HS Hoops Elite

Saturday January 18

12:00 Putnam HS (MA) vs Woodstock Academy (CT)

1:30 Springfield Central HS (MA) vs Albany Academy (NY)

3:00 Bishop O'Connell HS (VA) vs #4 Rainier Beach HS (WA)

4:30 Lincoln HS (NY) vs Yates HS (TX)

6:00 St Frances Academy (MD) vs St John Bosco HS (CA)

8:00 #23 Huntington Prep (WV) vs #17 Prime Prep (TX)

 

Sunday January 19

11:00 Cushing Academy (MA) vs Worcester Academy (MA)

12:30 Kimball Union Academy (NH) Northfield Mount Hermon HS (MA)

2:00 St Benedict's Prep (NJ) vs Arlington Country Day (FL)

3:30 #11 Our Savior New American (NY) vs #12 La Lumiere (IN)

5:00 #24 Dematha Catholic HS (MD) vs #10 St Joseph HS (NJ)

6:30 Wilbraham & Monson Academy (MA) vs Brewster Academy (NH)

 

Monday January 20

9:45 St Anthony HS (NJ) vs #9 Paul VI HS (VA)

11:30 Wesleyan Christian (NC) vs #8 Findlay Prep (NV)   ESPNU

1:30 #5 Oak Hill Academy (VA) vs #16 Whitney Young HS (IL)  ESPNU

3:30 #6 Curie HS (IL) vs #1 Montverde Academy (FL)  ESPNU

5:30 #22 Neumann-Goretti (PA) vs #2 Mater Dei HS (CA)  ESPNU

 

2014 Hoophall Classic
Saturday:
 
Putnam HS takes down Woodstock Academy 77-45.
Top Performers:
David Murrell: 15 points, 15 rebounds, 2 steals
Tyrone Malone Jr: 19 points, 9 rebounds
Dizel Wright: 10 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals
Adam Converse: 14 points, 6 rebounds
 
Albany HS took down Springfield Central 75-73
Top Performers:
Matt Knezovic: 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals
John Moutopoulos: 12 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Zavia Williams: 18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 8-12 from ft line
Chris Baldwin: 12 points, 14 rebounds, 2 blocks
Ju’an Williams: 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals
 
Rainier Beach (WA) stays unbeaten as they take down Bishop O’Conell (MD) 65-60. Rainier Beach used a balanced attack to take down Bishop O’Connell in the first national game of the 2014 Hoophall Classic. Rainier Beach took the lead in the first quarter of play and never looked back. Bishop O’Connell kept this one close throughout but couldn’t take the lead as their star Romelo Trimble struggled shooting the ball, going just 7-22 from the field and 0-6 from 3. Shaqquan Aaron and David Crisp were major factors for Rainier Beach using senior leadership to keep their squad unbeaten for the year.

 

Top Performers:
Shaqquan Aaron: Aaron didn’t impact this game in the scoring column as much as he did with his passes and key assists. Aaron got to the basketball well and kicked it out to the open shooters for 3. His length and athleticism will help him succeed at the next level. He finished with 11 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks.
David Crisp: After committing to Washington earlier in the week Crisp came out firing against O’Connell hitting some big 3 pointers in key moments of the game. Crisp moves well off the ball getting open to hit the open shots. He finished with 20 points going 4-9 from 3.
Lewis Djonkam: Djonkam played a great game on the offensive end finishing with 14 points on an efficient 7-10 from the field. Djonkam was a force on the offensive glass finishes with 7 offensive rebounds and 11 rebounds total. Djonkam has a great body and finishes well around the rim.

 

Other standouts:
Dujuan Piper: 12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 blocks
Dejounte Murray: 7 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals
Romelo Trimble: 26 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals, 12-14 from ft line
Oumar Barry: 8 points, 9 rebounds
 
Lincoln (NY) took an easy win over Yates (TX) 90-66 in a sloppy game throughout. Lincoln took the lead in the first half and never looked back using a big third quarter to pull away. The two teams combined for 49 turnovers and played a game of street ball running up and down the floor missing open layups and shooting 5 seconds into the shot clock at times. Lincoln used strong guard play to control this one and held Yates to just 3-21 from behind the arc on the night.

