Ingram impresses, Murphy shows out
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TAVARES, Fla. -- The Adidas Gauntlet, part of the Adidas Uprising tournament series, rolled into the Orlando area for its final stop this spring before the Adidas Super 64 Tournament. Rivals was on hand and the first order of business was getting an up close look at 6-foot-8, 180-pound forward Brandon Ingram of Stackhouse Elite.
The four-star junior did not disappoint.
The No. 24 player in the class of 2015, Ingram scored in a variety of ways Friday night. He made 3-pointers off the catch, he put it on the floor and created, he got out in transition and finished at the rim. He was also a perfect 7-for-7 at the foul line. In all, he finished with 27 points on 9-for-14 shooting (2-for-4 beyond the arc) in 29 minutes.
Although more comfortable on the perimeter, Ingram showed a willingness to mix it up down low and a good feel for the game. His size gives him mismatches against most small forwards, allowing him to shoot over defenders. His athleticism helps him to excel in transition and allows him to create havoc when he is on transition defense.
"I like to shoot the pull-up jumper, create space to get to the basket and get to the line," Ingram said.
College coaches like what they've seen of the athletic forward. Ingram listed recent offers from Duke, Louisville, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Clemson, VCU, Virginia Tech, Minnesota and N.C. State; and added that he's getting interest from Kentucky, Kansas and Florida.
"I've taken an official visit to North Carolina and an unofficial to Duke," Ingram said. "I'm not really not worried about location. Just trying to find where I fit in."
Plus he may be still growing. Ingram has grown two inches each year since he started high school.
Murphy's Law
One of the more intriguing players Friday night was Jordan Murphy of TX D1 Ambassadors. The 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward alternated between guarding a physical power forward down on the blocks and an athletic small forward out on the perimeter. He more than held his own from both spots.
"I take pride in my defense," Murphy said. "I can move my feet quicker than most people and that I can also bang inside against whoever is trying to post up on me."
Murphy, who attends San Antonio (Tex.) Brennan, has a high motor and showed a knack for getting to the basket using a hesitation move. He did all of his scoring from within 15 feet, on this occasion, connecting on six of eight shots for 18 points. He also grabbed five rebounds.
Ranked No. 105 in the class of 2015, Murphy, said Texas A&M, Kansas State, Creighton and Maryland are recruiting him the hardest. He also listed recent offers from Texas, Oklahoma and SMU.
Payton's place
Team Fast point guard Payton Pritchard had seven assists in a loss to Eric Gordon Central Stars. He came into the tournament averaging 6.3 assists per game.
The 6-foot-1 West Linn, Ore., sophomore can dance with the ball, but on this night he had difficulty getting past his defenders. He has good form on his jump shot and is a very good passer, including one-handed and on the move. He has a great motor and it has no reverse gear ... in other words he doesn't back down from anyone on the court.
"I've got to get my teammates more involved and today I didn't really do that. I take responsibility for this loss," Pritchard said.
In addition to his seven assists, he had 16 points and four rebounds in a game that got away from Team Fast early in the second half after only trailing 34-30 at halftime.
Iowa, Butler and Indiana are the most recent schools to offer Pritchard, currently ranked No. 46 in the class of 2016. He also claimed offers from Oregon, Oregon State, Wisconsin, Arizona State, Washington and Oklahoma.
The sophomore recently took visits to Butler and Indiana and came away impressed with both.
"I loved (Indiana). It was really nice there," Pritchard said. "(The Indiana coaches) want me to be a scorer. They like my jump shot but they also want me running the show, too."
Pritchard found more fans among the Butler staff.
"The coaches love me and really want me there," he said. "I like the coaching staff. I like Hinkle, so it's cool."
As a member of the 2016 class, Pritchard has plenty of time to weigh his options, but indicated that he does have a timeline for a decision and explained what factors will be important to him when decision time comes.
"I'll probably limit my schools before high school season and commit after high school ball next year," he said. "Factors will be where they see me playing at, coming in and playing right away, the academics and what feels like the best fit."
Emerging Teague
We got a tip about Tahjai Teague before his game, and the Indianapolis Pike forward can really stroke it. Our source told us "Teague is similar to a young Tayshaun Prince, both in size and his game." He did not exaggerate.
Weighing about 170 and listed at 6-foot-9, the lefty is thin but uses his body well. He has a nice stroke on his jump shot, connecting on four in a row in the first half. He has range beyond the three-point line but does most of his damage in the mid-range whether off the catch or a hitting a shot off a ball fake and a dribble to his left.
Although he was hitting his shot consistently in the first half, there isn't enough scoring versatility to get high major interest at this point in his recruitment. The good news is that Teague realizes he needs to get stronger.
"Improving my strength and driving more are things I'm working on," he said.
Currently holding offers from Western Illinois and Ball State, Teague said he's also getting interest from Indiana State and San Jose State.
There's a lot to like about Teague. He's long, athletic, and he's a good rebounder -- particularly on defense. He pounds the boards despite his lean frame. Teague has been a bit under the radar, but his upside is good and if he continues to play well going into the July "live" period, that could change.
Russ Wood is a basketball recruiting analyst for Rivals.com and Inside the Gators. You can click here to follow him on Twitter..
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