NEPTUNE, N.J. – Hoop Group’s headquarters was the home of the 2009 Reebok Summer Classic East. The tournament featured 48 teams in two divisions and was strictly in a bracket format, as it was last year. The facility features four courts, three of which were in use for the games, and all three of which saw plenty of college coaches check out the players.
In the 16-under final, Team Phenom grabbed the lead early and built up a 14-point halftime lead over the New York Panthers. The Panthers would rally in the second half, but it simply wasn’t enough as Team Phenom took home a 77-69 win. Devin Coleman (6’3″ Jr. SG, Wynnewood (PA) Friends Central School) led Team Phenom with 20 points, while Jabril Trawick (6’5″ Jr. SF, Abington (PA) Friends HS) added 17. Tyrus Weaver (5’10” Sr. PG, Windsor (CT) High) led the Panthers with 24 points.
The New York Panthers wouldn’t walk away empty-handed, however, as they took home the 17-under final by breaking the game open in the second half against God’s Glory. Up six at the half, they held a double-digit lead for a lot of the second half en route to an 84-61 win. Deshaun Wiggins (6’2″ Sr. SG, Bronx (NY) Winchendon School) led five Panthers in double figures with 17 points, while Winston Graham (6’1″ Sr. SG, Lee (ME) Academy) added 16.
Now, we take a look at some of the players in this event.
Mike Accaoui (5’10” Sr. PG-SG, Winchendon (MA) School) One of several shooters his team put on the floor, he went for 14 points with four three-pointers as his team scored a big win over the Playaz. He was clearly better in that game than his first, and he had another double-digit outing in his team’s last game.
C.J. Aiken (6’10” Sr. SF-PF, Abington (PA) High) A thin post player, this recent Saint Joseph’s commit played mostly away from the basket and showed some good potential, along with some question marks. Although he’s athletic, he’s not the most fluid going off the dribble and isn’t much of an inside presence at either end. The plus side is that he drew fouls when near the basket and is able to get scoring chances, once getting a dunk off a miss. High-major minus prospect.
Jonathan Arledge (6’8″ Sr. PF, Washington (DC) KIMA) Post player has a good frame and a body that’s not fully mature yet, and also runs the floor and is pretty fluid. The lefty showed some promise at the offensive end, although he faded away on a jumper, and he wasn’t the biggest factor on the boards.
Waverly Austin (6’10” Sr. C, Fernanding Beach (FL) Progressive Christian School) One of the most talented players in this tournament, he has a good post body with some length that he used well and looks capable of dominating a game. He runs the floor well and finished a few fast breaks, while he also led the break one time and spun past a defender for a dunk that had a few people buzzing. Although he was careless with some outlet passes, he can finish with either hand and has good ball skills for a big man, and he got his share of points on stickbacks. Big-time prospect reportedly has some work to do academically.
Antonio Barton (6’1″ Sr. PG, Baltimore (MD) Notre Dame Prep) A baby physically, this Memphis commit was especially dangerous in transition, as he led and finished the break well, including one time when he made a nice reverse layup. He has range out to the three-point line on his jumper, making three from long range en route to 14 points in his team’s opener.
Tyshawn Bell (6’7″ Sr. SG-SF, Camden (DE) Caesar Rodney HS) One of the better prospects on a good team, he has a nice combination of physical gifts and ability. Very athletic and well-built, he has a good body and shot the ball very well in a couple of games, going for 19 in one and 14 in another. For good measure, he also made a highlight-reel play in getting back to block a fast break layup attempt in his team’s first game. High-major prospect.
Simon Bibeau (6’2″ Sr. SG, Champlain (Que.) St. Lambert) Clearly his team’s best player, he did a lot of things for his team from the backcourt. He shot the ball well from long range, but didn’t stop there as he constantly attacked and made several good passes, showing that he’s certainly more than just a shooter. Mid-major prospect.
Davion Boardingham (6’6″ Sr. SF-PF, Newark (NJ) Shabazz HS) On his team, he’s a complementary player, and a good one at that as he has tools to play either forward. Here, he looked like a garbage man inside, rebounding and scoring some close baskets, but he also ran the floor and in prior viewing has shown some ability to play the wing. At the very least, he appears to be an athletic power forward. Mid-major prospect.
Terrance Bobb-Jones (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, Wilmington (DE) Delcastle HS) Very athletic wing has a good body and was constantly attacking. It seemed like every other play, he was attacking the basket to try to score or draw a defender for a teammate, and while he didn’t score often, he was certainly a factor and will be a prospect to keep an eye on.
Tre Bowman (6’3″ Sr. SG, Oakdale (CT) St. Thomas More) An athletic wing with a good body, he looked good at times and disappeared at others. In going for 25 points in his team’s opener, he was hot in the first half but never got going in the second half until it was too late. He showed a good touch from long range and made a nice baseline runner among his scores off the dribble.