 

Top Performers:
Elisha Boone: Elisha Boone played well throughout the game after he committed to St Peter’s earlier in the week. Boone shot well from the field and got to the rim on the break with ease. He also was active on the glass finishing with 11 rebounds. He also finished with 26 points and 3 steals.
Desi Rodriguez: Rodriguez always brings something extra to the game and plays with intensity on the glass. He is only 6’6” but rebounds well down low and finishes well around the rim. Him and Whitehead will be teaming up again at Seton Hall next year and will make a big impact on the program. He finished with 25 points on 10-16 shooting along with 9 rebounds and 2 steals
JC Washington: The one bright spot in the bad loss for Yates was Washington who affected the ball on both ends of the court. Washington uses his solid body and length to affect shot on the defensive end and grab boards around the rim. Washington is an athletic big who finishes well around the rim. He finished with 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

 

Other Standouts:
Isaiah Whitehead: 12 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals
Milton Jackson: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks
Damion Lewis: 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals
 
St John Bosco (CA) took down St Frances Academy (MD) 63-60 in a back in fourth game. St John Bosco was without star junior point guard Tyler Dorsey and were forced to play Daniel Hamilton at the point. This was a different look for them and certainly affected their play. Hamilton and Jackson were the difference in the game each finishing with 20+ points for the victors. On the other side UNLV commit Dwayne Morgan shot just 6-15 from the field and could never really get going.  The difference in this one was the star power for St John Bosco as they Hamilton and Jackson combined for 51 of their teams 63 points.

 

Standout Performers:
Vance Jackson: Jackson is a pure shooter from 3 and did a nice job of getting to the basketball as well in this one. He went 10-16 from the field and 5-11 from beyond the arc. Jackson is only a sophomore and has a lot of time to develop his game even further. He will be a special player as he progresses as he finished with 26 points and 8 rebounds.
Daniel Hamilton: Hamilton is a guy who can do it all as he showed in this one as he ran point. He is a long shooter who can get to the rim and pass the ball well to find the open guy. He is also active on the glass and is a great stat sheet stuffer. Hamilton finished with 25 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.
Michael Mickols: Mickols was the last guy you expected to make an impact on the game but he did it in this one. Mickols went 5-7 from three in the game of his life. He is a sharp shooter from deep and a guy you need to stay on if you don’t want to get hurt. He finished with 15 points on 5-7 shooting from the field.

 

Other Standouts:
Joshua Ayemi: 8 points, 9 rebounds
Dwayne Morgan: 13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Daquan Bracey: 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
 
Huntington Prep (WV) was just too much for Prime Prep (TX) as they took the win 52-48. Prime Prep had no answer for the balanced scoring attack of Huntington and just didn’t have enough big names to keep up with Huntington Prep. Emmanuel Mudiay and Terrence Ferguson played well from Prime Prep but without Samson Schwietz who went out in the first half with an injury they had no answer down low for the big bodies of Huntington. This game came down to a few big plays down the stretch and Huntington Prep came up big while a big fourth quarter for Emmanuel Mudiay wasn’t enough to take this one home for the Truth.

 

Top Performers:
Emmanuel Mudiay: Mudiay has all the tools to make an impact at the next level but his one weekness is his lack of an outside game. If he develops a shot he will be lethal at the next level and further. In this one he showed his array of skills getting to the rim with ease and making the big plays to keep his team in this one. He finished with 20 points and 3 rebounds going 6-6 from the line.
Thomas Bryant: Bryant came up big for Huntington Prep today and took advantage of the young frontcourt for Prime Prep. He is a high motor guy who plays with enthusiasm and a passion for the game. He gets big rebounds and demands the ball in the paint. Bryant finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
Miles Bridges: Bridges is only a sophomore but has the body of a senior in college. He is a wing man who plays strong around the basketball and can finish with force. He played huge in his minutes off the bench and was a big contributor in the Huntington Prep win. Bridges finished with 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks going 4-5 from the field.

