December 2010

By Justin Shockley

On Friday night in Lenoir, NC two greater Hickory area teams from the Northwestern 3A-4A Conference faced off in a low scoring affair that saw Hibriten edge out previously undefeated St. Stephens 53-47. The Hibriten Panthers were able to secure their first win of the season with a second half rally comprised of stout defense and outstanding ball control. St. Stephens seemed out of synch most the night and had trouble scoring the ball in the second half. The third quarter was especially dreadful for the Indians who only scored five points in eight minutes of play. Players from both teams showed some promise and their skills could translate to playing at the college level.

Player Notes & Scouting Reports

St. Stephens Indians

Harrison Bowne, SF-PF, 6’5” (Senior)

The left handed senior, who was returning to action after missing time with a mild concussion, seemed sluggish at times throughout the game especially in the second half. Bowne has a tendency to trail during fast break opportunities, and even brings the ball up at times. Bowne has good ball handling skills for his size as well as good perimeter footwork and a nice first step to beat slower post players to the basket. Bowne finished the game with only ten points but showed some good vision when passing despite several close range misses by his teammates.

Bowne is bulky and has a strong lower body but has a tendency to pull up for short jumpers rather than beat and bang down low. Bowne’s intensity on defense needs improvement as he often seems nonchalant. When playing zone defense his block outs were questionable at best and he too often relied simply on his size to get rebounds. At the college level his defensive fundamentals will need to be better because his size will be less significant.

Andrew Zachrich, PG, 6’0” (Senior)

The Indians’ point guard is deceptively quick with great vision in transition. His ball handling skills were showcased throughout the night as he often dribbled easily around multiple defenders. An unselfish point guard is harder to come by in today’s game than one might think but Zachrich is a generous passer and facilitator of the offense. Zachrich has solid on ball defense skills and quick hands, stealing the ball several times from his opponent. The thin point guard needs to bulk up to be successful at the college level as well as work on his long range shooting consistency. Zachrich did show great consistency from mid-range and finished with 13 points.

Aaron Grier, SG, 6’3’’ (Senior)

Athletic, long, and very defensively active describe this shooting guard. Showed great intensity on defense and was especially effective in full court press defense as well as the 1-3-1 zone. Grier has a soft shooting touch and enough range to hit the three and was able to finish with 10 points. A quick first step helped him beat his defender to the basket several times. Grier needs to work on his ball handling and passing to be successful collegiately.

Hibriten Panthers

Michael Burgess, PG, 6’1” (Junior)

A shoot first point guard, Burgess had a weak first half but came on strong in the second half to lead all scorers with 19 points. Burgess has a quick first step but had several close range misses and needs to work on finishing in traffic. Burgess missed several opportunities to pass to open teammates in favor of creating his own shot, something that won’t fly at the next level. Burgess has the ability to hit the three point shot but needs to work on his off the ball movement to get open as well as on his overall consistency. While Burgess showed some flashes of excellence on defense, he was lazy at other times on defense so his intensity must improve.

By Marcus Shockley

We talked about high profile basketball recruit Desmond Hubert last summer, and since then, he’s become even more known by some of the top schools. Now Hubert says his list is “Maryland, Villanova, Wake, UNC and Georgia Tech” according to recruiting analyst Clint Jackson.

That means Hubert has eliminated quit a few schools and is almost exclusively focused on the ACC, with Villinova being the only exception. Hubert will need to get stronger, but his shot blocking ability is something that college coaches love.

Desmon Hubert

Image courtesy VUHoops.com

By Marcus Shockley


Image courtesy FortBenning.us

It’s just about that time of year again, and with my own brother stationed overseas for his second tour-of-duty, the Holidays always hit home in a way that bites; it’s hard to imagine what life is like for the soldiers and military people like my brother, so far away from his wife and the rest of his family. That’s why I encourage everyone who is supporting someone in the military, or a veteran, to check out the army t shirts and navy t shirts offered at CafePress and maybe even send one over to someone who can’t make it home for the most special days.

There is a special place in my heart for those who serve to protect the country, and the sacrifice isn’t just during the Holidays, it’s every day of the year. I, like most Amercans, have the luxury of being able to forget that all too often. The safety that soldiers like my own brother, grandfathers, cousins and uncles provided is the very safety that allows me to forget. With that in mind, I think it is important to take the time to remember and support the U.S. Army in any we can, and not just on the nostalgic days like the ones in December. It’s too often a thankless, and unfortunately, almost invisible job in our society, a sad testament to just how good they are at what they do. I only hope that I can live up to the freedom and opportunities that my brother and other members who have served provided me.

