Prep Hoops Illinois Sophomore Showcase Review 2025!!!!

Showcase took place at Batavia High School. Thanks to Scott Burgess, Steve Parham, Teddy Bahu, and the rest of the Prep Hoops crew for putting on a great event. Class of 2028 is very deep and it showed here. Likely some guys I didn't get to see enough of here that can make a huge dent in Illinois High School basketball over the next three seasons. A lot of them have already made impact on the varsity level as freshman and will continue to do this season. Some new names will emerge on the varsity level this season.

TOP PLAYER I SAW:

This young man keeps getting better and better and adding skill to his already big time athleticism.

BRAYDON PORTER, YORKVILLE: 6'5" combo guard came into high school as a King of Bounce. He has added to his repetoire over the last year. Knock down three point shooter off the catch and the bounce. Scores on mid range pull-up jumpers in the lane. Can get it off the glass, push the ball in transtion to score or set up the offense. He did all that and then some in this event. Oh yeah the requisite drives and dunks above the rim, as well as putting players on posters (WATCH YOUR HEAD). Had a great spring and summer, look for it to continue the progression during the high school season for the Foxes.

AMARION SMITH-HOLLEY OF RICHWOODS (PEORIA) IS AN ATHLETIC KING OF BOUNCE AT THE POINT GUARD POSITION:

The 6'0" point guard showed his freak athleticsm with a dunk show in this event. Had two handed and one handed dunks in transition, off the attack from the three point line into hanging layups. Hit the three at a high rate and added mid range jumpers to the show. Defended on the ball and had deflections for steals to get in transtiton for dunks. Improving his floor game to get others involved in the offense. Look for some big time highlights in Central Illinois this coming season, and next two seasons to come.

ETHAN VAHL OF OSWEGO CONTINUES TO PUT UP NUMBERS AND GET OTHERS INVOLVED AT THE SAME TIME:

The 6'3" point guard is an excellent three level scorer. Knows how to get his shot off the dribble hitting long three point shots, mixing in two dribble mid range pull-ups. Uses up and unders when he gets to the rim to score off the bounce. Did all of this here and set up teammates for shots. He's a veteran of showcases playing up in high school events since middle school. He knows what needs to be done in these events. He set up his teammate Porter for a couple of alley-oop dunks.

ANFERNEE MOORE OF RICHWOODS (PEORIA) HAS IMPROVED HIS PERIMETER GAME:

The 6'4" wing has shown strength to play on the interior, scoring through contact, and hitting the glass. He showed a mid range and three point game in this event. Hit them off the dribble, and off the catch. Has shown he's done the work in the lab to improve his weaknesses. Keep it up. Next evolution for him is his ball handling off the bounce and he had a ferw nice attacks off the bounce here. Attacked in transition getting the ball off the glass and pushing it up the court.

WEST SUBURBS IS LOADED WITH TALENT IN THIS CLASS:

Porter, Vahl and a couple of players who were not here (Brady Pettigrew of Bolingbrook, Cole Kelly of Neuqua Valley (Naperville)) are all top end talents who are in the top 10 in the loaded class.

AYO DOS ELITE SMALL GUARDS DID THEIR THING HERE:

Three headed monster of Nigel Moore, Jaivyn Richardson, and Ezenwa Nwagwu played on separate teams here but all did damage. All are under 6'0" but did their thing.

NIGEL MOORE, PEORIA: 5'11" point guard was hitting threes like they were layups here. Hit them mostly off the bounce. Got where he wanted on the court and set up teammates for baskets. Scored at the rim on up and unders.

JAIVYN RICHARDSON, WHITNEY YOUNG (CHICAGO): 5'9" point guard hit threes off the bounce, the catch, top of the key and in corners. Played some point and made plays for teammates with ball in his hands, and scored on driving layups in transition.

EZENWA NWAGWU, ST RITA (CHICAGO): 5'11" point guard was a three level scorer in this event. Hit threes, mid range pull-ups and attacks to the rim. Did it in transition and in the half court.

OTHER TOP PLAYERS:

MASON WILLIAMS, BOLINGBROOK: 5'11" point guard was attacking the rim and scoring as well as hitting from three point range. Good ballhandler who got where he wanted off the dribble.

STEPHEN DIXON JR AKA FLOOR GENERAL, DELASALLE INSTITUTE (CHICAGO): 5'11" point guard did some floor general stuff here, penetrating to the basket and setting up teammates. He also scored at all three levels, finishes at the rim, mid range pull-ups, and three pointers.