Other Standouts:
Montaque Gill-Caesar: 13 points, 9 rebounds
Ja’Quan Lyle: 11 points, 1 steal
Terrence Ferguson: 13 points, 3-7 from 3
Micah Seaborn: 11 points, 4 rebounds

 

Hoophall Classic
Sunday:
Northfield Mount Hermon (MA) 80
Kimball Union (NH) 51
Standouts:
Malik Abu: 15 points, 9 rebounds, 5 blocks
 Aaron Falzon: 11 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists
Daquon Ervin: 10 points, 9 assists, 4 steals
Josh Sharma: 13 points, 2 blocks, 6-7 from the field
Jackson Donahue: 26 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 6-7 from 3
 
Jalen Adams mad a name for himself as one of the top 50 players in the Junior class as he exploded for 32 points in his teams win. Cushing Academy (MA) took down Worcester Academy (MA) behind great guard play and a steady approach. Worcester dominated the paint on the offensive end behind their unsigned 6’ 11” senior Matt Cimino, who finished with 22 points and 8 boards. Worcester couldn’t contain Cushing Academy’s guards Kaleb Joseph and Jalen Adams and that was the big difference in the game as Cushing Academy took the win 93-83.

 

Top Performers:
Jalen Adams: Jalen Adams is a great scorer who produces at the rim and from the outside. He is great at creating his own shot and is a good passer. He had a great motor in this one but was sloppy at times. He finished with 32 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals, going 4-6 from beyond the arc.
Kaleb Joseph: Joseph has great vision and court awareness. He can get to the rim when he wants with his quickness and ball handling abilities. Joseph finished off this one with 17 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds in a solid effort.
Matt Cimino: Cimino has great touch around the rim but needs to work on getting stronger. He has a long, thin frame that helps him get rebounds and alter shots on the defensive end. He lives in the paint and has solid post moves with a good, efficient hook shot around the rim. Cimino finished with 22 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 steals, and went 9-12 from the field.

 

Other standouts:
Idris Taqqee: 19 points, 9 rebounds
Kimani Lawrence: 14 points, 10 rebounds
Saul Phiri: 23 points, 5-7 from 3, 8-10 form the field
 
St Benedict’s Prep (NJ) is far from the team that lost to Montverde in the NHSI championship game last year. Benedict’s has lost a lot but have a new identity as a scrappy team full of mid major guys. Arlington Country Day (FL) exploited their lack of top talent and took the game in the fourth quarter through a balanced attack. The difference in this one was the play of sophomore guard Lamonte Turner who finished the game with 16 points. He attacked the rim strong and made some big plays in key moments of the game. Strong play from the ACD bigs also helped in the 64-54 win over perennial power St Benedict’s.

 

Top Performers:
Lamonte Turner: Turner is an athletic scorer with good court awareness. He came up with some big plays in the win over St Benedict’s connecting on three shots from beyond the arc and a few big time slams. Turner finished with 16 points and 2 steals going 6-10 from the field.
Nate Mason: Mason played a big role in his teams win controlling the tempo of the game. He was the steady hand for ACD and provided good play on both ends of the floor. Mason finished with 11 points and 5 rebounds going 6-6 from the line.
Trevon Duval: Duval is a great slasher who doesn’t shy away from contact at the rim. He finishes well around the rim and initiates contact. At 6’ 2” Duval has a great body for a freshman guard and a good frame. Duval finished with 11 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 assists.