Jordan Bronner (6’0″ Sr. PG, New Rochelle (NY) Iona Prep) Steady floor leader did a good job of running the show for a team that looked like it had a good shot to reach the final before bowing out in the semifinals. He’s thin but has a little physical maturity, generally took good care of the ball and found teammates, while also going for 20 points in the tough loss. Mid-major prospect.
Daniel Brooks (6’2″ Sr. SG, West Roxbury (MA) Catholic Memorial HS) It’s clear that he’s more of a scorer than a shooter, as he continues to be much better going to the basket than shooting jumpers. He helped his team to two big wins, scoring 16 points in one of them, largely on drives and short jump shots. A concern is that he tends to crouch down when he tries to go up for a shot off the dribble, which doesn’t help him get his shot off over a taller player and he’s not a great athlete to begin with.
David Burgos (6’1″ Jr. PG-SG, New York (NY) Wadleigh HS) Impressive lefty guard had a good showing, although he didn’t play as well in the championship game. He’s not lacking quickness and showed a touch shooting the ball, although that doesn’t appear to be his forte. In the semifinals, he went for 26 points to lead his team into the title game.
Elijah Carter (6’1″ Sr. PG-SG, Jersey City (NJ) St. Anthony’s) More of a scorer than a playmaker despite his size, he led a big second-half rally that fell short in his team’s final game. In scoring 25 points, he knocked down six three-pointers and was tough to stop, and he also turned a steal into a layup as well. Mid-major plus prospect.
Dajuan Coleman (6’9″ So. PF-C, Dewitt (NY) Jamesville-Dewitt HS) Although he has a big body, he’s clearly lost some weight in the last month since we saw him at Rumble in the Bronx. It’s a good thing, because he’s clearly in better shape and was much more mobile. His post moves were better and he looks a little athletic now, and he was a better post scorer whose fundamentals were more apparent. If he keeps improving his conditioning, there’s a high ceiling for him.
Dave Coley (6’2″ Sr. SG, Brooklyn (NY) Winchendon School) Athletic guard has a slight frame but loves to go to the basket, and he did that constantly. His primary way of scoring was on drives, as he finished well and rarely looked to shoot from outside en route to 19 points in a tough losing effort.
Myles Davis (6’0″ Jr. SG, Plainfield (NJ) St. Peter’s Prep) Known for his shooting, especially since he’s at times become very hot from long range, his shots weren’t going here. To his credit, he didn’t let that hurt his game, as he instead went by his man often and later his shot came around a little as he went for 25 points in a losing effort.
Rysheen Dorn (6’4″ Sr. SF, Philadelphia (PA) Friere Charter School) A scoring wing, he went for 17 points in each of two games largely by slashing to the basket. He has the quickness to get by opponents, offsetting his need to gain strength in his upper body, and finishes well. One play that stood out was in his team’s opening game, where he made a nice steal and turned it into a layup at the other end. Mid-major prospect.
Tyrone Garland (6’1″ Sr. PG, Philadelphia (PA) John Bartram HS) Based on his play at the Reebok All-American Camp, it was hard to see him as a Virginia Tech-level player as he committed there a few days earlier, but he certainly looked the part here. He’s energetic and makes his team go, is able to score in every way while involving teammates, and made several tough passes along the way, many on the move. For good measure, he rebounded from the point guard spot and has a good body.
Marquis Gentry (6’7″ Sr. PF, Washington (DC) Ballou HS) A plus athlete on the low block, he didn’t shine offensively but played no small role in his team’s run to the final. He blocked a few shots and was a force on the glass, and while he didn’t score much, he did show a touch on a short jumper that suggests he’s not entirely lacking offensive talent. Mid-major prospect.
Sterling Gibbs (6’1″ Jr. PG, West Orange (NJ) Seton Hall Prep) He led his team to the championship with solid all-around play at the point guard spot. A consistent double-digit scorer in the tournament, he shot the ball well from long range and found gaps to get to the basket for scores and assists, finishing with the left hand on occasion. One key play was where he made a steal and drove right in for a conventional three-point play in the final.
Kendall Gray (6’6″ Sr. PF, Woodside (DE) Polytech HS) It was easy for him to get lost on his team, which was loaded with guards and wings along with a terrific big man, but he held his own as a role player. He scored a few inside baskets, including on a stickback, got a couple of blocked shots, and was better in his team’s second game than their first. Mid-major prospect.
Zalmico Harmon, Jr. (5’11” Sr. PG, Arlington (VA) Ballou HS) Well-built guard helped lead his team into the championship game with some good backcourt play. He finished the break and knocked down some shots from mid-range, and played well within the team concept much like his teammates.
