons at Wake Forest and Colorado.

Come Selection Sunday, look for NC State and Duke to receive solid seeds somewhere near the top of the S-curve. Miami and North Carolina also look like good bets to earn tournament bids, and Florida State could overcome some losses to graduation if the Seminoles continue to play Leonard Hamilton’s brand of suffocating defensive ball. Besides those five, it’ll take an unexpectedly strong season from another team to reach the tournament. Maryland and Virginia could be in line to make that happen as their coaches bring in players to fit their coaching styles.

For the first time in many years, this event was live for Division I coaches, and the turnout was quite impressive as expected. A number of head coaches, including some big names, were in the building to scope out some of the best talent in the country and not just among the class of 2013.

Without further adieu, here’s a look at some of the notable prospects who competed in Hampton.

Beejay Anya (6’9″ Jr. PF, Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha Catholic HS) Wide-bodied post player appears to be in better shape, which was previously a major concern. It still is a concern, as he could stand to continue the work he’s already done since he’s not lacking talent. He had a couple of games where he was just about automatic when he got the ball, and wasn’t quite the factor on the boards he could be.

Levan Alston (Fr. SG, Haverford (PA) School) The son of the former Temple guard is a baby physically but plenty talented in his own right. He scored 13 points in a late Saturday playoff win, finishing while fouled and showing a little touch shooting the ball.

Chai Baker (6’3″ So. SG, Malone (FL) High) An athletic wing with a good frame, he has the look of a scorer but didn’t have the consistency this weekend. While he reached double figures three times, he didn’t score well in the other two at all. His body isn’t there yet, so he still has a physical boost ahead of him.

Joel Berry (6’1″ So. PG, Apopka (FL) Lake Highland Prep) An excellent young floor leader, he’s capable of scoring and running the team efficiently and did just that here. Even when he wasn’t scoring, as was the case in his team’s last game, he was running the team well as he had six assists with just one turnover in all 32 minutes. He was able to finish while getting fouled and shot the ball reasonably well from long range.

Tanveer Bhullar (7’3″ Jr. C, Brampton (Ont.) Huntington Prep) His big body will leap out at you, but he wasn’t much of a factor all weekend. The game seems too fast for him, and despite his size he had just one blocked shot in four games (he sat out one along the way). On the plus side, he did show that he can pass out of the post well, which helps since he doesn’t look like much of a scoring threat.

Jabari Bird (6’6″ Jr. SF, Vallejo (CA) Salesian HS) He has a very good reputation, but didn’t look like it a couple of times this weekend, including a game where he went scoreless in just three minutes of play. His body isn’t there yet, and he isn’t the most athletic player, but he hit a short jumper with contact from the defender, finished with his left (off) hand and was just okay shooting the ball.

Tre’Lun Blanks (6’0″ Jr. PG, Baton Rouge (LA) Scotlandville HS) A guard with a mature body, his size dictates that he play the point at another level but he looked more at home as a scorer. He has a slight frame but finished well with contact and also used a hesitation move nicely, and does have some range on the jumper.

Devin Booker (6’5″ So. SG-SF, Ocean Springs (MS) Moss Point HS) A plus athlete on the wing, he had three solid games sandwiched between two games where he didn’t play so well. He started Saturday off with a nice 6-7 showing from the field for 16 points, showing he can finish with the left (off) hand and a little range on his jumper, although shooting doesn’t look like his forte offensively.

Brian Bridgewater (6’6″ Jr. PF, Baton Rouge (LA) Episcopal HS) A post player with a wide frame and mature body, he’s more athletic than he looks but didn’t fare quite so well when he strayed out to the perimeter. He had 25 points on 10-11 shooting in one game, but playing on the perimeter he had no assists and three turnovers with only about average ball skills.

Douglas Brooks (6’3″ Jr. SG, Lake Wales (FL) High) Although he’s in the game for one main purpose offensively, which is shooting the ball, he’s certainly not one-dimensional. He had a couple of nice shooting games and has to be watched defensively on the perimeter, but he also does well at the other end. He has a good frame, moves well laterally and played some very good on-the-ball defense.

Kameron Chatman (6’6″ So. SF, Long Beach (CA) Poly HS) Long lefty wing had a nice game in a tough loss for his team on Friday night, although he had a couple of games where he struggled to score later. His skill set isn’t there yet, but he showed a nice touch shooting the ball and passed well from the wing.

Wesley Clark (6’0″ Jr. PG, Romulus (MI) High) A tough floor leader with a good frame and body, he battled all game long and handled the press well when he faced it. While he made his mark as a floor leader with a lot of good passing and intangibles, he also showed he could score with stop-and-pop jumpers and drives to the basket, the latter using his above-average quickness.

Austin Colbert (6’9″ Jr. PF, Florham Park (NJ) Hotchkiss School) With a good body that isn’t there yet, he certainly passes the “look” test but didn’t do much on the court until Sunday. He needs to get stronger, but his hands look questionable, especially with rebounding, and while he has a good reputation he sure didn’t play up to it here.

Antonio Davis, Jr. (6’8″ Jr. SF-PF, Buford (GA) High) The son of the former NBA post player by the same name, the lefty is long and his body isn’t there yet. He didn’t have a very good weekend in the stat sheet, but he showed a decent skill package that will need some upgrading as he matures.

Kyle Davis (6’1″ Jr. PG-SG, Chicago (IL) Morgan Park HS) A very athletic guard, he was a force in transition, finishing well often and putting up a couple of nice games from it. While he looks like more of a scorer than a shooter, he did go 4-5 from long range in one game and his jumper must be respected, and he can also get a few rebounds from the perimeter.

Noah Dickerson (6’8″ Fr. PF, Atlanta (GA) Lovett School) Already a load inside, he doesn’t have all good weight but has a good frame and moves very well inside. In a stellar 23-point outing, he backed in his man for a basket, ran the floor to get transition hoops, and found ways to score inside all night long.

Malik Ellison (6’1″ Fr. PG, Bryn Mawr (PA) Shipley School) The son of former NBA player Pervis Ellison is a baby physically and likely not done growing. He had a nice showing as the point guard of a talented team and helped them to a playoff win over a very good team.

Tyler Ennis (6’3″ Jr. PG, Brampton (Ont.) St. Benedict’s) It’s easy for him to be overshadowed by teammate Andrew Wiggins, but he’s an excellent player in his own right. A very heady floor leader, he scored several times off broken plays and finished well, and he did a nice job of scoring and making teammates better. Not only did he top 20 points twice, but he also handed out 21 assists and just four turnovers. High-major prospect.

Kobie Eubanks (6’5″ So. SG-SF, Fort Lauderdale (FL) American Heritage HS) A talented wing with a good frame, he had a couple of nice scoring games, including one where he went 6-7 from the field and made all four of his shots from long range. The inconsistency one might expect of a young player is there, but he’s athletic and talented and his body has a little ways to go, so there’s not a shortage of potential.

Sam Foreman (5’11″ Fr. PG-SG, Haverford (PA) School) An aggressive guard, he’s not afraid of contact and finished several times with contact in his many forays to the hoop. His aggressiveness was at both ends of the floor, and at the offensive end he finished well and showed some good speed with the ball. If there’s a knock, it’s that his size dictates he play the point unless he grows, and he’s wired to score but looks like he’s fairly mature physically.

Lennard Freeman (6’8″ Jr. PF, Washington (DC) St. John’s HS) A plus athlete with a good frame, he was a nice contributor off the bench for his team, especially on the boards. He has a good frame and uses it well to box out, and his body still has a little maturing to do. Offense wasn’t his specialty, but in his role he did well. Mid-major prospect.

Kavin Gilder-Tilbury (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Cypress (TX) Cy-Falls HS) One of the few bright spots for a team who got blown out on Friday night, he has a good frame and is a plus athlete. His body isn’t there yet, but he went for 16 points by scoring several different ways, showing he can finish with his left (off) hand along the way.

Colton Gober (5’10″ Jr. PG-SG, Colleyville (TX) Heritage HS) A very undersized shooter, his long range shooting grabbed attention on Friday as he went 5-8 and also had three assists. What’s likely to limit his recruitment is that he doesn’t look like a point guard, has a mature body and isn’t physically gifted.

Brandon Goodwin (6’0″ Jr. SG, Norcross (GA) High) If he were a few inches taller, we would be talking about someone who could play at the highest level in college, as he’s undersized for the shooting guard spot. His best game was a nice 16-point outing on Saturday, where he shot the ball well from long range and combined with a couple of teammates to give the opposing defense fits from the backcourt. In addition, he made a nice long lead pass and showed a few good ways to score.

Derrick Griffin (6’7″ Jr. PF, Rosenberg (TX) Terry HS) Despite standing just 6’7″, he’s the top shot-blocker thus far in EYBL with 3.7 per game. A plus athlete, he has a wide frame and had a double-double while consistently being a presence on the glass and made a good percentage of his shots.

Nick Griffin (6’1″ Jr. SG, Rockville (MD) Magruder HS) A capable shooter, he’s undersized but had a couple of very good games from long range. His body isn’t there yet, and it wouldn’t hurt if he added to what he currently has off the bounce. Mid-major prospect.

Thomas Hamilton (6’9″ Jr. PF, Chicago (IL) Whitney Young HS) The son of the former NBA big man is built like his father and at times tried to do too much. He can be a nice inside player and also pass the ball reasonably well, but had several turnovers in a couple of games from trying to do too much.

Joshua Hart (6’5″ Jr. SF, Washington (DC) Sidwell Friends School) A wing player with a good frame and relatively mature body, he’s not the most athletic or the best shooter, but he had a decent weekend that included a double-double. In fact, he rebounded well the balance of the weekend for his position and generally played well within the team concept. Mid-major prospect.

Quinton Hooker (6’1″ Jr. SG, Brooklyn Center (MN) Park Center HS) A guard with a mature body, he was a solid complement to one of the best scorers in EYBL with a few double-digit scoring games. He did some of it with some good long range shooting, but also rebounded well given his size and had one game where he had four assists with just one turnover.

Aaron Jackson (6’6″ Jr. SF, Gahanna (OH) Lincoln HS) Save for one game where he just couldn’t get going, this athletic wing had a nice weekend. He has some length and was able to drive and finish with contact, as well as dunk home a miss, so he did much of his damage near the basket. Another plus is that he rebounded well from the position, coming close to a double-double twice.