 

Other Standouts:
Elijah Cain: 18 points, 4 rebounds, 7-9 from the field, 4-6 from 3
Terrell Miller: 14 points, 11 rebounds, 8-8 from the line
Dante Buford: 10 points, 9 rebounds, 5-6 from the line
 
La Lumiere (IN) and Our Savior New American (NY) lived up to the billing as one of the top games of the weekend with the star power coming from the junior class. La Lumiere’s Jalen Coleman took the game over in the second half as he finished with 28 points including 8 three’s. Cheick Diallo had one of the most dominate performances of the weekend as he finished with a triple double and kept Our Savior close throughout. In the end La Lumiere’s depth and guard play was too much for Our Savior as they took it 65-55.

 

Top Performers:
Cheick Diallo: Diallo made his case for the top player in the junior class as he had an impressive performance. Diallo had an endless motor, getting up and down the floor throughout the game. Diallo is an incredible shot blocker and rebounder and very raw on the offensive end. He knows how to make an impact on the game on both sides of the ball. Diallo finished with 18 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 blocks.
Jalen Coleman: Coleman is a good athlete who can shoot the ball from deep as he showed with his 8 three pointers. Coleman is a scorer who shows good upside as one of the top scorers in the junior class. He finished with 28 points and went 8-11 from deep.
Munis Tutu: Tutu is a true point guard who has great game management skills. He is not a prolific scorer but won’t turn the ball over much and has good assist numbers. Tutu made a major impact for La Lumiere in this one and controlled the tempo of the game.  He finished with 10 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds, going 8-12 from the free throw line.

 

Other standouts:
Joseph Toye: 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals
Sam Longwood: 12 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
Kobie Eubanks: 18 points, 7 rebounds
Damon Wilson: 11 points, 4 assists, 3 steals
 
Dematha (MD) took down St Joseph HS (NJ) using youth and quickness to outduel Towns and company. Dematha used a huge second half to take down previously undefeated St Joseph. Joe Hampton came up big for Dematha going toe to toe with Karl Towns and holding his own. Dematha had better guard play throughout and wore St Joseph down with their depth at every position. St Joseph struggled to get Towns the ball and took bad shots throughout the game. Dematha spread the lead in the fourth and took the win 73-45.

 

Top Performers:
Karl Towns: Karl Towns is a versatile big that can do it all. He has great vision for a big and can shoot the ball from range. Towns has a big upper body that helps him move his defender and get boards on both ends of the floor. Towns may be the best guy to fill all 5 columns of the stat sheet in the country. He finished this one with 21 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals, and went 9-12 from the field.
DJ Harvey: Harvey is only a freshman but could make an impact at any high school in the country. He has a great body and has a very efficient game. Harvey is one of the top players in the 2017 class and will only continue to get better at Dematha. He finished with 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks, and went 2-2 from behind the arc.
Joe Hampton: Hampton had one of the toughest assignments of the weekend but he played his role perfectly. Hampton was matched up with Karl Towns and outscored the Kentucky-bound senior. Hampton has a wide frame and has a great mid-range game that is very efficient. He is only a sophomore and says he is looking to slim down and move to the wing. He finished with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, and went 10-16 from the field.

 

Other Standouts:
Corey Henson: 18 points, 2 steals
 
The Nightcap of Sunday’s action did not lack for excitement as Brewster Academy (NH) took down Wilbraham and Monson (MA) 89-73. Brewster Academy won win a balanced attack finishing with five players in double figures and another with 9. Brewster also won the over the crowd with their highlight real alley oops and big time slams. Brewster had depth at every position and dominated the game from start to finish.

