20th Annual Academic Showcase Wrap-up!!!!!
- Big Tim
- 4 days ago
- 9 min read
Fundamental U and Michael Weinstein held their 20th annual academic showcase for players with a 3.0 GPA or above. It was at the Waukegan Fieldhouse in Waukegan, Illinois. These are some of the top players in the event.
Index:
King of Bounce= player that can jump out of the gym.
Wiped: Blocked shot.
Puts head on the rim: Dunks on a consistent basis.
DEPAUL COLLEGE PREP (CHICAGO) HAS RELOADED AND COULD CONTEND IN CLASS 4A:
Rams are looking for a 6th consecutive state finals appearence in 3 different classifications. They came in third in 2A, then won 2A, moved up and won back to back 3A titles, and came in third in Claass 4A last season. Is in Class 4A again this coming season.
MAGNUS "GUS" JOHNSON, Class of 2027, DePaul College Prep (Chicago): 6'8" forward will have a bigger role this coming season. He showed an improved post game on the block, crashed the glass for rebounds, stepped out and hit consecutive three pointers in one stretch. Changes ends well in transition.
BLAKE CHOICE, Class of 2028, DePaul College Prep (Chicago): 6'3" point guard will take a huge step up next season, Was the top perimeter defender for the Ram's last season. Showed two way excellence in this event. Three level scoring, hitting threes off the catch or the bounce. Got to the rim and finished with either hand. Made mid range jumpers, and got where he wanted off the bounce. Set up teammates for open jumpers or dunks in transition. Used quick hands for steals to get out in transition.
ELI GATTAS, Class of 2027, DePaul College Prep (Chicago): 6'5" forward was crashing the glass on both ends, and scoring in the interior and in transtion catching passes, and put backs. Played a minor role last season for the Rams. Defends all inside positions.
NEW TRIER (WINNETKA) HAS A NASTY FRONTLINE TO CONTEND IN CLASS 4A NEXT SEASON:
Trevians graduate a division one backcourt in Chris Kirkpatrick (Princeton), and Danny Houlihan (Northeastern), but should rule the glass next season.
DENYM WALLACE, Class of 2029, New Trier (Winnetka): 6'8" forward has shown improved skill all over the court. Showed three level scoring here with step out threes, fallaway mid range jumpers, and scoring posting up on the block in a number of ways. Uses his strength to rim protect, and crash the glass on both ends of the court. Changes ends well in transtion playing against players as much as two years older. One of the top five players in Illinois in his class.
MATTHEW LOGUE, Class of 2027, New Trier (Winnetka): 6'5" wing is a King Of Bounce who can get off the floor with rim rattling dunks. He was everywhere in this event. Scoring at the rim in transtion, off crashing offensive glass, and catching lobs with good hands. Scrappy getting his hands on loose balls, rebounds out of his area, and baskets in the paint.
OWEN FOSTER, Class of 2027, New Trier (Winnetka): 6'7" forward is a King of Bounce who puts his head on the rim with regularity. Gets out in transition and catches lob passes from dunkers spot with soft hands and finishes. Moves well off the ball and can hit the mid range jumper.
EVANSTON TOWNSHIP HAS A COUPLE OF SCORING GUARDS WHO CAN FILL IT UP FROM DEEP:
These young men are under the radar talents who'll be key for the Wildkits to contend this coming season.
DION LANE JR, Class of 2027, Evanston Township: 6'0" combo guard is a lefty who scored on three from all parts of the floor in this one. Hit them off the catch, the bounce, or side step from deep. Attacked the rim and scores with either hand in the lane with teap drops, or Euro steps for layups. Quick hands stole the ball and converted in transition.
DILLON POMPEY, Class of 2027, Evanston Township: 5'9" point guard can score from three mostly off the catch, and gets to the mid range off the dribble to shoot fallaway jumpers. Spots up in transtion to hit threes, and use quickness to attack the rim. Did all this here at the showcase.
GENEVA GUARD COMBINATION DOMINATED AND OTHERS PLAYED WELL:
DAVID UDOIWOD, Class of 2027, Geneva: 6'0" point guard ususally is a big time scorer, and he did some of that here, but showed floor general qualities. Set up three point shooters, made good passes into the low post, and used quickness and dribble to get where he wanted to make plays for himself and others. Had mid range game going on two dribble pull-ups.
