Playaz Ball Ruled By, Who Else, Playaz
NEW YORK – Though certainly not as heralded as the Nike Peach Jam taking place a ways south, the Playaz Ball brought together a good collection of teams mostly from the northeast corridor. Many teams from the New York metro area competed, while there were also several from New England and teams from as far away as Minnesota and Los Angeles.
Things didn’t start out easily on Friday, largely because of a scheduling conflict that became known just a few days prior to the tournament. Basketball City, where it was to be held, inadvertently booked a camp for young kids on Friday morning. Playaz director Jimmy Salmon tried to get one place for the entire tournament, but that couldn’t be done. The end result was the first four sets of games being played just across the Hudson River at Fairleigh Dickinson University and two high schools in Paterson, N.J. It didn’t make life much easier considering New York City isn’t one many people like to drive into in the first place, but once the morning session on Friday was over, things went smoothly.
It is likely to be the last event like this at the facility. Located at the Chelsea Pier looking out over the Hudson River, Basketball City’s lease expired two years ago and has been on borrowed time since then. In mid-September, it will be closed for good and work will begin on a new parking facility, according to a source.
In the 16-under final, the Playaz looked like they could make it a blowout early, jumping out to a 23-12 lead over the Boston-based Junior Celtics. But the Celtics rallied late in the first half to make a game of it, then ran out of gas in the second half, as they weren’t able to muster up much momentum as the Playaz went on to a 56-46 victory. Mike Rosario (6’1″ Jr. PG, Jersey City (NJ) St. Anthony’s HS) led the Playaz with 17 points, while Jarrett Mann (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, Middletown (DE) High) added 13. Kyle Stockmal (6’1″ So. PG, Watertown (MA) High) led the Junior Celtics with 11 points.
The 17-under final had an unlikely team there as of a couple of hours earlier, as the Juice All-Stars were down by 26 points at the half in their semifinal game before coming back for a 68-67 win over the GC Ballers. In the final, the Playaz used a run to go up 19-12 and never relinquished the lead the rest of the way in a 79-59 win. Chris Smith (6’1″ Sr. SG, Lakewood (NJ) St. Benedict’s) scored a game-high 25 points to lead four players in double figures.
Now, our player notes.
Mike Beasley (6’8″ Sr. PF, Riverdale (MD) school TBD) The Kansas State commit was a relative non-factor this time around after some good games this spring. He was in foul trouble and scored just four points in a loss to the New Heights Warriors, and his team was out after pool play. Reports are that he is no longer at Oak Hill Academy.
Malik Boothe (5’9″ Sr. PG, Queens (NY) Christ The King HS) Well-built guard drove to the basket and attacked the hoop all day. His floor leadership is solid, he’s tough and reached double figures in a couple of games, but the missing element is a consistent jumper. High-major minus prospect.
Tyrone Conley (6’2″ Sr. SG, Burlington (VT) High) Athletic guard opened up the tournament in style, going for 28 points with Vermont head coach Mike Lonergan among those watching. He scored in a few ways, with his jumper going down more later in the game.
Chris De la Rosa (5’11” Sr. PG, Bronx (NY) All Hallows HS) Solid floor leader knows how to run a team and can score the ball, though his best asset is his floor leadership. He handles and passes well and also talks to his teammates and gets them going. The biggest deficiency is his shooting, as he struggles with it (and that was no different here) but also doesn’t shoot it much. Mid-major prospect.
Raymond (R.J.) Evans (6’3″ Jr. SG, Norwich (CT) Free Academy) Athletic scorer had a solid showing, as he mainly scored on drives but also hit a few three-pointers. He has a good frame and went for 20 in one game and 13 in another (including four three-pointers).
Johnny Flynn (5’11” Sr. PG, Niagara Falls (NY) High) Pencil him in as one of those players who is having a big month of July, as he followed up his showing at ABCD with another excellent one here. The Syracuse commit just kept on scoring, showing time and time again that he’s so good finishing close to the basket with either hand. His efforts included games of 21, 19, and 14 points.
Jimmer Fredette (6’2″ Sr. PG-SG, Glens Falls (NY) High) Nice combo guard simply passes and shoots the ball well, and this was no exception. He’s not overly quick, but effective and takes good shots, going for 17 in one game and 15 in a playoff game.
