EBoss Road Show: TGIF in the FLA 

Lance Stephenson

After spending Thursday in Ft. Myers (FL) taking in the action at the City of Palms tournament, Friday became a travel day of sorts. Rising early, the Road Show made it’s way across the southern tip of Florida to catch a round of games at the loaded Kruel Classic in Coral Springs.

Not satisfied with taking in just a few games, the Road Show hopped back into the ride and crossed back to Ft. Myers just in time to catch the final two games of the day at the City of Palms.

Once again, there were a handful of Kansas prospects taking the floor including one Lance “Born Ready” Stephenson who capped the night with a rather impressive performance.

FRIDAY NOTABLES

Brandon Knight - Well known to those who follow recruiting, an argument could be made that this slick 6-3 PG is the top prospect in the class of 2010. Patient, skilled and versatile he can either run the show or slide off the ball where he’s a weapon of mass destruction off of the dribble and bombing away from deep. A genuinely humble kid, Kansas has recently taken interest and dispatched assistant coach Kurtis Townsend to take in a practice on Thursday and watch him lead his team to a Friday win. Long rumored to be a heavy lean to Florida it’s unknown how involved Kansas can get, but it’s not difficult to understand why they or any other elite program would want to snoop around to see what he’s got going on.

Quincy Miller - Whether or not he ends up on the Kansas radar long term remains to be seen, but Townsend did get a good look at the nearly 6-8 sophomore in Coral Springs on Friday. A potentially game changing athlete, the Chicago native is now attending Winston-Salem (NC) Quality Education Academy where he’s proving to be a quality long term prospect. A playmaker at the rim who is equipped with a pretty good looking jumper, Miller is long, lean and has another two and a half years of high school to add needed polish. Where he goes from here remains to be seen, but there’s little question that he’s got the tools to turn into a potentially big time prospect in what is shaping up to be a terrific class of 2011 nationally.

Lance Stephenson - With both Danny Manning and Kurtis Townsend on hand eyeballing his every move, the 6-5 wing from the NY put on a show late Friday night. He connected on a few deep jumpers, got loose in transition for powerful dunks, beasted defenders in the post and made a few spectacular passes. Known for his potentially volcanic temper, the bruising wing was intense but very much under control during a 37 point assault on Memphis (TN) Briarcrest. While he’s not unathletic, this is a kid who is good because of his feel for the game and old school style. His post game is well rounded and deadly, he makes just enough deep shots to keep defenders honest and he’s perhaps the best mid-range player in high school basketball. Mercurial and intense, he’s like a teenage Ron Artest and could make a claim for the top spot in the class of 2009 before it’s all said and done. The idea that he could explore his options in Europe next year continues to be floated as a possibility.

MORE FRIDAY NOTES

Take a look at the list of unknown senior combo forward Marvin Dominique and one school doesn’t seem to belong. A lengthy and bouncy 6-6 player who finished from way beyond three point land and way above the rim, the Miramar (FL) High product listed Florida Gulf Coast, Florida International, Georgia Southern and Seton Hall. A fine athlete who is being under recruited, he should have a host of mid majors joining the fray as schools scour the country for capable spring signees. … Not like he needs any more pub, but lefty Tristan Thompson is a flat out stud. The nearly 6-9 BF from Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s was totally dominant in a steamrolling of a quality club on Friday in Coral Gables. Get ready Big 12, you’ve still got a year and a half to get ready for the potential #1 player in the class of 2010’s arrival at Texas. … While Thompson dominated, seven foot sophomore teammate Blaise Mbargorba provided the comic relief. Excited to get some run during the final minutes of a St. Benedict’s blowout, the sophomore was called back to the bench shortly before checking in by a disgusted and perplexed Danny Hurley. So why did the coach call him back? As it turns out the lean insider had his jersey on backwards. … Back to Lance Stephenson for a second. The young man’s most impressive play of the night was one that most of the crowd failed to pick up on. Bringing the ball up the floor against some pressure, Stephenson fired a right handed bounce pass about 40 feet through traffic right into a teammates chest. It’s difficult to describe it, but the strength and skill it took to complete the pass -- particularly because of the way he fired it without really catching it, just flinging it as soon is it hit his right hand -- is something that you rarely see on any level of basketball. …

