Another excellent Kingwood Classic in the books
HOUSTON – In a state where football is normally king, basketball ruled for the weekend of April 22-24 as two major traveling team events took place. The Houston Kingwood Classic is annually one of the very best spring events, and this year’s version didn’t disappoint. Hal Pastner and his staff once again put together an event with well over 200 teams in the 17-and-under division, loaded with top talent in the classes of 2005 and 2006 as well as many top underclassmen. The tournament was once again well-run and highly competitive from start to finish.
Among the many coaches who showed up were about 30 head coaches by our count. The head coaches present included new coaches Dave Dickerson (Tulane), Dave Leitao (Virginia), Rodney Tention (Loyola Marymount), Cliff Warren (Jacksonville) and Doug Wojcik (Tulsa).
The 17-and-under Platinum championship featured two teams that might not have been among the picks of many to get that far, but the Portland Legends and Indiana-based SYF Players put forth a solid game for a half. In the second half, the Legends started to pull away behind the stellar play of super sophomore Kyle Singler (game-high 21 points and the unofficial tournament MVP) and junior point guard Marquis Hall (12) en route to a victory.
Now we bring you player evaluations, which will come in two installments. In this one, we look at players in the class of 2006 (which includes some in the current class that may wind up playing a year of prep school). Coming soon will be a look at underclassmen at the event.
Class of 2006
Gerard Anderson (6’5″ SG-SF, Los Angeles (CA) Verbum Dei HS) A good leaper, he looks to be more of a scorer than a shooter, though he hit a game-winning jumper from about the top of the key in one Friday night game to cap a 19-point effort. He looked to drive more and was able to finish his drives, for the most part. High-major/high-major minus prospect may prep next year.
Ryan Anderson (6’4″ SG, Seattle (WA) Rainier Beach HS) Athletic wing is a capable shooter and knocked a few down. He didn’t show a great in-between game, partly from a rather shaky dribble. High-major minus/high-major prospect.
Tyrone Appleton (6’3″ PG-SG, North Bridgton (ME) Bridgton Academy) He bravely defended O.J. Mayo in a semifinal game, and that might stand out the most from what we saw of him. He also pulled up with a cramp in the championship game, but came back and gave it all he had. He has good size to play some combo guard at the next level. Mid-major plus prospect.
Devan Bawinkel (6’6″ SG-SF, Winnebago (IL) High) His jumper wasn’t falling like it usually does, but he’s a wing with good size and skills and is capable of shooting it. He still went for 15 points in one game we saw. Mid-major plus/high-major minus prospect.
Gilbert Brown (6’6″ SF, South Kent (CT) School) Aggressive athlete is a little thin, but wasn’t afraid to slash to the basket and get the occasional dunk that caught the crowd’s eye. His handle looked a little shaky and he didn’t shoot it much. High-major minus prospect.
Les Brown (6’3″ SG, Salt Lake City (UT) Judge Memorial HS) He showed a good stroke from long range, mainly on catch-and-shoot plays, while also handling the ball a little. We saw him go for 18 points against the Michigan Hurricanes, helping to keep them close. Mid-major plus/high-major minus prospect.
Todd Brown (6’6″ SF, Canton (OH) McKinley HS) Good athlete had a nice weekend as a complementary player on his team, hitting some mid-range jumpers and running the floor. High-major minus prospect.
Charles Buckner (6’6″ SF-PF, Bossier City (TX) High) Athletic and aggressive, he had a good showing in helping his team reach the finals of their division. He’s active and might be a combo forward, as he’s clearly a scorer at the offensive end who got his baskets in close. A couple of times, his body control looked to be a question mark, but all told, he looked good. High-major minus prospect.
Kevin Cable (6’8″ PF, Scottsdale (AZ) High) Good face-up player made some inside plays and has a decent frame. He wasn’t hitting his jumpers when we saw him, but he runs the floor well and looks like a nice high-major minus prospect.
Brian Carlwell (6’10” PF-C, Maywood (IL) Proviso East HS) The big lefty has a solid frame and really ran the floor well. He also rebounded well, which offset his relative lack of scoring, although that’s partly attributable to not getting many good touches inside. High-major prospect.