CODY RADER, Class of 2029, Geneva: 6'0" point guard dominated every opposing guard he went up against, though most were two years older. Scored on threes in transtion and halfcourt. Nice compact dribble gets him where he wants which resulted in mid range jumpers. Good passer with a couple of one hand cross court passes to open shooters. Attacked the rim off the bounce and scored on straight line drives.
RIGGINS TRAVIESO, Class of 2028, Geneva: 6'1" combo guard was scoring on attacks to the rim in transtion and halfcourt. Crashed the glass on both ends, hit threes off the catch and bounce.
JACK TISINGER, Class of 2029, Geneva: 6'2" shooting guard was filling it up from three. Hit them off the catch and the bounce. Moved well off the ball setting his feet up for passes to get into quick release on shot.
DINO GIANNINI OF RIDGEWOOD (NORRIDGE) CONTINUES TO SHOW HIS EFFICIENT SCORING:
Class of 2027 6'1" point guard took advantage of his scoring opportunities. Game I observed he missed only one shot 6/7 from the floor, 5/6 from three and 1/1 from the free throw line. He moves well off the ball getting to open spots to get his shot off. He can hit them off the dribble as well as off the catch. If you crowd him he can get to the rim off the bounce and score through or around contact.
TOMMY DONAHUE OF DEERFIELD IS A THREE LEVEL SCORER WHO'LL EXPLODE THIS SEASON:
Class of 2027 6'4" wing was a role player for the Class 3A State Runners-up last season but should lead the team and Central Suburban North in scoring next season. Three level scorer hits threes off the catch, can get to the mid range off the bounce, shooting fall aways, or straight up jump shots. Gets to the rim in transtion and halfcourt using Euro steps for layup opportunities.
CLASS OF 2030 TALENT IN NORTH SUBURBS SHOWED HIS CEREBRAL BALL HANDLING AND GETS WHERE HE WANTS OFF THE DRIBBLE:
RYAN YAZDEN, Class of 2030, Glenbrook North (Northbrook): 5'9" point guard showed some moxie and had no fear playing against older players. Lefty gets where he wants off the dribble, can score from three, or on mid range pull-ups. Uses the glass as well when in the 10-15 foot area. Makes nice passes to shooters with some pizazz. Next big time point guard in Northbrook.
KEEP YOUR HEAD OFF THE RIM YOUNG FELLA (JUST KIDDING). CLASS OF 2028 6'2" COMBO GUARD JACK FABIAN SHOWED SOME SERIOUS BOUNCE:
Transfer from Benet Academy (Lisle) to Lincoln Way Central (New Lenox) showed three point shooting off the bounce in transition and halfcourt. Attacked the rim and showed his King of Bounce by putting his head on the rim a few times. Made some nice passes in the halfcourt and one inbounding the ball for a layup by a teammate.
BRENNAN SHANNON, Class of 2028, Lake Park (Roselle): 6'7" forward is a lefty that can score at the rim with post ups, using up and unders, and fallaway jumpers. Steps out and hits threes mostly off the catch. Crashes the glass on both ends.
NOAH CORRO, Class of 2028, St Laurence (Burbank); 6'1" combo guard is a scorer, does it mostly from mid range or hitting deep threes whether off the dribble, or the catch. Can't go under screens on him. He showed some scoring at the rim on attacks off the dribble. Gets where he wants using the dribble in halfcourt or transition.
TYLER SCHWALBACH, Class of 2028, Kaukauna (WI): 6'3" point guard is a King of Bounce who can dunk on players in transtion, or halfcourt off the bounce. Hits threes in transtion or halfcourt. Defends multiple positions and showed that here.
REYMUNDO GARIBAY, Class of 2028, St Joseph (Kenosha, WI): 6'1" point guard was hitting threes from all over the court. Hit them on the catch, bounce, in transtion, or halfcourt. Moved well off the ball making himself available for shooting opportunities.
AUSTIN CARLSEN, Class of 2027, Wauconda: 6'7" wing got out in transition and scored on attacks to the rim using Euro steps and straight line drives. Hit threes off the catch and the bounce. Hits the defensive glass at a high rate.
DANNY SIMON, Class of 2027, Prospect (Mount Prospect): 6'7" forward aka Baby Jokic. Sticks to his strengths and plays within himself very well. Did it here at a high level. Scores in the low post with spin moves and jump hooks on the block. Makes great passes to cutters from the high post, can turn and hit the mid range jumper. Steps out and hits threes mostly off the catch. Rebounds well within his area.