Austin Freeman (6’4″ Sr. SG, Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha Catholic HS) Solidly built guard is tough to keep from scoring, as he’s athletic and gets out on the break. He went for 15 in one game we saw and was good, though he didn’t take over the game. High-major prospect committed to Georgetown.
David Gibbs (6’3″ Jr. PG-SG, Simsbury (CT) Masters School) He’s quick and can really drive to the basket and score, and has a good body. What we’d like to see is a jumper, which he didn’t take many of, although he did knock one of them down.
Lance Goulbourne (6’6″ Sr. SF, Roselle (NJ) Hun School) He didn’t score much, but certainly showed what he’s capable of doing. A plus athlete, he has a good frame and can shoot it, including off the dribble. High-major minus/mid-major plus prospect.
Malcolm Grant (6’0″ Sr. PG, Brooklyn (NY) Winchendon School) Even with a bum knee, he continues to shoot the ball well after he did so for much of the spring. A few of his shots came at key points as well. High-major prospect committed to Villanova.
Garrett Green (6’9″ Sr. PF, Los Angeles (CA) Taft HS) Possessing good size and a decent frame, he impressed with his overall game as he ran the floor to finish the break and also showed a little touch shooting the ball. We saw him go for 17 points in an easy win for his team.
Nick Greenbacker (6’8″ Jr. PF, East Hartford (CT) East Catholic HS) Lanky post player didn’t have a big role on offense, but looks like he could be a presence and also scored 10 points in one game, largely on close baskets.
Rasheem Jenkins (5’11” Sr. PG, Bronx (NY) Hotchkiss HS) Well-built guard shot the ball well against a good Playaz team en route to 14 points. He’s not a jet, but has some quickness.
Garret Kissell (6’8″ Sr. PF, Barrington (RI) St. Andrew’s School) Quietly, he appears to be making himself into a low Division I prospect after he was borderline on that for a while. He still needs to get in better shape, but he’s become a better factor on the glass and has some better skills inside, though he still misses too many shots close to the basket.
Nick Leon (5’11” Jr. PG-SG, Brooklyn (NY) Patterson School) Undersized shooter has a mature body and shot the ball like he’s capable of. He reached double figures in all three of his team’s playoff games, including one very deep three-pointer that we saw.
Kevon Lynch (6’6″ Sr. PF, Laurinburg (NC) Institute) In the semifinal win by the Juice All-Stars, there might not have been a player who made a bigger impact. Lynch came off the bench in the second half and sparked the comeback with blocked shots, rebounds and tough play at both ends of the floor. As if that’s not enough, he ran the floor and is more athletic than he looks, so one can imagine how good he can be in better shape.
Terrell Lynch (6’8″ Sr. PF, Niagara Falls (NY) High) As we saw him have his moments, one thing seems clear: the potential is there, and he’s probably a better player than he shows. He did score a quiet 10 points in one pool play game, and he had a few good efforts on the boards, but he still leaves us wanting a little more. High-major minus prospect.
Mark Lyons (6’1″ Sr. PG, Schenectady (NY) High) Athletic point guard has good size and is capable of filling it up, as evidenced by a 25-point game he had. At his size, he is able to dunk the ball, and that leaping ability helps him finish close.
Andrew McCarthy (6’7″ Jr. PF, Cambridge (MA) BB&N HS) Very active lefty forward played well close to the basket. Not only is he adept at drawing contact and getting to the foul line, but he also finishes well even when fouled despite badly needing to gain strength (and in one instance, coming while he clearly didn’t have much left in the tank in the final), and we saw him stay with a miss on one play and ultimately get the basket.
Tyrone Nash (6’7″ Sr. PF, Northfield (MA) Mount Hermon) Well-built forward really battled inside and generally held his own operating on the low post. He’s a capable passer and can score inside, and he’s also athletic, but the missing element is a jumper that we saw him take only one of. He had 17 in a win over DC Assault, but seemed to disappear at times. Mid-major plus prospect.
