March 2013 – Page 2 – Basketball Elite

Scouting Notes: NCHSAA 1-A Regionals

Winston-Salem Prep and North Rowan HS meet at halfcourt before the Western Regional 1-A playoffs.

By James Blackburn

Scouting Notes from North Carolina Basketball 1-A Western Regional Championships on March 8.
East Surry defeated Hendersonville 73-65 in game 1 at UNC-G and W-S Prep beat North Rowan in Double-OT 72-70 in game 2.
Here are notes on some of the top players.

East Surry

Scott Meredith (PG, 6’1”, 2014) Meredith struggled for the most part this game with Hendersonville’s pressure defense, but got it going in the second half to help lead his team to the win. He is a leader on the floor and doesn’t get rattled. He has a high basketball IQ and is an extension of the coach on the floor. He is a good 3-point shooter with his feet set and he also has a floater in his offensive arsenal.
Good rebounder for a PG and for his size. Meredith finished with 12 pts, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists and is a player D3 schools should definitely be watching.

Seth Brim (C, 6’4”, 2014) Although Brim is undersized for the center position, he makes up for it with good strength and hustle. He is aggressive and is a solid defender. Dominated the first quarter this game to keep team in it. Good rebounder and he finishes around the rim with 2 hands. Will need to make the move to the forward position and develop more perimeter skills but D3 and NAIA schools should monitor. Finished with game high 8 rebounds along with 12 pts and 4 blocks.

Hendersonville

Shawn Rogers (PG, 5’10”, 2013) Steady throughout the game, Rogers led Hendersonville offensive attack. He is a bit undersized but has a strong upper body. Strong slasher who got to the rim repeatedly. More of a scoring guard then true PG, but he is a solid passer finishing with a team high 3 assists and had several no look passes as well. Finished with 23 pts and 4 rebounds.
Rishad Felton (G, 5’9”, 2013) I would be remiss if I did not mention Felton in this report as he lit it up tonight. Felton has a smooth stroke from the perimeter and most of his makes didn’t even hit the rim. Very quick guard who can shoot off the dribble. Finished with 18 pts and 4 made three pointers.

Winston-Salem Prep

RaeKwon Harney (PG, 6’0”, 2013) I have seen Harney play numerous times over the past few years and he never ceases to amaze me with his ball handling and ability to get to the lane. Was huge down the stretch this game and made big play after big play. Struggled in the first half as he over penetrated and got his shot blocked or turned the ball over, but had a big bounce back second half and finished with a game high 26 points and also had 3 steals. Harney’s ball handling is next level ready and he can use and finish with either hand. He is virtually un-guardable one on one and has a knack for getting to the lane and drawing contact. Lighting quick and is a very good on ball defender with quick hands. One of the top guards in the state and is a player who is still unsigned. Has a D2/LM interest and would be a steal for a D2 program.

Mike Hughes (G, 6’4”, 2014) Poised, calm, versatile guard who is the definition of a basketball player through and through. Does it all on the court. Defends, rebounds, attacks the rim, and can shoot the 3-ball. Athletic player who is dangerous in transition. Good footwork. Understands the game and chooses and knows his spots. Moves well with-out the ball. D1 prospect who would be a solid get for a program as he plays hard and helps his team win. Finished with 17 pts, 5 rebounds and 2 steals.

Coye Simmons (C, 6’8”,2014) Solid post player who is one of the best rebounders I have seen this year. Box score had him credited for 12 boards, but I think he may have had that just in the first half. He was all over the offensive boards and is a tough player to box out. Active and long. Loves to battle and isn’t afraid of physical play. Good FT shooter. Midrange and offensive game have gotten better. Does everything with 2 hands. Sometimes is too quick to get rid of ball after rebound and turns it over. College prospect that LM schools need to track. Finished with 14 pts and 12 rebounds.

North Rowan

Oshon West(F, 6’3”, 2013) Big bodied forward who uses his size and strength to his advantage. He is a well rounded scorer who can hit the perimeter shot as well as beat you off the dribble. His shot is a little flat but he has a quick high release that he can get off even against good defense. His FT shooting could also improve. Oshon not only brings scoring but also toughness and a winners attitude. Would be a solid get for a NAIA/D2 school. Finished with 16 points.

Jalen Sanders (G, 6’1”, 2016) Plays beyond his years and does not look or play like a freshman. High basketball IQ- makes the right play and does not force the issue. Poised and does not get rattled even on the big stage. Capable of playing either guard position. Very good in transition but is also solid in the half court too. Solid defender who can guard a 1-3 with good strength and was in good help position to make plays. Draws contact and gets to the FT line. Efficient player. Did struggle at times with Prep’s pressure but came through at crucial times with big plays. Has potential to be really good. College prospect that schools from all 3 divisions should begin to monitor. Scored a team high 19 pts to go along with 9 rebounds and 5 assists.

