John Lucas Camp: Blakeneys big day
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The second, and final, day of the John Lucas Midwest Invitational in Louisville, Ky., gave scouts another chance to watch some of the top talent from the classes of 2015, 2016 and 2017 square off in a series of intense drills and scrimmages.
As it was Saturday, the play was physical and fast-paced. A lot of young, talented players made their presence felt.
Some of the stars from Sunday are well-known names from the Rivals150, while others entered the weekend as virtual unknowns. After the camp ended at noon Sunday, here are the players who made the most lasting impressions.
HOT SHOT
For the second straight day, the most prolific scorer at the John Lucas Camp was a four-star out of Florida. However, their names are different. Sunday's scoring title belonged to four-star Antonio Blakeney out of Orlando Oak Ridge.
The No. 56-ranked prospect in the class, the 6-foot-2 guard put on a show Sunday from the perimeter as he knocked down shot after shot. Blakeney combines explosive athleticism in transition with a smooth release on his jump shot, and he has the confidence to become a high-volume scorer at the next level even on the road when facing hostile defenses and crowds.
While technically you could consider Blakeney to be a combo guard, he'll likely be recruited much more heavily as an off-ball player at the college level. His scoring mindset will feed his aggressive style and make him a threat every time he crosses halfcourt.
At the conclusion of camp, Blakeney mentioned Florida, Florida State, Missouri, Louisville, Clemson and Kansas as his top offers, adding that he is hearing from North Carolina but has yet to receive an offer.
Blakeney arrived in the Derby City a day early for John Lucas Camp and stopped by the University of Louisville, where the four-star guard said he met with the coaches for an unofficial visit and toured the campus.
FUNDERBURK MAKING STRIDES
A few weeks into the fall showcase circuit, class of 2016 power forward Derek Funderburk is one of the hottest names in the Midwest.
The 6-foot-9 sophomore from Lakewood (Ohio) Saint Edward's made a name for himself on the 15-and-under AAU circuit last year and shined in showcases this fall, but he took it to a whole new level in Louisville.
Funderburk established himself as one of the top power forwards in the nation to watch in the loaded class of 2016. He combines energy, length, mobility and a polished skill set that is tough to find in a player his size at that age.
The Cleveland-area star is equally comfortable scoring from the post as he is pushing the ball on the break, and he is an excellent finisher around the rim with good hands and soft touch. While he'll need to add weight to his thin frame, Funderburk has a good motor and uses his length and speed to get his hands on all sorts of rebounds, blocked shots and loose balls.
While scouts begin to circle his name on roster sheets, college coaches are taking an interest in Funderburk as well.
Xavier and Iowa have offered the 6-foot-9 power forward, while much of the Big Ten in Michigan State, Purdue, Ohio State and Indiana has expressed interest in the month of September.
SPEEDING IT UP
It wasn't much of a secret that four-star class of 2016 point guard Kobi Simmons did not have his best day on Saturday. Simmons struggled with his jumper, turned the ball over and didn't give the necessary effort on the defensive end to be a standout player at an event as competitive as Lucas.
However, Sunday was a 180-degree turnaround for Simmons. The Alpharetta (Ga.) St. Francis School guard controlled the game for his team through scoring, passing and a much more intense defensive effort.
The strength of Simmons' game as a 6-foot-4 sophomore point guard is that he has length and athleticism that are rare for a guard his age. Sunday, Simmons used that speed to his advantage as he consistently blew by defenders in the fullcourt to get to the rim for uncontested layups and dunks.
The Georgia guard is working on adding shooting consistency and strength to his game, but Sunday the four-star showed the considerable talent that earned him the No. 30 spot in the recent 2016 Rivals35.
Mississippi State, Georgia, Auburn, Tennessee and Kentucky are some of the schools standing out to Simmons. This month the point guard visited Lexington unofficially, and he plans to return in October for Big Blue Madness.
POST BATTLE PART II
On Saturday we headlined our coverage with the post battle between two of the top prospects from the class of 2106.
Sunday's action also included a high-profile interior battle between two of the nation's best, only one of the two was a grade older than the other.
Class of 2015 five-star power forward Carlton Bragg, who was perhaps the most consistently dominant offensive player in Louisville over the course of the weekend, met up with 2016 four-star post De'Ron Davis in another battle of bulk versus athleticism.
