February 2014 – Page 2 – Basketball Elite

Kansas State’s Foster Named Wayman Tisdale Freshman Of The Week

ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – Kansas State’s Marcus Foster is the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Weekfor games ending the week of Feb. 9. Foster was selected by CBSSports.com’s Jeff Borzello, in partnership with theU.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Borzello’s popular weekly freshman watch column will continue to feature nation’s the top freshmen each week in addition to the national player of the week. Later in the season, the USBWA will release a midseason watch list before naming finalists for the award. This season marks the first time a weekly national freshman of the week will be selected and, each Tuesday through Feb. 25, a standout first-year player will be chosen for the honor.

Foster, a 6-2 guard from Wichita Falls, Texas, made five 3-pointers and shot 13-for-16 from the field, finishing with 34 points, three rebounds and three assists in a 74-57 dismantling of No. 15 Texas this past Saturday. Foster has notched at least 20 points in four of his last five games and, headed into last night’s game vs. Kansas, was averaging 15.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists, shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from 3-point range.

The is the second time this season that Foster has earned the USBWA’s National Freshman of the Week honor. The Big 12 Conference can now boast this honor six times this year, including five of the last six weeks.

The Integris Wayman Tisdale Award is to be presented to the national freshman of the year at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 14, 2014, at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Oscar Robertson Trophy and 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.

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, Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart became the third winner of the Wayman Tisdale Award. Other notable previous winners of the national freshman of the year award include Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and Chris Webber.

The Tisdale Award winner will receive a statuette designed by nationally-recognized sculptor Shan Gray. The April 14 banquet will also honor the recipient of the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award.

The late Wayman Tisdale was a three-time USBWA All-American at the University of Oklahoma. Following a stint on the 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team, he played 12 seasons in the NBA before retiring in 1997 to focus on a blossoming jazz music career. In March 2007, he was diagnosed with cancer and, following a courageous and difficult battle that included the amputation of his right leg in 2008, he passed away in May 2009.

The Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award is produced by Access Sports, an Oklahoma City-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit foundation responsible for creating the Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award. Access Sports produces all events associated with the award, including the annual awards dinner. Proceeds from the activities affiliated with the award are used to support various worthy charitable causes, including providing opportunities for disadvantaged youth to participate in basketball leagues, clinics, and training throughout the state. In addition, Access Sports supports the Wayman L. Tisdale Foundation which helps fund prosthetics for those who cannot afford the cost on their own and may not be covered by insurance.

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 U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With more than 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.

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Sleeper Report: Sebastian Koch (Elon)

By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: Georgia Southern @ Elon
Elon wins 60-59

Box Score

Sebastian Koch (G/F, 6’8”, SR)

Stats
36 min, 2-9 FG, 2-8 3pt, 7 reb, 3 assists, 6 TP

Strengths
Primarily a perimeter player who has good guard skills for a player of his size. Fundamental player who can pass, dribble, shoot, and pass effectively. Excellent shooter from the 3 pt line. Uses his size to shoot over the top of defenders and has a quick release. Has range beyond NBA 3. Is shooting over 45% on the season while attempting over 6 threes a game. You have to find him in transition. Showed he could score off the dribble as well. High IQ player who understands spacing- doesn’t force shots either. Solid ball handler with either hand. Can rebound the ball and advance it with the dribble. Decent rebounder in his area. Unselfish player who creates for others.
Uses his length well on the defensive end.

Weaknesses
Does a decent job of beating players off the dribble, but does not have great first step- he needs to get quicker to beat better defenders. Needs to improve upper body strength and get stronger with the ball on drives.
Needs to get more aggressive on the offensive end. Needs to do a better job rebounding outside of his area and in traffic. Defense needs improvement- struggles to stay in front of smaller players and contain the ball handler in iso situations.

Overview
Koch is originally from Germany, but played HS basketball in the States at Christ School. Koch is having his best year of his career yet, averaging over 12 ppg, 5 rpg, and 2 assists. Pro teams will love his ability to shoot the basketball as a player with excellent height for the position. It will be interesting to see if he decides to return to Germany where they have an excellent pro league or look to play ball elsewhere.