Justin Jackson (6’7″ So. SF, Houston (TX) HYCA) Long and still a baby physically, he impressed at this event last year and has done nothing to dispel the idea that he has a very bright future ahead of himself. He scored in double figures in all five games and can do a lot of things, scoring with a leaner from the right side, a post-up and fade-away jumper or a runner in the lane. Scoring isn’t all he does, but the way he does it tells you how good he can be.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright (5’9″ So. PG, Los Angeles (CA) Loyola HS) A small point guard, he seemed to get better as the game went along in a Saturday afternoon win for his team. A steady floor leader, he scored in double figures several times and combined with Jordan Matthews for a nice perimeter duo.

Rondae Jefferson (6’7″ Jr. SF, Chester (PA) High) One of the best all-around players in the event, he had a very nice game in a losing effort on Saturday as he posted a double-double to go with five assists and no turnovers. The lefty didn’t duplicate that every time out, and had a couple of games where he struggled shooting, but there’s a lot to like as he’s athletic and has a good body, was aggressive and showed some ability to be a point forward-type of player and can use his right (off) hand. High-major prospect.

Dakari Johnson (7’0″ So. C, Brooklyn (NY) Monteverde Academy) Probably the best big man in the event, he has a good body that can still mature more, moves well inside and ran the floor well. He averaged 21 points and nine rebounds this weekend and is one of the top rebounders in EYBL thus far. He scored in close and on short jumpers, and showed good fundamentals inside.

Jeremy Johnson (6’6″ Jr. SF-PF, Montgomery (AL) Carver HS) An athletic forward, he looks like an undersized power forward but also hit the occasional three-point shot and seems to be athletic enough for the position. He scored in double figures a few times, and when posting up he was able to explode to the basket inside.

Kejuan Johnson (6’6″ Fr. SF, Atlanta (GA) Wheeler HS) Athletic wing has a good body, especially for his age, and has a lot of potential. He showed some of that with a nice double-double early on Sunday, where he also added four assists, and while shooting doesn’t appear to be his forte his jumper looks good enough to have to be respected.

Stanley Johnson (6’7″ So. SF, Fullerton (CA) Mater Dei HS) This post player with a relatively mature body looked like a better prospect than more highly-regarded teammate Jabari Bird on Sunday with a double-double. He scored in close and was a good presence on the glass for his team, and he also got a nice block on one play.

Damian Jones (6’9″ Jr. PF, Baton Rouge (LA) Scotlandville Magnet HS) A long post player, he undoubtedly benefits from playing alongside Julius Randle but is a fine prospect all his own. He has a good frame and was aggressive when he got the ball, even going up left-handed at times, and has potential to be a scorer if he can finish better. He showed good post moves but didn’t finish well, and on the defensive end he blocked a few shots. High-major prospect.

Matthew Jones (6’5″ Jr. SG-SF, DeSoto (TX) High) One of the best scorers here, he went for 20 points in a blowout win on Friday night and made it look easy. A lot of those points came in transition, and this athletic win can also hit from long range. High-major prospect has committed to Duke.

Torren Jones (6’8″ Jr. SF-PF, Chandler (AZ) Basha HS) With his athleticism and good body, one would figure he could be one of the best players at least on his team, but he wasn’t quite the factor he should be. Offensively, he needs some work, as the ball skills aren’t there for the small forward spot and he’s not a big scorer inside. The good thing is that he can rebound. High-major/high-major minus prospect.

Tyus Jones (6’1″ So. PG, Apple Valley (MN) High) One of the top guards here, he leads EYBL in assists thus far and also went for 37 points in one game. What’s better is that he is shooting over 50 percent from the field to this point and not turning the ball over much. He helped his team come up with a nice win on Saturday night with a double-double of 18 points and 10 assists (just one turnover) and had lows of 15 points and five assists on the weekend.

Nicholas King (6’7″ Jr. SF, Memphis (TN) East HS) Lanky wing was a steady double-digit scorer for his team on the weekend, with a couple of very good shooting games along the way. The lefty looks to be more of a scorer than a shooter, posting a double-double in one game, and also looked a little out of control at times although the offensive talent is certainly there.

Moses Kingsley (6’9″ Jr. PF, New Albany (MS) High) He passes the look test, and while he had a nice game to open up the weekend with 13 points on 6-6 shooting, you get the feeling he could have been a little better. Athletic and with a good body, he looks like he can face the basket at the offensive end as well as playing on the low block.

Marcus Lee (6’9″ Jr . PF, Antioch (CA) Deer Valley HS) A very long post player with some physical maturity, he had a nice weekend although his stat line wasn’t great in a couple of games. He used his length to rebound and block shots, generally being a nice post presence at the defensive end while showing a little offensive promise. While he was 7-9 from the field in one game, offense isn’t his forte right now, although he did show that he could finish while getting fouled, something he should do better with added strength. High-major prospect.

William Lee (6’8″ So. PF, Selma (AL) Dallas County HS) Long and athletic forward started off Saturday with a double-double in a losing effort. That appeared to be his best game by a good margin, as he was a non-factor in others although his rebounding seemed to be a constant. He can block shots, although that’s hardly his forte, and showed some semblance of offense although he was hardly a big scorer.

Chris Lewis (6’7″ SF, Alpharetta (GA) Northwestern Middle School) An eighth grader playing up with the freshmen, his body has a ways to go but he’s long and showed some offensive tools in a late game on Saturday night. He will attend Milton High School next year and will surely be on many colleges’ radars over the next few years.

Isaiah Lewis (6’3″ Jr. SG, Middle Village (NY) Christ The King HS) A guard with a little length, the questionable shot selection he showed in an early Sunday game might be a big reason why he didn’t shoot all that well. He’s capable of hitting some jumpers, while also showing an ability to hit a floater one time, but his shooting lines weren’t very good all weekend.

Jalen Lindsey (6’7″ So. SF, Nashville (TN) Christ Presbyterian Academy) Athletic wing has a ways to go physically but has the tools to be a solid player down the road. His jumper just looked okay, although he has range out to the three-point line, and his rebounding was a little inconsistent. Still, he does a few things to help his team and has a good deal of upside.

Trey Lyles (6’10″ So. PF-C, Indianapolis (IN) Tech) A consistent scorer and rebounder over the weekend, he has a good body and showed some good scoring tools from a post move around his man to a long two-point shot. His presence on the glass certainly helped, and he had a double-double along the way.

Austin Malone-Mitchell (6’3″ Jr. PG-SG, Milwaukee (WI) Rufus King HS) A consistently steady presence at the point for his team, he ran the show and took care of the ball while also showing off a shooting touch. He has a slight frame, but will rebound from his position (had 12 in a comeback win on Friday night) and had the game-winning three-point shot in overtime for his only one from long range.

Akolda Manyang (7’0″ Jr. C, Duluth (MN) East HS) Very long post player was unfortunately injured early in a Saturday evening game, and although he returned later it wasn’t for long. He’s not lacking ball skills or a motor, which help him inside, and he looks like an intriguing prospect. Unfortunately he was done for the weekend after the aforementioned left foot/ankle injury.

Nate Mason (5’11″ So. PG, Decatur (GA) Columbia HS) A small guard, he was quietly solid with several double-digit scoring efforts to go with some decent assist numbers. He did a nice job of creating scoring opportunities for himself and teammates, and ensured that the point was a position of strength for his team.

Jordan Mathews (6’3″ Jr. SG, Santa Monica (CA) High) One of the top scorers through the first two sessions, he has a good body and at times shot very well from long range. In all, he scored well and does enough other things to not be one-dimensional, and he was a pretty consistent scorer on the weekend.

Elbert Matthews (6’4″ Jr. SG, Romulus (MI) High) Athletic lefty wing had a very good weekend, averaging just under 20 points per game. Possessing a good frame as well, he finished well as you’d expect a scorer to do, while doing enough with his jumper for it to have to be respected.

Xavier Rathan Mayes (6’4″ Jr. SG, Scarborough (Ont.) Huntington Prep) A wing with a good body, his stroke looked good although his jumper wasn’t going down early in a Saturday game. That was an aberration, and he did more than enough to show that he’s not one-dimensional, as he also did some scoring off the bounce, and all along he rebounded well from the wing and also showed some good passing ability.

Isaac McGlone (6’1″ Jr. SG, Lancaster (OH) Bloom Carroll HS) Mainly an undersized shooter, he has a thin upper body and had a couple of good games shooting the ball from long range. Although he’s not a point guard, he looks like he can handle the ball well enough for the shooting guard spot.

Tosin Mehinti (6’10″ Jr. C, Lithonia (GA) Greenforest HS) A post player with a good body, he was a nice presence on the glass for his team, reaching double figures twice in rebounding including a double-double on Saturday. His offensive game needs some work, although he threw down a couple of powerful dunks, as he isn’t very good facing the basket and trying to drive, which he did a few times.

Jerry Melton (6’3″ Jr. SG, Ruston (LA) High) A wing with a good body, he looks to be more of a shooter than a scorer. His athleticism isn’t exactly off the charts, but he showed a good stroke and some range on the jumper, and was able to hit off the dribble as well as off the catch.

Janarius Middleton (6’8″ Jr. PF, Greenwood (MS) Amanda Elzy HS) A consistent bright spot for his team, he has some length and wasn’t far from a double-double in a couple of games. He didn’t seem to have any one way he especially scored, although he got a few stickbacks from being active on the offensive glass.

Boubacar Moungoro (6’6″ So. SF, Orlando (FL) West Oaks HS) A long wing, his body isn’t there yet but he looks to be a potentially better player than he showed here. He had a couple of good games scoring and was a reasonably good rebounder from his position, but his numbers won’t wow you.

Lourawls Nairn, Jr. (5’10″ So. PG, Wichita (KS) Sunrise Christian Academy) A quick point guard with a decent frame, he had a decent weekend with a couple of pretty good games and a couple where he wasn’t much of a factor. He showed some scoring ability, including a nice floater in the lane one time while getting fouled, and ran the team capably with a couple of nice assist/turnover numbers.