Kreul Classic: Day One Rundown 

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. -- Tristan Thompson and Brandon Knight were good during the first day of the Kreul Classic, but it as 2009 guard Ramon Galloway that stole the show Friday night.  Ramon Galloway

Ramon Galloway, PG, Dwyer – It didn’t take Galloway long to get it going. After the first half the 6-foot-3 lead guard had already tallied 17 points, including a trio of three-pointers that were shot from at least 23-feet out. Energy is something that he brings to the table, and he’s an above average athlete that loves to get out in the open court and make plays. Playing on a team that never lets up, Galloway got after it on the defensive end as well forcing a number of turnovers. He went for 30 points in Dwyer’s double-digit win.

Marvin Dominique, PF, Miramar – Against Quality Education Academy and their much taller frontline, Dominique was quite effective. The 6-foot-7, 200-pound forward knocked down a handful of jumpers, including a pair of three-pointers from the corner. On one sequence he ran the floor, received a pass on the left side of the lane and tried to throw down a backwards dunk on a defender. Despite the miss it was impressive nonetheless. He mixed it up inside with QUA and came away with a few tips and dunks.

Tristan Thompson, PF, St. Benedict’s – The Thompson show continued in Florida. After beating up on the competition at the Marshall County Hoopfest on a national stage a few weeks ago, the 6-foot-9, 215-pounder went to work in Coral Springs. To go with the pair of mid-range jumpers he knocked down, he scored it on the block with ease and ran the floor looking to score. Thompson went for 16 points in the blow out win over Cardinal Gibbons.

Brandon Knight, PG, Pine Crest School – Playing in front of a handful of coaches that are vying for his services, Knight was his normal self against KAMIT. The 6-foot-3 guard showed great leadership skills, got his teammates into sets and when needed he scored it. In the open court he’s got great vision and is a talented passer. He finished with 15 points, including a pair of three-pointers in their blow out win.

While all of those things are impressive, it’s his feel for the game that sets him apart. He has a tremendous understanding of how to play the point guard position and is clearly the best that the 2010 class has to offer at the position. For the game Knight finished with 15 points.

Sam Mills, PG/SG, Cardinal Gibbons – Up against one of the best teams in the country, Mills kept his composer, made good decisions and impressed on-lookers with his ability to score. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound guard has a strong frame, can get to the rim and has range out to 21-feet. He went for 19 points in the loss to St. Benedict’s.

Stargell Love, SG, Quality Education Academy – After an impressive first half, Love had a handful of college coaches reaching for their programs searching for a name. Love, a 6-foot-2 junior, has a strong frame, good speed and a developed mid-range game. He scored 10 points in their loss.

Quincy Miller, PF, Quality Education Academy – Long term this is a heck of a prospect. At 6-foot-8, Miller is blessed with a pair of long arms and a slight frame. Already active inside, once Miller adds strength he’ll be a force in the paint. Miller’s skill set is impressive. He’s already developed moves inside and is versatile enough to spend time on the wing.

Jacoby Brissett, SF, Dwyer – A quarterback on Dwyer’s football team, Brissett just made it over to the basketball squad and it sure didn’t take long for him to fit in. The 6-foot-4 wing has an intimidating frame and isn’t afraid to initiate contact on his way to the rim. Against Ballou, Drissett handled the ball a lot and proved to be a talented passer.

Marvin Dominique has a variety of schools showing him attention. According to one of his coaches Georgia Southern, Seton Hall, Florida Gulf Coast and Florida International.

Quincy Miller is already hearing from the big boys. Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, North Carolina, Baylor, Connecticut, Florida and Florida State have all shown interest in him.