Bragg gave Davis a hard time on both ends of the court, using his superior agility and length to alter Davis' shots and make him generally uncomfortable on the offensive end. Then, when Bragg had the ball, the Cleveland power forward used his shooting touch and ball-handling abilities to attack Davis with a variety of offensive moves.
Not to be outdone, the Colorado sophomore, Davis, showed heart as he battled Bragg, using his strength for offensive rebounds and to score in traffic, while showing good speed in the open court for a player who is 6-foot-9 and more than 220 pounds.
Bragg also used his time in the Bluegrass State to take a pair of unofficial visits, taking in the Louisville campus Friday before the event, then Kentucky's campus in Lexington on Sunday immediately following the camp.
Bragg also lists offers from Rutgers, Kansas, UCLA, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State and several others, while Davis has early offers from Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana and Purdue.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW, NOW YOU KNOW
One of the great things about the John Lucas Midwest Invitational is that every year new prospects break out and make their names at the event. Here are a couple of class of 2015 guys who, after previously floating under the radar, could become well-known names in the recruiting world.
Jerekius Davis, SF, Jackson Provine (Miss.): Davis' high school coach said he had no idea why the 6-foot-5 wing hasn't received recruiting interest, and after watching him play for two days it looks like a legitimate question. Davis is a high-flying athlete who can shoot and has enough of a handle to attack off the dribble. He has good strength and a build that could add muscle, making him the ideal candidate for regional, SEC-like, schools near Jackson to recruit him.
Edward MorrowClick Dejounte MurrayClick Deng Adell, SF, Bradenton Victory Rock Prep (Fla.): Adell was almost a complete unknown, but he turned out to be one of the top stars of the event. He used his 6-foot-8 length to attack with athleticism from the wing against smaller and physically inferior defenders. The junior has a diverse skill set and a nice offensive feel with the ball in his hands, making him the ideal high-major slashing candidate for the future. Adell has almost no recruitment going at this point, but look for that to change in the near future. Here to view this Link., SF, Seattle Rainer Beach (Wash.): Murray is a four-star prospect who is ranked No. 92 in the junior class. However, in Louisville, he looked like a player who could be on the move as he showcased athleticism, finishing ability and legitimate wing skills to fill out a 6-foot-6 frame. The Seattle native could be poised for a breakout year, and he has Pac-12 coaches watching him closely. Here to view this Link., PF, Chicago Simeon (Ill.): Morrow is also a Rivals150 member, checking in at No. 110, but in the talent-laden city of Chicago he can get overlooked because of higher-ranked prospects. The 6-foot-7 junior showcased superb athleticism Sunday, using a nonstop motor to track down rebounds and turn them into transition dunks. That type of effort is working for Morrow in the eyes of high-major coaches. He has attracted offers from NebraskaClick Dejounte MurrayClick Deng Adell, SF, Bradenton Victory Rock Prep (Fla.): Adell was almost a complete unknown, but he turned out to be one of the top stars of the event. He used his 6-foot-8 length to attack with athleticism from the wing against smaller and physically inferior defenders. The junior has a diverse skill set and a nice offensive feel with the ball in his hands, making him the ideal high-major slashing candidate for the future. Adell has almost no recruitment going at this point, but look for that to change in the near future. Here to view this Link., SF, Seattle Rainer Beach (Wash.): Murray is a four-star prospect who is ranked No. 92 in the junior class. However, in Louisville, he looked like a player who could be on the move as he showcased athleticism, finishing ability and legitimate wing skills to fill out a 6-foot-6 frame. The Seattle native could be poised for a breakout year, and he has Pac-12 coaches watching him closely. Here to view this Link. and IowaClick Dejounte MurrayClick Deng Adell, SF, Bradenton Victory Rock Prep (Fla.): Adell was almost a complete unknown, but he turned out to be one of the top stars of the event. He used his 6-foot-8 length to attack with athleticism from the wing against smaller and physically inferior defenders. The junior has a diverse skill set and a nice offensive feel with the ball in his hands, making him the ideal high-major slashing candidate for the future. Adell has almost no recruitment going at this point, but look for that to change in the near future. Here to view this Link., SF, Seattle Rainer Beach (Wash.): Murray is a four-star prospect who is ranked No. 92 in the junior class. However, in Louisville, he looked like a player who could be on the move as he showcased athleticism, finishing ability and legitimate wing skills to fill out a 6-foot-6 frame. The Seattle native could be poised for a breakout year, and he has Pac-12 coaches watching him closely. Here to view this Link..
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