Jawan Carter (6’0″ PG, Tatnall (DE) High) How good can he be? Well, he looked a little disinterested in the one game we saw him play, and he still scored 17 points and shot the ball well. He’s looking a little more shoot-first of late, but he’s still a solid floor leader. High-major prospect.
Joevan Catron (6’6″ PF, Harvey (IL) Thornton Township HS) Athletic power forward not only has a good frame to play inside, but also knocked down a three-pointer in going for 17 points in one game. He runs the floor well and could one day be a combo forward, though right now he’s more of a power forward. High-major/high-major minus prospect.
Dwayne Collins (6’8″ PF, Miami (FL) Senior HS) Well-built post player showed some better offensive skills, which is important since we already know he can play at the defensive end. That being said, while he showed some ball skills and finished well, he didn’t own the glass like we’ve seen him before. We know he’s capable and has the body to do it. High-major prospect.
Javaris Crittenton (6’5″ SG, Atlanta (GA) SW Atlanta Christian Academy) Fresh out of the shadows of Dwight Howard, this solid guard really drove to the basket well to get his points. He has a good frame and is solid in transition, and he’s a capable shooter. Against a good Houston Hoops team, he went for 27 points. High-major prospect.
Daniel Deane (6’8″ PF, Salt Lake City (UT) Judge Memorial HS) Looks like a solid all-around player and a gamer. He has a good frame, battles inside, was able to operate in the post and facing the basket, showing a mid-range jumper and even one drive to the basket for a score, and he finished with both hands well. High-major minus/high-major prospect.
Darius Foster (6’4″ SG, Richmond (CA) De Anza HS) A well-built guard, he’s a good athlete and showed a little touch from three-point range. He went for 15 in the game we saw, shooting it well. Mid-major prospect.
Jonathan Frazier (6’2″ SG, Houston (TX) Marshall HS) Lefty slasher showed some quickness and three-point range. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Jonathan Hall (6’5″ SG-SF, Miami (FL) Senior HS) Good size athlete has the look of a solid wing scorer. He showed a good first step, knocked down a couple from long range and scored off the dribble, going for 14 Friday night and 21 in a Saturday game. High-major prospect.
Marquis Hall (5’11” PG, Portland (OR) Jefferson HS) His steady floor leadership was a big key to his team’s championship, as he was unspectacular but got the job done. He took good care of the ball and shot it well from long range, is a tough floor leader, and took good shots that helped him put up some decent scoring numbers. Mid-major plus prospect.
Luke Harangody (6’8″ PF, Schererville (IN) Andrean HS) Has a big body and is very mobile, and he scored in a couple of ways. Sometimes he drove, sometimes he bullied his way inside, but the common denominator was that he mainly scored on close shots. He had 25 points in their semifinal win, but struggled in the final after pulling up with an apparent cramp and gamely trying to keep going. High-major prospect.
Spencer Hawes (6’11” C, Seattle (WA) Prep) At times, this big man impressed, but at other times, the fact that he’s a work in progress was quite evident. He has a decent frame and rebounded well, and can be an enforcer inside with shot-blocking, while his offense needs some polish and he was in foul trouble in another game. With continued physical maturity as well as playing improvement, this big-time prospect has lots of potential.
Tom Herzog (7’0″ C, Linden (MI) Powers Catholic HS) His body is maturing, so the physical is coming along, but the fundamentals are already there. He keeps the ball high, rebounds, uses his size well, and is efficient on the offensive end as he didn’t get many touches but got some baskets and to the foul line. High-major/big-time prospect.
Will Holland (6’3″ SG, Houston (TX) Lamar HS) He had his stroke on display during his team’s games, as he shot it well save for one small cold spell. Most of his shots came off the catch and shoot, as he went for 15 points in one game and 19 in their last game. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Kurt Huelsman (6’10” PF-C, St. Henry (OH) High) Possessing a good wingspan, he’s filling out some and looks like he has the tools to be an excellent interior defender. He didn’t get many touches offensively, so that’s a bit of an unknown. High-major minus/high-major prospect.
Tory Jackson (6’0″ PG, Saginaw (MI) Buena Vista HS) Although his overall play wasn’t as good as at some other events, he still showed things that make him one of the best point guards in the class. Most notably, if you give him the slightest opening, he’ll exploit it to score, as he finds plenty of ways to score. The well-built point guard had 16 points in one game and 13 in another, and he got a decent number of rebounds for his size. High-major prospect.
