SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Four-star shooting guard Bruce Brown outshined a few five-star prospects at the HoopHall Classic on Sunday. Here is a list of the day's performers.
1. Bruce Brown, SG, Saxton’s River (Vt.) Vermont Academy
Where he’s going: Miami
What he did: Brown didn’t have enough to get his team a win in a hard-fought loss to Wolfeboro (N.H.) Brewster Prep, but he was still the day’s top performer. On a mix of high-flying dunks, deep threes, jump hooks and physical drives, Brown was good for 37 points, eight rebounds, two assists and three steals while making 15 of 24 shots. He needs a bump up from his current No. 49 overall ranking in the senior class.
2. Mohamed Bamba, C, Westtown (Pa.) School (2017)
Where he’s going: Duke, Kentucky, Syracuse, Maryland, Connecticut, Kansas, Indiana and many others are involved.
What he did: Playing against a physical goliath in 2016 five-star Udoka Azubuike, Bamba had to adjust his game. The skinny big man used his ability to keep moving to wear out an opponent he was giving a good 70 pounds to. On top of that, Bamba owned the game as a shot blocker and rebounder. Wendell Carter isn’t going away without a fight and Michael Porter will have something to say, but based on what we’ve seen this winter, Bamba is competing with DeAndre Ayton for the top spot in 2017. He finished with 13 points, 16 rebounds, 10 blocks and five steals.
3. Hamidou Diallo, SG, Putnam (Conn.) Putnam Science Academy (2017)
Where he’s going: Connecticut, St. John’s, Providence, Kentucky and many more are involved.
What he did: The No. 12 ranked player in the junior class slept walked through the first half, scoring just three points and settling on offense while shooting just 1-for-6 from the floor. The second half was a different story as he played in the high post against the zone and attacked the rim relentlessly to finish with 30 points, 11 rebounds and three assists. Speculation continues to swirl that he may leave for college as a 2016 prospect, but for now he says he’s still 2017.
4. Brian Bowen, SF, La Porte (Ind.) La Lumiere (2017)
Where he’s going: Michigan State, Texas, Kansas, Louisville, Illinois, Boston College, Duke and many more involved.
What he did: On a night where his team struggled to generate offense, Bowen was the offense, scoring 29 points and grabbing five rebounds to help his team to an overtime win over the Elizabeth (N.J.) Patrick School. He hit some deep jumpers, attacked the rim and showed an edge he hasn’t always shown. For comparison’s sake, he looked really similar to Kelly Oubre at the same age.
5. Taurean Thompson, PF, Wolfeboro (N.H.) Brewster Prep
Where he’s going: He is looking at Syracuse, Providence, Xavier, Seton Hall, N.C. State and others.
What he did: Thompson is making a case for a move up from his current No. 84 ranking in the class of 2016. A four who likes to face the rim, he can shoot jumpers all day long from 12 to 17 feet and he’s a load to stop for opposing bigs if he catches the ball on the move. He finished with 23 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks.
6. Wenyen Gabriel, PF, Wilbraham (Mass.) Wilbraham and Monson
Where he’s going: Kentucky.
What he did: Even on an “off” day, Gabriel was a stud. Because his energy never stops and he competes like each game may be his last, he’s always going to be productive and his teammates feed off of his energy. In an overtime loss, Gabriel just missed a triple double with 18 points, 13 rebounds, eight blocks and three assists.
7. Alpha Diallo, SF/SG, Wolfeboro (N.H.) Brewster Prep
Where he’s going: VCU, Florida, Minnesota, Miami, Providence, Wake Forest and others are involved.
What he did: You have to love Diallo’s approach. He just goes with the flow of the game and doesn’t panic. If he doesn’t score early, it’s because he’s needed to do other things. However, he always comes up big late and he scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half while chipping in with five rebounds. He likes to drive and hit mid-range jumpers.
8. Jordy Tshimanga, C, Springfield (Mass.) MacDuffie School
Where he’s going: Visits are set for Nebraska and Pittsburgh. LSU, SMU, Virginia Tech, Baylor and others are showing interest.
What he did: A wide big man who can play with tremendous physicality, Tshimanga crowded the lane and owned the glass in an overtime win. He could be a monster after hitting a college weight room and his production was top notch as he scored 13 points, grabbed 19 rebounds and blocked three shots.
9. David Beatty, PG/SG, Newark (N.J.) St. Benedict’s (2017)
Where he’s going: He has offers from Georgetown, Kansas State, Sienna, Penn State, South Carolina, Iona, Miami, St. Joseph’s, VCU, Memphis, Seton Hall and La Salle.
What he did: A combo guard, Beatty wields a picturesque and accurate jump shot with range to 23 feet. He’s got good size at 6-foot-3 and is already pretty well built. A native of Philadelphia, his toughness can’t be questioned. He made five three-point jumpers while scoring 20 points and handing out four assists.
10. Brandon Randolph, SG, Westtown (Pa.) School (2017)
Where he’s going: He has offers from Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, Seton Hall, VCU, Virginia Tech and more.
What he did: One of the hottest prospects in the class of 2017, Randolph is a lean 6-foot-5 two guard who is wired to score. He hit some jumpers, pushed the issue in transition and provided enough offense early to keep Westtown in the game as they scuffled to score in the first half against Jacksonville (Fla.) Potter’s Christian. He finished 18 points and two steals.
