Evans' Takeaways: Friday's NY2LA Summer Jam

MEQUON, Wi. -- The NY2LA Summer Jam’s bracket play kicked off on Friday evening and despite there being rather disproportionate wins, there was no shortage of talent in the gym at Homestead High School. The Game Elite 2019 squad may be the most entertaining bunch in America but is was the topic of reclassification that owned the day.

There sure aren't many better bucket getting forwards around than Ignas Brazdeikis. The 6-foot-8 forward was back at it again on Friday evening destroying his opponents with brutal scoring attacks as he carried his CIA Bounce team further into bracket play.

In recent weeks, there had been talk about a possible reclassification for Brazdeikis. Any program in America would love to add someone like the Canadian, especially this late in the year. If he were to attend college this fall, Brazdeikis is the type of talent that could turn a potential top-25 team into a second week in the NCAA Tournament, or even Final Four squad.

Unfortunately, the CIA Bounce product disclosed that he will definitely remain in his original 2018 class. This is a big sting for Michigan and Vanderbilt, two programs that were seen as frontrunners for him. However, while he hasn't set any official visits just yet, it does seem like the Wolverines and Commodores will likely receive a 48-hour trip from him in the fall. Bryce Drew and a Michigan assistant were on hand in Milwaukee as others in pursuit include Florida, Oklahoma, Illinois, Baylor, UConn and SMU.

While Brazdeikis remaining in the 2018 class may not be what Vanderbilt or Michigan fans wanted to hear, a few programs out west may want to focus their attention on Matt Mitchell in the coming weeks.

A member of the 2017 class that had signed with Cal State Fullerton, Mitchell received his full release earlier in the spring. Mitchell will need to complete two more courses that finish up at the end of the month and if all goes well, will become a fully qualified prospect that's capable of playing college basketball in the winter.

Let's not beat around the bush; Mitchell can really play. Suiting up alongside a plethora of high major talent with the Dream Vision 17-under squad, the 6-foot-5 wing was superb on Friday. He has already taken each of his five official visits, three that came in the fall before committing to Fullerton, and two more this spring as he visited both Utah and San Diego State.

What Mitchell foresees occurring, that is if all goes off as planned, is that he becomes qualified in a few weeks, takes a few unofficial visits, and then enrolls at a college at the end of next month. He did rattle off a list of new offers including UNLV, New Mexico, Oregon, Purdue, WVU, Georgia Tech, USC and LSU, though it does bode well for both the Aztecs and Utes that they were able to get him on campus for a prolonged stay.

Remaining on the subject of reclassification, the west coast may produce a top shelf facilitator a year earlier than expected. A teammate of Matt Mitchell with the Dream Vision program, Pierre Crockrell may be willing to take his chances as a member of the 2018 class.

No plans have been made just yet and do not expect any sort of announcement within the coming months, but the opportunity to reclassify into the 2018 class is on the table. A native of Seattle, Washington, the home state Huskies have laid down a strong foundation with the local product. The same can be said for Arizona, thanks to the recent hiring of former UW head coach Lorenzo Romar who is serving as the associate head coach for the Wildcats. The other program in heavy contention is the USC Trojans, a school that received the commitment of Crockrell's travel teammate and good friend, top-75 forward J'Raan Brooks.

Crockrell is a fun little jitterbug of a point guard that doesn't give an inch to his opponents. Keep in mind this fall and winter that as the point guard dominoes begin to fall, another stack could be thrown onto the table later on in the year with the possible reclassification of Pierre Crockrell.

The MBA Hoops gang always has some dudes. A few years back, it was Malik Newman running the show in the backcourt and last year, it was another Mississippi State pledge, Nick Weatherspoon, that took the program to new heights. While not as highly lauded as either of the two, Daquan Smith sure looked the part of a four-star recruit on Friday.

Just an explosive athlete but an even better scorer, it's a bit perplexing hearing of the lacking recruitment with Smith. Yes, Memphis and Ole Miss have each turned up the heat in their pursuit of the scoring ace. Murray State is another school heavily involved but besides those three, no others have really made a push. Heck, Ole Miss is the only power conference school that has even offered! That is due to change, especially if he keeps playing as well as he did on Friday as he scored 23 points thanks to a number of 3-point jumpers and electric drives to the basket.

For as long as the month of July can get to be, anytime the Game Elite 2019 squad hits the floor, there is no sleeping on what is about to enfold.

Not short for talent, Ashton Hagans is the table setter that makes things go. Talk about a ball hawking defender! I see so much of a younger Elfrid Payton in the five-star guard.

Next to him is Josh Nickelberry, one of the most polished scoring weapons in America. Nickelberry woke up the crowd with a poster worthy dunk on Friday. The rising junior gets 20 points by falling out of the bed in the morning, another reason why UNC head coach Roy Williams, Nebraska head coach Tim Miles and assistants from Georgia Tech, Auburn and Louisville were in the building.

Completing the elite trio is Christian Brown, a high motor wing that reminds me some of Terrance Ferguson. Just like the recent OKC Thunder draftee, Brown is a fluid athlete that can develop into a 3-and-D prospect.

Things do not stop there as there is a handful of talent in the post and on the perimeter, along with other bubbling talent including Jaylin Williams, CJ Walker and CJ Felder.