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July Live Period Week Three Superlatives

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Adidas Hoops

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Adidas Hoops

The third and final five-day open evaluation period came to a close Sunday evening, with players and coaches alike now having the opportunity to get some much-needed rest. While Raphielle Johnson was in Las Vegas taking in games at four different grassroots events (and a juco showcase), Scott Phillips was in Louisville for the AAU Nationals and the AAU Super Showcase. Below are CBT’s superlatives from this past weekend.

MORE: Week one superlatives \ Week two superlatives

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:


  • Isaiah Briscoe (2015): Much has been said about Briscoe’s skill set as a lead guard and rightfully so, as his ability to break down opponents off the dribble to create for himself and others was on full display. But what really impressed me was his toughness. The young man simply will not be denied. Highly impressive showing in Las Vegas. (Raphielle Johnson)
  • Raymond Spalding (2015): The Louisville commit has an impressive basketball frame at 6-foot-9 and his feel for the game in very good, as well. If Spalding can get more comfortable and assertive as a scorer, then he’ll be incredibly difficult to guard on the wing, but in his current iteration, he’s already a good passer both in outlets and high-low situations. With wide shoulders, Spalding also has the type of frame that will allow him to add weight. (Scott Phillips)

BEST PROSPECT:


  • Thon Maker (2016): At a certain point some people will stop reaching for wild comparisons to make and simply focus on the skills that Maker brings to the table. While the perimeter shot was inconsistent this weekend he can score from just about anywhere on the floor, and Maker was solid defensively and on the glass as well. Maker’s a gifted player who will only get better as his body matures and he becomes stronger. (RJ)
  • Edrice Adebayo (2016): While other five-star prospects in his class have received a lot of publicity the last three weeks, Adebayo chugged along this July and helped Boo Williams win a lot of games. A strong and physically imposing interior big man, the 6-foot-9 Adebayo had the motor running high as he rebounded, defended, hunted tip dunks and got more comfortable with his post touches as July went along. (SP)

MOST UNDERRATED RECRUIT:


  • Justin Wright-Foreman (2015): Of the top six scoring performances at the adidas Super 64 two were turned in by the same player. That would be Wright-Foreman, who scored 48 points in one game and 31 in another, and the southpaw guard had it rolling offensively all weekend long. Just as important as the point totals is the fact that Wright-Foreman was efficient in racking up those impressive totals, something that can’t be said for all guards. (RJ)
  • Admiral Schofield (2015): Mid-majors were all over the big-bodied wing from Team NLP this week. At 6-foot-5, Schofield has a lot of skill and some good athleticism for a player his size and he comes from strong bloodlines, as his brother, O’Brien Schofield, is a linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks after a strong career at Wisconsin. The younger Schofield is starting to make his own name and high-majors are tracking to see if he can play at the highest level. (SP)

MORE: Quotables Part I | Part II | Part III | All content from the 2014 July Live Period

FAVORITE 2016/2017 PROSPECT:


  • DeAndre Ayton (2017): This young man is going to be a player we’re talking about quite often over the next few years. At 6-foot-11 the height is already there, and one would think that as he gets older Ayton’s physical strength will improve. He can handle the ball some on the perimeter, although there are times in which he gets sped up in that area, and he’s a very difficult player to stop once he gets the ball in the paint. (RJ)
  • Gary Trent, Jr. (2017): The son of Gary Trent -- former MAC legend and NBA veteran -- Trent, Jr. is starting to develop his own reputation as a 6-foot-3 guard. Trent, Jr. does a nice job on high ball screens, moves well without the ball and scores from all three levels. With the ball in his hands, the young guard seemed very comfortable and he made a lot of plays in Louisville. (SP)

BEST SHOOTER:


  • Kyle Guy (2016): Teammate and Purdue commit Ryan Cline stole the show in the title game for Indiana Elite, but it was Guy who consistently knocked down shots throughout the tournament. And given his showing in Las Vegas, it won’t be a surprise when even more programs look to jump into the race for his services. (RJ)
  • Aaron Falzon (2015): One of the things I liked about the 6-foot-7 Falzon, was not only his feathery touch from the outside as a stretch forward, but also his shot selection. In Louisville, Falzon wasn’t the type of player that hoisted up a lot of volume threes just to see what fell like a lot of guys that can heat up from beyond the arc tend to do. He hit shots coming off of screens and also hit threes in transition by spreading the floor and finding a corner. (SP)

BEST SCORER:


  • Jaylen Brown (2015): Brown cemented his status as one of the best players in 2015 with his play in Las Vegas, as he scored from all three levels (at the rim, mid-range and beyond the arc) for Game Elite. He’s added 20 pounds since last summer, but seeing him up close you can tell that he’s put on “good” weight in doing so. (RJ)
  • Trent Forrest (2016): There weren’t many go-to bucket-getters in Louisville this week, but Forrest did a lot of damage with the ball in his hands. A 6-foot-3 combo guard with long arms, Forrest doesn’t have a polished perimeter jumper, but he uses shot fakes well and scores around the rim using floaters, runners and finishing above the rim when he can gather with two feet. (SP)

BEST DEFENDER:


  • Abdul Ado (2016): Not to say that finding a quality weakside shot-blocker is easy, but you’re more likely to find that kind of big man than the big who blocks/alters shots put up by the man he’s defending as well. Ado was outstanding as a post defender for the Atlanta Celtics, and while they fell to Dream Vision in the quarters he was the primary defender as Chase Jeter was limited to just five points. (RJ)
  • Rayjon Tucker (2015): While he is still figuring out how to use his tremendous athleticism on the offensive end when the game slows down, Tucker can really get out and defend on the perimeter by using his lateral quickness and leaping ability. Tucker is the rare guard that can hunt down chasedown blocks with ease thanks to his ability to run and jump with the best of them. (SP)