Hoophall Classic: Monday

THERIVALS150:2015|2016

SPRINGFIELD,Mass.--The2015HoopHallClassicwrappedupwithaterrificslateofgamesonMonday.Thenation'stopplayerBenSimmons,performedasexpected,asdidthenation'sNo.2playerJaylenBrown.DwayneBaconcontinuedhishugeseniorseasonwhilefive-starjuniorsJaysonTatumandV.J.Kingdueled.

Simmonsdominates

Thenation'sNo.1player,BenSimmons,ledMontverde(Fla.)AcademytotheflooragainstLasVegas(Nev.)BishopGormaninagamethatfeaturedaridiculousamountofsizealongeachteam'sfrontline.Aseniorpowerforward,SimmonswasdominantwhileleadingMontverdetothe76-57winoverGorman.

Moreaboutthatsize,though.Accompanyingthe6-foot-9SimmonsintheMontverdestartinglineupwasnearseven-foottallfour-starWakeForestsigneeDoralMooreand6-foot-8four-starFloridasigneeNoahDickerson.Addingtothesizeoffthebenchwere7-foot-4FloridaStateboundseniorJeanMarcKoumadjeand6-foot-9freshmanE.J.Montgomery.Nottobeoutdone,GormancounteredwithtoptenseniorsStephenZimmermanandChaseJeterplustop60juniorZachCollins,allofwhomstandatleast6-foot-10.

Intheend,though,itdidn'tmatterbecausetheLSUboundSimmonswasclearlythebestplayeronthefloor.Hedidn'thitanyofhisjumpers,buthedidn'treallyhaveto.Strongerandquickeroffthefloor,Simmonswasamonsterattherimgettingonedunkorclose-infinishafteranother.Addinhisabilitytohandletheball,finishwitheitherhand,andpassanditisprettyapparentwhyheranksNo.1intheclass.Whilehescored36pointsandgrabbedninerebounds,theGormanfrontlineofJeter,ZimmermanandCollinscombinedforjust16pointsand15rebounds.

BrownandRabbgolarge

ManyofMonday'sgamesweretelevisednationallyonESPNU.ThefirstofthetelevisedgamewasabattlebetweenMarietta(Ga.)WheelerandOakland(Calif.)BishopO'Dowd.HeadliningthingsforWheelerwasthenation'sNo.2playerintheclassof2015,JaylenBrown,whileO'Dowdcounteredwiththeseniorclass'sNo.7player,IvanRabb.NeitherdisappointedinO'Dowd's79-70win.

Whilehisteamtooktheloss,Brownwasabsolutelyspectacular.A6-foot-7smallforward,Brownshowedoffhisathleticism,skill,powerandgrace,oftentimesinthesamemove.Whetherhewaselevatingforslams,attackingoffthedribbleorhittingtoughjumpers,theO'DowddefensesimplyhadtositbackandhopeBrownmissedasherackedup31pointsand12reboundsbeforefoulingout.Brown'shardchargingstyledoesresultinsometurnovers(hehadfive)butthewayhecombinesexplosivenessandpowerislikeayoungIsaiah"J.R."Riderusedto.IfanybodyisgoingtochallengeSimmonsfortheNo.1spotinthecountry,itisBrown.

AfterarecentvisittoNorthCarolina,BrownwillnextvisitMichiganofficially.TheplanwatoheadtoAnnArborthisweekendbutthetripwillbepostponedandanewdatewillbeset.Kentucky(JohnCalipariwatched),UCLA(assistantonhand),Georgia,KansasandGeorgiaTechremaininthemix.

Ontheotherside,itlookedforawhilelikeRabb'ssluggishplayinSpringfield,Mo.attheBassProTournamentofChampionsmighthavefollowedhimtoSpringfield,Mass.Butasitturnedout,thatwasn'tthecase.The6-foot-9(maybe6-foot-10)powerforwardputtogetheramassivesecondhalfof16points,ninereboundsandthreeblockstofinishthegamewith24,12andfive.

ItwasasfineahalfastheNo.7playerintheclassof2015haseverturnedin.Hehitelbowjumpers,spunfordunks,controlledtheglassandwasamenaceondefense.Afterwards,RabbreiteratedwhathetoldRivals.comonThursdaynightabouttakingofficialvisitstoKansas,UCLAandCaliforniabeforemakinghisdecision.

TatumandKingduel

ThefinalgameofthenightwasabattleofCatholicschoolsasSt.Louis(Mo.)Chaminadeand2016'sNo.4playerJaysonTatumtookoutFairfax(Va.)PaulVIand2016'sNo.18playerV.J.King88-78.