Timothy Bates (PG, 6’1”, 2013) Solid as a rock and tough nosed guard. Leader for this North Rowan team. Refused to go down this game as he fought through contact and cramps. Excellent midrange game- can pull up on the dime. Consistent 3 point shooter as well who you cant leave open. Good use of the jab step to get around defender. Can create his own shot and is a solid scoring guard. True competitor. Finished with 18 pts on a very efficient 8-12 from the field. Unsigned senior who would be a good pick up for a NAIA program.

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Scouting Notes: NCHSAA 4-A Regionals – Mt. Tabor vs. Davie

Mt. Tabor and Dudley HS square off in the Western Regional 4-A playoffs.

By Marcus Shockley

Scouting notes from the North Carolina High School basketball 4-A regional matchups, March 7, 2013:

Mt. Tabor HS

Nate Long (SF, 6’5″, 2013) Long has become a very explosive player – his ability to elevate on the move has improved vastly over the past year. Because he plays with such a talented roster, and he really didn’t hit his stride until his senior season, he’s probably one of the more overlooked players in the state. Good length, athletic and active in the passing lanes, he’s got a full speed explosive ability that has become a consistent trademark of his games. In this game he had two dunks, one of which was a breakaway windmill slam. Has been getting more college interest as the season is progressing. Scored 14 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. I am upgrading my rating for Long to a LM Division I prospect, although now he’d be a rock solid Division II or NAIA-Division I player.

Matt Madigan (G, 6’3″, 2013) Madigan’s best weapons are size, ability to play on or off the ball, a deep shot and elite quickness. His signature move is a spin around the defender to create an open shot or find a teammate. Handles most of the PG duties and does not turn the ball over. Has become a major engine for Tabor as they continue their run in the playoffs. Tracking as a Division I LM/MM. Committed to Brown.

Ty’Quan Bitting (C, 6’8″, 2013) Bitting has continued to improve throughout the last two seasons where he has become a solid post presence. His best assets are shot blocking – had 5 in this game, which is not unusual – and length around the basket. Will need to continue to get stronger in order to handle the physical post play in college, but has shown an increasing nimbleness with his back-to-the-basket game. Primarily a half court center, but he does front and seal. Wants the ball and will post players up. With more strength, he’ll be able to use his hook shot very effectively. Bitting’s scoring is limited to post play, and he’s an undersized center at the collegiate level. However his shotblocking and overall potential are what I like about his game. Tracking as a Division I LM with multiple offers.

Lepreece Lynch (SG, 6’4″, 2013) Lynch is a prolific scorer, with a quick release. He can put up points in a hurry, has good size for the shooting guard spot and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time to grab a loose ball and score before the defense can react. His offensive footwork is naturally better than most players, and it gives him a half step on the defender. He can be streaky from deep but overall, he’s a bucket machine. Scored 17 points and dished 3 assists in this game. Issues with Lynch are his build – he will need to add much more strength for the college game, and his overall defense. However, his defense has improved since last season. He does need to close out much quicker on shooters. That being said, the focus of his defense in this game was to help in stopping Dudley’s star Sam Hunt – Lynch was a major factor in trapping and limiting Hunt to only 3 points. I have been tracking Lynch as a Division I shooting guard at the LM level since last season and I think he’d be a bit of a steal at the Division II/NAIA-Division I level. He’s also a vocal leader, pumping up his teammates and being a solid team player. Holds several Division I and Division II offers.

Deion Robinson (PF, 6’4″, 2013) All you need to know about Deion Robinson is that he’s rock-solid consistent all the time, and has been for the four years he’s been at Mt. Tabor. He’s an undersized PF but now his mid range shot from the elbow is also falling, giving him more options when playing bigger defenders. He is strong and has great hands, and he has a knack for just making the smart, safe play. Committed to Northwestern Ohio.

Dudley HS

Sam Hunt (G, 6’1″, 2013) The focus of the entire Mt. Tabor defense coming into the game was on slowing down Hunt – Tabor Head Coach Andy Muse thought if they could hold Hunt to 15 it would be a solid defensive effort. Their plan was effective – Hunt went 1-15 in this game and only finished with 3 points after dealing with the multiple traps and defensive focus of Tabor. However, this game is not a reflection on how dynamic a player Hunt is – fluid and strong, I’ve seen Hunt score against nationally ranked teams, both at the high school level and last summer playing in the EYBL with his CP3 All-Stars AAU team. I’ve tracked Hunt as a LM/MM player throughout his career at Dudley. Committed to Jacksonville.