Emmanuel Ndumanya (6’10″ Jr. PF-C, Gardena (CA) Serra HS) A well-built post player with a good frame, he was a quietly effective inside presence off the bench for his team. At the offensive end, he didn’t show much, but he was a solid rebounder and should only get better if he sheds some of the baby fat as he doesn’t have all good weight on his body.

Duane Notice (6’4″ Jr. SG, Woodbridge (Ont.) St. Michael’s HS) Well-built wing has a good frame and is a plus athlete, so he’s not lacking in physical gifts. He was a solid contributor off the bench, shooting well and contributing on the glass from the perimeter. One highlight was a long lead pass he made for a layup, which showed that he’s also an above-average passer for a shooting guard.

Kendrick Nunn (6’3″ Jr. SG, Chicago (IL) Simeon HS) Lefty wing started the weekend nicely, reaching double digits in scoring in each of his team’s first three games including a 25-point outing on Saturday. He scored well shooting from long range as well as off the bounce, as he drove well to the basket and hit some big shots, and also competed at the defensive end and talked often there, making himself a key factor for his team.

Semilore Ojeleye (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Ottawa (KS) High) Talented forward has a good frame and a body that’s college-ready to go with some good skills at the offensive end. More of a perimeter player than post player, he showed that he can use his left hand and was able to finish with contact. He started the weekend well with a 27-point outing on 10-15 shooting against one of the best teams, and he had a near-double-double later. High-major prospect.

Jahlil Okafor (6’10″ So. C, Chicago (IL) Whitney Young HS) Although he’ll be best remembered for a dunk where he bent the rim badly enough to cause a delay, he has a lot going for him. He has a big post body that he moves well and is physically mature, and he scored in double figures in all but one game while also hauling down several rebounds even when he came off the bench. In addition, he is shooting over 70 percent from the field through the first two EYBL sessions.

Cameron Payne (6’2″ Jr. SG, Memphis (TN) Lausanne HS) Baby-faced wing has a good frame with a good deal of filling out still to do. He had an up-and-down weekend, but scored in double figures a couple of times with a good-looking jumper out to long range. The lefty also took good care of the ball from the off-guard spot and handed out a few assists along the way to his more talented teammates. Mid-major/mid-major minus prospect.

Chris Perry (6’8″ Jr. PF, Bartow (FL) High) A solid post performer off the bench for his team, he admirably played well behind Dakari Johnson and posted some nice scoring and rebounding numbers of his own. He has a mature post body and did his work inside, which is what you want to see of a guy built the way he is.

Theo Pinson (6’5″ So. SG-SF, Greensboro (NC) Wesleyan Christian HS) Long and talented wing didn’t play his best ball in the event opener on Friday, but he did play better in the second half in a 15-point effort and had one of the better plays of the night with a nice touch pass on a 3-on-1 break. Later in the game, he showed his nice stroke more from long range and also finished well with contact, and as he gets stronger he should only get better in that regard.

Bobby Portis (6’9″ Jr. SF-PF, Little Rock (AR) Hall HS) Loaded with potential, he’s long, athletic and active, and he opened up the weekend with a near-double-double of 23 points and nine boards. Through the first two sessions, he’s third in rebounding and showed a lot of good scoring ability as he scored on the post, from mid-range and long range as well as in transition. High-major prospect.

Austin Price (6’3″ Jr. SG, Farmington Hills (MI) Detroit Country Day School) A baby physically with a good frame, he took a high percentage of his shots from long range. His percentage was good, although he looked a little on the one-dimensional side.

Roschon Prince (6’6″ Jr. SF, Long Beach (CA) Poly HS) One of the most complete players at the event, this point forward-type has a good frame and body and really competed. His skill set is excellent, as he can handle, pass and score in a few ways, finishing well and posting up in addition to hitting jumpers. He also got to the foul line often, and bounced back well from a bad game Sunday morning with a good one to close the weekend out. High-major prospect.

Julius Randle (6’9″ Jr. PF, Plano (TX) Prestonwood Academy) One of the elite players in the class of 2013, the lefty has a college-ready body and was dominant as his team ran out to a big lead early and coasted on Friday night. He had an easy 15 points in that game, finishing in close just about any time he wanted to and including when he got fouled, and thus far is leading EYBL in rebounding. Big-time prospect.

Khyan Rayner (5’10″ Jr. PG, Portland (OR) Jesuit HS) Steady point guard has a small body and needs to get stronger. While not a jet, he was able to penetrate some, and he had one nice scoring game with 17 points.

JaQuel Richmond (6’0″ So. PG, Greensboro (NC) Wesleyan Christian HS) An active guard with a slight frame, he got to the basket often for hoops en route to 19 points on Friday. While he knocked down a long two-point shot, overall his jumper wasn’t impressive, and improving that would be a nice development since he showed himself to be very good at getting to the basket.

Stanford Robinson (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, Fairfax (VA) Paul VI HS) A well-built wing, he plays well within the team concept but seemed to leave something on the floor. He had a couple of nice games, but one gets the impression that he’s a better player than he shows at times, as he has the tools but doesn’t stand out the way you think he might.

Desi Rodriguez (6’4″ So. SG-SF, Bronx (NY) Frederick Douglass Academy) Although he threw down perhaps the best dunk of the weekend when he drove in and dunked right on his man, the lefty wasn’t one of the stars of the weekend although he wasn’t bad. He had a double-double in one game with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and he rebounded well from the wing. One knock is that his body language after a no-call left something to be desired.

Jared Sam (6’8″ Jr. PF, Baton Rouge (LA) Scotlandville HS) Post player wasn’t much of an offensive factor but looks like he can be a presence inside. He has a good frame and his body isn’t there yet, and at times he rebounded well. Offensively, he showed a jump hook and a jumper from the foul line in one game, which suggests he’s not lacking entirely at that end of the floor although a good deal of work remains.

Christian Sampson (6’3″ Jr. SG, Pineville (LA) High) In an early game on Saturday, he was quiet until the second half, when he really came alive to finish with 17 points on 7-10 shooting in 17 minutes. He’s basically a shooter with a good frame but not much else, as he also disappeared in the scoring column a couple of times and didn’t exactly fill the stat sheet.

Tahj Shamsid-Deen (5’9″ Jr. PG, Stone Mountain (GA) Columbia HS) Lefty point guard had a stellar weekend, scoring and racking up assists on a consistent basis. He has above-average quickness and didn’t really call his own number in a Saturday game, but wound up with 20 points nonetheless to go with seven assists. He led a small backcourt that gave opponents fits at times and took excellent care of the ball as well. There was also a highlight reel play where he made a tough jumper while being pushed away from the basket on a key late possession.

Jaren Sina (6’1″ Jr. PG, Lake Hopatcong (NJ) Gill St. Bernard HS) A guard with a mature body, the one-time Alabama commit had a so-so showing here. He was streaky shooting the ball from long range and seemed just okay from the point guard spot, and a key to his jump shot that will be a concern at the next level is that he seems to have a hitch that slows the release.

Jarquez Smith (6’10″ Jr. SF-PF, Jones City (GA) High) Very long and athletic, he’s brimming with potential if he can shoot the ball more consistently than he did here. While he had games where he went 6-11 and 4-4 from long range, he also had a couple of games where he went a combined 1-9 from there. He needs to gain strength, and his body is a ways from being mature, so there’s a lot of upside here and especially if he develops more of a game off the bounce.

Jaylon Tate (6’2″ Jr. PG, Chicago (IL) Simeon HS) Quick point guard is a baby physically and won’t leap out at you on the stat sheet, but was effective running the team. He had a nice runner off the glass moving toward the right side of the hoop, and he’s not lacking scoring ability although that’s not the first thing to notice about him.

Jimmy Taylor (6’10″ Jr. C, Greensboro (AL) High) Long lefty post player had a quietly good weekend, as he was close to a double-double a couple of times with good rebounding numbers. Athletic and with a more developed lower body, he was on the glass at both ends and turned a couple of offensive boards into stickbacks.

Moshawn Thomas (6’8″ Jr. SF, Chicago (IL) Hyde Park HS) He might not leap out at you, but he showed enough, including a breakout game on Sunday, to warrant further attention. A plus athlete with some length, he went to the basket often and tried to score, and as a result he got to the foul line a few times when he wasn’t able to finish. An intriguing prospect, his skill package won’t stand out, but he’s worth keeping an eye on.

Lemonte Turner (6’2″ Fr. PG, Huntsville (AL) Sparkman HS) After a slow first half in a late playoff game, he came alive in the second half. A baby physically, he successfully drove often, finishing at times but more often finding a teammate, and he looked heady on one play when he alertly drove and finished after no defender committed to stopping the ball.

Dayshawn Watkins (6’0″ Jr. PG, North Little Rock (AR) High) His body isn’t there yet, and he didn’t have a great game from the field on Friday, but he was quietly effective at the point guard spot. He ran the show and added seven boards, and was also 9-11 from the foul line.

Andrew Wiggins (6’7″ So. SF, Concord (Ont.) Huntington Prep) One of the best players here, he was a consistent scorer all weekend and shot better than 50 percent in every game. Very athletic, he scored well in several ways and rebounded well from the wing, and as good as he is now, his body hasn’t fully matured yet, so another physical boost is probably in his future.

Trevaughn Wilkerson (Fr. PF, Philadelphia (PA) Roman Catholic HS) One of the keys to his team’s playoff win on Saturday night, he didn’t score much but made his mark with physical play. He battled for position inside all night long against a terrific opponent and had his moments, and he was active on the offensive glass.

Isaiah Williams (6’1″ Jr. PG, Buford (GA) High) It was an inconsistent weekend for this floor leader, as he had a couple of pretty good games as well as ones where he didn’t shoot well. While he showed he can knock down shots from long range, that clearly isn’t his forte, and he did take one very questionable shot from long range in his team’s last game. He’s not a bad passer, although he didn’t wow anyone with it.

Johnathan Williams (6’9″ Jr. PF, Memphis (TN) Southwind HS) This left-handed post player has been on the scene for a while now, having played in this since he was a rising sophomore, and he’s progressed nicely up to this point. He now has a mature body and can score and rebound inside, and even had a nice drive and score while fouled on one play and a key stickback on another. In addition, he’s among the top shot-blockers in EYBL through two sessions. High-major prospect.

