Summary of the 2009 Boo Williams Invitational, including championship game highlights and player evaluations of the top performers from the weekend.
6-8 Ohio state bound junior Jared Sullinger put his All Ohio Red team on his considerably broad shoulders and carried them to victory in the Gold Championship of the 17 and Under Division at the Boo Williams Invitational on Sunday.
Things started slowly for the kids from Ohio in, as Philly-based Team Final jumped out to a big early lead. 6-7 sophomore forward Michael Gilchrist was unstoppable in the first half, and controlled the game at both ends. With Team Final up 27-12, Sullinger then went to work in the paint and on the glass. The game was tied at the half, but the momentum had clearly changed.
In the second half, it was point guard Juwan Staten taking control for All Ohio Red, as they took the lead and stretched it to double digits. Sullinger and junior forward JD Weatherspoon were dominant on the offensive glass, and Team Final looked beaten.
However, with about two minutes to go in the game Team Final turned up the defensive pressure and forced turnovers on four of the last five possessions, holding the ball down one with under 30 seconds left. Syracuse recruit Dion Waiters took an ill-advised three point jumper, which missed, and All Ohio Red made their free throws to hang on for a 75-72 win
Sullinger led the way with 22 points and a bushel of rebounds for Ohio. Gilchrist had 28 points to lead all scorers in a losing effort for Team Final.
In the 16 and under final The Playaz defeated the St. Louis Eagles 71-59.
Cream Skimming
Harrison Barnes
6-7 G/F Ames HS in Ames, IA - 2010
Barnes showed up with the Howard Pulley AAU squad out of Minnesota and made a big splash on Friday evening, scoring 29 points and showcasing a game that has evolved considerably over the past year. Barnes has a feathery touch on the jumper with deep range and he’s a big time athlete. The big improvement is in his ability to handle the rock and drive to the rim. He sees the floor well and does an excellent job passing over the defense. Quick low dribble and explosive first step in the one on one game. Don’t be surprised to see Barnes’ name at the very top of the 2010 rankings when it’s all said and done. Kansas, North Carolina, and Duke are strong along with UCLA, Texas, Iowa State and others. North Carolina has made a big push with Roy Williams flying out to visit Barnes after winning the NCAA title, and Barnes scheduled to make a trip out to Chapel Hill in June.
Brandon Knight
6-3 PG Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, FL - 2010
Knight also showed up with a new team this weekend, playing for Each One, Teach One (formerly Team Stat), and looked very comfortable as the primary scoring option. Knight is aggressive, quick, and has a tremendous competitive spirit on the floor, playing hard at both ends. He is an excellent jump shooter who can pressure the defense with his quickness and ballhandling skills. Total package at guard. He played hurt on Sunday, but couldn’t finish the semi-final game against All Ohio Red. Conventional wisdom says this could be another Duke vs. Florida battle for his services, but don’t be surprised if other schools make a strong push as well.
Jared Sullinger
6-8 C/F Northland HS in Columbus, OH - 2010
If there’s a more effective rebounder and inside scorer than Sullinger in the class of 2010, he’s doing a great job hiding from us. Sullinger has excellent hands and footwork in the post, and does a great job using his hips and shoulders to create space in the paint. He has soft touch around the basket and absorbs contact and finishes well. Surprisingly quick and nimble, but he makes his physical presence felt as well. Maybe he doesn’t have quite as high a ceiling as guys like Barnes and Knight, but he will be a dominant college player from day one at Ohio State.
Josh Smith
6-9 C Kentwood HS in Kent, WA - 2010
It’s easy to love Smith’s explosiveness around the basket and raw power, as well as his nimble footwork and soft touch. It’s not so easy to love his lack of conditioning and inability to run the floor effectively. Smith’s weight is an issue, mainly because it is clearly bad weight. He has the skills and size to be, perhaps, the best player in the class of 2010. However, if he doesn’t get in better shape it could all go to waste. That being said, at this level when Smith gets the ball in the low post, it’s over. There aren’t many guys at the college level who could stop him from scoring down low right now. We’ll call him a work in progress with, potentially, a very high ceiling.
Adreian Payne
6-10 C/F Jefferson HS in Dayton, OH - 2010
Speaking of works in progress with a high ceiling, that’s Adreian Payne in a nutshell. Payne oozes athletic potential with his length and dynamic leaping ability. He hasn’t quite put it all together yet, and struggled mightily trying to stick Michael Gilchrist in the championship game, but Payne is fluid and runs the floor and blocks shots like a potential pro. He seems to drift in and out of games, lacking focus and the killer instinct that we like to see in a dominant big man, but he shows flashes that are intriguing enough to place him firmly in Top 25 territory in this class.
Will Barton
6-5 2G Lake Clifton HS in Baltimore, MD - 2010
A few years ago, Mike Beasley picked his future college before he settled on the high school he would attend for his senior year. Will Barton could find himself in the same position this year. Like Beasley, Barton is out of high school eligibility and must find a new home for his senior season. He told us that he may not have that figured out before the end of the summer. Regardless, Barton made a big splash this weekend, scoring 30 points in a comeback win during pool play and showcasing his dynamic skills in the process. Barton is a wispy speed demon, with an improving jump shot and the ability to get to the rim in traffic. He has the handle to play point guard and the size to match up with college wing forwards. Barton rattled off a list of schools that included Louisville, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Villanova, Kentucky, Texas, Florida, and Memphis. He says that all have offered with the exception of Connecticut.