Devan Gregory (SG, 6’4″, 2013) With the defensive focus on Hunt, Gregory took advantage and showed an ability to consistently knock down the 3, leading all scorers in the game with 21 points, including 4-7 from the perimeter. Gregory has good size and is a true guard, and can shoot. Biggest issue for Gregory is his release speed; it needs to be much faster. When the defender closed on him on the perimeter, his shooting percentage dropped to 0%, and that’s because he needs to be able to get the shot up before the defender closes. That being said, his size, overall agility and shooting touch make him a player colleges should be tracking.

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Scouting Notes: NCHSAA 4-A Regionals – Olympic vs. Hough

B.J. Gladden and Luke Maye were matched up often in this 4-A Regional game.

By Marcus Shockley

Scouting notes from the North Carolina High School basketball 4-A regional matchups, March 7, 2013:

Olympic HS

B.J. Gladden (SF/PF, 6’5″, 2013) Gladden is a strong, powerful forward who has a good first step and can finish with contact. But he was the best player on the floor in his game tonight; after Hough big man Luke Maye got into early foul trouble and had to sit for an extended period, nobody on Hough was able to effectively slow Gladden down. Quick and physical, he was either able to blow by his defender and get inside, or pull up and shoot over them if the defender sagged. Scored 16 points in the first half and finished with 21 points, 9 rebounds. Will need to improve his off hand dribble. I have tracked Gladden as a very solid MM because he is an undersized 3/4, but he looked like he could get playing time at some high majors in this game. Missed quite a bit of time earlier because of eligibility issues, but Gladden is a high character guy – when he was eligible to play in December, the coach told him the issue was trying to figure out who they would take out of an existing starting lineup. Gladden replied “Coach, I don’t care if I start. I know I’m going to play. I just want to win.” Committed to Akron.

Jevon Patton (PG, 5’8″, 2013) Patton is a very elusive and aware guard who has a consistent ability to score from both the perimeter and consistently uses floater shots to score over bigger players in the lane. His handle is solid, good enough for the collegiate point guard level and he can go right or left with ease. Patton has always had a slingshot-style release which has improved a bit but will still need to be worked on. Issue is size; Scored 18 points. Currently tracking as a Division II/NAIA-D1 player.

Dereice Parks (SG/SF, 6’5″, 2013) Parks has had a great shooting stroke for some time and he showed it again in this game. Good extension, high release, and consistently solid elevation, he has good size for a collegiate shooting guard. Active with really good length, he works hard to get his hands on loose balls. had 3 steals in this game. Has good hands and can catch and finish at full speed. Needs to add strength but I have had Parks as an underrated LM/MM Division I prospect for some time and I’ve seen nothing to change that. Would be a very solid get for a Division II or NAIA- Division I.

Trey Mitchell (SG/SF, 6’5″, 2013) Mitchell is one of the more underrated players in the state, with an ability to slash, score and shoot from deep. Can play the 2 or 3 at the college level. Had a very tough defensive assignment for much of this game, defending against Luke Maye, Mitchell used good defensive footwork and technique to defend. Shot 6-8 from the field and finished with 14 points. The biggest thing I have always liked about Mitchell is his mental toughness and calm presence on the court. Still needs to add quite a bit of bulk, but with that added, Mitchell is a sleeper. I am tracking Trey as a MM Division I player. Would be considered a very solid get at the Division II level.

CJ Jackson (G, 5’11”, 2014) Active guard who has to find ways to contribute among so many older, talented teammates but consistently makes good plays and finds a lot of ways to make things happen. As an example in this game, he dished 5 assists, grabbed 3 steals, 3 rebounds and added 6 points. One to keep an eye on as he takes more of the burden over the next season.

Hough HS

Luke Maye (PF, 6’7″, 2015) Maye is very strong already as a sophomore and has extremely good hands. Very soft touch around the basket. Not really an explosive player, his best assets are strength, great hands, and a solid shooting touch from very deep. His release is very high and he squares up extremely well. He’s not really a jump shooter, more of a set shooter, and his release is still a bit slow. I haven’t seen enough of Maye to make a confident collegiate projection, but he is definitely a Division I athlete. Issues are that he is a 6’7″ power forward at this point – a little undersized for most HM programs – and his overall quickness could be improved. He is a fairly agile player and he was the only player on Hough who was strong enough to be able to slow down B.J. Gladden at all. He is also has two more years to work on his game, being in the 2015 class, so definitely one to be tracking. After sitting for an extended period in the first due to foul trouble, produced a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Theo Mack (G, 6’1″, 2014) Mack impressed me with his defensive technique and high shot release. He plays eyes-up and understands where he is supposed to be, and looks like a true combo guard who may be a primary ballhandler in the future.