Mark Williams (6’8″ Jr. PF, Cleveland (OH) Richmond Heights HS) Well-built post player has some offensive tools, although he didn’t star in that or any other area. He showed a little range on his jumper and also scored off a stickback, and wasn’t a bad rebounder although he could get better there.

Duane Wilson, Jr. (6’3″ Jr. SG, Milwaukee (WI) Domincan HS) On Friday night, he stole the show with a 43-point outing in a comeback win in overtime for his team. A lot of those came during the comeback, as he took over the game with a lot of driving baskets and a few from long range, where he went 5-8 on the night. An athletic guard, he’s deceptively quick and finished well, and also got a stickback. He continued his high scoring later in the weekend.

Justise Winslow (6’6″ So. SG-SF, Houston (TX) St. John’s HS) One of the more underrated prospects here, he has a great body with a good frame and may not be done maturing just yet. The lefty is a point forward-type with a lot of tools at his disposal to impact the game, as he scored in a couple of ways and passed very well. If he develops a consistent jump shot, he’ll be that much tougher to guard.

Russell Woods (6’8″ Jr. PF, Chicago (IL) Leo HS) A post player with a good body and some length, he saved his best for last as his best statistical game was the last one of the weekend. He ran the floor well and got stickbacks from being active inside.

James Young (6’7″ Jr. SF, Troy (MI) High) A lefty wing with a good body that can still mature more, he had a nice weekend although he wasn’t the factor he looked like he could be in one of his team’s Sunday games. Still, he had two double-doubles on the weekend and rebounded well from his position, and impacted the game in an unspectacular fashion.

Other players who caught our attention:

Shaqquan Aaron (6’6″ So. SF, Apple Valley (VA) home school)
Jordan Bell (6’8″ Jr. PF, Long Beach (CA) Poly HS)
Trevon Blueitt (6’5″ So. SG-SF, Indianapolis (IN) Park Tudor HS)
Remond Brown (6’3″ Jr. SG, Monroe (LA) Richwood HS)
Trevor Brown (6’4″ Fr. SF, Washington (DC) Gonzaga College Prep)
Donte Clark (6’5″ Jr. SG, Charlotte (NC) Kennedy Charter Public School)
Randal Clarkson (5’10″ Jr. PG, Columbus (OH) Brookhaven HS)
Samuel Craft (6’1″ Jr. PG, Memphis (TN) Craigmont HS)
Bryant Crawford (6’2″ Fr. SG, Washington (DC) Gonzaga College Prep)
Kiair Crouch (5’11″ So. PG, Stone Mountain (GA) Columbia HS)
Billy Daniels (6’6″ Jr. SF-PF, Davenport (IA) Assumption HS)
Lavonte Davis (6’8″ Jr. PF, Ypsilanti (MI) High)
Shaquille Davis (5’11″ Jr. PG, Brooklyn (NY) Lincoln HS)
Kyle Doyle (6’7″ Jr. SF, Augusta (GA) T.W. Josey HS)
James Gradert (6’8″ Jr. PF, Sheldon (IA) High)
Cameron Gregory (6’8″ Jr. PF, Arlington (VA) Bishop O’Connell HS)
Franklin Howard (6’4″ Fr. SF, Washington (DC) Gonzaga College Prep)
Aaron Johnson (6’6″ Jr. SF-PF, Rochester (MN) JM HS)
B.J. Johnson (6’6″ Jr. SF, Ardmore (PA) Lower Merion HS)
Jajuan Johnson (6’5″ Jr. SF, Memphis (TN) Southwind HS)
Joshua Johnson (6’0″ Jr. PG, Monroe (LA) Carroll HS)
Leland King, Jr. (6’6″ Jr. PF, Inglewood (CA) Brentwood HS)
Keith Landston (6’4″ Jr. SG, Chicago (IL) St. Patrick’s HS)
T.J. Lake (5’10″ Jr. PG, Peosta (IA) Western Dubuque HS)
Ethan Lee (6’6″ Jr. PF, Chidester (AR) Camden Fairview HS)
Nick Madray (6’10″ Jr. PF-C, Mississauga (Ont.) Findlay Prep)
Tighe Oberg (6’9″ Jr. PF, Islip (NY) Lincoln HS)
Peter Odia (6’3″ Jr. SG, West Des Moines (IA) Dowling HS)
Chuck Ogbodo (6’10″ Jr. PF-C, Greensboro (NC) High Point Christian School)
Taron Oliver (6’8″ Fr. PF, Washington (DC) Bell HS)
Davon Reed (6’6″ Jr. SF, Ewing (NJ) Princeton Day School)
Malachi Richardson (6’2″ Fr. SG, Trenton (NJ) Catholic HS)
Gavin Schilling (6’9″ Jr. PF, Chicago (IL) DeLaSalle HS)
Bryson Scott (6’1″ Jr. SG, Fort Wayne (IN) Northrop HS)
LaDerrick Scott (6’8″ Jr. PF, Forest (MS) High)
Julian Thomas (6’5″ Jr. SF, Lafayette (LA) Comeaux HS)
Cale Thurlsen (6’8″ Jr. PF, West Des Moines (IA) Valley HS)
Jordan Tribble (6’10″ Jr. C, Los Angeles (CA) Holmes County HS)
Tyler Ulis (5’9″ So. PG, Matteson (IL) Marian Catholic HS)
Lavonte Walden (6’6″ Jr. PF, Memphis (TN) Oakhaven HS)
Paul White (6’8″ So. PF, Chicago (IL) Whitney Young HS)
Kenneth Williams (6’0″ Jr. PG-SG, Houston (TX) Episcopal HS)
Luke Worthington (6’9″ Jr. PF, Mequon (WI) Homestead HS)

The 16-under final was a close game throughout, with Team Scan leading the B.C. Eagles for most of the game. Down 40-35 late, the B.C. Eagles finished the game on an 8-1 run for a 43-41 win. Calvin Crawford (6’7″ Jr. SF, Montgomery (NY) Valley Central HS) led the Eagles with a game-high 15 points and was their only player in double figures. Chris McCullough (6’9″ So. PF, White Plains (NY) Salisbury Prep) led Team Scan with 13 points and Conrad Chambers (6’1″ So. SG, Chester (PA) Friends Central HS) added 11.

The 17-under final was a close one throughout as well. Middlesex Magic trailed for a good portion of the game, but rallied to take the lead well into the second half. Late in the game, Brookwood Elite made the shots and got the stops to hang on for a 58-53 win over Middlesex Magic. Mamadou Gueye (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Laval (Que.) Ste-Foy) led Brookwood Elite with 17 points. Chris Braley (6’4″ Jr. SG, Newport (ME) Philips Exeter Academy) led Middlesex Magic with a game-high 21 points in the losing effort.

Now, here’s a look at some of the players in action this weekend.

Jordan Aquino (5’10″ Fr. PG, Dollard (Que.) PCHS) A baby physically, he didn’t stand out much on his well-balanced team but might be their best prospect. He showed that he can get out in transition and finished, but his best asset might be his shooting, which was highlighted by three three-pointers in one game en route to the championship.

De’Von Barnett (6’4″ Sr. SF, Waldorf (MD) Riverdale Baptist HS) Athletic and well-built wing was very aggressive, and that was a big reason he played well. He scored in double digits in a couple of games, looking like much more of a scorer than a shooter, and his body looks like it can still mature more.

Marlon Beck II (5’11″ Jr. PG, Mitchellville (MD) Maret School) Tough floor leader has a body that’s not there yet, but he battled every second he was on the court. He scored well, reaching double digits a couple of times, showing a little touch from mid-range in addition to getting some baskets near the hoop.

Larry Beckett (6’7″ Jr. PF, New York (NY) Satellite Academy) A tough player to project, he doesn’t appear to have a position in a halfcourt game but was one of the most effective players because he simply competes. His body isn’t there yet, and he doesn’t have a lot of go-to scoring tools, but he put up good scoring numbers that included games of 24 and 23 points by finishing in transition, filling on the break for a dunk, finishing even if he was fouled, and hitting the occasional mid-range jumper. He also rebounded well and was simply in a lot of plays.

Henry Bolton (6’1″ So. PG, Portsmouth (RI) St. Andrew’s School) Athletic guard has a good body and is still transitioning into playing the point. On his team here, he actually played more off the ball and had a nice game on Sunday that included three three-pointers.

Chris Braley (6’4″ Jr. SG, (ME) Philips Exeter Academy) Always known for his shooting, his body is more mature and in better shape, and he had a solid weekend helping his team to the title game. He battled while out there, scored in double digits in most games highlighted by a 23-point outing on Saturday, and he looks more athletic. It wasn’t all good, though, as he fouled out of one game with a blatant push-off to try to get open.

Paschal Chukwu (7’0″ So. C, Westport (CT) Trinity Catholic HS) Very long post player is a baby physically but will be a good prospect as his body and game mature. He used his length well on the glass to be an effective rebounder, doesn’t lack a motor and looks like he can pass out of the post. His stamina might be a question mark at the moment, and his scoring tools will need some development, but there’s a lot to like at this relatively early stage.

Travis Cook (6’3″ So. SG, Middletown (NY) High) A long and lanky guard, he’s a baby physically with nice upside given what he showed here. He has the size to play off the ball in college, but looks like he can handle and pass the ball well enough to play the point in a pinch if a team ever needed him to.

Charles Correa (5’8″ Jr. PG, Pawtucket (RI) St. Raphael’s) Building off his play a week earlier, he looked very much at home at the point, and playing there seems to help you see how well he knows the game. He looked very heady at both ends, scored in several ways including from long range, showed that he can play more than one speed, and showed that he has above-average quickness and athleticism. While he can score in traffic, he had a tendency to force plays that weren’t there, so he’ll need to improve on that, especially given his size.

Calvin Crawford (6’7″ Jr. SF, Montgomery (NY) Valley Central HS) Long and a baby physically, he was probably the most impressive prospect in the 16-under, in part because Chris McCullough was not the factor he can be. Crawford has a very thin upper body and is a plus athlete, and while he looks most adept at finishing he can shoot the ball and the ball skills are good but will need to continue to get better. He scored 20 points in his team’s semifinal win before adding 15 in the title game.