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Phenom Hoop Report and Basketball Elite Form Partnership

Phenom Hoop Report and Basketball Elite are pleased to announce a new partnership which will create the largest independent scouting service in the Southeast.

Phenom Hoop Report, which operates the Phenom basketball showcase series and several AAU events in the North Carolina and Virginia areas, is teaming up with Basketball Elite, who also covers much of the Southeast region as well as offering some national coverage. The scouting reports offered by Basketball Elite’s scouts will now be part of the Phenom Hoop Report service.

“We are pleased to have Marcus Shockley and James Blackburn part of the Phenom Hoop Report,” said Rick Lewis, owner of Phenom Hoop Report, “By consolidating two of the most prestigious brands in the state, we will be better able to serve the players and coaches at a higher level. I have personally known Marcus and James for over five years and have much admiration and respect for their work and professionalism. Their vision dovetails with the vision of the Phenom Hoop Report.”

“This partnership is really a perfect combination of two organizations that are focused on offering real solutions for helping athletes and colleges find each other,” said Marcus Shockley, the Director of Basketball Elite. “Phenom Hoop report has the same mission as we do, which is to cover every square inch of basketball recruiting in the region with as much accuracy as possible, and offering a real alternative for parents and colleges across the region. We’ve always supported each other and this just makes perfect sense. Together, we will be able to offer what I feel is the absolute highest quality scouting and events service in the region and one of the best in the nation.”

In addition to combining the scouting resources and player database under the Phenom Hoops umbrella, both organizations will be partnering on several additional events this coming year, including broadcasting the NC Top 80 event on March 29, 2014. The NC Top 80 is an exclusive invite-only basketball showcase which will feature the top 80 prospects from North Carolina, including many ACC recruiting targets.

Phenom Hoop Report also organizes the Phenom showcase series, including the Phenom 150 in March, this year to be held in Greensboro, NC, and is expanding this year with several new AAU events. Basketball Elite organizes the Southeast Summer Showcase, held in June. This year’s Southeast Summer Showcase will be held in Winston-Salem, NC.

Fans and coaches are encouraged to follow the individual scouts and partners for Phenom Hoop Report and Basketball Elite:

For more information, visit PhenomHoopReport.com and BasketballElite.com..

NC Holiday Classic Scouting Notes

Jatrious “JJ” Smith was named MVP of the NC Holiday Classic

By Charles Clark

The Fayetteville, NC Holiday Classic was held December 27-29th at Seventy First H.S with Championship games being played on Saturday at the Crown Arena. This year’s Tournament was full of upsets with numerous Higher seeded school’s losing early in the tournament, I had the privilege of scouting the Semi-Final and Championship games both which were competitive and had numerous players that displayed the talent to possibly play on the next level, these are the players that played outstanding basketball and truly stood out as potential college basketball prospects:

Championship Game: EE Smith 72 Terry Sanford 62

Jatrious “JJ” Smith (6’4″, G/F, 2017) EE Smith HS – finished with 28 Points, Tourney MVP; This young man was outstanding as soon as he stepped on the floor, for some reason he was not in the starting lineup but was quickly inserted into the game once Terry Sanford opened the game on a 8-0 run. The game changed as soon as he checked in, Jatrious loves the corner three-pointer and knocked down two in the 1st Quarter, he was also very aggressive getting to the basket from the wing and was able to penetrate whenever he wanted to. In the 2nd Quarter Jatrious really took over for his team, going into the post and scoring on the smaller defender that was attempting to guard him as well as knocking down midrange shots. On the defensive end he was very outspoken to his teammates, constantly telling them what to watch for; this young man understands the game and has an IQ on both ends that exceeds his grade level. Once the 2nd Half began EE Smith turned on the defensive pressure and Jatrious was a huge part of forcing turnovers to create transition baskets, which truly gave him the opportunity to show his athletic ability to every one. Jatrious had two fast break dunks as well as catching an alley-oop that made the crowd go wild. In the 4th Quarter Terry Sanford adjusted their defense which allowed Jatrious to show his ability to play the Point Guard position and create opportunities for his teammates. It was very impressive to see how unselfish this young man is; he enjoyed making plays for others, instead of trying to force shots and make plays for himself. At times he did settle for the jumper more than I would like to see and had moments where he was almost too unselfish, passing up some open looks but that shows how much of an unselfish player he truly is. Jatrious Smith Absolutely dominated the game and is a big time player that HM schools should be keeping an eye on; he already has received an offer from Western Carolina University and is getting interest from numerous HM schools.