Drexler Clark (PG, 5’11”, 2013) Clark is the kind of guard who is always looking to attack, either with the dribble or the pass, and he has excellent speed. His best asset may be his extremely quick hands; he can swipe the ball away in a blur and aggressively looks for those opportunities. Sure handed with the dribble and purposeful in his actions, he’s explosive as a small guard.

Tucker Thompson (C, 6’10”, 2014) Thompson has height and length but only really saw action spelling Luke Maye when Maye sat with early foul trouble. That said, Thompson is a 6’10” center who could be a major factor with more size. He has decent hands and works to front the post. Thompson is a true center, and will be most effective with his back to the basket. Not super explosive but most of Thompson’s work involves adding muscle. He already understands how to play the post, he just needs the bulk to effectively do it.

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Scouting Notes: NCHSAA 3-A Regionals

Kerrion Moore of Hunter Huss runs the offense against Antonio Blalock of Ashbrook

By Marcus Shockley

Scouting notes from the North Carolina High School basketball 3-A regional matchups, March 6, 2013:

Hunter Huss HS

Kerrion Moore (PG, 5’9″, 2014) Although Moore is a football player, he’s a dynamic basketball player as well. Quick, calm and always under control, Moore is lightning-in-a-bottle. He can find open teammates with precision passes, score after contact and shoot from deep. He has a low crossover dribble that he uses going left or right, has great body control and always plays eyes-up. Moore looks so calm and collected that it looks like the game is going at half-speed for him. He has several offers to play football, but could no doubt play collegiate basketball as well. The knock on him as a basketball player would be his height, but in this game he was lights-out. Finished with 20 pts, 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.

Jaelan Kennedy (SG/SF, 6’4″, 2013) A solid wing player, Kennedy has great elevation on his shot and a high release; spots mismatches and immediately attacks on offense, elevating over smaller defenders. Has an ability to stop and pop, squaring up for a good shot. Solid free throw shooter, loves to run in transition, handle is good enough to play the 2 or 3 offensively. Effective half court player but really likes to get out and run in transition. Scored 18 points and dished out 8 assists. Tracking as a very solid Division II prospect with interest from multiple schools.

Jerimiah Hunter (SF, 6’4″, 2013) Active and has a solid build. A small forward but because of his physical frame he can bang in the paint some and absorb contact. Good rebounding SF, he finished with 18 points and 6 rebounds. Hunter is also a good shot blocker and uses the correct hand to block depending on which side of the paint he’s on. Currently tracking as a NAIA level player.

Chadrickus Mackins (PF, 6’4″, 2014) Mackins is an undersized post player but works his tail off on both ends of the floor. Sets screens effectively and bangs in the paint. Mackins is a junior playing with a lot of seniors, but he gets a lot of minutes and does a lot of little things that will make him a player to continue to watch.

Ashbrook HS

Antonio Blalock (G, 5’11”, 2013) Has good speed and ability to shoot from the mid range on the move. Has a good high release and can play either on or off of the ball. Undersized but a decent scorer. Finished with 18 points. Tracking as an NAIA/2 or Division III prospect.

Trey Dillinger (PG, 5’9″, 2014) Undersized, but has an elite handle. A pass-first pure point guard who can weave through multiple defenders with shifty ballhandling. Does work to find teammates and run the offense. Issue is size, overall athleticism. His handle and passing are very solid.

Grant Stafford (SF, 6’2″, 2013) Stafford has a good release, poise and the ability to stop and pop on the move. Undersized at the forward spot, he did most of his work inside, racking up 10 points and a couple of blocks.

Statesville HS

Marquis Willis (PG, 5’9″, 2013) Quick guard who can go either right or left with ease. Undersized but a really solid passer, both in transition and in the halfcourt. Very good in transition. Finished with 15 points and 4 assists. I haven’t seen Willis enough to make a collegiate projection, but definitely a player to track as he takes on Kerrion Moore and Huss in the Western Regional Championships on May 9.

Jaqwuan Warren (G, 6’1″, 2013) Athletic and quick, which is a theme for this year’s Statesville team. Warren moves really well without the ball and likes to jump the passing lanes by anticipating. Grabbed 3 steals and led all scorers with 17. Needs to improve handle under pressure, particularly left hand. Does have an explosive ability, had a monster dunk in transition over a trailing player.

Breon Borders (G, 6’1″, 2013) Another quick, active senior guard for Statesville. High energy – all of Statesville’s guards are – and moves to make himself an option. Grabbed 7 boards against a big Harding team as a guard, scored 8 points.

Josh Gaither (SG/SF, 6’2″, 2013) I’ve seen Gaither play before and he’s extremely consistent; rarely makes mistakes and does a lot of things that make the team better. Grabbed 12 rebounds and scored 9 points, playing more minutes than any other player in this game. Could be more aggressive offensively; passed up mismatches a couple of times.