By Marcus Shockley

Jared Sullinger Ohio State

Image Courtesy Cleveland.com

Team Notes

Ohio State has bounced around the top five all season and, behind the inside power play of freshman Jared Sullinger and several sure-handed and quick-footed combo guards, remains as one of the top teams in the nation. As far as how they stack up against other national competition, it’s still not clear. They only have one solid outside shooter in Jon Diebler, although David Lighty is not a guy to be left open.

When Aaron Craft is on the floor, he’s the point guard, but Ohio State has so many versatile combo guard-forwards that they often run for periods of time without a true point. When this happens, Lighty, Diebler and William Buford all can handle the ball well enough for the offense to function. Lighty and Buford are slashers that can cause problems for the defense.

In fact, that’s Ohio State’s M.O. this season, slash to the hoop from the wings, kick back outside the perimeter, and either shoot or slash again until a shot opens up. The only issue with that is that it often leaves Sullinger without getting much in the way of entry passes, but it shows how effective he is at getting points anyway. It also shows why Dallas Lauderdale seems to disappear for stretches, because the offense is not designed as inside-out, and he’s not as effective at getting into the offense on his own as Sullinger is. I could see real match up problems with teams like Kansas, who have big forwards who can drift away from the paint.

A notable freshman besides Sullinger is DeShaun Thomas, a 6’6″ SG/SF who looks to score every time he touches the ball and also fits right into head coach Thad Matta’s group of ballhanding forwards who can slash. Right now Thomas is a player who is still working to bring his high school scoring touch to the college game, but he looks promising.

Scouting Reports

Jared Sullinger, PF, 6’9″

Inside power player who plays with his back to the basket. Sullinger’s entire game is based on strength and power, but not high rising above-the-rim play. All of his offense comes in the paint and off of the low block. He’s very hard to defend when he gets the ball and both feet in the paint, gets his shot up quickly, can shoot the hook with either hand and his footwork is spectacular. Naturally right handed. Decent from the free throw line (68% plus) for a big man, but the issue with Sullinger is that he is a pure center with power forward size. He might be a ‘Big Baby’ Davis type of center in the NBA, but he’s a little quicker than Davis, and if he had any kind of consistent range would be able to play the NBA 4 spot. Currently, he’s a center all the way in skill set. The defensive scheme against Sullinger is to push him out of the paint, either with a big body or a double team. Not a three point shooter at all. He also has struggled to establish position when playing against centers with NBA size, but he is active and often draws double teams, which he will attempt to pass out of, something many centers never learn.

Most effective in the half court offense, getting loose balls around the rim and has a pretty good nose for the ball. Tends to trail on the break.

A position rebounder, Sullinger is sure handed with the ball and difficult to push off of the block. Since the Ohio State offense has, thus far, not focused on going exclusively to him, he’s managed to score no matter whether the shot is from him or someone else. A definite NBA prospect, and he’s expected to go pro after this season. I’m not sure yet if Sullinger is worth a lottery pick just yet, despite so many boards claiming so; he’s a dominant college big man but doesn’t have the mid range game to score outside of the rim area. I’d really be keen to see what makes Sullinger more of a lottery pick than, say, Tyler Hansbrough, who was the same size, same speed and had more shooting range. Like Sullinger, Hansbrough was a dominante college center who is still working to prove he can make the leap to the pros. However, if a team is willing to pick Sullinger up and wait to see if his game translates to the pros, he’ll go.

David Lighty, SG/SF, 6’5″

A slashing small forward who handles the ball well enough to play the shooting guard as well, although not a sharpshooter. Right handed. Lighty is a player who would need to consistently be able to play the 2 and possibly even the 1 with his size in the NBA, and even though he is quick enough, he will need to prove he can not only beat his man off of the dribble, but pull up and hit the jumper when he needs to. He has shown that he can hit it, he just needs to show that he’s deadly with it.

Right now he can get around his man at the college level, but the zone defense causes issues for him in the paint; that won’t be a problem in the pros going against the man-to-man. He has an outside shot at landing in the NBA; will possibly get a second round pick or a look in the NBA summer league. If he doesn’t land an NBA roster spot he’s definitely a pro player overseas.

Jon Diebler, SG, 6’6″

The three-point-specialist on Ohio State, he cannot be left open from outside and rarely goes for long stretches of missing outside shots. He’s got good size for a shooting guard, and can handle the ball well enough to play the 2 at a pro level somewhere, although most likely not an NBA prospect. He does shoot well enough, but isn’t a consistent scorer in other aspects and is not a point guard.