Noah Daoust (6’7″ So. PF, Dorval (Que.) Hotchkiss School) A physical player inside, he has a wide frame and body that doesn’t appear to have all good weight. Offensively, he wasn’t a big factor on his well-balanced team, but he did finish a couple of times including with contact.

Fred Dure (6’4″ Jr. SG, Laval (Que.) Ahuntsic HS) Lefty wing is athletic and can still get better physically, although he looks like he may be done growing. His dribble looked a little shaky, and that is probably what keeps him from being an even better scorer as he was able to get some field goals driving to the basket.

Jake Fay (6’5″ Jr. SG, Lynn (MA) Brimmer & May School) In an early Saturday game, the Fordham commit was hot from long range with 28 points that included six three-pointers. A couple of them came late in the game as his team rallied for a win. Later, he struggled from long range, which can happen with a shooter.

Rony Fernandez (6’1″ Sr. PG-SG, Dorchester (MA) Charlestown HS) Still looking for his college destination, the lefty had a fine showing here as he continues to look more like a point guard. He racked up the assists in an early game and was driving and dishing with success quite often.

Mabor Gabriel (6’8″ Jr. PF-C, Manchester (NH) Trinity HS) A post player with a good motor, he was very active and got a lot of rebounds, including at the offensive end where he turned several into stickbacks. He isn’t lacking skills, including some ball skills, and he willingly screened and boxed out while also scoring in double digits several times, including a 21-point effort in his team’s opener.

Mamadou Gueye (6’7″ Jr. SF, Quebec City (Que.) Ste-Foy HS) He has a good frame and some length, which are noticeable right away, and he showed a little touch shooting the ball to intrigue you further. It’s clear he needs some strength, as a few of his forays to the hoop weren’t as successful.

Malcolme Henderson (6’8″ Jr. PF, Chateauguay (Que.) Vanier Prep) Well-built forward has a good frame and ran the floor well for a post player of his build. His game looks a little rough around the edges, but his body is college-ready although he could get it in a little better condition.

Kuran Iverson (6’8″ Jr. SF, Hartford (CT) Northwest Catholic HS) By now, an observer can predict how this ultra-talented and athletic forward will play based on the shots he opts to take. If he tries to get in the lane, where he’s always been able to finish and is now an improved passer and more adept at drawing fouls, he can be dominant. If he starts off by settling for three-point shots, he could easily put up a single-digit point total and be a non-factor. Here, we saw more of the former, where he handled and passed like a point forward and was adept at using fakes, and at times he made it look easy. Big-time prospect has a lot of potential that simply needs to be unlocked.

Zack Lewis (6’2″ Sr. PG-SG, Windsor (CT) Northwest Catholic HS) Lanky guard didn’t put up big numbers here but still showed an improved game overall. He drove often and showed a little more of a touch shooting the ball than he has before, and despite a slight frame he’ll go inside to try to score or pass off, and he even got a stickback one time. Mid-major prospect may do a post-graduate year.

Jimbo Long (6’2″ Jr. PG, Cliffwood (NJ) St. Joseph’s-Metuchen HS) Although he has a small body and doesn’t look as tall as he’s listed at first glance, he’s a tough floor leader. He ran the team capably into Sunday’s games and used his left (off) hand willingly, and was a key reason his team advanced as far as they did.

Quincy McKnight (6’3″ So. SG, Bridgeport (CT) St. Joseph’s HS) Looking like more of a scorer than a shooter, his body isn’t there yet, but that doesn’t stop him from trying to use it to score. In addition to finishing with contact on drives, he also scored on the post with a defender he felt a matchup advantage with.

Peter Miller (6’9″ Jr. PF-C, Winchester (MA) Northfield Mount Hermon) Improving post player had a nice showing here, as he has a good frame and his body still hasn’t fully matured yet. He showed good fundamentals at the offensive end, scoring on jump hooks, a jumper from the foul line and on stickbacks, and was heady on one play when he tapped out a rebound he knew he couldn’t snag. The one sour note was when he picked up a dumb technical foul by slamming the ball on the court after a dead-ball foul that he thought was called on him.

Shavar Newkirk (6’0″ So. PG, New York (NY) Cardinal Hayes HS) Attacking point guard helps make his team go with his penetration to get shots for himself or teammates. Here, he showed that he could pass on the move often, an important part since he so often tries to get in the lane.

Donchevell Nugent (5’8″ So. PG, Newburgh (NY) Free Academy) His size dictates that he likely plays the point at the next level, but he showed he can score in helping his team to the 16-under title. He had a bloody nose in the championship game, but returned to help his team in the final minutes.

Ryan Quinn (6’3″ Jr. SG, Mountainside (NJ) Roselle Catholic HS) The other key member of his team’s backcourt along with Jimbo Long, his body’s not there yet but he showed some good offensive tools. He’s a plus athlete and finished the break a couple of times, and while he didn’t score a lot of points he showed that he can score with his jumper out to long range.

Harry Rafferty (5’11″ Jr. PG, Durham (NH) Berwick Academy) A key cog in his team’s run to the championship game, the lefty had a big game in the semifinal with 24 points, including six three-pointers. He was deadly from behind the arc when he got a decent look and ran the show well all weekend.

Tom Rivard (6’6″ Jr. SF, Worcester (MA) Academy) He’s always looked like a kid with some potential, but now he’s making himself a factor. He got some offensive boards and was more aggressive offensively, scoring in double figures in one early game.

Harrison Taggart (6’5″ Jr. SF, Concord (NH) St. Paul’s) Continuing a good start to the spring, this solidly skilled wing was aggressive and led a comeback that fell short on Saturday night. He finished with 19 points in the game, including a big three-pointer late, and was attacking for much of the game.

Devin Thomas (5’10″ Jr. PG, Meriden (NH) Kimball Union Academy) A point guard with above-average quickness and athleticism, he drove often to make plays at the offensive end. While he was able to finish, to the tune of 22 points in one game, he looked to pass more on the go, and given his size that’s a good trait to have.

Avery Ugba (6’7″ Sr. PF, Silver Spring (MD) James Hubert Blake HS) Active forward has a good body that can still get better and may be worth a look for a team still trying to fill out a roster for next season. He’s a plus athlete who showed the ability to finish close, including while fouled, and get some rebounds, and he’s not lacking post moves although he’ll need to get more fluid with them.

Linzell Vaughn (6’2″ Jr. SG, New York (NY) Wings Academy) Well-built guard is an aggressive scorer whose athleticism doesn’t stand out because he’ll fearlessly look to score. If he sees a chance to score, he’ll go for it, and besides the driving field goals he hit from mid-range and a couple of times from long range, although that doesn’t appear to be close to his forte.

Majak Wenyin (6’6″ Jr. SF, Manchester (NH) Memorial HS) An intriguing prospect, he’s relatively new to the game and looks it since he’s not the most fluid player. He’s long and lanky and his body has a ways to go, and the skill package has some development needed, but he showed enough to be worth keeping an eye on.

Other players who caught our attention:

Max Joseph (6’1″ So. PG, Montreal (Que.) Ahuntsic HS)
Magnus Richards (6’6″ Sr. PF, Silver Spring (MD) James Hubert Blake HS)
Jonte Rutty (6’5″ Sr. SF-PF, Newburgh (NY) Free Academy)
Kurt Steidl (6’6″ Jr. SG-SF, Ridgefield (CT) High)
Tevon Walker (6’2″ Jr. SG, Montreal (Que.) Vanier Prep)
Nolan Woodward (6’4″ Jr. SF, LaSalle (Que.) Champlain HS)

With that, here are some thoughts on notable players in the event.

Malik Abu (6’8″ So. PF, Marblehead (MA) Kimball Union Academy) The big-bodied forward looked more athletic and appears to be in better shape. Those are nice developments considering what he’s shown already, and it also means he’s addressed the most glaring issue he had entering this school year.

Tom Bajda (6’4″ Jr. SG, Stratford (CT) Winchendon School) In going for 16 points in a blowout win for his team, he looked like someone you shouldn’t leave open. He hit several from long range and also made a nice runner while getting fouled, and his jumpers weren’t from just behind the arc.

K.J. Baptiste (6’4″Jr. SF-PF, Wareham (MA) Brimmer & May School) Playing on the loaded BABC team, he went for 18 points largely by moving well without the ball. He finished well near the basket and on short jumpers, blending in well and playing within the team concept.

Jaylen Brantley (5’8″ Jr. PG, Springfield (MA) Wilbraham & Monson Academy) He didn’t seem like himself, but when you looked up after his team’s first game, he had 22 points with five three-pointers. As he always does, he capably ran the team, and he looked like he got better as the day went along.

Schadrac Casimir (5’9″ Jr. PG, Stamford (CT) Trinity Catholic HS) Simply put, he’s a sparkplug floor leader who makes his team go. He turned 16 not too long ago, so he’s young for his grade, and he competed all the way through a good blowout win for his team.

Charles Correa (5’8″ Jr. PG, Pawtucket (RI) St. Raphael’s) In the past, he’s made his mark as a scorer, but he’s now playing the point and had a good showing. While he’s still a scorer, which he showed by driving and spinning one time and some good shooting out to long range, he looked at home running the team from a ball handling and passing standpoint.

Levy Gillespie (6’2″ So. PG, Hartford (CT) Capital Prep) He didn’t play his best in a game where his team got blown out. In that game, he struggled shooting and didn’t run the team as well as he’s capable of, although he made some fine passes. His body isn’t there yet and he’s not the quickest point guard, but for now he gets a slight pass on this one-game performance as we’ve seen him play very well before.

Kris Hargraves (6’1″ Jr. PG, Teaneck (NJ) Westminster School) In one of the last games of the night, this lefty point guard had another nice showing. After some good showings last year, he scored 19 points on some three-pointers and a few good drives, even finishing with his right hand. He has a thin upper body and can still improve as a playmaker.

Matthew Johnson (Sr. PG, North Burlington (NJ) High) This point guard won’t bowl you over with physical gifts, but he has a good frame and a solid feel for the game. He plays at a good pace and passed really well in traffic, and also finished the break en route to 12 points. Last year he missed time from an apparent heart condition, but he has been cleared and playing again for a while. A post-graduate year at the Lawrenceville School is in his future.