Brandon Knight said he’s no where near ready to come up with a decision. He did, however, list a handful of schools. He mentioned Florida, Miami, Kentucky, Syracuse, Kansas and Connecticut.

Jacoby Brissett struggled to remember all of the schools involved, but he did mention Florida, Miami, South Carolina, Xavier, Kentucky, Kansas State and Boston College.

A number of coaches rolled through the Coral Springs Gymnasium on Friday. Frank Haith and Jay Wright were the only head coaches in attendance. There were also assistants from Florida, Kansas, Miami, South Carolina and Marshall in attendance to check out prospective recruits.

SCOREBOARD

·  St. Thomas Aquinas 66, Hudson 62

·  St. Benedict 82, Cardinal Gibbons 52

·  Miramar 59, Quality Education 45

·  Pine Crest 64, KAMIT 43

·  Dwyer 62, Ballou 46

·  Georgetown Prep 63, South Broward 52

Hawk Kreul Classic: Day Two Rundown 

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. -- St. Benedict's continues to roll at the Hawk Kreul Classic, while Brandon Knight and Pine Crest dropped a tough one to Dillard.

Tamir Jackson, SG/PF, St. Benedict’s – From the get go Jackson was feeling it. The future Rice guard played about as well as you can in one quarter, going 7-for-7 from the field, including four three-pointers. His game has progressed a lot over the past year. He makes better decision, has tightened his handled and his jumper is more consistent from long range. Jackson scored 25 in the win.

Dan Munoz, PG, St. Thomas Aquinas – Boston University locked up a steady lead guard in this 6-foot-1, 170-pounder. Through the first two days of the Kreul Classic, he’s made good decisions, handled the ball well and shot it relatively well from long range. He buried a pair of three-pointers in STA’s lopsided loss to St. Benedict’s.

Jason Calliste, SG/PF, Quality Education Academy – As one of the guys that helped his stock the most in July, Calliste has a number of college coaches following his every move. In Coral Springs, he spent majority of his time playing on the ball, and at times he looked uncomfortable running the spot and was forced into turnovers. He is, however, a valuable long-range shooter. He scored 20 points in QEA’s double-digit win.

Ramon Galloway, PG, Dwyer – After stepping up yesterday, the bar was set high for day two, maybe a little too high. In the first few minutes of the first quarter, Galloway hit a 10-foot jumper, a floater and recorded a put back. Then it went downhill as he was forced into a few turnovers and early in the second half landed awkwardly on his ankle and was forced to the sidelines. He made an attempt to come back, but the pain was too much.

Jevonte Redick, PF, Quality Education Academy – On the first day of the Kreul Classic, Redick wasn’t real active inside and rarely looked to score. The second day was different, at least in the first half, as Redick utilized his size inside to snag rebounds and score over defenders. The 6-foot-9 junior big man still needs to develop some post moves, but because of his size, length and ability to run the floor he’ll get plenty of college looks. Redick went for 15 points against St. Anthony’s.

Markel Starks, PG, Georgetown Prep – Strapped with foul trouble, Starks had a problem getting it going against Miramar. The 6-foot-2 Georgetown commit missed a number of lay-ups and is getting into a habit of double clutching every time he attempts to finish at the rim. Despite a rough night, Starks still showed what he’ll bring to the Hoyas in two years. He’s quick, has a strong handle and a nice teardrop floater that hits the bottom of the net more often than not. In the loss he finished with 13 points.

Tristan Thompson, PF, St. Benedict’s – It was the Tamir Jackson show early on, but as the game continued Thompson began flexing his muscles in the paint. When the clock struck zero, the top rated junior finished 9-for-13 from the field for 25 points. He finished a number of moves inside that led to And 1 opportunities and made a nice jump stop across the lane that led to a right handed finish.

