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SUNDAY PROVIDENCE JAM FEST REVIEWS

Several Big East targets shine, while Kyrie Irving shines the brightest

by Matt Whitfield

The Providence Jam Fest concluded on Sunday afternoon with the NJ Celtics, a team made up mostly of players from St. Patrick’s of Elizabeth (NJ), outlasting the Mass Rivals in the championship contest. The championship game almost seemed anti-climactic after the tournament’s signature match-up of the NJ Celtics and Boo Williams of Virginia locked horns in a semifinal game that featured many players that will be starring in the top conferences in college basketball in the future.

For this weekend, though, the court belonged to class of 2010 guard Kyrie Irving and his class of 2011 teammate Michael Gilchrist as they led their team to a 7-0 record on the weekend, including their victory over a Boo Williams team that featured UNC-commit Kendall Marshall, Duke-commit Andre Dawkins and recent Georgia Tech-commit Travis Mckie of the class of 2010.

The Mass Rivals carried the local banner behind Carson Desrosiers, Matt Brown and Evan Smotrycz to the championship game before falling to the NJ Celtics.

Below, see some more of the reviews of the top players, as well as their recruiting updates gathered through the weekend…

Will Regan
Good size and speed for a 6’8 player. On one play Regan found an open man for an open three-point shot, got the rebound off the miss and drew a foul before making both free throws. Is good under the boards, but other than that, was not a major presence in the AAU environment.

Regan told NBE Sunday that he is currently considering offers from Maryland, Virginia, Stanford, Arizona State and Providence. Regan is a 6-foot-8 forward who plays at the Nichols School near Buffalo (NY).
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Kyrie Irving
Had 42 points in quarterfinal win versus the Albany City Rocks. Sweet looking hook shot as the half expired. Very, very good footwork and ball handling skills throughout. Made a no-look pass to Michael Gilchrist for an easy dunk. His sweet looking and proficient three-point shot was dialed in. Nice looking layup taking the ball up court blowing by several defenders. Fouled hard on a layup, but turned that into a three point play.

Had several flashy more plays, but did not seem as dominant versus a stronger/taller Boo Williams team. Still ended up with 31 points, the sign of a great player, while getting the better of Marshall in the contest. Gave the Celtics this first lead in the game in the second half and sealed the victory with two made free throws at the 23 second mark.

Irving told NBE Saturday that he definitely planned to take trips this summer to see Texas A&M and Indiana and would “probably” visit Notre Dame as well.

In addition to those three schools, Irving mentioned he has a top 10 list of schools and off the top of his head he also mentioned Seton Hall, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Duke, Pittsburgh and Maryland today.

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Michael Gilchrist
Very, very fast hands. Holding his own versus a bigger and older Will Regan in the quarterfinals. Against Boo Williams, the class of 2011 star poured in 32. Had a nice stop on James McAdoo’s attempted dunk. Gilchrist, himself, had an explosive dunk a little while later despite being around multiple defenders.
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Sidiki Johnson
Almost college sized already, despite only a member of the class of 2011. Was rather quiet in this game as AAU environment can get away from the big men too often. Good interior game. Good hustle to save a bad pass, then Johnson took the ball blowing by two defenders for the easy dunk. Really turned it on in the second half, but the teams deficit to the City Rocks 1-U was too much to overcome.
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Luke Cothran
Great basketball build, reminiscent passes the look test with ease. Good free throw shooting, look forward to seeing more of him this summer.

Cothron is one of the most highly recruited power forwards in the class of 2010 and listed scholarship offers on Sunday from North Carolina, West Virginia, Syracuse, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Florida, Florida State, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisville, Memphis and Kentucky.
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James McAdoo
It must be in the genes, as McAdoo already looks like a college player. Good hustle getting up and down the court with ease for a 6’9 player. Best looking basketball prospect on the floor. Out-hustled Gilchrist for the ball and steal then blew by him for the strong looking dunk.

McAdoo is being recruited actively by “every school from the ACC” other than Miami at this point. He has been to UNC several times and also been on the campuses of Duke, Wake Forest and Florida. UCLA, Syracuse, Connecticut, Marquette, Texas and Old Dominion where other schools McAdoo mentioned as showing significant interest in him.
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Carson Desrosiers
Good basketball length, but the big man needs to hit the weights and GNC to reach full potential in college. Decent footwork and speed, which is not quite that common for a man his size (6’10). Adequate defense now, but in time could be a defensive monster with the added weight. Had several blocks in this game and is very skilled for size and age.

This weekend, Desrosiers indicated to NBE that he had narrowed his list down to a top eight of his scholarship offers. The top eight for the Lawrence (MA) Central Catholic star consists of Syracuse, Providence, Marquette, Purdue, Stanford, UNLV, Arizona State and Georgia Tech.

Desrosiers is planning to visit with Purdue and Marquette this week.
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Brett Roseboro
Adequate speed and size for a big man. Was aggressive under the boards.

“The coaches, the area, the floor system,” said Roseboro on why he choose Marquette over other offers from Maryland, Villanova, Rutgers and Seton Hall.
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Other NBE Notes and Stories from Jam Fest:
Providence Jam Fest Opening Night
Providence Jam Fest Notes
Sunday Notes from Providence Jam Fest