A6-foot-8smallforwardandfive-starprospect,Tatumfilledthestatsheetasexpectedwith25points,14reboundsandthreeassists.However,itwasn'thisgaudynumbersthatweremostimpressive.Itwasthewayhetappedintohisteammatesandgotthemtoplayatahigherlevel.

ManyothertimeswhenRivals.comhasseenTatum,histeammateshavehadatendencytostandaroundandwatchhimplay.ItwasalmostasifhewasplayingaonemanNBAisolationgameinahighschoolsetting.OnMonday,Tatumhadhisteammatesmovingandgettinginvolvedandcommunicatingwitheachother,whichtookasignificantloadoffTatum'sbackandmadehimabetterplayeratthesametime.TherewillbetimesdowntheroadwhereTatumwillhavetotakeoveronoffensebutitwasn'tneededonMonday.Seeinghimrecognizethat,andthemannerinwhichhisteammatesfedoffhisleadership,wassomethingelse.He'sscoredmorepoints,grabbedmorereboundsanddishedoutmoreassistsbefore,butforourmoneyTatum'sperformanceMondaywasassolidasRivals.comhaseverseenhim.

Ontheotherside,KingpickedupexactlywhereheleftoffwhenwesawhimonThursdayattheBassProTournamentofChampions.Actually,Kingtookhisgametoanewlevelgoingofffor38pointsandfiverebounds.

The6-foot-7five-starwinglookedgreatattackingtherimandpullingupforhispatentedmid-rangejumper.Healsostucksomethreesandgottothefreethrowline.

Here'sakidwhoadmittedthathewasn'tplayingwellearlierintheseason.Ratherthanpoutaboutit,helookedinthemirrorandchangedsomethingswithhisgame.Kingstillneedstoaddsomestrength,butthisversionofhimwherehe'soffensivelyaggressivewithouttakingquestionableshotsisonethatisanawfullotoffuntowatch.Itcouldhavehimmovingbackupintherankings.

DwayneBaconClickFinalMondaynotesHeretoviewthisLink.continuedhisridiculouslygoodseniorseasononMonday.TheFloridian,whoisfinishingupthingsatMouthofWilson(Va.)OakHill,toppedthe30-pointmarkforwhatseemedlikethethousandthorsotimethisseasonasOakHiIlerasedabigdeficitagainstCleveland(Ohio)VillaAngelaSt.Josephtoemergewitha76-72win.Bacondidn'tshootparticularlywellfromthefield(10-28FG)andhisshotselectioncouldusesomefinetuning,butthere'snoquestioninghistoughnessandscoringability.Hedidmake5-11fromthreeandwasaverysolid8-10fromthefreethrowline.Hegrabbedeightreboundsanddishedoutthreeassiststogowithhis33points.FloridaStateClickFinalMondaynotesHeretoviewthisLink.isgettinganinstantimpactplayerandthefive-starhascertainlymadeacasetomoveupfromhiscurrentspotatNo.22nationally.

OhioStatepostcommitDanielGiddensalsohadaniceafternoonforOakHill.Afterhavingwhatcouldbestbedescribedasa"quiet"seniorseason,GiddensputforththebesteffortRivals.comhasseenfromhimthisyearbyscoring12points,grabbingsevenreboundsandblockingfourshots.OakHillisaprettyjumpshothappyteamandhedidagoodjobofscoringwherehecouldandhelpingtoerasedefensivemistakesattherim.