Jake O’Brien (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Dorchester (MA) Boston College HS) Seemingly searching for an identity as a player to go with his size, this lanky forward played some good basketball in helping his team reach the final. He rebounded and was generally effective inside, scored a couple of post baskets and also hit a couple of fadeaway jumpers to boot.
Corey Raji (6’6″ Sr. SF-PF, Westwood (NJ) High) He’s an intriguing prospect because overall, the jury is out on him, though we like what we see. The lefty knows how to score and has done so in several ways, he’s athletic but not a great athlete, and he’s a little small for power forward. To a degree, he looks like a tweener, but the way he plays suggests he can make the move to small forward at the next level. High-major minus/high-major prospect.
Quinton Redfern (5’10” Sr. PG, Bronx (NY) New Rochelle HS) Though not a jet, he is quick and goes right for the basket when driving. He reached double digits a couple of times during the tournament.
Edwin Santiago (6’2″ Sr. SG, Wilmington (DE) Sanford School) Good size guard showed a little combo guard ability, although he certainly looks more like a shooting guard. He showed a little shooting touch en route to 15 points in his team’s last pool play game.
Chris Smith (6’1″ Sr. SG, Lakewood (NJ) St. Benedict’s) Very athletic leaper did what he did all spring: scored. He’s not a big creator, but he can get to the basket and knock down jumpers, though the latter isn’t his forte. He had 25 in the title game and 24 in an early pool play game. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Rashon Tabb (6’0″ Jr. PG-SG, Niagara Falls (NY) High) Well-built guard really broke out here, especially in his team’s semifinal loss. He constantly scored the ball and shot it well from long range, looking more like a scorer than a playmaker. We saw him go for 18 in one game, 11 in another and 30 points in the semifinal loss, and he did play a part in that loss since he was quiet in the second half.
Kevin Thompson (6’6″ Sr. PF, Baltimore (MD) Walbrook HS) This well-built athlete impressed in how he used his strength inside and also showed the ability to hit from mid-range off the dribble. His skills look to be those of a power forward who can step away from the basket and hit a jumper to keep a defender honest.
Jamal Turner (6’3″ Jr. PG-SG, Roxbury (MA) Thayer Academy) A solid floor leader, he helped lead his team into the 16-under final with good all-around play. He plays the point guard spot well and also rebounded from that spot, and has good quickness and a feel for the game.
Erving Walker (5’8″ Jr. PG, Brooklyn (NY) Christ The King HS) One of the top rising junior point guards we’ve seen, Walker had another good tournament shooting the ball from long range. He went for 22 and 15 in two playoff games and has a good upper body. The main thing left now, besides continuing to get better, is to grow a few more inches.
Other prospects who caught our eye at the Playaz Ball:
Ryan Bacon (6’7″ Sr. SF-PF, Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s)
Oscar Bellfield (6’3″ Jr. SG, Los Angeles (CA) Taft HS)
Kenny Belton (6’8″ Sr. PF, Greensboro (NC) Dudley HS)
D.J. Boney (6’5″ Sr. SF, Wilmington (DE) Tatnall HS)
Jermaine Cooper (6’3″ Sr. SG, Baltimore (MD) Maine Central Institute)
Jarred Famous (6’11” Sr. C, Lee (ME) Academy)
Edgar Garibay (6’10” Jr. PF-C, Compton (CA) High)
Jarrett Mann (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, Middletown (DE) High)
Kevin Menner (6’4″ Sr. SF, Brooklyn (NY) Winchendon School)
Matt Michard (6’9″ So. PF, Montreal (Que.) Vanier HS)
Aroclet Molomba Mbay (6’7″ Jr. PF, Montreal (Que.) Vanier HS)
Anthony Nelson (6’1″ Sr. PG-SG, Plainfield (NJ) High)
Tyler Nicolai (5’11” Sr. PG, Hopkins (MN) High)
Mike Rosario (6’1″ Jr. PG, Jersey City (NJ) St. Anthony’s HS)
David Tairu (6’3″ Sr. SG, Philadelphia (PA) Lutheran Christian)
Rand Vanel (6’4″ Sr. SG-SF, Montreal (Que.) Vanier HS)
German Young (6’0″ Sr. PG, Montreal (Que.) Vanier HS)