Kaleb Joseph (6’2″ So. PG, Nashua (NH) Cushing Academy) He wasn’t at his best in his team’s first game, but he did score 13 points and do a good job of driving and dishing. His body is also maturing and he’s continuing to improve, albeit not in the quantum leap fashion he did some time ago.

Will Joyce (Jr. SF-PF, Piscataway (NJ) Tech) An active forward with a good body, he looks to have the size for the wing but plays inside on his team as one of their tallest players. He rebounded well, something that would be an asset if he’s able to play on the wing.

Joseph Kuo (6’8″ Jr. PF, Byfield (MA) Governor’s Academy) A fundamentally sound post player, he looks awkward in how he moves and isn’t the most polished with his post moves but managed to contribute. He has a little length, which helps him finish well near the basket, and he looks like he can be a better rebounder than he has shown including here.

Davey McMillan (6’6″ Jr. SF-PF, Waterbury (CT) Kaynor Tech) A lanky forward with a little length, he had some good moments in a loss for his team on Saturday night and looks like he can be a nice prospect. His body isn’t there yet, and he doesn’t have the most clearly defined game, but he kept his team in the game with 11 points and some other plays.

Jeremy Miller (6’9″ Fr. PF-C, Milton (MA) New Hampton Prep) Still a baby physically, he has a good frame and some good length but needs to figure the game out. Here, he was often playing on the perimeter, and he struggled with his jumper, a sign that he might have been better off going inside to score a few baskets before trying his hand away from the basket.

Sean Obi (6’9″ Jr. PF-C, Green Farms (CT) Academy) Thick post player has a good frame and isn’t lacking mobility. He had some foul trouble in a blowout loss by his team and was never a factor in the game.

Garland Owens (6’5″ Sr. SF, Rockville (MD) Magruder HS) Well-built athlete showed that he can make plays at both ends using his athleticism. He’s quick off his feet and will go for offensive boards, and while he only scored 10 points in one game he was a bigger factor than that might first lead one to believe.

John Stevens (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, Winsted (CT) Northwestern Regional HS) A versatile wing, his team asks him to do a lot of things and he did that in a losing effort on Saturday night. The lanky wing rebounded well for the position, scored once a nice runner on the baseline and did his part to keep his team in the game.

Shawn Strickland (5’10″ Jr. PG, Middletown (CT) High) A point guard with a slight frame, he showed some good scoring ability with 18 points in a losing effort. A lot of his points came via jumpers from all ranges, as well as a nice runner on one play, and he also got back on defense one time for a nice block. Next year, he will attend the Taft School.

Noah Vonleh (6’7″ So. SF-PF, Georgetown (MA) New Hampton Prep) In one stretch late in the first half of a game, he took over the game and was, as he should have been, clearly the best player on the floor. He’s always been able to rebound and show hints of his skill package, but at the offensive end he’s never quite put it all together just yet to be a dominant player. He showed some of that potential here, and his body still isn’t there yet.

Chris Walters (6’4″ SG-SF, Stamford (CT) Westhill HS) One of the more impressive wing prospects here, he went for 20 points to lead a blowout of a very good team. Long and athletic, as well as quick off his feet, he drove assertively and finished well, including with his left (off) hand and while being fouled. He also made a few good passes and hit from long range, although the latter doesn’t appear to be his forte, and there’s some good upside still his body has a little ways to go.

Jared Wilson-Frame (6’4″ Fr. SG-SF, Windsor (CT) High) The well-built wing looked to shoot more than drive to score, and while had 15 points in a loss for his team, one had the sense he could have been more effective. One shot he hit was from well behind the arc, and if he gets the jump shot going on a consistent basis, he’ll be that much tougher to guard.

Other players who caught our attention:

Remi Ferrall (6’6″ Jr. PF-C, Woodbridge (CT) Amity Regional HS)
Chris Jenkins (Jr. SG-SF, Hillside (NJ) High)
Jalen Myrie (6’0″ Jr. PG, Groton (MA) Lawrence Academy)
Daquan Sampson (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Groton (MA) Lawrence Academy)
Rob Ukawuba (Jr. SF-PF, East Brunswick (NJ) High)
Travis Whitfield (6’4″ Sr. SG-SF, Manhasset (NY) St. Mary’s HS)

Let’s stop saying he’s just a great recruiter.

Let’s stop saying he’s just a great salesman.

Let’s stop saying he wins games just because of the talent he has, as if he just rolls out the balls and his kids play.

All of it needs to go. We’ve seen that he can coach before, and this season drove that home.

Sure, Calipari has an outsized personality to go with the outsized expectations of the rabid fan base in Lexington. That’s why he’s a perfect fit, and perhaps few other coaches would fit that job so well. He plays to the fan base perfectly, and did after Monday’s game was over. But that’s beside the point.

So, too, is his past. Yes, he has taken two schools to the Final Four and seen both of them vacated by the NCAA because of violations that occurred on his watch. You can think what you will of him as a person; the purpose here isn’t to defend his past or excoriate him for it. The focus is John Calipari as a coach.

This Kentucky team had a target on its back pretty much as soon as the balls were tossed up back in November. The talent on this team was already well-known, although one wondered if the lack of experience might at some point be a hindrance. That’s a big reason why Darius Miller became so important to this team, besides the fact that he’s simply a good player. But there was no question this team had the talent to win it all, and after an early win over North Carolina that was thought to be the case even more so.

Much was expected of this team, and they delivered. To be favored to win and then win it all is harder than anyone outside of sports realizes. It means that every game is the opponent’s big game, their Super Bowl, their championship game. For many, it would make their season to topple the favorites, even if they don’t win a game the rest of the way.

All this team did was go 38-2 against those teams. They were the best defensive team in the country, evidenced not only by their national-best field goal percentage defense, but also by how they won games by scoring 57, 60 and 62 points much like they won each of the many times they topped 80 points. They were also 12^th in the country in rebounding margin.

The Wildcats had good chemistry. For a young team to mesh this well both in terms of how everyone plays and personalities says a lot about the job Calipari did. While it’s true there’s a lot of talent, and not all of this can be put on the coach, the coach has a lot to do with it. This is the same challenge many prep school coaches have, as they have many of their players for just a year or two. That leaves little time to create any kind of chemistry and feel for each other, as opposed to a traditional high school where a core group might play together for three or all four years and grow together.

Kentucky had the most talent, but it had to be melded together into a team that could win. Countless times over the years, we’ve seen the most talented team not win the championship for one reason or another. Coaching is not always the reason such teams don’t win it all, but sometimes it is. When a team like this wins, there’s a tendency to not give the coach any credit, as if the staff just rolled out the balls and the players won just by virtue of being more talented than their opponents.

John Calipari coached this team to a national championship. Now we have to realize that he’s not just a great recruiter. He’s not just a great salesman. He’s not just an outsized personality that fits the program he leads perfectly. He doesn’t just have the most talent. He’s a pretty good coach, and that played an important part in the Wildcats winning this season.

On Monday night, Kentucky completed its return to national supremacy by winning the program’s first championship since 1998. The title run marked the Wildcats’ second consecutive Final Four under coach John Calipari, who figures to make Kentucky a national championship contender pretty much every season that he’s on the sidelines.

Even though many people figured the Wildcats would cut down the nets in New Orleans, Kentucky exceeded expectations from a statistical perspective as soon as the Wildcats beat Baylor to reach the Final Four. Based on seed expectations, the typical No. 1 seed wins 3.32 games. So reaching the Elite Eight isn’t much to crow about for No. 1 seeds.

With Kentucky’s six wins in the tournament, the Wildcats helped the SEC become the best-performing conference in this year’s NCAA tournament. Besides Kentucky, Florida also delivered a strong performance, reaching the Elite Eight as a No. 7 seed. Given that seed, the Gators were expected to win 0.85 games. They won three. That’s a nice hefty boost to add to the Wildcats’ contributions. In sum, the SEC won 10 tournament games, which is nearly 70 percent more than expected based on the teams’ seeds.

Outside the SEC, most of the other major conferences pretty much did what they were supposed to do. The Big 12 and Atlantic 10 delivered about 15-20 percent more wins than expected, while the Big East and Big Ten were pretty much right on schedule. For the Big 12, Kansas’ run to the championship game helped overcome the one-and-done letdown of No. 2 Missouri.

The ACC and Pac-12 had the roughest tournaments among the Power Six conferences, though you won’t get any argument from me if you’d rather discuss Pac-12 on the same tier as the Missouri Valley or Mountain West conferences. The ACC was particularly disappointing given the Final Four aspirations of North Carolina, Duke and Florida State. The conference came up 33 percent short on its expected win total, primarily because the Blue Devils dropped a shocker in their first game against No. 15 Lehigh, while the Seminoles’ offense sputtered against No. 6 Cincinnati. North Carolina State had a surprising run to the Sweet 16, winning two games as a No. 11 seed, which usually win 0.5 games. But that wasn’t enough to make up the difference.

This tournament marks the fourth time in seven tournaments that no ACC team reached the Final Four. Before 2006, you have to go back to 1980 to find more than four tournaments that didn’t include an ACC team in the Final Four. Since the tournament expanded to include more than just one team from a conference in 1975, there has never been a three-year stretch in which the Final Four hasn’t included an ACC team. The pressure is on for 2013.

The 14-under championship was not a very competitive game, as Team Scan ran out to an early lead and never looked back in an 81-50 rout of Virginia-based New Generation.  They would lead by as many as 21 in the first half and later by 32 in the second half.  Devonte Green (SG-SF, North Babylon (NY)) scored a game-high 20 points to lead five Team Scan players in double figures.  Unique McLean (SG-SF, Brooklyn (NY)) was the tournament MVP, scoring 13 points in the final.

In the 16-under championship game, the host Playaz scored the first basket of the game.  Team Takeover followed by scoring the next 11 points, and they led by double digits for much of the remainder of the half and led 50-34 at the break.  The Playaz would cut the lead into single digits early in the second half, but Team Takeover had an answer and ran away with it, winning 89-67.  Martinas Geben (6’8″ So. PF, Hagerstown (MD) St. Maria Goretti HS) capped a big weekend with 21 points to lead Team Takeover, while Greg Malinowski (6’3″ So. SG, Middleburg (VA) High) added 14 points.  Tournament MVP Tre Campbell (6’1″ So. PG, Washington (DC) St. John’s HS) and Obinna Enechionya (6’8″ So. PF, St. James (MD) High) each added 12 points.  Isiah Briscoe (6’2″ Fr. PG-SG, Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s) led the Playaz with a game-high 22 points in the losing effort.