Philip Hawkins (6’0″ Sr. PG-SG, Washington (DC) Eastern HS) Well-built guard is more of an undersized shooting guard who consistently scored well for his team as they reached the championship game. He has range out to the three-point line, but also took the occasional questionable shot, like one where he drove left right past the basket and faded away.
Dustin Hogue (6’5″ Sr. SF, Yonkers (NY) Lincoln HS) Athletic scoring wing had a good showing in helping his team to the semifinals. More of a scorer than a shooter, he went for 19 points in his team’s last win, scoring largely with his in-between game. On several occasions, he did so with a baseline drive that led to a layup. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Kyrie Irving (6’2″ Sr. SG, Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick’s HS) It’s already a given that he can flat-out score, as that stands out about him more than anything and he did nothing here to dispel that notion. But let’s note a few other things that stood out in his play here. He’s unselfish, as he isn’t a player determined to put up points, is strong and competes all the time, and plays consistently regardless of the score or situation and never seems rattled. High-major/big-time prospect.
Antonio Jennifer (6’5″ Sr. SF-PF, Washington (DC) McKinley Tech) He has some talent but is a little difficult to figure out from his play here. He isn’t physically mature yet, with a thin upper body in particular, and at times he struggled to finish even close shots while barely getting off the ground when shooting a jumper. But he also scored better as the tournament went along, scoring 23 in his team’s semifinal win and 15 in the losing effort in the final. Mid-major minus prospect.
Durand Johnson (6’6″ Sr. SG-SF, Baltimore (MD) Parkville HS) Long wing player had an excellent showing despite his team’s loss in the quarterfinals. He shot the ball very well from long range, and used that to get his game off the dribble going, which he did with some driving layups (finishing with the left hand when needed) and making several good passes, including a couple on the move. High-major minus/high-major prospect.
Frantz Massenat (6’3″ Sr. PG, Hamilton (NJ) Trenton Catholic HS) A solid floor leader with good size for his position, the lefty was dangerous when he penetrated, which he was able to do frequently. He was adept at finding a teammate while on the move, while also finishing when he got the chance and even when fouled, and usually made good decisions with the ball. Mid-major plus prospect.
Cleveland Melvin (6’8″ Sr. SF-PF, Fitchburg (MA) Notre Dame Prep) A dangerous transition player, he really shined on the low post as he constantly got the ball and made a quick move to score. He was basically a garbage man, scoring any which way when he got the ball inside, including a 25-point effort to open the tournament. High-major minus prospect.
Frank Mitchell (6’6″ Sr. PF, Hillsborough (NJ) High) A good glue guy-type, his body still has some maturing to do. He ran the floor well and doesn’t try to do too much, and in so doing manages to help his team. Mid-major prospect.
Jesse Morgan (6’4″ Sr. SG, South Kent (CT) School) He wasn’t here on Sunday, but in his team’s two games on Saturday he played well by being aggressive on offense. He scored well in part from some good long range shooting, as he made four three-pointers in one game, and also went to the glass a few times and got at least one stickback along the way for his efforts.
Anthony Myles (6’4″ Sr. SF, Dover (DE) Polytech HS) There was no question about his effort, as he constantly battled despite struggling, especially shooting the ball. In fact, his inability to shoot, undoubtedly a result of the odd shot release he has, is the one knock on him. He’s not afraid of contact and got a lot of offensive boards and loose balls, and that helped him go for 16 points in one game and 13 in another. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Ryan Rhoomes (6’8″ Sr. PF, Flushing (NY) Cardozo HS) Improving post player is having a pretty good month thus far, as he showed well here. He’s always been able to rebound, and he did so at a high level here, and he continued to run the floor well. But he’s clearly getting better on offense, scoring inside and not just on stickbacks, and add in the good outlet passes he’s made to go with running the floor and you have a good improvement. High-major minus prospect.
Ronald Roberts (6’7″ Sr. SF-PF, Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter’s Prep) Although his game is rough around the edges, he’s a very good prospect whose body isn’t there yet. He’s a high-energy player who rebounds the ball well and did that here, runs the floor and gets baskets in transition and on stickbacks, doing that to the tune of 23 points against a small team. There’s a lot to like, as he’s shown the ability to play both forward spots with continued improvement. High-major minus/high-major prospect.
Travis Robinson (6’5″ Sr. SF, Wynnewood (PA) Friends Central School) A very athletic wing with a good body, his reputation is of a scorer and not a shooter and he basically did nothing to change that here. He did knock down a long two-point shot, but his strength was getting to the basket and using ball toughness when a defender had a chance to make a play.