William Buford, SG/SF, 6’5″

Like Lighty, a small forward who can handle the ball well enough to play the shooting guard. Has a good mid range game and can slash to the hoop, but is not a consistent threat from outside. Could get a look as a second round NBA pick or a summer league player.

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By Marcus Shockley

Brad Wanamaker

Team Notes

Could Pitt be the dark horse of the NCAA this season? While everyone is talking up Duke, Pitt has also opened up undefeated before losing to Tennessee and boasts a ton of experience on a team with size and strength. Head coach Jamie Dixon has put together a team that has a good shot to win the Big East, but also may go deep in the NCAA tournament and contend for a title. Pitt is strong enough this season to compare them against other national title contenders. The Achilles heel for Pitt is the lack of outside shooting; only Ashton Gibbs is a real threat from the perimeter and can’t be left open. This could, and probably will, be the difference in big games. Gibbs is a shooter that can hit all game long and under pressure, but no one else can be counted on, and it’s Gibbs sharpshooting ability that makes him Pitt’s leading scorer. Their most versatile player is shooting guard Brad Wanamaker, who does a lot of things and is a real ‘glue guy’ for the team, in addition to being one of the most consistent scorers that Pitt has.

Pitt’s biggest strength so far is their rebounding, particularly their offensive rebounding, which stems from their strength and experience. Pitt is not as deep with future pro talent as other top teams, but they have such an experienced and poised starting lineup that they can beat teams with patience, execution and strength. That is a great combination at the college level, especially now, when most top flight college teams are always trying to work in high flying freshman talent into their rosters.

Pitt does have a notable post player coming off of the bench in Dante Taylor, a 6’9″ power forward who often plays center for Pitt and is quick to the rim. He fits right in as an offensive rebounding force.

Scouting Reports

Brad Wanamaker, SG, 6’4″

Versatile scoring guard who does a lot of things on the court, including rebounding. Right handed. Can slash to the hoop and pull up for the mid range jumper, and can create his own shot. Has good strength for a guard, not exceptionally quick but plays strong with the ball. Upper body strength and hops to finish at the rim. Slashing moves create problems for the defense, and he also passes well out of trouble when the defense adjusts, but he tends to almost always drive to his left. Release on his perimeter shot is a bit slow and he tends to bring the ball too far back with his elbow out, and he’s not a consistent threat from deep, right now averaging 35.3% from outside the arc. I’m not sold on Wanamaker as an NBA prospect, even though he’s Pitt’s leading scorer. I think he might get a look in summer league, but he plays more like a slashing small forward than a shooting guard, isn’t a threat from outside and does not look like he’d be able to transition to the point guard spot. I think he’ll probably end up overseas, but he might get a look in the NBA summer league.

Gary McGhee, C, 6’11”

True post player who has size and strength to bang inside. Right handed. Has good hands and can catch the ball in traffic but is not a high flyer. Most effective in the half court sets, sets solid picks and establishes position on the low blocks, although he’s not used as Pitt’s primary offense. Has the size and fundamentals to play pro ball at some level, but not really sure if he’ll get much of an NBA look. He’s mostly a solid defender and position rebounder at this point. Very poor free throw shooter, only averaging 46% from the line.

Talib Zanna, PF, 6’9″

Long player who is working on developing an outside shot. Needs more time to really polish his game, looks like has has some upside.

Dante Taylor, PF, 6’9″

Offensive rebounding monster and great at getting to the rim. Athletic and runs the floor well. Right handed. Good hands and a passer from the post position. Best scoring post player that Pitt has. Is averaging 6.0 rebounds per game and 8+ points per game coming off of the bench. Definitely a player to keep an eye on, probably an NBA prospect. Right now it looks like his contributions on offense and defense are all around the rim, be he has a quick bounce and has a lot of potential. Taylor’s free throw form is a bit odd, the ball spins slightly sideways as he shoots, but he averages over 70% from the line.

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By James Blackburn

Tyler Zeller UNC Scouting Report

Image Courtesy Fox Sports

(Reports from Kentucky @ UNC game on 12/4/10)

Harrison Barnes, 6’8”, F, UNC

Barnes had disappointing outing disappearing for long stretches. Barnes is the most effective with the ball in his hands, but struggles to contribute with out it. He is a decent defender. He is a great shooter with good mechanics but needs to improve his shot selection. Barnes is definitely talented but I do not think he is a shoo-in to be the #1 pick in this next years NBA draft. He still has some growing to do.