DeShaun Thomas
6-7 W/PF Bishop Luers HS in Fort Wayne, IN - 2010
Thomas is a multi-dimensional forward with the ability to shoot from the perimeter, drive the ball baseline, or post and score down low. He has long arms and is adept at hanging in the air and dropping the ball in over defenders on his drives. He’s a load physically, and does well absorbing contact and powering his way through defenders. Thomas tends to settle for the three ball more than he needs to, and shot selection is certainly an area that could use some improvement at the next level. He and Sullinger will make quite an impressive front court tandem at Ohio State.
Dion Waiters
6-4 2G Life Center Academy in Burlington, NJ - 2010
Waiters is the prototypical power guard, built like a greek statue and gifted with impressive speed and athletic ability. He is a difficult one on one match up, with an exceptional first step and the physical strength to keep defenders at bay on his way to the basket. He is a streaky perimeter shooter, but excels in the mid-range game. Waiters is a tremendous talent, but he has struggled in the past with decision making and discipline, and we saw a bit of that late in the championship game against All Ohio Red when he took an ill-advised three with his team down one and less than 30 seconds remaining on the clock. He is improving in this regard, but it’s clearly still an issue that will need to be addressed at Syracuse.
Markus Kennedy
6-8 C/F Apex Academy in Pennsauken, NJ - 2010
Kennedy is another player who’s improved by leaps and bounds over the past year. He is impressively agile around the basket for a 245 pounder, and has great feel for the post game. In Team Final’s offense, they move Kennedy out to the perimeter to open up the driving lanes for their wing players, and he does an excellent job cutting to the low post and cleaning up missed shots or catching the dish on penetration. He passes well for a big man, and though he’s not a great athlete, he does possess surprising quickness. He did struggle in the finals against a larger man in Sullinger, and probably didn’t compete up to his ability. But he is undoubtedly a player with the potential to contribute at the highest level in college. Kennedy is reportedly going to decide between Villanova and West Virginia before the end of the month.
James Bell
6-5 G/F Montverde Academy in Montverde, FL - 2010
Bell showed flashes as the third offensive option on a team with Brandon Knight and Austin Rivers throughout most of the weekend. However, when Knight went down in the semis, Bell picked up the slack and really showcased his skills. While not a naturally gifted perimeter shooter, Bell has improved greatly in the past year. However, his bread and butter is his ability to break down defenders with the dribble and finish above the rim. Bell twice used a nasty crossover dribble to knife into the lane and lay it up in traffic. His leaping ability is off the charts, and he is an effective shot blocker at 6-5. Bell is committed to Villanova.
Michael Gilchrist
6-7 WF St. Patrick in Elizabeth, NJ - 2011
Gilchrist not only cemented his status as the best player in the class of 2011, but also earned a place in AAU lore by swishing a half court buzzer beater to knock off Boo Williams on their home court in the semis of their own tournament. He followed that moment up with his best game of the event, scoring 28 points in the finals against All Ohio Red. Gilchrist has exceptional athletic ability, is long, and explosive off the dribble. His jumpshot is improving at an alarming rate, although he still struggles from the perimeter at times. However, Gilchrist really separates himself from his peers with his ability to pass the ball, and the intensity with which he competes at both ends of the floor. He rebounds, blocks shots, and is dangerous in the open court when he has the ball in his hands. He’s still developing physically, and probably is not done growing yet, and it shows when he’s facing particularly strong opponents. But if he’s just scratching the surface now… Kentucky is the new leader, with Villanova, Rutgers, Florida, Georgetown, Seton Hall, and everyone else trying to get a foot in the door.
Austin Rivers
6-3 PG Winter Park HS in Winter Park, FL - 2011
Rivers on the surface is the cerebral point guard, in control and setting up teammates for easy buckets. But once he lulls defenders to sleep with that first impression, he explodes by them off the dribble and elevates in traffic to finish. Rivers much improved athleticism was one of the big revelations of the weekend, and he is undoubtedly one of the very best prospects in the class of 2011. His shot selection could be better, as he jacked a lot of threes over the weekend. But given his squad’s lack of front court scoring punch, he clearly was given a mandate to put points on the board. Rivers has already committed to coach Billy Donovan’s Florida Gators.
Marquis Teague
6-2 PG Pike HS in Indianapolis, IN - 2011
Teague was quite possibly the most exciting player to watch over the course of the weekend. With a Barry Sanders-like ability to burst through the smallest crack of daylight for a big play, Teague got to the rim at will. He was generally unstoppable with the ball in his hands once he committed to the drive, and in the open floor he was absolutely unstoppable. Teague shot the ball well for the most part, but if there’s a weakness in his game, it’s his shot selection from the perimeter. Still, a big time talent who’s much better than his All-ACC brother at the same stage in their respective careers. Iverson comparisons are not that far off.
Nick Johnson
6-2 PG Highland HS in Gilbert, AZ - 2011
Johnson ran the show for the Oakland Soldiers and was the catalyst behind their pool play wins, propelling them into the Gold playoffs. He is a well-built quick guard with the ability to shoot the deep ball consistently. We were extremely impressed with his top-notch athleticism and power penetrating the lane and finishing plays. Johnson is crafty with the ball, but right now his game is more centered around beating opponents with quickness and power.
LJ Rose
6-3 PG Second Baptist HS in Houston, TX - 2012
Rose was one of the big surprises handling point guard duties for Houston Hoops in the 17 and under division as a freshman, and more than holding his own. In fact, Rose scored 22 points and hit all the free throws down the stretch as his squad downed the favored Mac Irvin Fire team from Chicago to win their pool. Rose is a big PG with excellent touch from the perimeter and the ability to make plays for his teammates. His is a name to remember.