Austin St. John (SG, 6′, 2013) Came in off of the bench and was a spark for the team, showed very solid shooting touch and was very productive in limited minutes. Scored 9 points, dished out an assist, a rebound and a steal in 11 minutes of action, which is production that any coach has to like. Note – I am not 100% sure the minutes are right on that due to a comment from the statkeeper, but St. John’s productivity in limited action was still evident.

Justin Daniels (PF, 6’2″, 2013) Daniels is a small post player but outworked the much bigger Borrough in this game, scoring 8 points and grabbing 6 rebounds against a much bigger opponent. Fronted the post extremely well and boxed out the bigger Harding players repeatedly.

Harding HS

Aaron Linton (PG, 5’4″, 2013) Linton is a sure handed, pure point guard who was the best option for Harding in this game, leading all scorers with 15 and handing out 5 assists and grabbing 4 steals. His size is an issue, but he can score from deep and understands how to penetrate and score against taller players. Very fast.

Emmanual Patton (SF, 6’5″, 2013) Patton is a player who has continued to improve as a perimeter player over the past year; he’s a solid slashing SF now, which he also showed over the summer in AAU. He has good quickness from the wing and a soft touch around the basket. Did not shoot from outside in this game. Has good length. Patton is tracking as a Division II prospect but I’ve seen games where he looked like a Division I possibility.

Steven Burrough (C, 6’9″, 2013) I like Burrough’s game and I’ve seen him have monster games in the past. Unfortunately, this wasn’t one of his better games. He did snag 7 rebounds but allowed himself to be fronted far too often and was boxed out of the rebounding action. Burrough is a Division I prospect based on games I’ve seen in the past, and he has the size and build. He would be a solid get for a Division II program but I still expect a LM will land him.

Statesville High School head coach Sonny Schofield and his players address the media following their win over Harding High School

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Scouting Notes: NCHSAA 2-A Regionals

Chris Wray of Shelby snags a rebound in his team’s 84-46 win over Smoky Mountain

By Marcus Shockley

Scouting notes from the North Carolina High School basketball 2-A regional matchups, March 5, 2013:

Shelby HS

Chris Wray (SF, 6’6″, 2013) – Lengthy small forward who can handle and slash from the wing and has good size at 6’6″. A couple of times, beat his man off of the dribble from the perimeter in a halfcourt set and handled the ball extensively in the second half. Should be able to play some SG at the college level. Wray had a solid overall game, with 13 points and 12 rebounds, but also registered 6 blocks and grabbed 2 steals. He also had multiple deflections which caused havok as Smoky Mountain attempted to push the ball in transition. Agile and slender, he will need to add quite a bit of bulk but a solid player. Committed to St. Mary’s.

Gave Devoe (CG, 6’3″, 2014) – Strong combo guard who is a solid passer and vocal leader on the floor. Squares up well on his shot and can finish with contact. Solid ballhandler and passer, and should be considered a true combo guard. Physically strong; good in transition and moves well without the ball in the halfcourt. Can use either hand with the dribble but has slightly less control with his left hand. Offered by several Division I programs, including UNCG, who offered after this game.

Donte Falls (SF, 6’5″, 2013) – active athlete with a soft touch and high release. Struggled with consistency in the first half but really became productive in the second half – led all scorers with 20 pts for the game and grabbed 8 rebounds. Falls is a great free throw shooter, athletic and long. Squares up well on his shot and is poised. Definitely a college prospect with gaining interest from several schools.

Notes: Shelby HC Aubrey Hollified says that all three players have been big all season, and when one of them isn’t having a good game, the other two have been able to step up. Shelby won this game 84-46 and will face Cuthbertson in the Regional finals on Saturday, March 9

Smoky Mountain HS

Jayce Wolf (PG, 5’9″, 2016) Wolf is undersized but very quick. He has a very good hesitation dribble and a solid handle. Had 6 assists to 3 TO’s in this game. Size is an issue at this point, but has an ability to get off a floater in the lane over bigger defenders.

Cuthbertson HS

Shelton Mitchell (PG, 6’3″, 2014) Dynamic guard with an elite handle in traffic and ability to beat multiple defenders off of the dribble. Size, poise and length makes him a matchup problem for smaller guards. Was consistent from outside in this game – shot 2 of 3 from deep- but made his living at the line in a game where opponent stalled for most of the second half. Shot 12-16 from the line. There’s a lot to like about Mitchell and his game; he has a high basketball IQ and awareness; an ability to score and run the point; poise. The biggest knock on Mitchell’s game continues to be his shot form, which is a slingshot style – this will be an issue against bigger guards with length at the college level. However, Mitchell is a high major player without question. Committed to Wake Forest.