 

Top Performers:
Devonte Graham: Graham is one of the most underrated players in the class of 2014 and brings it every game. He has great ball control and passing abilities and impacts the game every time he steps onto the court. He is another guy who will fill the stat sheet and plays with good pace and quickness. Graham finished with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals.
Isaac Copeland: Copeland played well in this one and showed off his full skill set. Copeland was hitting from everywhere on the court and played with great energy and intensity. He impacted the game on both ends of the floor and altered shots at the rim. He had a very efficient 25 points going 11-16 from the field. Copeland also played well on the glass finishing with 11 rebounds on the game.
Goodluck Okonoboh: Goodluck had an average night but showcased some of his skillset against an elite program. He impacted the game on the defensive end by altering shots at the rim and forcing Brewster to play around him. Okonoboh finishes strong around the basket and has a good frame that will translate well at the next level. He finished with 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

 

Hoophall Classic Recap:
Monday:

 

In the first game of the day Paul VI (VA) took down St Anthony (NJ) 62-56 in a hotly contested battle that came down the wire. St Anthony played the same fundamental game of old, taking a 44-39 lead heading into the fourth, where Paul VI’s talent took over the game. Curtis Jones came up with some key buckets to give Paul VI the lead and they never looked back. The real difference in the game was the play of Josh Reaves who brought energy and intensity to the court for the battle tested Paul VI side.

 

Top Performers:
Josh Reaves: Josh Reaves is an athletic wing who brings energy and intensity to the game. He doesn’t lack for athleticism and often shows it with his high flying dunks and athletic blocks on the defensive end. Reaves has a great motor and was the major difference maker in this one as he finished with 14 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 2 steals.
Kevin Dorsey: Kevin Dorsey is an athletic guard who plays well at the point guard position bringing a presence of leadership to the floor. Dorsey can play sloppy at times but when he keeps his composure is a tough player who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. He does a good job of getting to the rim and is active defensively. Today  he finished with 14 points going 6-7 from the line.
Tarin Smith: Tarin Smith is a typical St Anthony point guard who plays fundamentally sound basketball. He does a good job of controlling the tempo of the game; and he plays well in transition, making solid bounce passes to the open guy. He finished with 16 points and 3 assists.

 

Other Notables:
Marcus Derrickson: 11 points, 9 rebounds
Tyler Scanlon: 15 points, 6 rebounds
Markis McDuffie: 15 points 7 rebounds, 5 steals
 
In the second game of the day Theo Pinson started the game off hot scoring 14 points in the first quarter of play and starting his team off with a 22-21 game. Wesleyan Christian (NC) stuck around with national power Findlay Prep (NV) until the second half where Findlay outscored Wesleyan 36-11 breaking the game open. Findlay Prep ended up taking it 73-44 behind the play of their senior leaders Rashad Vaughn and Kelly Oubre.

 

Top Performers:
Kelly Oubre: Oubre showed off his athleticism in this one on both ends of the court finishing with 23 points, 5 rebonds, 3 blocks, and 3 steals. Oubre is a long athletic wing who affects ever play of the game with his length and athleticism. Oubre is one of the better scorers in the class and does well of finishing when he gets the ball to the rim.
Rashad Vaughn: Vaughn played well in his first game back from injury finishing with 12 points and 3 assists. Vaughn is a great scorer but doesn’t force his shot. He is very confident from the outside and can get to the rim with ease. Rashad shared the ball today and didn’t look for his shot as much as usual.
Theo Pinson: Pinson came out on fire in this one finishing the first quarter with 14 efficient points. As the game went on he tired out drawing double teams every play as his team let the lead slip further and further away. Pinson showed signs of his passing ability but it didn’t show up in his assist total as his teammates missed a few open looks. Pinson finished with 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists.

 

Other Notables:
Horace Spencer: 4 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, 4 steals
Derryck Thorton: 6 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds
Dillon Brooks: 9 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
Craig Victor: 8 points, 5 rebounds
 
Paul White stole the show for Whitney Young in this one as they downed national power Oak Hill Academy. Paul White was a major factor throughout this one using his length on the defense end to affect shots and the rim and using his lethal mid-range game to give Whitney Young the edge. Oak Hill had the lead heading into the fourth 40-32. Whitney Young rallied with their prized Duke commit Jahlil Okafor on the bench with 4 fouls. Okafor sat most of the fourth but came up big in the final minutes with a couple big time dunks to finish off the Warriors 53-50.

