PITTSBURGH JAM FEST: PART II
by Anthony Jaskulski
Pittsburgh, PA—Before we take a peek at the last of the top, elite recruits, here is a view at the exciting championship games that took place on the Petersen Events Center floor Sunday evening.
(All 17-U divisions)
Gold Finals on Petersen Court One
Team Final 68, Playaz Basketball Club 64
In a game that had Playaz win written all over it in the first half, it was Dion Waiters that helped bring Team Final back with his amazing range and passing that opened up the offense and ushered Team Final to an overwhelming 18-3 run to start the second half. Waiters finished with a team-high 16 points. The supporting cast of George Harper and Malcolm Gilbert, who combined for 26 points, helped keep Team Final in the lead, and inevitably give them the victory and the Gold Finals crown.
The Playaz got nine points and eight assists from Isaiah Epps, while Fuquan Edwin finished with a team-high 16 points.
Platinum Finals on Petersen Court Two
DC Assault (Gold) 58, Eric Gordon Central Stars 56
The most exciting game of the tournament, ended in crowd-standing, hair-raising fashion, as DC Assault’s Kris Jenkins dropped a fade-away, three-point jumper from the top of the key at the buzzer, giving DC the go-ahead bucket and two point victory. He answered a DJ Balestine three pointer with 38 seconds left, which gave the Central Stars a 56-55 advantage. Jenkins finished with a game-high 17 points, while Balestine dropped 15 points in the losing effort.
Silver Finals on Petersen Court Three
Ottawa Guardsmen 38, Pittsburgh Renegades 34
In a low scoring affair, it was the precise shooting from guards Gavin Resch and Stan Stoqua that gave Ottawa the final advantage in a game, that saw just a 21-21 tie at halftime. Resch finished with 14 points, while Stoqua finished with eight, as well as five assists. The Renegades TJ McConnell (Duquesne recruit) finished with a game-high 16 points, going an impressive 4 of 5 from beyond-the-arc.
The Scouting Reports:
Dion Waiters
Guard, 6-3, class of 2010
High School: Life Center Academy, Burlington, New Jersey
AAU Team: Team Final
College Interest: Syracuse (Committed)
Strong Point: Fantastic off-the-dribble shooter, with deep range
Area of Improvement: Lost his man on several big possessions on Sunday, allowing easy layups
The Skinny:
It’s tough not to call Dion the MVP of the Championship game Sunday. He just about single-handedly revived his ballclub in the second half with incredible, NBA-range three pointers and forceful drives to the rim, that not even Isaiah Epps could stop at times. His gutsy performance, however, is just something that is guaranteed every game, as deep range shots, crisp passing and splitting double teams is a common task accomplished by the soon-to-be Syracuse Orange.
He said it:
“I think I resemble (Jonny) Flynn and my cousin Scoop (Jackson). I can drive and shoot like them, and I’m not afraid to take on anybody, no matter what their size is.”
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Malcolm Gilbert
Center, 6-10, class of 2010
High School: St. Patrick, Elizabeth, New Jersey
AAU Team: Team Final
College Interest: LaSalle, Notre Dame, Villanova, Temple, Tennessee, Drexel, Virginia
Strong Point: Aggressive rebounder and forceful creator underneath
Area of Improvement: Coordination and hands
The skinny:
As for many centers at this age, there is plenty of room to improve, but Gilbert seems to be a class ahead of many. He has a smooth jumper, an incredible knack for finding the loose ball and finishing. Malcolm showed great strength battling for boards, and he made his presence felt several times defending on the post. He will, however, need to improve his footwork and his hands, as his agility is not where it looks like it needs to be just yet.
He said it:
“Everybody dreams about being a big man in the Big East. That’s where all the rumbles happen, and all the big battles go down. Every game is that exciting.”
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Jayvaughn Pinkston
Forward, 6-6, class of 2010
High School: Bishop Loughlin, Brownsville, New York
AAU Team: New Heights
College Interest: Connecticut, West Virginia, Louisville, St. John’s, Seton Hall
Strong Point: Complete bully in the paint and on the boards
Area of Improvement: Somewhat of an inconsistent mid-range shooter; didn’t seem reliable on the wing
The Skinny:
Pinkston was one of the more aggressive, dominating rebounders playing in the Jam Fest. He would emerge out of a scrum with the ball almost every time when in the paint, which showed a true testament to his strength and hustle. He worked solid moves to the glass, and is more then anything, a back-to-rim forward. With such a big frame and size, Pinkston has much more room to mature, especially in the area of court awareness, finding the easier option and developing a jump shot. Still, he is the type that with a few more inches, could really stir it up in the paint in a conference like the Big East.
He said it:
“I like taking the ball inside a lot more, because I feel more comfortable that I can get off a solid shot, and clean up the shots that don’t fall. I’m definitely working on my jump shot though; I think with more practice I can turn myself into an all-around player.”
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Trey Ziegler
Guard, 6-5, class of 2010
High School: Mount Pleasant High School, Mount Pleasant, Michigan
AAU Team: Team Detroit
College Interest: Michigan, Kansas, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Connecticut
Strong Point: Aggressive ball-handler and an option guard with jump shot capabilities
Area of Improvement: No hustle on some big possessions defensively
The Skinny:
Trey brings an impressive build to the guard position in which he operates. He might not look the part of a quick, agile guard, but he sure plays it. He had many defenders on their toes trying to cover him, and his ability to pull up for the jumper or drive the lane for the explosive dunk was something that almost seemed impossible to cover. He lacked hustle several times defensively, allowing breakaway layups from the opposition, but in his defense, did play all but two minutes of a 32 minute game Saturday afternoon. Although Michigan is the frontrunner for Zeigler now, he hasn’t yet committed and has left the door open for several Big East schools at this time.