Damion James (6’8″ SF, Nacogdoches (TX) High) He’s athletic and skilled, which makes him a nice pickup for Oklahoma. He scored in multiple ways, handled the ball and rebounded, going for 14 points in one game we saw. High-major/big-time prospect.
Cory Johnson (6’7″ SF, Duluth (MN) East HS) Active forward really gets after it on both ends of the floor. He just plays the game, getting rebounds and baskets in the flow while also showing a decent handle for his size and some athleticism. High-major prospect.
Jerrod Johnson (6’7″ SF-PF, Humble (TX) High) Good size forward really shot the ball well over the weekend, as he was consistently knocking down three-pointers. He also has a good frame, and with more of an in-between game, he could be a very good player. High-major/high-major minus prospect.
Jervaughn Johnson (6’7″ SF, Compton (CA) Centennial HS) Athletic forward has a good upper body and is explosive, as we saw him get a dunk without a running start. His overall game isn’t there yet, but he’s athletic enough for the wing position. High-major minus prospect.
Marcus Johnson (6’3″ SG, Akron (OH) St. Vincent-St. Mary HS) Very athletic wing looks to be more of a scorer than a shooter, as he mainly scored on his strong drives to the basket. A good leaper, he used that to help finish and went for 17 points in two games. High-major minus/high-major prospect.
Avery Jukes (6’8″ PF, Snellville (GA) South Gwinnett HS) He has good size to play inside, and he stayed there, but seems to lack a touch on his shots. He got his touches inside, but always seemed to be off by just a bit, which may well have simply been a bad game. High-major prospect.
Jimmy Langhurst (5’11” PG, Willard (OH) High) He’s the kind of floor leader that can really make a team go, as he’s heady and tough. Not overly quick, he made solid decisions with the ball and shot it well when he got the opportunity, going for 22 points in one game and 12 in another. High-major minus/mid-major plus prospect.
Josh Mack (5’10” PG, Hopkinsville (KY) University Heights HS) Although short, he’s well-built and was an effective floor leader for his team. Not overly quick, he looks like a capable floor leader for some mid-major program.
John Mandeldove (7’0″ C, Atlanta (GA) Shiloh HS) Big man has a decent frame and showed some potential as a shot-blocker. He didn’t get a lot of touches on the offensive end, but he has the body to be a good contributor at the next level. High-major/high-major minus prospect.
T.J. Marion (6’3″ PG-SG, Aurora (IL) West HS) Athletic guard played the point a little during the weekend. He’s at his best making slashes to the hoop to score, using his leaping ability along the way, and he reached double figures in at least two games that we know of. Mid-major plus/high-major minus prospect.
Romain Martin (6’3″ SG, Minneapolis (MN) North HS) Lefty shooter played very well Saturday night to lead his team into the later rounds of the tournament. He has some quickness and showed a little in-between game, but he made his mark shooting the ball. He reached double figures in two games we saw, getting 12 in one game and 15 in another, both playoff games. High-major minus prospect.
Mason Maynard (6’9″ PF, Phoenix (AZ) Mountain Ridge HS) Good size post player is solid and unspectacular inside. He went for 17 in one game and generally played well. High-major/high-major minus prospect.
Landon Milbourne (6’7″ SF, Roswell (GA) St. Frandic HS) This lefty athlete showed an in-between game and also rebounded well when we saw him, though he didn’t look like the surest ball-handler as he lost it a few times. He has good size for the wing and is a high-major prospect.
Raymar Morgan (6’8″ SF-PF, Canton (OH) McKinley HS) Combo forward has tantalizing talent when he puts it all together, and he did that in this tournament. He’s athletic and has a good frame, played hard and strong, and played well at both ends of the floor. He scored in close on the post and knocked down a couple of jump shots as well. High-major/big-time prospect is probably more of a power forward.
Phil Nelson (6’8″ SF, Portland (OR) McNary HS) Active forward showed off his long range stroke in a playoff game we saw, as he went for 19 points. He’s capable of doing a little more than scoring, though that’s clearly his strength. High-major prospect.