Tyler Zeller, 7’0”, F/C, UNC

Zeller had one of the biggest games of his career. He is a good rebounder, who blocks out well. He is a great shot blocker and does a good job of running the floor. He has some nice post moves, even though he did not display his entire arsenal against Kentucky. He also can step out and hit the set 3pt. basket. Might be dark horse draft pick in a couple of years. Needs to improve overall passing game and dribbling.

John Henson, 6’10”, F, UNC

Henson also had a solid game, filling up the stat sheet. Henson is extremely long, athletic, and active. Very good rebounder and defender, who pursues the ball. Runs the floor like a deer and is capable of handling the ball in the open court. Good passer out of the post and does a good job of passing out of the double team. He needs to continue to work on his FT shooting and get stronger.

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By Marcus Shockley

Scoop Jardine

Image Courtesy UPI.com

Game Notes

Syracuse doesn’t return the firepower and senior leadership that made them so formidable last season, but they are still talented as a crop of new starters must work to replace the lost talent. Still running Jim Boeheim’s effective zone defense to thwart and slow down opponents, the Orange are off to a strong season start.

Perhaps the biggest factor in Syracuse’s early season success is the newly-svelte Rick Jackson, who shed 35 pounds in the off season. He’s blowing up and down the court, hammering the boards and offensive putbacks while playing himself into a legitimate NBA prospect. When the Orange faced off against Michigan State, no less than 60 pro scouts were in attendance, and even though the NBA draft is eons away at this point, Jackson has already shown that he looks like he might be worth a pick. He’s also gone from a role player to being possibly the most consistent player on Syracuse’s roster.

Overall, the Orange do not have the outside shooting that made them so dangerous all over the court last year, but they are playing Boeheim’s signature zone defense again to perfection, frustrating opponents and clogging the lane. The big bodies that Boeheim has managed to recruit fill this role perfectly, and the guards, while not scorchers from outside, are athletic and strong defenders. Scoop Jardine, who I watched at the CP3 camp this summer, has all of the look of a flashy point guard who just needs a consistent outside shot to make him a match up nightmare. Brandon Triche, who is a more pure point guard than Jardine, and also attended the CP3 camp, doesn’t add the scoring that Jardine does, but he’s strong and a solid ballhandler and passer.

Syracuse has not been strong from the free throw line this season, and must improve in order to finish off close games.

The player who is moving into the most involved new role is Kris Joseph, the small forward who was playing in the 6th man role last year and is expected to contribute at a much higher level this season. Syracuse is also getting good minutes from freshmen Dion Waters, who adds some offense as well, and Baye Moussa Keita, a 6’10” PF/C who is long and adds serious shot blocking ability. I’d say Keita is definitely a player with some pro potential. C.J. Fair, another freshman, adds some serious athleticism at 6’7″ and can slash to the hoop and finish.

Scouting Reports

Fab Melo, C, 7’0″

Big body who automatically has the ability to bang in the paint and be physical. Right handed. A true center who eats up space in the paint. Moderately nimble, not a big stiff center, more mobile than most seven-footers. Has a lot of the raw tools to be a force in the paint in the NBA, but still is a work in progress. Has good hands. Still raw, but not a project. Still working to be consistent at the 10 foot jumper and hook shot. Needs to show he can consistently score around the rim, but has a lot of potential. Not a good free throw shooter at this point. Still needs to work on his balance and in the zone works as a lane-clogger well but can get caught out of position at times. Can pass well for a true center, but isn’t drawing double teams yet. Probably needs a little time to really see what kind of upside he might have.

Scoop Jardine, PG, 6’2″

Scoring point guard who is looking more fluid in the role of running the offense while also knowing how to look for his shot. Has good strength and a pit bull attitude at the point. Right now, not a consistent outside shooter and hasn’t proven he can get to the rim as needed, but with his strength and athleticism, could be dangerous with an outside shot. Still needs time to show he can be an NBA player, but definitely will play pro at some level.

Rick Jackson, PF, 6’9″

Runs the floor extremely well and can catch the ball on the move and finish. Left handed. Very active around the rim and a problem for slower defenders in the post. A post player who has the size and agility to potentially play at the pro level. Has lost a lot of weight in the offseason and looks very good now on the move, much more agile and active. Plays hard under the rim, follows his own shot hard, grabs loose balls and finds ways to contribute. A solid rebounder on both ends of the court. It’s hard to tell how any of the Syracuse players will be able to defend in the man-to-man of the NBA, since the Orange run a 2-3 zone exclusively, but he is active on defense as well, deflecting passes and sticking to his assignment. Jackson is not a long range shooter and he gets almost all of his points at point blank range, so it would be nice to see him develop a 10 foot jumper or hook to go with his putback offense. Definitely a pro player at some level, almost certainly will get a shot in the NBA.