Eric Murphy (6’1″, CG, 2015) – EE Smith HS – finished with 15 Points, was named to the Holiday Classic All-Tourney Team; Eric is a guard that can score the ball in bunches, very good three point shooter but has a nice midrange game to go with it. He Really stepped up in the 2nd half scoring the majority of his points during that time, Eric’s game has matured since the first time I saw him play earlier this season, he is handling the ball much better and is doing a lot better with his shot selection. Also has a very nice floater that he uses once he gets in the lane over taller defenders.

Mark Gilbert (6’2″, SG, 2016) Terry Sanford HS – finished with 24 Points, was named to All-Tournament Team; Mark is a strong, left handed guard with a smooth shooting stroke, Has a very solid frame and looks as if he already has somewhat of a college body. In the first half of the game he was outstanding offensively showing his full ability to score the ball; Mark is a Very solid ball handler but at times tried to make difficult moves that ended up being turnovers. He was very effective finishing after contact when he drove to the lane; and is a very good shooter that excels at catching and shooting. Overall has the potential to be a very good player at the next level, but must improve his on ball defense.

Joseph Riddle (6’2″, F, 2015) Terry Sanford HS – finished with 21 Point, was named to All-Tournament Team; Joseph is one of those type of players that coaches loves to have on their squad, A very strong and high energy player that doesn’t give up on plays. Joseph is somewhat undersized at his position but he does not allow that to hinder him in any way shape or form, Joseph was constantly scoring inside, using numerous post moves and at times simply outhustling his opponents to be a very effective player. Joseph really knows how to use the backboard properly in the post and understands the game; I truly loved how he competed on both nights and battled every single possession. Joseph brings the intangibles to the game that you simply can’t teach, on the defensive end he doesn’t give up ground to bigger opponents at all. Some improvement’s from him I would love to see are to add more range to his shot and get a little more comfortable handling the ball. Has alot of potential to be good a very good player, and play on the next level somewhere without a doubt

Some Standouts from the Semi Finals:

Justin King (5’10″, PG, 2016) Terry Sanford HS – finished with 9 Points in Semi-Finals win vs. Jack Britt; Justin was one of my favorite players from the tournament, He is a very IQ guard that makes the simple plays instead of trying to make the highlight plays. Is a very good ballhander that knows how to get the job done with a minimum amount of dribbling, Justin also did a great job of making the extra pass to get great shots instead of getting good shots. When Jack Britt H.S made a run in the 2nd half and put on their full court press it was Justin who was making the correct reads and crisps passes to break the press and get the team into their sets. Justin has a very smooth shooting stroke and shot a high percentage, did not take a lot of shots but knocked down the shots he took. Overall he is a very talented young player with a lot of potential that I have feeling will be one of the top Point Guards in The area before he graduates.

Telligence Johnson (6’2″, F, 2017) Terry Sanford HS – finished with 11 Points in Semi-Finals win against Seventy-First H.S; An outstanding young player that has the potential to be one of the top players in the state in his class before its all said and done. Intelligence jumps out of the gym and knows how to use his athletic ability on both ends of the floor, attacked the basket like a grown man and did a great job rebounding and blocking shots on the defensive ends as well as applying great on the ball defense. Has all the tools to be a very very good player but will need to improve consistency on his jumpshot and decision making as well.