Christian Polk (6’3″ PG-SG, Phoenix (AZ) Deer Valley HS) Potential combo guard has good size and a good frame, and clearly has lots of potential. He has three-point range and is a capable scorer, going for 21 in a game we saw, but he also made a few questionable decisions with the ball. High-major prospect.
Jerome Randall (5’10” PG, Lynwood (IL) Hales-Franciscan HS) Here’s a kid who is truly a pleasure to watch. He doesn’t have great size, but he’s quick, tough and cerebral, and he made a number of great plays to help his team. He’s a capable scorer who went for 14 points in one game and 19 in another, but best of all was his great passing, including when he was on the move. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect will make some school very happy.
Brandon Roberson (5’11” PG, Rosharon (TX) Angleton HS) Quick floor leader penetrated well and did a good job leading a team that went to the finals in its division. Mid-major plus prospect.
Reggie Shanks (6’4″ SG-SF, Houston (TX) Elsik HS) Athletic wing showed a good touch on mid-range jumpers and also rebounded well. He went for 12 points in one game and 13 in another and was a nice complementary player on a team that went far. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Harrison Smith (6’3″ SG, Houston (TX) Jones HS) If we could say anybody “blew up” at this tournament, it would be Smith, though that wouldn’t quite be accurate. He’s a good leaper who can flat-out score the ball and unspectacularly: in one game, he had the quietest 34 points you can imagine! He went for 21 points in another game and had himself a nice weekend. High-major prospect.
Mike Smith (6’6″ SF, St. Louis (MO) Van-Far HS) Scoring wing got some driving hoops and mixed in a three-pointer in one game we saw. He has a decent frame for his position and runs the floor well. Mid-major plus prospect.
Seth Tarver (6’5″ SG-SF, Portland (OR) Jesuit HS) In between the play of the stud forwards on his team, Tarver had himself a solid weekend on the wing. He really played the game well, showing a solid basketball IQ and being like another point guard on the floor. He shot it well, finished drives, and he has a good frame and is a nice athlete. High-major prospect.
Justin Taylor (6’0″ PG, St. Louis (MO) Webster Groves HS) Solid floor leader looked fearless in driving to the basket against the bigger players, as he went for 14 points in one game and was consistently getting in the lane. Mid-major plus/high-major minus prospect.
Demayious Thomas (6’3″ SG, West Laurens (GA) High) Not overly athletic, he impressed with his good frame on the wing and knocking down a couple of three-pointers in the game we saw. Mid-major plus/high-major minus prospect.
Lance Thomas (6’8″ SF-PF, Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s) In the only game we saw with him, he didn’t play well at all as he had just eight points, but not all of that is his fault. The reality is that the guards did a poor job of getting him the ball. That said, he didn’t have a great game at the defensive end, but we know this athletic combo forward is a very capable player and one of the best in the class. Big-time prospect.
J.T. Tiller (6’3″ SG, Atlanta (GA) Wheeler HS) He’s a very good scorer on the wing who also knocked down a couple of three-pointers, though that’s not his forte. He does his best with slashing to the basket and getting out on the break; he did that to the tune of 26 points in one game. High-major minus/high-major prospect.
Jamil Tucker (6’9″ SF, Gary (IN) West HS) With his size and skills, he oozes potential and showed some of it in helping his team to the final. He’s athletic and shot it well from mid-range and long range, while also handling it well and getting out in transition. He had 21 points in their semifinal win, but just 12 in the championship game. High-major/big-time prospect.
Dale Van Wright (6’6″ SF, Houston (TX) Bellaire HS) Athletic wing has good size but didn’t do much in the games we saw. He didn’t shoot much, but drove to the basket a few times with mixed success. High-major minus prospect.
Jarvis Varnardo (6’9″ PF-C, Brownsville (TN) Haywood County HS) Thin post player showed some potential inside, as he was active and blocked a few shots. On the offensive end, he went for 12 points in one game, and was clearly his team’s best inside threat. High-major minus prospect.
Willie Veasley (6’4″ SG-SF, Freeport (IL) High) He impressed with his athleticism on the wing, as we didn’t see him score much but the physical tools are there. We also saw him get on the boards, which is always a plus from the wing. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Will Walker (6’0″ PG, Bolingbrook (IL) High) Not a jet, he’s a quality point guard who really scored the ball this weekend. We saw him go for 15 in one game, and he had 32 in an earlier game in which he made seven three-pointers to show another dimension of his game. High-major minus prospect.