Soutiri Sapnas (6’1″ Sr. PG-SG, Newtown (PA) Marple Newtown HS) More of a scorer than a playmaker, he has a thin upper body but plays stronger than he looks. He has enough range on his jumper that it must be respected, but looked better going to the basket, where he finished well en route to efforts that included 21 and 26-point games.
Russ Smith (5’11” Sr. PG, Briarwood (NY) South Kent School) Don’t let his appearance fool you, as he might have a very slight frame and be thin all around but he isn’t afraid to go inside. He constantly attacked the hoop, as he usually does, one time using a screen nicely to free himself up to drive and showing that he can finish with the left hand. His jump shots weren’t going like they often do, but he still went for 20 points in a losing effort. Mid-major plus/high-major minus prospect.
Daniel Stewart (6’6″ Sr. PF, Philadelphia (PA) St. John HS) Athletic forward looks to be more of an undersized post skill-wise, although he has the athleticism to play on the wing. He has a good body that’s not fully mature yet, and he scored several times on quick post moves while also running the floor and showing a little touch from the baseline. His efforts included a 23-point outing. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Jeff Tagger (6’0″ Sr. PG, Brockton (MA) Taft School) Still a baby physically, it wasn’t entirely surprising that he had some difficulty fighting off screens at the defensive end. However, he did play some good defense and looked scrappy, doing all he could to try to limit the talented guards he had to defend. He didn’t shine offensively, but helped his team pull off two big wins. Excellent student is a borderline Division I prospect.
Donte Thomas (6’2″ Jr. SG, Washington (DC) Ballou HS) Probably the best offensive player on a team not loaded with tremendous individual talent at that end, he had a nice run here. A plus athlete with a good body, he was active and showed the ability to finish with the left hand while also showing a little range on his jumper. He topped 20 points twice in helping his team to the championship game, where he had one of those games as he had 22 in the losing effort. Mid-major prospect.
Tyrus Weaver (5’10” Sr. PG, Windsor (CT) High) A baby physically with a slight frame, he had his stroke on display in leading his team to the 16-under title game and put up 20 or more points in both the semifinal and final. While his shooting was the main attraction, he also showed the ability to finish while getting fouled on a drive to the basket. Since he’s more of a scorer than a playmaker at his size, he looks like a low-major prospect.
Dondre Whitmore (5’9″ Sr. PG, Hamilton (NJ) Trenton Catholic HS) When he got open from long range, the shot went down often as he’s capable of lighting it up. The one issue he faces is that his size dictates him being a point guard, and he didn’t show much in the way of playmaking although he’s far from a ball hog.
Deshaun Wiggins (6’2″ Jr. SG, Bronx (NY) Winchendon School) Athletic guard can certainly score, and he did that here with efforts that including leading his team in that category in the championship game. He tends to hunt for his own shot and isn’t really a combo guard, and he’s capable of scoring on jumpers as well as on drives.
Akeem Williams (5’10” Sr. PG-SG, Brockton (MA) Winchendon School) In helping to lead his team to two big wins, he showed how far his game has come from the days when he was primarily a long range shooter without much game off the dribble. Here, he didn’t play his best ball, but went for double digits in each game including 19 in one of them. He didn’t make the best decisions with the ball and his shot wasn’t always going, but he put up the points and drove well with hesitation moves and even occasionally just getting right by his man. Borderline Division I prospect.
Derrick Williams (6’6″ Sr. PF, Jersey City (NJ) St. Anthony’s) Wide-bodied post is strong inside and uses his body to score when he gets the ball. He also runs the floor better that you might expect at first, and in a tough loss that ended his team’s run here he went for 16 points against a good front line. The one knock is that he is a little undersized for the power forward spot. High-major minus prospect.
Other players who caught our attention:
Alex Hackett (6’0″ Jr. PG, Wilmington (DE) Delcastle HS)
Sherman Blandford (6’4″ Sr. SF, Philadelphia (PA) Communications Tech)
Isaiah Gands (6’9″ Jr. PF, Philadelphia (PA) Boys Latin Charter School)
Derrick Gordon (6’1″ Jr. PG-SG, Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick’s HS)
Evan Kelley (6’4″ Sr. SG-SF, Norwalk (CT) High)
Khalid Lewis-El (6’3″ Jr. SG, Hamilton (NJ) Trenton Catholic HS)
Dominic Morris (6’6″ Sr. PF, Wynnewood (PA) Friends Central School)
Robbie Poole (6’3″ Jr. SG, Haddonfield (NJ) Paul VI HS)
Barry Posey (6’6″ Sr. SF, New York (NY) Transit Tech)
Sam Pygatt (5’11” Jr. PG, Plymouth (PA) Whitemarsh HS)
Karee Watson (6’8″ Sr. PF, Baltimore (MD) Lake Clifton HS)