ANGELO ADAMS, ST RITA (CHICAGO): 5'8" point guard can light it up from three anytime on the court. Hit a bunch of threes in the three on three portion of the event. Shifty guard can get to his spots off the bounce or can get it off the catch.

LOGAN BROWN, ST LAURENCE (BURBANK): 6'5" combo guard was lighting it up from three in this event. Lefty was hitting them off the catch and shoot for the most part. Has the ability to go off the bounce and finish at the rim using his size and length.

JAHARI SANDERS, CATHOLIC ACADEMY (JOLIET): 6'6" forward used his length to rim protect and get out on the break changing ends of the court. Rim protected with a couple of blocked shots in game I saw.

JAEDEN SANDERS, CATHOLIC ACADEMY (JOLIET): 6'6" forward showed the same game as his twin brother Jahari. Rim protected, changed ends of the floor well. crashed the glass and blocked some shots at the rim.

AYDEN FOSTON, SOUTH (PLAINFIELD): 5'8" point guard showed his quickness both on offense and defense. Used those quick hands to get steals, and stay in front of offensive players. Scored on some tough attacks to the rim, and hit a few threes.

WALKER ROSS, ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP (CHICAGO): 6'2" combo guard was a knockdown three point shooter in this event that also attacked the rim for finishes around defenders.

ROOSEVELT "DUKE" THOMAS, DELASALLE INSTITUTE (CHICAGO): 6'3" wing played his usual tough defense and attacked the rim scoring through contact. Played through tremendous adversity that day as he recently lost his father. Got it off the glass and attacked off the dribble coast to coast.

LANDYN COOPER-SUTTON, CENTRAL (CHAMPAIGN): 5'9" point guard is a lefty sniper from three who can attack the rim and set up himself and others for baskets. Gets where he wants off the dribble and uses quickness on both ends of the court.

MAX CLAUSEN, PLEASANT VALLEY (IA): 6'7" forward was crashing the glass on both ends of the court. Scored tough baskets at the rim through contact. Changes ends well in transition.

DEON GRANT, ROMEOVILLE: 5'9" point guard showed floor general qualitites in running the offense for his team. Made some nice passes to shooters as well as create for himself. Defended at a high level on the perimeter.

JOSIAH HALL, ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREP (CHICAGO): 6'2" combo guard has a reputation as a knock down shooter from three. He was attacking off the bounce, scoring in the mid post and at the rim through contact.

KELECHI ENYIA, PROVIDENCE CATHOLIC (NEW LENOX): 6'2" combo guard is a King of Bounce explosive off the floor. Finished at the rim in transition and hit some threes in the halfcourt off the catch and in transition.

KYLER PAYNE, WAUBONSIE VALLEY (AURORA): 6'5" forward was scoring around the rim on the low post. Had a couple of dunks in event. Changed ends well rebounding on both backboards.

CJ PITTMAN, WALTER PAYTON COLLEGE PREP (CHICAGO): 6'0" point guard was getting to the rim with no problem scoring over bigs. Made some nice passes in transition and in halfcourt. Hit some mid range jumpers and threes.

BILGUUN ANKHBAYAR, STEVENSON (LINCOLNSHIRE): 6'1" combo guard was hitting threes off the bounce and off the catch. Scoring off the ball and getting to the rim and dishing off the dribble.

RYAN MORGAN, SOUTH (CRYSTAL LAKE): 6'7" forward was getting up and down the court, making passes from the low and high post. Finished at the rim through contact, stepped out and made threes.

JOHN MORGAN, SOUTH (CRYSTAL LAKE): 6'7" forward showed the same skills as twin brother Ryan. Passing out of the high and low post, finished through contact, stepped out and made threes.

KAI HARVEY, HOMEWOOD FLOSSMOOR: 6'1" combo guard is a versatile backcourt player that can score, run an offense, and defend. Hit threes, uses long arms to get deflections and steals here. Had some nice up and under finishes at the rim.

JAYDEN DOZIE, MAINE EAST (PARK RIDGE): 6'0" point guard can light it up from three, attack the rim and finish, as well as be a floor general. Did it all here at the event. Defended multiple positions, and got some deflections and steals.

LYLE TAYLOR, PEKIN: 6'4" forward scored in the paint, the mid range, and hit the glass on both ends. Ran the floor well changing ends both ways.

TRISTAN GARNER, SOUTHLAND COLLEGE PREP (MATTESON): 6'1" combo guard is a sniper from three but scored in mid range and on attacks at the rim here. Played more like a point guard dropping dimes everywhere to teammates. Showed unselfish play at a showcase event.