Lucious McMillon (SF, 6’5″, 2013) Solid athlete with bounce and good quickness. Moves well without the ball and has the athleticism to potentially play at the college level. Definitely looks like he could play and defend the 3 spot. Division II colleges should take a look.

Isaiah Cureton (SF, 6’4″, 2013) Another solid athlete who has a good build and can play the wing. Free throw shot form looks good and stuck with his man against a very disciplined motion attack from Trinity HS. Division II colleges should be looking.

Trinity HS

Jarrod Rogers (PG, 5’10”, 2014) Slender, but true point guard with really good quickness and passing. Very poised and can hit the deep shot. Commits on defense. Right now tracking as a Division III prospect, but with more strength could rise.

Daniel Newcomer (SG, 6’0″, 2014) Scoring guard with tenacious defense and solid ability to score. Undersized and slight of build, but still showed an ability to beat his man and score against the solid athletes of Cuthbertson. I am tracking Newcomer as a Division III prospect at this time.

Wake Forest commmit Shelton Mitchell of Cuthbertson addresses the media following his team’s 46-30 defeat of Trinity HS.

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2013 Finalists Named for Oscar Robertson Trophy, Wayman Tisdale Award

ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected 14 outstanding players as finalists for its 2013 Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year Trophy presented by Aflac and eight standout freshmen as finalists for the Integris Wayman Tisdale Award. Members of the association’s board of directors chose the finalists and the entire 900-member USBWA will vote on the awards as well as the annual All-America and All-District teams.

The recipients are to be announced on Friday, April 5 in Atlanta at a 9:15 a.m. ET press conference and then formally presented their awards at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on Mon., April 15 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award will also be presented at the gala to be held annually the Monday following the NCAA Men’s Final Four.

Following are the finalsts for the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year Trophy:

2013 OSCAR ROBERTSON TROPHY FINALISTS
Pos.	No.	Player, School	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	Hometown
F	15	Anthony Bennett, UNLV	6-8	240	Fr.	Brampton, Ont.
G	3	Trey Burke, Michigan	6-0	190	So.	Columbus, Ohio
G	1	Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse	6-6	185	So.	Hamilton, Mass.
F	3	Doug McDermott, Creighton	6-8	225	Jr.	Ames, Iowa
G	23	Ben McLemore, Kansas	6-5	195	Fr.	St. Louis, Mo.
G	4	Victor Oladipo, Indiana	6-5	214	Jr.	Upper Marlboro, Md.
F	13	Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga	7-0	238	Jr.	Kamloops, B.C.
F	5	Mason Plumlee, Duke	6-10	235	Sr.	Warsaw, Ind.
F	22	Otto Porter, Georgetown	6-8	205	So.	Sikeston, Mo.
G	33	Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State	6-4	225	Fr.	Flower Mound, Texas
G	2	Russ Smith, Louisville	6-0	165	Jr.	Brooklyn, N.Y.
F	1	Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State	6-7	215	Jr.	Fort Wayne, Ind.
C	5	Jeff Withey, Kansas	7-0	235	Sr.	San Diego, Calif.
F	40	Cody Zeller, Indiana	7-0	240	So.	Washington, Ind.

Following are the finalists for the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award:

2013 INTEGRIS WAYMAN TISDALE AWARD FINALISTS
Pos.	No.	Player, School	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	Hometown
F	15	Anthony Bennett, UNLV	6-8	240	Fr.	Brampton, Ont.
G	1	Jahii Carson, Arizona State	5-10	175	Fr.	Mesa, Ariz.
G	14	Gary Harris, Michigan State	6-4	205	Fr.	Fishers, Ind.
G	23	Ben McLemore, Kansas	6-5	195	Fr.	St. Louis, Mo.
G/F	15	Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA	6-6	225	Fr.	Las Vegas, Nev.
F	3	Nerlens Noel, Kentucky	6-10	228	Fr.	Everett, Mass.
G	33	Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State	6-4	225	Fr.	Flower Mound, Texas
G	14	Rasheed Sulaimon, Duke	6-4	185	Fr.	Houston, Texas

Tickets and sponsorship information for the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards are available atcollegebasketballawards.com or by contacting Scott Hill (405-749-1515, scott.hill@access-sports.net). The April 15 banquet will also honor Michigan State coach Tom Izzo as the recipient of the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award.

Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson. It is the nation’s oldest award and the only one named after a former player.

The USBWA has chosen a national freshman of the year since the 1988-89 season when LSU’s Chris Jackson was the recipient. Last season, Kentucky’s Anthony Davis became the second winner of the Wayman Tisdale Award. Other notable previous winners of the national freshman of the year award include Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and Chris Webber.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.