Tre Hales (6’2″, Wing, 2015) – Jack Britt HS – finished with 32 Points in Semi-Finals Loss to Terry Sanford; Tre was one of the bright spots on a young Jack Britt team through the first three quarters of the game. Tre knocked down numerous three-point shots in various ways, whether it was coming off a screen or catching and shooting. Tre also showed his ability to attack the basket, has a nice shot fake that he uses to get defends off their feet. Provided a much needed boost for his team, to continue to improve his overall game, Tre will need to continue improve his ballhandling skills.

Chris Thomas (5’10″, PG, 2015) – Seventy First HS – finished with 12 Points in Semi-Finals Loss to EE Smith; Chris is a Point Guard that can get up and down the court in a blink of an eye, Seventy First tried to keep there offense as up-tempo as possible and he did a great job doing that, especially when it came to pushing the ball after missed shots. At times seemed to be a little bit out of control and will need to learn he will need to play at somewhat of a slower pace at certain moments of games. Very good on the ball defender, has quick feet and quick hands, Chris made life difficult for ever player that he was guarding. Very interested in seeing him become more of a consistent shooter, as of right now he’s an OK shooter, knocked down two three pointers but missed quite a few open looks.

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Want more scouting insights? You can follow Charles Clark on Twitter, right now.

Akin Athletics / Point 3 Basketball Mini-Camp

Sleeper Report: Tyrece Little (Catawba)

By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: Queens @ Catawba
Queens wins 77-67

Tyrece Little (F, 6’8”, JR)

Stats
33 min, 4-12 FG, 6-7 FT, 9 reb, 3 assists, 5 TO, 9 blks, 2 steals, 14 TP

Strengths
Terrific shot blocker- one of the best I have seen all year. His ability to block shots and keep the ball in play is game changing- ignited several fast breaks because of a block. He can block both his mans shot and shots from the weak side. Has terrific timing and seems to always be in the right spot/position to block or alter shots. Stays on the ground until offensive player releases the ball. Is a able to block and influence shots without fouling- which is impressive for the number of shots he attempts to block. Had 7 blocks in the 1st half tonight and finished with 9 blocks and influenced tons of other shot attempts.

Solid overall post defender in general who showed he could play behind as well as front the post. Closes out on players with high hands. Jumps to the ball defensively and knows where his man and the ball are at all times. Excellent help defender. Rebounds the ball decently on both ends when he grabs the ball with 2 hands.

On the offensive side of the ball he showed some decent patience in the post and a high right hand hook shot. Solid athlete who had a couple of big 2 hand finishes in traffic. Had an impressive straight line drive from 15’ for the And1 play in 2nd half. At his best FT and in on offense. Not a great shooter from the perimeter but is an above average FT shooter- shooting over 69% on the year. Has a simple, yet effective stroke with good ball rotation.

Weaknesses
Defensively, there is not a lot to not like about Little. He does need to get stronger, particularly lower body. Allows his man to get too deep of post position on the block.

Still a little raw offensively. Needs to improve ball handling and ability to drive the basketball from the perimeter. Lost the ball several times in the post and needs to get stronger with it. Has a habit of drop dribbling the ball in the post. Loves to go over left shoulder- Can he finish with his left hand?

Needs to improve body language and not complain with the officials.

Overview
Averaging 15.1 ppg and 8.5 rpg on the season. Has school record for blocks in career in a single season and the career record as well. Set the school record this game for most blocks in a game too. Played well tonight, especially in the 1st half. Will be interesting to see how he improves on the offensive side of the ball between seasons. Has the potential to be a good player in Europe with his size and defensive skills. Plays the 4/5 at Catawba but will most likely be a PF primarily at the next level.

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LSU’S Mickey Named As Freshman Of The Week

ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – LSU’s Jordan Mickey is the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week for games ending the week of Feb. 2. Mickey was selected by CBSSports.com’s Jeff Borzello, in partnership with the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Mickey, a 6-8 forward from Dallas, Texas, averaged 18.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 5.5 blocks, while shooting 14-for-25 from the field and 8-for-10 from the free-throw line. It started in Tuesday’s showdown against Kentucky and the Wildcats’ big man duo of Julius Randle and Willie Cauley-Stein. Mickey finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five blocked shots. Mickey took it up a notch over the weekend against Arkansas. Going against fellow freshman Bobby Portis, Mickey went for 22 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks, shooting 9-for-17 from the field and controlling the interior.