Team Takeover won this event last year as a 15-under team, so they have had a nice run of success in this event of late.

Now, we take a look at some of the players who competed this weekend.

Bryce Aikens (SG, Randolph (NJ))     He’s a small guard, but may not be done growing and is athletic.  Most of all, though, he can shoot, and showed it in the 14-under championship game as he scored 13 points on a variety of jumpers out to long range.  One nice play was seeing him take one dribble and hit a shot off the bounce.  He has yet to decide on a high school.

Phil Booth (6’3″ So. SG, Baltimore (MD) Mount St. Joseph HS)     A solid glue guy, he handled the ball often and looks like he has a little bit of combo guard in him.  He won’t wow you with anything, as he’s a plus athlete and doesn’t do any one thing exceedingly well, but he was very effective and did everything in the flow of the game and within the team concept.

Isiah Briscoe (6’2″ Fr. PG-SG, Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s)     A very talented guard, he has a relatively mature body for his age and used it well to finish with contact all weekend.  He’ll drive all day to the basket, although he showed a little touch from mid-range as well, and made a nice long bounce lead pass through the defense for a layup to demonstrate his passing ability.  In short, he makes things happen on the court.

Noah Brown (6’2″ So. SG, Sparta (NJ) Pope John HS)     A solid two-way player, he has a good body that can get better and is a plus athlete, although none of that will leap out at you.  He drove and finished well, including with contact, handled the ball at times and did show some range on his jumper although that doesn’t look to be his forte.  He also had a chase-down block on one play and showed a willingness to guard a good wing player.

Tre Campbell (6’1″ So. PG, Washington (DC) St. John’s College HS)     The tournament MVP is a baby physically, but he’s very quick and competitive and sets the tone for his team.  He made solid passes and scored in transition, at times beating the other team up the floor, and scored 17 points to help lead his team with the pool on the line.

Chase Daniels (6’7″ Jr. PF, New Haven (CT) Hillhouse HS)     Although he has a little length, he wasn’t quite the factor he looks like he could be.  At the offensive end, he didn’t show a lot of skills just yet, although he later hit a nice jump hook in a 14-point outing.  He’ll be most remembered here for hitting a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer from midcourt early on Saturday.

Adonis Delarosa (6’10″ So. C, Middle Village (NY) Christ the King HS)     Wide-bodied post is a space-eater that has some potential.  Not all of his weight is good weight, and he’s not the best at running the floor, so he’ll need to improve his conditioning.  If he does that, the abilities he showed, like some post scoring ability and decent movement on the low block, will get better and he’ll be an even better prospect.

Obinna Enechionya (6’8″ So. PF, St. James (MD) High)     Lanky post player got off to a nice start in a game on Saturday, but was never the same after two early fouls relegated him to the bench.  He was very active and athletic, showing a touch on his jumper, and save for being too aggressive at times on defense he looks like he has good upside.

Rashard Figures (6’2″ So. SG, Hackensack (NJ) High)     Shifty guard got off to a slow start in the semifinal on Sunday, but was much better in the second half and overtime as he helped his team into the championship game.  He made some acrobatic layups and was quite effective driving, and kept the defense honest with a couple of three-pointers.  Quick off his feet and with a thin upper body right now, he isn’t lacking upside.

Martinas Geben (6’8″ So. PF, Hagerstown (MD) St. Maria Goretti HS)     A consistent presence for his team en route to the championship, he has a good frame and looks like a role player at first but did too much to really be classified as that.  One of the best rebounders here at both ends, he got plenty of stickbacks while also shooting well out to long range off the catch.  He capped off the big weekend with a stellar outing in the title game, which included a steal and breakaway dunk.

Devonte Green (SG-SF, North Babylon (NY))     If his play in the championship game is any indication, he’s certainly capable of putting up points, especially on shots from long range.  The knock on him from this game is that at first glance, his feel for the game will need improvement.  There’s some upside for him, and at this point he has not decided on a high school.

Zach Heeman (6’6″ So. PF, Mount Olive (NJ) High)     Lefty post player doesn’t have the best body but had a good showing in a couple of games.  He doesn’t have all good weight, but he moves and runs the floor better than you would expect and even got some transition chances.  That said, he seemed to struggle against a more athletic post player, but he rebounded, looks fundamentally sound, can face the basket and seems to have good hands, so there’s a lot to like.

Ryan Izzo (So. SG-SF, Sparta (NJ) Pope John HS)     Lefty wing was active and looked like a good complementary player on his team.  He has a thin upper body, so he’ll have to get stronger, but he finished in traffic a couple of times and showed a little range on his jumper, scoring 14 points in a tough loss to start Saturday off.

Corbyn Jackson (6’6″ Jr. PF, Goochland (VA) High)     Thick post player is a better athlete than he looks and used his body well to score inside.  He scored on the post, including while getting fouled, often using his wide frame to get position.  While he moves reasonably well, he could stand to improve there.

Tyrone Johnson (5’8″ So. PG, Brooklyn (NY) South Shore HS)     A baby physically, he impressed with his passing but also looked like he can be a bit of a showman.  Possessing a decent frame, he drove and finished with contact, but really made his mark passing, and on a team with a lot of others who could score that should be his job.

Terry Larrier (6’6″ So. SF-PF, Bronx (NY) Our Savior Lutheran)     An active forward on the glass, he combined with Chris McCullough to help his team have a strong rebounding presence.  He has some length and also showed a touch from mid-range at the offensive end.

Unique McLean (SG, Brooklyn (NY))     Very athletic guard can certainly get up off the ground, and he did that a few times as he got several breakaway dunks and an alley-oop off an inbounds pass.  The 14-under MVP is left-handed and clearly more of a scorer than a shooter, but as athletic as he is right now he doesn’t need to take jumpers to score.  He has yet to decide on a high school.

Chris McCullough (6’8″ So. PF, Bronx (NY) Salisbury School)     One of the top prospects in the class of 2014, he didn’t seem into the game at times but was still effective, especially on the glass.  He’s long and has long strides when running the floor, which he does very well, and he got stronger late in the game en route to 17 points and undoubtedly a double-digit rebound total.  In addition, he’s a good, unselfish passer, and even when his motor didn’t seem to be running he was a presence on the boards.

Shavar Newkirk (5’11″ So. PG, New York (NY) Cardinal Hayes HS)     This floor leader was attacking often, leading to scoring opportunities for himself and teammates.  In going for 19 points in a win on Saturday, he also knocked down a shot from long range and made a couple of nice passes.  The one constant was that he was in attack mode with the ball.

Chris Robinson (6’2″ So. SG, Bronx (NY) Cardinal Hayes HS)     Lanky guard showed some good offensive ability in a losing effort on Saturday, scoring 14 points.  He drove aggressively and will use his left (off) hand both to dribble and try to finish, while showing a decent jump shot from mid-range.

Quadree Smith (6’6″ So. PF, Fairfax (VA) Paul VI Catholic HS)     Undersized post player has a big body that is almost immovable off the low block.  Although he ran the floor reasonably well, he could certainly stand to improve his conditioning, but he was also a good rebounder and made a couple of nice outlet passes.  His offensive game certainly isn’t there yet, as evidenced in part by how he would unnecessarily put the ball on the floor under the basket.

Tom Sweeney (6’7″ So. PF, Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco HS)     In helping his team to the championship game, he showed that he has some tools to be a nice face-up power forward.  While his body has some maturing to do, especially the upper body, he got some offensive boards and stickbacks while showing a nice touch shooting from mid-range and long range.  He scored 15 points in the semifinal game on a variety of jumpers, some at key junctures of the game.

Naim Thomas (5’11″ So. PG, Poughkeepsie (NY) Stepinac HS)     A solid passer at the point, he let others do the scoring while he was in his fair share of plays.  Not the biggest factor in his team’s win, he nonetheless contributed without showing up much in the box score.

Marcus Townes (6’3″ Jr. SG, (NJ) Cardinal McCarrick HS)     Well-built wing showed that he can handle and pass the ball, which helped since he played alongside a scoring point guard.  He scored 16 points in the semifinal, often scoring on drives with an ability to finish near the basket.

Jesse Warech (So. SG, Montville (NJ) High)     His body has a ways to go, but he shined with his shooting in a couple of Saturday games.  He opened the day with four three-pointers en route to 14 points, and was still a factor in a loss against a better team later in the day.

Mike Williams (6’3″ So. SG, Brooklyn (NY) Bishop Loughlin HS)     A scorer with a pretty good reputation, he did nothing to dispel that with a solid 22-point outing on Saturday.  He used his body at times and also showed a touch from long range with three three-pointers along the way.

Other players who caught our attention:

Raiquan Clark (6’2″ So. SG, New Haven (CT) Hillhouse HS)
Temple Gibbs (Scotch Plains (NJ))
Jaquan Hollingshed (6’5″ So. PF, Brooklyn (NY) Franklin D. Roosevelt HS)
Allante Holston (6’6″ So. SF, Washington (DC) St. John’s College HS)
Eric Long (6’6″ So. SF-PF, Bronx (NY) Cheshire Academy)
Quincy McKnight (6’3″ So. SG, Trumbull (CT) St. Joseph’s HS)
Doudny St. Hillaire (6’3″ So. SG, Brooklyn (NY) South Shore HS)
Alex Thomas (6’7″ So. PF, Hawthorne (NJ) Christian School)
Devyn Wilson (5’11″ So. PG, Brooklyn (NY) Bishop Loughlin HS)

“We have kind of flown under the radar, by Kansas standards of late, which I think has been very healthy for a team that’s just trying to find themselves,” said Self.

