Advertisement
football Edit

Adidas Unrivaled: Jeter plans summer choice

Click Here to view this video.
RANKINGS: Class of 2014 - 2015 - 2016
Advertisement
CHICAGO -- Usually July is the hectic month for prep basketball prospects, but Las Vegas Bishop Gorman senior power forward star Chase Jeter went through a crazy June.
Jeter was on his way to leaving his mark at the NBPA Camp on June 18 at the University of Virginia, when he learned the news he had been added to the USA under-18 basketball squad.
The 6-foot-10, 220-pounder, who Rivals.com ranks No. 8 overall in the class of 2015, had been cut during the trials, but was needed after UNLV signee Dwayne Morgan departed the team.
Jeter took advantage of his opportunity by averaging 6.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 14 minutes per game for 5-0 USA squad.
"That was a hard transition," Jeter said. "Going back, getting cut from USA basketball was hard for me, but I learned from it quick. I had a great showing at NBA Top 100, but when I got invited back, I was excited. I was glad to represent my country. It was a great learning experience as far as speed of the game, style of play and adjusting to things like that."
Jeter is getting another chance to play in an individual camp this week at adidas Unrivaled in Chicago.
Jeter has previously narrowed his list down to Duke, UNLV, UCLA, Arizona, Kansas and Oregon. He said he officially visited the Blue Devils, and has unofficially visited the Bruins, Runnin' Rebels, Wildcats and Ducks. He believes a decision should be made by the end of the summer.
"I am most likely going to settle on a date soon," Jeter said. "It was supposed to be earlier, but I had some re-evaluating to do. The main schools that are recruiting me are here now [in Chicago], and if they aren't here now, they will be in the next few days.
"Obviously, showing love is a great part of it. You want to go someplace where they recruit you and really want you."
Jeter's stock has been skyrocketing this spring, which has played a role in his lofty ranking.
"It's just my work ethic," Jeter said. "I've been getting in the gym, night-in, night-out and doing two-a-day workouts. I've been working on my footwork and working on my skillset. I'm scoring around the rim and operating from the lower post and mid-post. I'm also working on my mid-range game."
Rematch from the past
Kinston (N.C.) High senior small forward Brandon Ingram called his matchup Dec. 27 against Marietta (Ga.) Wheeler senior small forward Jaylen Brown one of his toughest of his prep career.
Ingram and Kinston held on to a 47-45 semifinal victory at the HighSchoolOT.com Holiday Invitational at Raleigh (N.C.) Broughton High. Ingram battled foul issues in the first half, but exploded for 17 of his 23 points in the second. He went 4 for 6 on three-pointers and had eight rebounds in the win. Brown was impressive in his own right, battling inside for 23 points and 14 rebounds.
Brown has moved up to No. 3 in the country by Rivals.com in the class of 2015, and Ingram checked in at No. 24. Ingram and Brown met again Thursday, but unlike the high school matchup, neither really guarded one another. Ingram came out blazing and scored on all three levels in going 8 for 9 from the field for 16 points, plus six rebounds in a lop-sided 89-57 win.
Brown struggled to find his rhythm and went 2 of 10 for six points and four rebounds and uncharacteristically had four turnovers.
Ingram had pondered trimming his list to five or six schools, but has held off on that.
"I am still in the thinking stage," Ingram said. "I've only called one coach so far to tell them they weren't going to make the list, and that was ECU."
N.C. State, Duke, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Louisville, Florida and others have offered Ingram, while Kansas and Kentucky are evaluating him this month.
Ingram was excited about his performance, and expects an assortment of college coaches to track him during the three July evaluation periods. Wolfpack head coach Mark Gottfried and assistant coach Orlando Early watched his stellar performance Thursday.
"It is a good feeling when coaches come," Ingram said. "[UK] Coach [John] Calipari came today. Others are coming through the week. That is showing me how much of a priority I am."
Ingram said UNC coach Roy Williams and assistant coach Steve Robinson and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and assistant coach Jeff Capel are expected to attend the event to see him play.
"I just want to work hard, communicate with my teammates and seeing how guys are doing on the circuit and what schools they are considering," Ingram said.
Big man continues break out
Bartow (Fla.) High junior post player Tony Bradley Jr. rose up to No. 55 in the country in the class of 2016 by Rivals.com, but he showed Thursday he isn't done ascending.
Bradley owned the paint to the tune of 10-of-15 shooting for 20 points in 22 minutes of action in an 89-57 victory for his camp team. He followed with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting in his evening session, and he leads the event in scoring with 18 points per game.