Did You Know?: Central Michigan University head coach Ernie Zeigler is the father to Trey
He said it:
“Having a dad as a head coach really does help a lot. I get to watch games and practice, and he teaches me so much more about the game then I knew before. Plus, I’m sure I’m teaching him a thing or two.”
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Devon Collier
Forward, 6-7, class of 2010
High School: St. Anthony’s (NJ), Jersey City
AAU Team: New Heights
College Interest: Connecticut, Villanova, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Fordham
Strong Point: He is a big man with long range and ball-handling abilities
Area of Improvement: Showed bad examples of court vision and passing
The Skinny:
It is a new game this day and age, and one of the new benefits to that are big men that can shoot long-range. Collier is no exception to that advantage, as he showed this weekend dropping a bundle of deep shots from beyond-the-arc, then coming down the court on the next possession and posting up, looking to work a move to the paint. The versatile style of Collier has helped get him on the map, and his ball-handling skills, which go from back-to-rim to face up on opponents is just another perk in this big mans repertoire. His defense is just as sturdy and blocking shots is a big part of Collier’s game.
He said it:
“Being versatile helps. If you can keep your defender guessing then it gives you a much bigger advantage on the defense.”
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Ray McCallum
Guard, 6-1, class of 2010
High School: Detroit County Day School, Detroit, Michigan
AAU Team: Team Detroit
Top Interest: Kansas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas, Detroit, Marquette
Strong Point: An incredibly strong guard with a game-changing shot
Area of Improvement: Shaky ballhandler at times; ran into several costly turnovers
The Skinny:
Much like his father, Ray is an extremely gifted point guard with game-altering capabilities. He showed all star-esque moves to the rim, including a reverse and-1 layup, which showed off incredible strength as he kept the ball in the air and got off a shot with two defenders pulling him down. Perhaps the best part of his game Saturday, however, was his defense, where steals and complete control kept his man stagnant on offense. He is very good at anticipating plays on defense and uses his excellent build when attacking the rim or turning up the intensity on defense. Ray has the build, drive and the delivery similar of a Ben Gordon.
Did You Know?: Ray McCallum Sr. is the head coach of the University of Detroit-Mercy, and was a former basketball sensation at Ball State from 1979-83
He said it:
“I just want to keep my options open now and focus on the next game. I’m the kind of person that doesn’t look ahead, but just at what’s up next. You can’t look past anything and I don’t take nothing for granted.”
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Tobias Harris
Forward, 6-7, class of 2010
High School: Half Hollow Hills, Dix Hills, New York
AAU Team: Unique All Stars
College Interest: Connecticut, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Maryland, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and West Virginia were the latest top 11 floated at jam Fest.
Strong Point: Offensively versatile big man with great vision and all-around skills
Area of Improvement: Needs to get better position in the paint
The Skinny:
Tobias was a big, explosive force this weekend, and he made that very clear on the first play of the game, where he sent down an ally-oop jam with hardly any effort. He showed countless times that he can dish for a nice assist or take it himself, either via jump shot or a nice drive to the rim. He is a finisher and a creator, and needs little space to work. He will, however, more than likely be operating in the paint in his college career as a big forward, and getting better position for rebounding and getting open down low is something he will have to get better at. Tobias already has most of the skills needed to be a star on the next level, and his aggressiveness on the perimeter, and ability to create a play out of nothing is down right scary.
He said it:
“What I like about the Big East is the fact that they are competitive. I mean, just look at the NCAA Tournament this year, and how they had half of the teams in the Elite Eight. It’s always about being the best of the best in that conference.”
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CJ Aiken
Center, 6-9, class of 2010
High School: LaSalle College High School, Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania
AAU Team: Team Philly
College Interest: Not considering any schools at this time
Strong Point: Lengthy big man with a very long wingspan and reach
Area of Improvement: Needs to develop a better inside game
The Skinny:
CJ showed off a lot of improvement since the last time I watched him, and his game is improving in increments. He showed that despite being a big man, he still has plenty of hops and reached the rim with ease on several jams. He is very tall, but very thin, and strength could be a concern when he faces much bigger, more filled out competition then what he faced this weekend. But despite needing more improvement on his inside game offensively, and just a little more size, CJ still has the size and the ability to take on the next level. He showed off some quick hands and great shot altering/blocking abilities in both of his games on Saturday and Sunday.
He said it:
“I still have a long way to go, and a lot more work to do. I’m never satisfied, and I think that’s the hungry attitude you have to have to be successful.”
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Liam Phillips
Forward, 6-6, class of 2010
AAU Team: IMG Open (Florida)
College Interest: Will start off in Junior College
Strong Point: Great frame with great hustle and all around quick agility
Area of Improvement: Needs work on his outside jumper
The Skinny:
This is a kid that you probably won’t find on most large-scale recruiting websites. He is a kid that has not received much D-1 attention, and he was not the best to be found on the courts at the Petersen Events Center this weekend. But Liam has the frame, the size and the athletic ability to easily make the jump from JUCO to the D-1 level. He showed some very impressive moves Saturday vs. Team Final, and against some of the toughest competition, did not hesitate to work moves and finish in the paint. If Liam can get his grades in order, and build up just a little bit more size, there is no doubt that a kid with as good of footwork and athletic ability as he has, will be playing in a Major conference in a year or two.
He said it:
“I plan on playing Divison-1 basketball soon. I need to get back on track first, and work on my game even more, but there is no doubt in my mind that I’ll be playing for a big school soon.”
Also see: Pittsburgh Jam Fest (Part I)