The Tisdale Award winner will receive a statuette designed by nationally-recognized sculptor Shan Gray. The April 14 banquet will also honor the recipient of the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award.

Tickets and sponsorship information for the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards are available at collegebasketballawards.com or by contacting Scott Hill (405-749-1515, scott.hill@access-sports.net).

Drew Crawford Is The National Player Of The Week

ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected the Northwestern forward Drew Crawford as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Feb. 2. The USBWA’s weekly honor is presented by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook and is announced exclusively on SiriusXM Radio’s “Inside College Basketball.”

Crawford

As the Big Ten Conference Co-Player of the Week, Crawford was nominated for the weekly award, which was chosen by a representative of the USBWA board of directors from a list of Division I conference players of the week. This is the fifth season that the USBWA has selected a national player of the week.

Crawford, a 6-5 senior from Naperville, Ill., turned in a pair of strong performances in Northwestern’s road wins at No. 14 Wisconsin and Minnesota. For the week, he averaged 23.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and three assists. Crawford shot a combined 66.7 percent (16-of-24) from the field in the two games and an eye-popping 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from beyond the arc.

Crawford played all 40 minutes against Wisconsin and poured in a season-high 30 points, adding eight rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal in the victory at the Kohl Center last Wednesday. He followed up with a game-high 17 points, four rebounds and three assits in Northwestern’s one-point victory in Minneapolis.

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.

At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership. The winner of the Oscar Robertson Trophy will be presented by its namesake, Oscar Robertson, at theDevon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 14 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award and the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Awardwill also be presented at the gala to be held annually the Monday following the NCAA Men’s Final Four.

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 the Oscar Robertson Trophy, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.

Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, the most comprehensive college basketball publication in the world, returns for its 33rd season, bigger and better in 2013-14. Blue Ribbon – long-known as “The Bible of College Basketball” – gives its readers the most thorough, up-to-date and timely evaluations of every Division I team in the country. For more information about Blue Ribbon Yearbooks, visit blueribbonyearbookonline.com.

2013-14 Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week
• Week of Dec. 8: Dustin Hogue, Iowa State (Big 12 Conference)
• Week of Dec. 15: Marcus Paige, North Carolina (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week of Dec. 22: Aaric Murray, Texas Southern (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
• Week of Dec. 29: DeAndre Kane, Iowa State (Big 12 Conference)
• Week of Jan. 5: Willis Hall, College of Charleston (Colonial Athletic Association)
• Week of Jan. 12: Doug McDermott, Creighton (Big East Conference)
• Week of Jan. 19: Naadir Tharpe, Kansas (Big 12 Conference)
• Week of Jan. 26: Nik Stauskas, Michigan (Big Ten Conference)
• Week of Feb. 2: Drew Crawford, Northwestern (Big Ten Conference)

Prospect Report: Devin Thomas (Wake Forest)

By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: Georgia Tech @ Wake Forest

Georgia Tech Wins 79-70

Box Score

Devin Thomas (6’9”, F, SO)

Stats
2-5 FG, 3-5 FT, 9 reb, 4 assists, 1 blk, 3 steals, 7 TP

Strengths
His ability to finish and use his right hand has improved over last year. Elusive and crafty post player inside. Finds ways to finish around the rim without finishing above the rim. Even though he lacks elite athleticism- he still finds ways to finish inside against bigger defenders. Underrated passer out of the post- keeps his eyes up and is able to hit open shooters and cutters. Is better than his 1.3 assists per game would indicate.

Plays the game with good aggressiveness and with an edge. Solid defender who plays the passing lanes and is not afraid to defend other bigs on the perimeter. Does a good job of creating a wall defensively in the post and defends without fouling. Fronts the post pretty well. Did a good job this game of not letting Miller establish deep inside post position.