The Southern Stampede traveling team member noted that with teammates such as high-scoring wing Prince Ali, he doesn't have to be a big scorer in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League.
The 6-10, 235-pounder has proven between the Nike Elite 100 Camp and the first day of adidas Unrivaled, that he is more than capable of posting up and scoring inside. He even had a runner in the lane and proved to be fast getting up and down the floor.
Bradley knows his life is starting to change, starting with when college coaches could start to text and call him June 15.
"I'm trying to make this a life-changing month," Bradley said. "I've been working hard for it. I could tell it started at the Elite 100 Camp.
"As soon as 12:01 a.m. hit, my phone wouldn't stop [on June 15]. I was shocked. I didn't know that would come."
Bradley grew up with Kansas as his "dream school" but has plenty of new offers to sort through, and more likely on the way.
"I've gotten offered by Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, Oklahoma State and a lot more that have come out of nowhere," Bradley said. "Vanderbilt and Georgetown, plus a few other schools want to see me play in July."
Bradley's role could be evolving for whatever team he suits up for in the future.
"I have different roles because with Southern Stampede, I don't really get the ball that much, so I just rebound and run the floor," Bradley said. "I get easy points like that. Then I come here and I'm working on offensive things for Nike Peach Jam."
Bradley is part of an exciting crop of junior big men in Florida, joining No. 7-ranked Udoka Azubuike of Jacksonville Potter's House, No. 22-ranked Juwan Durham of Tampa Prep, and No. 29-ranked Dewan Huell of Miami Norland.
"Juwan and I used to play each other every weekend at local tournaments," Bradley said. "We know each other pretty well, and I know the others too."
Bradley and Southern Stampede will play in front of the college coaches at Nike Peach Jam on July 16-20 in North Augusta, S.C., and close out the month at a Mo-Kan Tournament in Kansas City.
Five-star junior point guard Kobi SimmonsClick News and notesHere to view this Link. of Alpharetta (Ga.) St. Francis topped Bradley for high point honors in the last set of games. The explosive 6-5, 175-pounder had 21 points, showing off the full arsenal, from drives to the basket, jumpers and finishing on the fastbreak. Simmons said NC State and Memphis are his latest offers, but he could have his choice of college options by August. Simmons, who Rivals.com ranks No. 15 overall in the country in the class of 2016, bounced back after scoring two points in the afternoon session.
Sophomore power forward Mayan Kiir of Bradenton (Fla.) Victory Rock Prep showcased an intriguing game for his Minutemen squad. The slender 6-9 was active with four points and six rebounds in 18 minutes, and has a long wingspan. He even showed off a sharp dribbling display that almost led to an easy assist, but his teammate couldn't finish.
A pair of players with famous fathers are starting to make names for themselves. Senior wing Jaire GrayerClick The ACC lost Joe Harris of Virginia, who went early in the second round to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Pittsburgh junior commit Maverick RowanClick Another Floridian, junior Khadim Gueye, who was listed at 7-1, mixed it up inside on defense, but is raw on offense. The rim protector had two blocks, six rebounds and a pair of free throws, while trying to battle the aforementioned Bradley.Here to view this Link. might remind ACC fans of Harris in a couple of years. Rivals.com ranks the 6-5, 180-pounder from Midland (Pa.) Lincoln Park No. 43 overall in the country in the class of 2016, and he quickly showed why. Rowan went 3 of 4 from three-point land en route to 13 points and six rebounds in 17 minutes in the afternoon session.Here to view this Link., the son of former Iowa State star Jeff Grayer, who played in the Olympics and NBA, knocked down three three-pointers and had 11 points and five rebounds in the afternoon session. Grayer, who attends Flint (Mich.) Southwestern, played solid at the NBPA Camp and has offers from Oakland, Eastern Michigan and Texas-Arlington.
Junior small forward Brendan Bailey, the son of former NC State star Thurl Bailey, who played for the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves, among others in the NBA, had three offers going into July. The 6-6, 160-pounder from Highland (Utah) American Fork High said BYU, Tulsa and Southern Utah have offered. Gonzaga and half of the Pac-12 are showing interest. Bailey almost completed what would have been the dunk of the day if it had gone done. However, he is known for his jumper, and he made a pair of three-pointers and had eight points and three rebounds in a 66-62 loss in the afternoon session.
Among the schools represented by their head coaches included NC State, Kentucky, Florida, Oklahoma, Indiana, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Central Florida, Arizona State, Creighton and Boston College, among others.
Click Here to view this Link.
[rl]
Advertisement