Doesn’t look like this one is happening
Justin Smith 6-7 SF Adlai E. Stevenson High, Buffalo Grove, IL (2017)
Smith was a major surprise for me at the camp. I’ve seen him quite a few times, but boy did his game take a major leap. He plays within himself and always seems to make the right decisions. He has a silky smooth game that doesn’t overwhelm you, but was very impressive. He may not be ranked as high as some of the other stand out players from the camp, but regardless, the young man balled. He knocked down the three, hit the midrange and got to the cup and finished with either hand and above the rim. He really impressed me on the defensive end as well. He stayed in front of his man, for the most part, and was very good at help defense. NBA Comparison: Terrance Ross
I have to confess to being a bit confused by the statement that “he knocked down the three” given that Smith was, if I remember correctly, 3-24 from 3 at the camp. I’ve seen him live, and I’m on record here and elsewhere as saying that there’s a lot to like about his game, but he’s not a confident shooter from distance, and he doesn’t make many. The form isn’t broken, but it needs some work.
This is one issue with rankings–when the services or evaluators see a kid can make a world of difference.
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Completely agree here - I think the same (opposite side of the coin) argument could be made for Poole, who by most accounts is a pretty darn good shooter…yet his April shooting slump left a lot of the services questioning just how good he is.
One to keep an eye on.
Isaiah Livers
Rusty LaRue?
Eli Brooks… 2017 G
Michigan has watched him this week and it looks like he’s visited.
https://twitter.com/jmverlin/status/751762191183994880
Each performance is becoming more and more critical with just a few weeks left of the AAU season before Brooks returns to Spring Grove for his senior season. He already has roughly 15 Division I scholarship offers in hand including offers Kansas State and George Mason. He’s also been on visits to Michigan, Villanova and Ohio State in recent weeks.
“I think there’s more pressure on parents and coaches to try and let everything work out,” Jersey Shore Warriors head coach Tony Sagona said. “I think the kids just go out and play and a great player like Eli just goes out and does his thing. Toward the end of July if they don’t see the coaches calling, then they put more pressure on themselves. But in Eli’s case, as he sees more of the top schools calling in, he’s getting more relaxed because he has offers.”
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VI don’t know what to think of Eli Brooks. Very strange release (especially on runners), seems to play well below the rim; very Spike like. But… I really enjoyed the way he plays, def will be a fan fav wherever he ends up. Listed as 6’1" which I would give 4 fakes out of 5.
Seems he’s dreaming of a Villinova offer.
Brooks can dunk. I doubted he could after watching previous video.
Beilein and Jay Wright both watching Brooks this morning. Here’s a scouting report from COBL:
http://www.cityofbasketballlove.com/eli-brooks
Strengths: In his area, Brooks is known as a scorer, putting up over 20ppg for Spring Grove High School as a junior. However, his biggest strength is his ability to run a team. Brooks plays the game at a great pace. He never allows the defense to speed him up, and makes his teammates better every time he touches the floor. His jump shot has continued to improve and he his now knocking down outside shots on a consistent basis.
Weaknesses: One concern for Brooks heading into the summer will be his lateral quickness. During the high school season he is not challenged to defend on a consistent basis; it will be interesting to see during the AAU season how he keeps more athletic guards in front of him.
Overall: Though he might be relatively unknown in the Philadelphia region, Brooks is one of the better college prospects in the state. He has great size for the point guard position. His court awareness and IQ jump out to you right away when watching him. These skills could allow his transition to the college game much easier. With a big summer, Brooks could see a fairly significant jump in his recruitment.
Last Updated: April 11, 2016
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Brad Davison to Wisconsin. Hopefully Eastern gets offered soon
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New offer for Livers
Sounds like a good night for Justin Smith
http://ny2lasports.com/article_one.aspx?articleid=3547
One of the highest upside players in the class of 2017, Smith is a treat to watch. The 6-foot-7 wing has some scary athleticism and seems like he floats in the air forever when he takes off. Smith is working on his outside game, but did knock down two triples in Wednesday’s win over Team Bradley NW Panthers. An exciting transition player, Smith loves to get out and run and his teammates love feeding him the ball on the go. Smith missed a couple of shots around the rim he usually converts, but still finished with a team-high 22 points.
More Justin Smith
Nova thought to be his ‘dream school’ and was also following him closely.
In regards to Isiah Livers who Sam Webb reports is expecting a scholarship offer the first week of August would he even take up a scholarship? If he’s from Kalamazoo I believe he would qualify for the free tuition program, no? Does anyone else know more about that situation?
Free tuition still leaves room, board, books and possibly fees which cost between $10,000 and $15,000 per year. The Kalamazoo Promise is a great thing, but it isn’t a substitute for a full and complete ride for someone who is going offers like the ones Livers to get.
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For a guy like Livers, the Promise doesn’t make sense since he clearly could get a full ride (including room and board) by taking an athletic scholarship. The Promise also would limit him to in-state schools.
The Promise is more likely to benefit the football team (here and at MSU) with walkons who might otherwise go to a smaller school.
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