Scouting Report: Matthew Dellavedova, Saint Mary’s (CA)

By John O’Malley

Game Scouted: Saint Mary’s (CA)- 87 at Pepperdine- 48
February 27, 2013

#4 Matthew Dellavedova; PG/SG; 6’4; 190lbs. Senior (27 min, 8-18 FG, 5-8 3FG, 4-4 FT, 25 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals)

Strengths
Offensively, Dellavedova’s court vision is one of the best I’ve seen in college basketball. He is patient, reads the defense and attacks whatever the defense gives him. He has a very high basketball IQ and looks for the best look. Very unselfish player, always looking to pass the ball to whoever is open. He is excellent at ball distribution. He can make the cross court pass, right into shooters pocket whether it’s on a bounce or skip pass. He made a spectacular bounce pass in transition, placing it right in stride for the wing to score a simple layup. He makes it easy for the Gaels to get into an offensive rhythm. People have questioned whether he is a point guard or shooting guard. Although he is versatile off the ball and can hit a spot up jumper, he’s much more active and comfortable with the ball in his hands running point.

Dellavedova is not only a keen passer, but also a streaky scorer. When he gets hot, it’s difficult for the defense to cool him off and get out of rhythm. Great example from tonight’s game was from the three-point range, going 62% from behind the arc. He has a solid right-handed jumper. He squares his body, gets good elevation, drives his legs in balance and stride, and holds his follow thru. He has great shot selection, and is crafty keeping the defense on their toes. He utilizes the floater very well. He will drive, but prefers the jump shot. If he is open, sometimes he takes the initiative to penetrate and then make the kick-out pass to an open teammate. He is good off isolations. He is strong and added more weight and muscle from the offseason. This body strength is good for setting screens. It also benefits him when he penetrates and absorbs contact from the bigs in the paint. He struggles a little bit in finishing off contact. But once he draws contact around the basket, he is a golden 87% free throw shooter.

Not just offensively minded, Dellavedova is a solid defender. He keeps a constant low defensive stance, closes out with high hands, and keeps arms distance with his defender. He is a hustler every second of the game and plays with high intensity and passion. He has tremendous stamina, even though he sat the final minutes of the second half because it was so one-sided. Fearless and never gives up on a play. Treats each possession like it matters. He likes to take control the game early. Very coachable player. Has great faith in his teammates. He keeps a positive attitude, encouraging teammates. He is always directing the offense and pointing.

Weaknesses
Though he can zip the ball to his teammates, Dellavedova doesn’t have lightening quick legs. His upper body strength allows him to get to the rim rather than his foot speed. He is fast, but doesn’t have lighting quick agility or can outrun anyone coast to coast. His lateral agility and quickness needs to improve. I’m not sure if he could guard an athletic slasher throughout an entire course of a game. As a shooter, he can polish some of his jab steps and pump fakes. He utilizes these moves, but sometimes they need to be quicker to bite the defender. On defense, Dellavedova likes to get involved in help defense when the ball is in the post. This is good he helps and swipes, but he tends to overdo it and will get too deep into the paint, thus leaving shooters wide open on the perimeter.

Overview
Coming into tonight’s game, Dellavedova was selected as a finalist for this year’s Naismith Player of the Year Award, and rightfully so. Dellavedova is the heart and soul of the Gaels program. He is the Gaels all-time leader in assists and games started, and will just need 4 more points on senior night to become the school’s all-time leading scorer. His decisions and talents have impacted Saint Mary’s success since he joined the roster four years ago. He has worked hard to improve his talent over the years and has become a true leader for the Gaels. When it comes to competing at the next level, Matthew definitely has the tangibles to play professionally. He’s already had experience playing on his national Australian Olympic team this past summer in London, where he averaged 28 minutes per game, 7.3 points per game, and 4.5 assists per game.

NBA teams should not sleep on Matthew. One speculation going against Dellavedova is he doesn’t face the competition of the power conferences on a regular basis. The highest I see him selected in the NBA Draft would be mid-to-late second round. If he goes undrafted, I see him earning a spot on a Summer League roster and trying to make a spot right before or during the regular season through hard work in the D-League. Dellavedova could have a safe career as a reliable back-up point guard for NBA teams.

AAU Tryout Alert: NC Court Kings

Try Out Information

WHEN:  TUES March 19 & THUR March 21
TIME:   6:30pm – 8:00pm
WHO:  Age 14
and up are welcome (including unsigned seniors)
WHERE:
Glenwood Recreation Center  2010 Coliseum Blvd. GSO

FEE:  $5 per participant OR 2 canned food items (includes
both dates)

Student athletes will be selected for the AAU 15U boys team and the 17U Division I boys team.