 

Top Performers:
Paul White: Paul White used his length to deter Oak Hill’s bigs around the basket as he finished with 4 blocked shots. He also came up big on the offensive end as he used his mid-range game to finish with 19 points and also gathered 11 boards. Paul White will be a matchup problem at the next level with his shooting ability at the forward position.
Jahlil Okafor: Okafor affects the game in so many ways whether he is scoring at a high level or not. Although this may have been the least efficient game I have seen Jahlil he still ended the game with 14 points and 6 rebounds going 6-11 from the field. Jahlil draws double and triple teams every time he touches the ball and has improved in passing out of the double teams quickly to find the open guy.
Terrance Phillips: Phillips is a great floor general for Oak Hill who played all 32 minutes. He is a great game manager and does a good job of getting to the rim on occasion. Phillips handled the Oak Hill pressure very well and finished with 8 points and 9 assists.

 

Other Standouts:
Caleb Martin: 9 points, 3 rebounds
Cody Martin: 9 points, 5 rebounds
Trevor Manuel: 7 points, 8 rebounds
BJ Stith: 11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals
 
In the top game of the day Cliff Alexander dismantled the number one team in the country almost single handedly. Montverde appeared to be in control of the game heading into the fourth quarter as they had an 8 point cushion; however Cliff Alexander had other plans. Cliff Alexander took over in the second half and had the most dominating performance of the tournament. With only 6 points and 2 rebounds at the half Alexander exploded in the second half and finished the game with 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 blocks. The game changing plays came on back to back dunks in the fourth quarter by the big man that got not only his team into the game but got the crowd behind them as well. Cliff Alexander… I mean Curie (IL) took down Montverde (FL) 73-69.

 

Top Performers:
Cliff Alexander: Cliff Alexander was a man amongst boys providing the fire power behind his teams huge upset win over Montverde. Alexander doesn’t have many moves around the rim but he makes up for it with his pure muscle and will to bring down the rim with every dunk. On back to back possession Alexander provided the best two dunks of the weekend and scored 13 points in the final 4 minutes of the contest. He finished with 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 blocks.
Ben Simmons: Ben Simmons had a tough matchup in the second half as he found himself checking Cliff Alexander. Simmons played an efficient game finishing 7-12 from the field with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Simmons made big plays for Montverde with a huge block on Cliff Alexander in the third and a few highlight real dunks along the way. Simmons is an extremely athletic forward who knows how to rebound the basketball and finish the ball with force around the rim.
D’Angelo Russell: Russell was a big part of the Montverde run that gave them a 12 point lead in the fourth. Russell is great at creating his own shot and knocks them down when he gets open. He was the driving force behind Montverde’s play tonight, as he made some big plays down the stretch. What most people miss about Russell is his great vision and passing abilities which were on full display tonight. He finished with 17 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds.

 

Other Standouts
Joseph Stamps: 20 points, 4 rebounds, 9-10 from ft line
Jordan Caroline: 12 points 6 rebounds
Makinde London: 12 points, 3 rebounds, 4-7 from three
 
 
In the last game of the 2014 Hoophall Classic Mater Dei (CA) took down Neumann Goretti (PA) behind a 30 point performance from Rex Pflueger. Pflueger was dialed in going 4-5 from behind the arc and 9-14 from the field. Neumann Goretti fought hard in this one but Mater Dei was just too much in this one. The big difference in the game was the disparity in the rebounding department in which Mater Dei dominated 47-25. Mater Dei was too big and too strong for the feisty Neumann Goretti squad.

 

Standouts:
Rex Pflueger: 30 points, 8 rebounds
La’Vette Parker: 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
MJ Cage: 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 steals
Stanley Johnson: 12 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists
Ja’Quan Newton: 23 points, 5 rebounds
Jamal Custis: 16 points, 4 rebounds
Troy Harper: 12 points, 4 rebounds