Kris Joseph, SF, 6’7″

Athletic forward who is active and a high flyer. Can get up and down the court and is a physical small forward. Right handed. Has the physical size and strength for the pros already. Doesn’t have the ballhandling to play the guard position. Still looking to find consistent scoring this season. He’s most effective in transition, but struggles at times in the halfcourt and is not a serious outside threat at this point. Can slash to the hoop and is explosive when he gets a step on his man. Joseph is projected as a first rounder right now but I’m still not sure if his explosive slashing moves and transition dunks are enough to warrant a first round pick, although the season is young and he looked really solid at times last season coming off of the bench. He is scoring in double digits and laid 22 on Michigan in a close game, but too many times it seems like he’s more a complementary player who disappears for stretches and then suddenly has a couple of explosive highlights.

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By Marcus Shockley

Greg McClinton (SG/SF, 6’6″, 2013) is a player who has length, speed with a nasty first step. We first scouted him when he was in the eighth grade and he’s grown another inch and still looks like the prospect we thought he’d be. He’s already garnered offers from Virginia Tech and Miami, but if he continues to work on his game, there will be more to come. Be sure to watch this video in HD, and check out Greg’s full court speed and ability to get to the rim at the 1:10 mark.

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By James Blackburn

Doron Lamb

Team Report/ Game Notes

Kentucky made an early season trip down to Chapel Hill to take on the struggling UNC Tar Heels. The game was tight throughout and, in my opinion, was one of the best games of this young college basketball season so far. Carolina played well and got the big win 75-73. It will be interesting to see how Kentucky bounces back after this early let down and to see how they can cope after losing 5 players last season to the NBA. Here are a few notes, observations, and thoughts from Kentucky.

  • Kentucky had serious foul trouble this game- Knight, Jones, Harrellson, and Vargas fouled out.
  • Kentucky does not have a lot of depth, especially at the forward and center positions.
  • Kentucky really needs an interior presence- they are lacking a true shot blocker. Terrence Jones is a solid defender and shot blocker, but is only 6’8”. In order to make a deep run in March, Kentucky really needs Enes Kanter to become eligible. (Note- Kentucky requested reexamination of his eligibility on Friday)
  • Kentucky is wishing Daniel Orton would have stayed around for another year- and after watching Orton this summer in Orlando and his struggles, I am sure Orton is thinking the same thing.
  • Kentucky is a good shooting team- better than last season.
  • Kentucky spreads the court well and has excellent spacing to run the DD motion offense.
  • Kentucky does a good job of penetrating and kicking for open shots. They are also very dangerous in transition.

Scouting Reports

Doron Lamb, 6’4”, G, Kentucky

Lamb had one of his best games of this year and continues to excel in all areas. He is true PG with excellent vision, good ball handling abilities and a good assist/TO ratio. He is a smart PG who always seems to make the right decision. He takes good shots and does not force the issue. He is a good floor general and makes a lot of good decisions and reads that don’t show up in the box score. He plays under control and is very poised. He is also an excellent shooter and a good rebounder. He is a good P/R player (especially w/ Jones) and that should translate to the L. He is not the most athletic or the quickest player but his good should translate to the NBA with out any problems. The question is how long does he stay at Kentucky, considering the history of young PG’s leaving Coach Cal for the NBA and excelling ( Rose, Evans, Wall).

Brandon Knight, 6’3”, G, Kentucky

Good scorer and a good shooter w/ 3 pt. range. Solid outing from the high-ranking freshman today, but fouled out late in the second half. Very quick first step.

Terrence Jones, 6’8”, F, Kentucky

Not a great game today from Jones, showed flashes of brilliance, but was limited because of foul trouble. Jones is a strong, athletic lefty, who has a good face up game with the ability to shoot the midrange or pump fake and put the ball on the floor and get to the basket, where he finishes strong. He has a smooth looking jumper and has a good FT stroke. He needs to do a better job recognizing double teams and needs to become a better passer. He also tends to force the issue sometimes and gets in trouble, which is natural for most freshmen. He is explosive going left, but struggles when going right. He is NBA ready right now, and should be picked no later than #10 in the upcoming NBA draft. If he continues to play well, he could easily find his way into the top 5 next season. His game is meant for the NBA, and he excels in P/R and Pick and Pop situations.

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By Marcus Shockley

Rashaun Davis took a few minutes to talk with us about his new contract, playing basketball for KK Triland in Bosnia. Rashaun talks about his thoughts on the language difference and his approach as an American heading to play basketball overseas.

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The Jump Manual