Bryce Webster (6’10” C, Mendota Heights (MN) St. Thomas Academy) Here’s one highly-regarded prospect who didn’t overly impress us. He has a mature frame and rebounded well, but was quiet on the offensive end. Part of that can be attributed to his teammates playing well, as they made a good run and he didn’t get a great many touches on offense. High-major prospect.
Heath White (6’2″ SG, Cincinnati (OH) Taft HS) Although a role player on his team, he’s an athletic slasher with some quickness and scoring ability. He doesn’t look to be a point guard, though he also didn’t shoot much from outside. High-major minus prospect.
Eric Wianney (6’2″ SG, Picayune (MS) High) Really shot the ball well in the one game we saw, making several three-pointers in the clutch. He’s not overly quick, but has a strong upper body and can get to the basket some, but as well as he shot the ball, he didn’t need to drive much. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Terrance Wilder (6’4″ SF-PF, Oakland (CA) McClymonds HS) Undersized power forward is a solid post scorer. He goes up strong and has good moves, and plays tough inside. If he had a little more semblance of a game away from the basket, he’d be an even better prospect. Mid/low-major prospect.
Anjuan Wilderness (6’5″ SF, Cairo (GA) High) A strong athlete, he has a lively body and his game away from the basket is really coming along. He’s a solid transition scorer and can get some offensive rebounds, and we saw him knock down a three-pointer in a 21-point effort. High-major prospect.
Danny Williams (6’3″ SG, Fremont (CA) High) An exceptional leaper, he’s clearly more of a scorer than a shooter, though he did knock down one three-pointer. He loves to drive to the basket and finish the break, going for 28 points in one game. High-major prospect is actually a current senior but may prep.
Ernest Williams (6’4″ SG-SF, Federal Way (WA) High) This lefty has a good frame and is athletic, but his skills have some catching up to do. He didn’t shoot well and missed badly a couple of times, but has the athleticism to play. Mid-major prospect.
Jeff Wilson (6’8″ PF, Chicago (IL) Hales Franciscan HS) Has a good frame, but didn’t play the game very well when we saw him. He’s active inside and out, but he made his share of questionable decisions, from passes to things he did with the ball. High-major minus prospect may prep next year.
Other players from the class of 2006 that caught our attention:
Nick Aldridge (6’8″ PF, South Webster (WV) High)
Brandon Brown (5’9″ PG, Houston (TX) Aldine HS)
Tim Carroll (6’6″ SF-PF, Cuyahoga Valley (OH) Christian)
Kasey Cunningham (6’7″ SF, Albuquerque (NM) Cibola HS)
Justin Dobbins (6’7″ PF, Glenville (OH) High)
Mikey Dominguez (6’3″ SG, Albuquerque (NM) Capital HS)
Pete Flowers (6’7″ PF, Eloyhurst (IL) Fenwick HS)
Bryson Hampton (6’7″ SF-PF, Portland (OR) Benson HS)
JaJuan Jones (6’5″ SG-SF, Douglasville (GA) Douglass County HS)
Mike Larsen (6’8″ SF-PF, Bluffdale (UT) Riverton HS)
Ramon Martinez (6’7″ SF, El Paso (TX) Montwood HS)
Devon McBride (6’4″ SG, Aston (PA) American Christian HS)
Kenny McClary (6’6″ SF, Los Angeles (CA) Westchester HS)
Ronnie Morgan (6’7″ SF-PF, Dallas (TX) DeSoto HS)
Cameron Rundles (6’1″ PG, Minneapolis (MN) DeLaSalle HS)
Darris Santee (6’8″ SF-PF, Houston (TX) Marshall HS)
Chop Tang (6’6″ SF, Mankato (MN) East HS)
Cameron Tatum (6’5″ SG-SF, Lithonia (GA) Tucker HS)
Octavious Warner (6’8″ PF, Westtown (PA) High)
Tristan Wilson (6’5″ SF, Phoenix (AZ) Apollo HS)
Cordero Yelder (6’0″ PG-SG, Chicago (IL) Richards HS)