BoiseStateClickCarltonBraggClickHeretoviewthisLink.showedplentyofdimensionstohisgameinVillaAngela-St.Joseph's(Cleveland)losstoOakHill.Thefive-starpowerforwardscored23points,grabbedsevenreboundsanddishedoutsixassists.Ashe'spronetodoingattimes,Braggsettledforsomejumpers,buthemorethanmadeupforitwithhisfabulouspassingfromoutofthehighpostandbygettingtothefreethrowlineandconverting11-12attempts.HeretoviewthisLink.haslikelylandedasbigastealasanybodyontheWestCoast.Rivals150pointguardParisAustinClickCarltonBraggClickHeretoviewthisLink.showedplentyofdimensionstohisgameinVillaAngela-St.Joseph's(Cleveland)losstoOakHill.Thefive-starpowerforwardscored23points,grabbedsevenreboundsanddishedoutsixassists.Ashe'spronetodoingattimes,Braggsettledforsomejumpers,buthemorethanmadeupforitwithhisfabulouspassingfromoutofthehighpostandbygettingtothefreethrowlineandconverting11-12attempts.HeretoviewthisLink.continuestoimpress.Asubsix-footer,Austinplayswithhugeheart,hastremendousquicknessandhe'sanaturalleaderforBishopO'Dowd.HecameupbiginabigsettinggivingRabbsomeneededoffensivereliefwhilesettinguphisteammatesforeasyscores,scoring18pointsanddishingoutnineassists.Also,keepaneyeoutforAustin'sfreshmanbackcourtpartnerElijahHardyClickCarltonBraggClickHeretoviewthisLink.showedplentyofdimensionstohisgameinVillaAngela-St.Joseph's(Cleveland)losstoOakHill.Thefive-starpowerforwardscored23points,grabbedsevenreboundsanddishedoutsixassists.Ashe'spronetodoingattimes,Braggsettledforsomejumpers,buthemorethanmadeupforitwithhisfabulouspassingfromoutofthehighpostandbygettingtothefreethrowlineandconverting11-12attempts.HeretoviewthisLink..Asix-footerwithspeedtoburnandconfidence,Hardyfigurestobethenextbig-nameguyoutofBishopO'Dowd.

JaylenBrownwasfarfromaone-manshowforWheeler.Infact,juniorswingmanCamJordanClickHeretoviewthisLink.seizedtheopportunitytoshowthathecanplay,too.A6-foot-5athletewholovestoslashtotherim,Jordanisalsoagoodenoughspotupjumpshooterthatdefenderscan'tbackoffofhimandplayhimstrictlyforthedrive.Thethree-starprospectwillbeonetowatchcloselyastheyearfinishesandthenthroughthespringandsummerwithGameElitetoseehowhecomesalong.

Atsomepoint,we'llbelookingtoseewhatTylerCookClickWhiletheBishopGormanfrontlineplayerswerestrugglingmightily,sophomorewingCharlesO'BannonClickHeretoviewthisLink.dideverythinginhispowertokeeptheminthegame.A6-foot-5shooter,O'Bannonhitthrees,hitmediumrangeshotsandshowedplentyofpromise.Histimeissurelycomingdowntheroadandheshowedagoodglimpseintohisfuturebyscoring22points.HeretoviewthisLink.hasinhisoffensiverepertoireotherthandunks,buthewasterrificinthatcapacityonMonday.The6-foot-7powerforwardatChaminade,whocurrentlyranksNo.93intheclassof2016,hadonepowerfuljamafteranotherwhileshowingoffsurprisinglyexplosiveleapingabilitygivenhisthick,offensivelinemantypelegs.Cookwasalsoaforcetobereckonedwithontheglass.HegrabbeddoubledigitreboundsplayedwithtremendousenergywhileUConn'sKevinOllieClickWhiletheBishopGormanfrontlineplayerswerestrugglingmightily,sophomorewingCharlesO'BannonClickHeretoviewthisLink.dideverythinginhispowertokeeptheminthegame.A6-foot-5shooter,O'Bannonhitthrees,hitmediumrangeshotsandshowedplentyofpromise.Histimeissurelycomingdowntheroadandheshowedagoodglimpseintohisfuturebyscoring22points.HeretoviewthisLink.andanIowaClickWhiletheBishopGormanfrontlineplayerswerestrugglingmightily,sophomorewingCharlesO'BannonClickHeretoviewthisLink.dideverythinginhispowertokeeptheminthegame.A6-foot-5shooter,O'Bannonhitthrees,hitmediumrangeshotsandshowedplentyofpromise.Histimeissurelycomingdowntheroadandheshowedagoodglimpseintohisfuturebyscoring22points.HeretoviewthisLink.assistantwereamongthoseonhandtocheckinonhim.

AlsoplayingwellforChaminadewasjuniorcomboguardMikeLewis.WithJaysonTatummissingshotsearly,Lewissprangtolifeandnettedseveralthree-pointerswhenhisteamneededanoffensivelift.Heisquick,playshardonbothendsandwithhimscoringtheball--anditdoesn'thavetobe23pointslikehehadattheHoopHall--wellhisteamwillbealoadintheMissouristateplayoffs.

Finally, while discussing Ben Simmons we made a quick reference to Doral Moore. The seven-footer has been steadily improving since his arrival at Montverde from Georgia. He's getting more aggressive, developing some post moves and has been more engaged on both ends of the floor. If Danny ManningClick Here to view this Link. can tap into anywhere near his full potential, Moore could easily outplay his current ranking of No. 49 in the class of 2015.

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