Excellent rebounder who makes contact on the shot and isn’t afraid to get physical in the paint. Good frame and strength for the PF position. Showed the ability to grab a defensive rebound and push the ball in transition where he made a good bounce pass to a cutter for a lay-up- impressive for a player of his size. Sticks with his misses and works hard in the paint.

Weaknesses
His FT shooting is still a weak area as he has shot in the mid 50’s since he has been in college. His stroke looks better this year, but he needs to be more consistent from the line. Knocked down multiple FT’s today and looked comfortable shooting them.

Does a decent job of hedging ball screens, but needs to do a better job of getting back to his man who roles to the basket.

Not a great athlete who will finish above the rim. Gets loose and careless with the ball at times and has some unforced TO’s. His turnover per game are down this year from last year but he still averages over 2 a game which is not good (had 7 today).

Overview
Decent but not great game for Thomas today. Shows a lot of emotion on the court and really wants to win with his play. Has solid intangibles.

Plays the C position where he is a little undersized. Matched up against Georgia Tech C Daniel Miller this game who is 6’11”. Would like to see Thomas improve his midrange stroke and also develop the ability to put the ball on the floor in straight line drives. This would improve his chances to play the PF at the next level. I believe he could do a decent job of defending a PF at this stage.

Is a gritty undersized big who plays hard and rebounds. Offense has steadily improved since he has been at Wake. Is only a sophomore and has a couple of more years to continue to improve.

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Sleeper Report: Pablo Bertone (Florida Atlantic)

By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: UNCC vs Florida Atlantic
Charlotte wins 62-53
Box Score

Pablo Bertone (G, 6’2”, SR)

Stats
38 min, 9-18 FG, 2-6 3 pt FG, 0-4 FT, 7 reb, 4 steals, 20 TP

Strengths
Gets to his spots well where he is efficient. Plays an “old man style” game. Able to use either hand to score and finish. Has a low release on his shot- but release is smooth and is in 1 motion. Reliable shooter from distance with feet set. Can shoot the pull-up going either direction including the fall away midrange. Showed the ability to post up smaller defenders. Has a good slide dribble and can shoot the fall away from over either shoulder and off of 1 foot if needed.

Fundamentals are second to none. Can pass, dribble, and shoot. Passing and playmaking ability are underrated. Doesn’t complicate the game. He plays the game with a purpose- stays solid. Uses various angles and scores in unconventional ways.

No wasted motion on either end of the floor. Moves well without the ball. Has a very high basketball IQ. Even though he lacks elite quickness and athleticism he plays solid defense by outsmarting his opponent. Does a good job of jumping to the ball and rotating defensively. Also defends without using his hands and without fouling. Plays terrific help defense and came up with multiple steals by being in the right position.

Active for size on the boards- has nose for the ball. Had 5 rebounds at the half. Plays the game with poise and doesn’t get rattled. Plays a high amount of minutes and it doesn’t effect his energy.

Weaknesses
Is a legit 6’2” but is still undersized for the off-guard. Settled for some tough fall away shots at the wrong time. Lacks quickness and athleticism needed to get by his man on the offensive end and to stay in front of quicker guards on defense. Came out of defensive stance several multiple times and got beat off the dribble by players with average quickness. Struggles to get off high percentage shots in on one on one situations. Not the best in P/R with the ball. Better at coming off screens without the ball. He can hit the 3, but is better from midrange. Is shooting 32% from 3 this season. I could see him struggling to hit from the NBA 3-pt line. Not a good FT shooter, which is surprising.

Overview
Originally from Argentina. Currently leads team in minutes, points (18.1), and steals (1.3) per game. Is a do it all player for the Owls this season. Is a pro in more ways than one. Helps his team in multiple ways. Pablo will have several options when he graduates to play pro ball. He will more than likely be offered money to come back to Argentina to play or he could pursue the European route. Has a chance to be selected to attend the PIT this year with the numbers he is currently putting up. More than likely he will end up going back to Argentina to play.

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