This year’s Kansas team didn’t strike the kind of fear into other teams that most Jayhawk teams do. Six of the top eight scorers were gone from last season’s team, and they took about 75 percent of the team’s scoring with them. As if that wasn’t enough, newcomers Ben McLemore, Jamari Traylor and Braeden Anderson were all partial qualifiers and could not play this season. McLemore figured to make an impact right away, while the other two figured to contribute as well, especially with a frontcourt that was unproven behind junior Thomas Robinson.

In short, a lot needed to happen for this to be anything like most seasons in Lawrence. And a lot has in order to get to this point.

Robinson would become one of the country’s best players, with most feeling the national Player of the Year is either him or Kentucky’s Anthony Davis. Tyshawn Taylor not only became an even better player than he already was and got past some of the growing pains he had last season, but he became a leader as well. With that, Elijah Johnson, who had his first career double-double on Saturday, developed into a dependable starter alongside him. Jeff Withey steadily improved from being a relative non-factor to a key man inside, and he blocked an NCAA semifinal-record seven shots on Saturday night. Travis Releford, a highly-touted prospect in high school who averaged less than nine minutes per game in his first two seasons in Lawrence (with a redshirt year sandwiched in between them), became a steady role player with an increased role. And Conner Teahen and Kevin Young have been serviceable backups.

Everyone has improved. In fact, the team’s first loss of the season is something that will be talked about leading up to this game. Kansas and Kentucky met back in November at the Champions Classic in New York. Kentucky won the game 75-65, and they did so going away. The Wildcats were the clearly better team and seemed to wear down the Jayhawks.

That was one more reason early on to think this wasn’t your typical Kansas team. But that changed a little starting with their trip to Maui immediately following that game, as they beat Georgetown and UCLA before a tough loss to Duke. A later loss to Davidson had Self concerned that the team was underachieving and not playing the way they needed to. But they followed that up with ten straight wins to close non-conference play and open the Big 12 slate.

Simply put, this team just got better from the beginning of the season, winning another Big 12 title.

“It don’t feel now like how it felt back then,” Johnson said. “Even being in the huddles, the quick timeouts and everything, it’s a total different team.”

“It’s remarkable to me to see how much these guys have matured, grown, trust each other,” Self said. “It’s been a blast to watch from the sidelines.”

This Jayhawk team isn’t very deep. They’re not as talented as past teams. A talented freshman guard, Naadir Tharpe, has played limited minutes with growing pains, looking like he is not quite ready yet. His limited minutes also speak to what Taylor has done – become an indispensable player they need on the floor. The Jayhawks have had to suspend him in the past, but he’s grown up, and Johnson even alluded to his leadership when talking about how this team has progressed. Now Taylor is helping to lead a team to an improbable run where they just find a way to win games.

“I felt like we were a couple steps away from being just as good as anybody else through the whole year,” said the senior guard. “I felt like we were missing just a couple different things that we had to tighten up and we could compete with everybody.”

On Monday night, they get one more chance to show exactly that, as well as how far this team has come from the start of the season. They weren’t supposed to be in this game, but they are, and Taylor’s feeling may prove to be more accurate than those of everyone else.

Here is a look at this year from train to Garden floor. Granted, it’s a plug for NJ Transit, but they were on time round trip and got me safely to and from both days.

• I arrive at 5:01 p.m. on Tuesday and see the first UMass shirt in the crowd. Right place, set to go.
• On Tuesday about an hour before game time, Steve Lappas, Art Hyland and myself are chatting down on the Garden floor. Steve, a former Villanova and UMass coach, is covering the NIT for Westwood One radio. Art has been the officiating supervisor in the Big East for 33 years. “Art I wasn’t that much of a pain in the ass at Villanova was I?” Lappas asks. ”Steve,” art replies, “you were a big pain in the ass.” Laughter unites the two that formerly “clashed” over officiating when Lappas roamed the ‘Nova sidelines in the latter part of the Nineties.
• Hyland is assigning the officials at the NIT Final Four. He goes on to tell about the Big East in the ‘80s when the coaches were icons. “You had Louie (Carnesecca) at St. John’s,” he recalled, “John Thompson at Georgetown, (Jim) Boeheim at Syracuse, Rollie (Massimino) at Villanova, every night it seemed the officials were working for a coaching legend or two.” A time, those of us fortunate enough to cover the Big East in those days, can look back on as vintage years.
• UMass has brought a huge contingent of fans, band, cheerleaders and two baton twirlers. More schools are having their twirlers perform at basketball games which is a good thing to see. I decide to get more information as my wife Karen is a former high school twirler maintaining an avid interest in it today. Turns out the UMass twirlers perform during timeouts and not at halftime. I ask the inevitable question: do you twirl with fire? “I like to,” says Jackie a sophomore. “It’s neat except sometimes you get a little burn on your arm.” The UMass twirling duo did not have fire at the Garden. But they were very talented.
• Favorite signs among the many UMass fans brought to New York: “Chaz for chancellor” and “Stanford was my safety school”. UMass and Stanford engaged in a competitive contest, one that captivated even fans of the teams in game two.
• After the UMass-Stanford game, a tough setback for the Minutemen, heading to the press room, see the UMass players posing with a gentleman. Asked the cheer coach who it was. “Victor Cruz,” she said. “Holy ‘excrement’ I am a Giants fan,” was my reply. I got a chance to meet with Cruz and speak a few minutes. The ice breaker was that he played in the New Jersey State Football Tournament for Paterson Catholic against my St. Mary’s (Rutherford) alma mater. We briefly discussed his incredible rise from just making the team to stardom. Cruz humbly remarked, “oh man it’s just been a crazy (in a good way) year.”
• A good portion of the crowd seems to exit following the first game. Those staying saw a good one as Minnesota edged Washington in overtime to advance to the finals.
• Thursday after the train ride into Penn Station, I stopped for a newspaper. At the stand, I ran into Mike Roberts, who was one of the officials with the honor of working the championship. We discussed officiating a few minutes before Roberts had to check in for pre-game meeting with his officiating crew.
• The Minnesota dance team limbers up about 40 minutes prior to tip off. On their “off day” they visited Ground Zero, SOHO, Times Square… To their dismay they did miss Tiffany and co. Have to give the team credit for knowing their basketball as they all were aware that coach Tubby Smith’s first name is actually Orlando.
• On the floor before the game, I met Joe Esposito through Fran Fraschilla of ESPN. Esposito is a director of operations on the Minnesota staff. He enjoys working with Tubby Smith but confesses that he wants to be a head coach some day. A Marist grad who roomed with Rik Smits as an undergrad, Esposito adds, “Coaching at Marist would be my dream job.” Dreams are great, but for the present working with Smith and being in an NIT final is not a bad reality.
• The Minnesota band is near me getting on Stanford’s Andrew Zimmerman as he warms up. I mention to one band member how Zimmerman looks like Ashton Kutcher on Two and a Half Men before he shaved his beard. The band member replied that the band members saw Charley Sheen on the Today Show earlier in the morning.
• The band is a nice group with a lot of enthusiasm the band even granted a request of yours truly from their play list. Ok, it was “Gimmee some lovin” a classic hit by the Spencer Davis Group a few decades back.
• Pre-game spoke with Dennis Allocco, the alternate official on the game. Dennis lives nearby, has attended officiating camp with and also assigns a few games to yours truly. “We are probably the only guys not at our (Board 33 officiating) banquet tonight,” Dennis joked. I went on to mention that we are at the only place you would want to be on this evening. Dennis agreed. It is quite an honor to be an alternate on this game, and in Dennis’ case, well-deserved.
• That Minnesota band and their followers were to exit the Garden disappointed. Stanford put on a defensive show in winning 75-51. The Cardinal had a small to modest contingent in numbers – in fact the final attendance was just under 5,500 – but they were heard loud and clear in post game celebrations. Stanford players soaked in the moment posing for pictures, cutting down the nets and simply basking in the moment. They cherished the moment and seemed not to want it to end.

Despite the final result, the Minnesota band enjoyed the NIT experience.

This tournament will do that to you. Especially if you emerge with the championship.

1. Defense. Exhibit a had to be the D. Good old man-to-man with denial and a physical presence in the paint. The Cardinal limited Minnesota to a 37 percent shooting night. Of greater importance was the forcing of the opposition into 22 turnovers. Those errors on the part of Minnesota led Stanford to an excellent 28-7 advantage in points off turnovers. “We saved the best for last,” Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins said. “We have had runs like this before but never in a game like this on this stage.”

The Cardinal led 31-25 at the half. After dominating the first four minutes of the second half, they were ahead by 15 and on their way thanks to that outstanding defense. “We missed, I thought, some easy baskets especially the first half,” Minnesota coach Tubby Smith said. “But we did not take good care of the of the ball at all.” Credit the Cardinal defensive effort for that.

2. Aaron Bright. The 5-11 sophomore guard is a player “who accepts his role,” according to Dawkins. Bright came off the bench in the first half to hit a few perimeter shots and trigger the break as Stanford opened up the lead at the half. Bright tied teammate Chasson Randle for scoring honors with 15 points. He did add 6 assists. For his impact in the 25 minutes on the floor, Bright was selected the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. “He (Bright) brought us a spark,” Dawkins said. “When he enters a game he changes everything because now the defense must react differently with him on the floor.”

3. Supporting cast. Stanford had a strong one, while the young Minnesota team was left wanting. The Cardinal enjoyed a 29-15 edge in bench scoring. Tubby Smith’s leading scorer, Rodney Williams, was defended aggressively. The Minnesota junior forward finished with a team-high 12 points. Williams shot just 4 of 9 and committed 4 turnovers. Andre Hollins and Joe Coleman added 10 points each but no one consistently rose to the occasion as a threat to complement Williams.

Minnesota finished up at 23-15. They played every NIT game away from home, winning at LaSalle, Miami (Fla.) and Middle Tennessee before venturing to New York. Stanford ended the year at 26-11 and played all three games at home prior to heading East. Their early round wins came against Cleveland State, Illinois State in overtime and Nevada.

Aaron Bright of Stanford gave a 25 minute Most Outstanding Player performance in the NIT championship.

“Looking back I can see this team actually started growing last April,” Dawkins said of his club. “We had a great Summer trip to Spain that just got us closer as a team. These guys are champions forever. No one can take that away from them. Anytime they walk into Maples (Pavilion, the Stanford home facility) that NIT championship banner will always be there to remind them about what they accomplished.”