A signed waiver form is required in order to participate. More info available at NCCourtKings.com. Email: info@nccourtkings.com

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Basketball Elite is not affiliated with any AAU program. If you would like your AAU information posted on our site, please send it (schedules, tryouts, notable players) to contact@basketballelite.com and be sure to follow us on twitter @bball_elite

AAU Tryout Alert: Illinois Old School

The elite AAU program Illinois Old School will be holding tryouts on Sunday, May 3 at Maine East 15u-17u info at illinoisoldschool.net

Elementary/Middle School, Grades 4th-8th

Sunday March 3rd (Make up Date)
5:30-7:00pm

High School

Sunday March 3rd
15U – 5:00-6:30pm
16U – 6:30-8:00pm
17U – 7:30-9:00pm

Wednesday March 6th
15U – 7:30-9:00pm
16U – 7:30-9:00pm
17U – 7:30-9:00pm

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TrueRank™ National Prep Basketball Rankings Week 15

Calvin Hermanson and Lake Oswego HS (OR) have gotten respect as the season has progressed.

By Marcus Shockley

This national high school basketball ranking combines multiple available polls for a period of time into a single poll, and creates a ranking for each team based on their average ranking, number of times they are ranked in the various polls, the highest ranking that teams has in those polls and the position ranking out of all ranked teams for the period. Read more about today’s cumulative ranking below.

	School	Location	High	AVG	Qty	TrueRank™
1.	Findlay Prep	Henderson,NV	1	1	4	33.500
2.	Montverde Academy	Montverde,FL	2	2	4	32.000
3.	Lone Peak HS	West Highland,UT	3	3	4	30.500
4.	Prime Prep Academy	Dallas,TX	4	5	4	27.000
5.	St. Benedict Prep	Newark,NJ	4	5	4	27.000
6.	Whitney Young Magnet HS	Chicago,IL	4	7	4	24.750
7.	Huntington Prep	Huntington,WV	6	8	4	22.750
8.	St. Anthony HS	Jersey City,NJ	5	9	4	22.250
9.	Simeon HS	Chicago,IL	5	9	4	22.250
10.	Poly HS	Long Beach,CA	5	9	4	22.000
11.	Mater Dei HS	Santa Ana,CA	6	11	4	19.500
12.	Bishop Montgomery	Torrance,CA	8	11	4	19.000
13.	Desoto HS	Dallas,TX	9	12	4	17.750
14.	Lake Oswego HS	Lake Oswego,OR	10	13	4	15.750
15.	La Lumiere School	La Porte,IN	10	14	4	14.750
16.	Iowa City West HS	Iowa City,IA	13	15	4	12.750
17.	Pershing HS	Detroit,MI	13	18	4	9.000
18.	Germantown HS	Germantown,WI	15	18	4	8.000
19.	Blanche Ely HS	Pompano Beach,FL	18	19	4	6.500
20.	Gonzaga HS	Washington,DC	12	20	3	3.667
21.	Bishop Gorman HS	Las Vegas,NV	18	22	4	3.000
22.	Chester HS	Chester,PA	22	22	4	1.250
23.	Olympic HS	Charlotte,NC	17	18	2	-0.500
24.	Oak Hill Academy	Mouth of Wilson,VA	22	24	3	-4.667
25.	Blue Valley Northwest HS	Overland Park,KS	19	21	2	-6.000
26.	Irmo	Columbia,SC	21	22	2	-9.000
27.	Northland HS	Columbus,OH	22	23	2	-11.000
28.	Midwest City HS	Midwest City,OK	17	17	1	-16.000
29.	Morgan Park HS	Chicago,IL	25	27	2	-18.500
30.	Miller Grove HS	Lithonia,GA	21	21	1	-28.000

Notes:
The polls seem to have settled on their own opinions for Prime Prep and Huntington; some have ranked Prime as high as #4 while others still maintain them slightly lower. Huntington has dropped in all but one of the polls (USA Today). Oak Hill continues to cling to a tenuous grasp on being ranked, and no team has seen more wild swings in rankings this year than Simeon. One sleeper that’s found it’s way up in the rankings after not being ranked at the beginning of the year is Lake Oswego, ranked as high as #10 in one poll.

This week’s poll includes four sources: Hoopniks, ESPN, USA Today and PrepNation. MaxPreps also released polls during this period but I haven’t included them, due to the fact that they segment private academies from public high schools. I am not sure how, or if, I will incorporate their rankings back into the cumulative rankings.

Finally: In the poll listing, the ‘high’ value represents the highest ranking in any poll that team received during the ranking period.
‘Qty’ represents how many polls they were ranked in. ‘AVG’ represents their average ranking in all polls where they were ranked.

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