Brandon Knight, PG, Pine Crest -- The best lead guard in the 2010 class poured in 30 points, but it wasn’t enough to top a talented Dillard team. Knight began the game by hitting a trio of threes and finished the first quarter with 13 points. As the game wore on and Dillard began to build a slight lead, Knight turned it up on the defensive end and seemed to grab every rebound and loose ball. But down the stretch Dillard was just too much as they pulled off a nine point win.

With the way Knight has played over the last year he could make an argument for the best guard in high school basketball. With his size (6-foot-3) and athleticism he’s a guy that can take over a game with out scoring. He has tremendous leadership skills and takes the game seriously on both ends. He’s doing more of the little things and we’ve seen an improvement on the consistency in his shooting.

Xavier Martin, PG, Miramar – Going head-to-head with Markell Starks, Martin stepped up to the challenge. The 5-foot-10, 175-pounder buried a trio of three-pointers and handled the ball with care in a double-digit win over Georgetown Prep.

Quincy Miller, PF/SF, Quality Education Academy – It might take Miller some time to put it all together, but there’s no question that this 6-foot-8 combo forward has the potential to be one of the better players in the 2011 class. Against St. Anthony’s on Saturday, Miller dished out the rock to his teammates and showed some touch from mid-range. Going forward he needs to continue to tighten up his handle if he’s going to spend time on the wing, as well as get stronger.

According to Ro Russell, who is Jason Calliste’s AAU coach, Rhode Island, Providence, South Florida, Oregon State, Washington State, Marshall, UT-Chattanooga, Arkansas, Charlotte, ECU and Florida have all showed interest in the 6-foot-3 guard.

Marques Gentry, of Washington (D.C.) Ballou, is a guy to monitor. The sophomore already stands 6-foot-8 and moves relatively well. He doesn’t get many touches inside but has a chance to be a solid player down the road.

For the second day in a row 2009 prospect Marvin Dominique impressed with his ability to step away from the paint and knock down jumpers. But he’ll mix it up inside as well. Mid-majors should take a peak, as he has an intriguing game.

Lonnie Robinson, a senior at Deerfield, and junior teammate James Williams are both long, versatile wings. Both were aggressive and attacked the rim in their close win over Dwyer. They combined for 34 points.

Pine Crest senior Ed Waite is an intimidating undersized power forward. The 6-foot-5 big man grabbed a bunch of rebounds and hit for 20 points in the loss.

Dillard is a tough squad. Their senior leader Robert Burger led the way with 26 points, but they also have a pair sophomore big men (Fred Landers and Jerimiah Eason) that are likely Division-I prospect.

Former Duke standout Bobby Hurley took in his brother’s game and the Pine Crest/Dillard Game. Florida Atlantic had a pair of assistants in the gym as well.

Word out of Louisville (Ky.) at the King of the Bluegrass, which we’ll have coverage from on December 23rd, is Drew Kelly put up 67 points (26-for-33) and hit a three-pointer to force overtime. Despite his monstrous night Centennial (Tenn.) High lost to Los Angeles (Calif.) Dorsey. That’s a heck of an effort!

Deerfield Beach coach Kenny Brown certainly gets the most out of his players. In a game against Dwyer, Brown worked the sidelines as hard as any coach in recent memory.

Speaking of Deerfield and Dwyer. The game between the two is one of the hardest played contests we’ve witnessed in a long time. Both sides played hard, dove on the deck for balls and gave it their all for 32 minutes. It’s fun to see such a tough brand of ball being played.

Sophomore standout Jacoby Brissett was sent to the bench early in the Deerfield/Dwyer game. He picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter and wasn’t much of a factor in the game.

SCOREBOARD

·  South Broward 67, Ballou 50

·  Quality Education Academy 73, St. Anthony’s 62

·  Cardinal Gibbons 56, North Miami beach 49

·  Miramar 71, Georgetown Prep 49,

·  Deerfield 61, Dwyer 55

·  St. Benedict 86, St. Thomas Aquinas 62

·  Dillard 75, Pine Crest 66