NOLAN SCARBROUGH, Class of 2027, North (Naperville): 6'6" forward is very scrappy hitting the glass on both ends of the court. Scored in the paint on cuts, getting out in transition, and post ups. Stepped out to hit threes in halfcourt, and running in transition.
LAZAR DJILAS, Class of 2027, Academy (Brookfield,WI0: 6'8" forward got out in transtion and scored off passes and crashing the offensive glass. Posted up on the block and scored through and around contact.
CONNOR HODGSON, Class of 2027, Providence Day (Charlotte,NC): 6'1" combo guard was everywhere all over the court. Jumped on loose balls on the ground, created loose balls with his hands, crashed the glass on both ends. Scored layups in transtion off the catch, or attacking the rim, Hit mid range jumpers, followed his shot for offensive rebounds. Would have received the Hustle award if one was given out.
DANNY RUFFIN JR, Class of 2027, Homewood Flossmoor: 6'0" point guard was all over the place as well. Athletic guard who can score through or around contact at the rim. Made some nice passes setting up shooters at three point line. Scored on mid range pull-up jumpers attacking in transtion or half court. Defended like a hawk on the ball and used quick hands to force loose balls for steals.
CILLIAN LAVIN, Class of 2027, Windward (Los Angeles,CA): 6'8" forward showed versatility in his scoring. Moved off the ball to get baskets, posted up on the block scoring through contact with either hand, and on fall away jumpers. Changes ends in transtion. Made good passes to shooters in halfcourt. Posts up with a high base easy target for guards to pass to in the post.
ZAIRE GREEN, Class of 2027, Whitney Young (Chicago): 6'2" combo guard was a two end monster. Scoring at all three levels, threes off catch and bounce, pull-up mid range jumpers, attacks to the rim off the bounce in transition and halfcourt. Stole the ball with quick hands on the ball and helpside defense, Good pressure on the ball.
BRADY HARRIS, Class of 2027, Francis Parker (Chicago): 6'0" point guard is usually a big time scorer. He did some of that here as well but showed more of his playmaking. He used quickness to get into the paint and create for teammates with passes in the paint, or kickouts to shooters. He scored on driving layups and hit a few threes off the bounce.
DUKE ROSS, Class of 2027, St Ignatius College Prep (Chicago): 6'6" wing is a scrappy rugged hustler who gets loose balls and converts them to baskets, or fast break opportunities. Attacked the rim off the bounce in transition, or halfcourt finishing strong at the rim. Showed his three point range at times as well.
LUKE LETTVIN, Class of 2028, Notre Dame College Prep (Niles): 6'1" point guard is a lefty who scored scoring at the mid range. Used his handle to get where he wanted and scoed on pull-up jumpers, mixing in driving layups. Hit a few threes as well.
CARTER DRENNAN, Class of 2029, North (Plainfield): 6'3" combo guard hit threes and attacked the rim off the bounce in transtion and halfcourt. Made some nice passes to three point shooters, and bigs on postups.
AIDEN ABELARDO, Class of 2028, Carlsbad (CA): 5'11" combo guard pushed the ball in transtion and set up teammates as well as himself. Attacked the rim scoring on straight line drives as well as threes from deep.
PARKER WEADGE, Class of 2027, Marengo: 6'6" forward was scrappy crashing the glass on both ends. Scored on the block posting up and hitting turnaround jump shots. Hit some mid range jumpers.
JOSEPH MORROW, Class of 2027, United Township (Moline): 6'5" forward was crashing the glass on both ends creating second chance opportunities. Changes ends well. Scored on the block with turnarounds and up and unders.
ADRIAN POZO, Class of 2028, Prep (Tampa, FL0: 6'3" point guard is good at creating shots for himself and others. Three level scorer hitting threes, attacking the rim on stright line drives and two dribble pull-ups. Made some nice passes to shooters, and cutters leading directly to baskets.
VIHAAN SATPUTE, Class of 2028, Sacret Heart Cathedral Prep (San Francisco, CA): 6'1" point guard was doing three level scoring, hitting threes, mid range fallaways, and attacking the rim. Scored off the bounce in transtion and halfcourt. Set up teammates with some nice passes for open threes or layups.
ISAIAH HALL, Class of 2027, Chicago Agricultural Science: 5'9" point guard showed his scoring from three in this event. Hit them off the catch, bounce, and from long range 25 feet and in. Showed some abiity to attack the paint to set up teammates for threes on kickouts.
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