Las Vegas Friday: Carey and Quinones rise to the occasion

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LAS VEGAS – Another day in Las Vegas was another opportunity for some of the top high school prospects to impress the throngs of college coaches and national media in attendance. No one did that better than Vernon Carey or Lester Quinones on Friday, though Will Baker and Michael Saunders turned in impressive outings of their own.

MORE FROM VEGAS: Eric Bossi's Friday blog | Coaches flock to Anthony | Bossi's Thursday blog | Bossi's Wednesday blog | LeBron's son draws a crowd

There has been a lot of talk about who the best prospect is in the 2019 class. Friday night, there was no question, as Vernon Carey put on an absolute show and proved that our assertion that he is the best is more than valid.

The lefty was sensational against a very talented BTI Select unit, as he was a dominant presence in the open floor, throwing impressive pocket passes on the go, finishing with authority with his patented lefty tomahawk jam and rebounding a number of his teammates' misses, thanks to his soft set of mitts and impeccable second leap.

Whenever Carey is engaged, there is no one better. A prime example of that was his 30-point outing in Vegas. His final five of Kentucky, Duke, UNC, Michigan State and Miami was out in full force for him, and Coach K, Roy Williams, Tom Izzo and Jim Larranaga brought multiple assistants to see him. The Hurricanes went as far as sending their entire staff to see Carey’s younger brother, who is on a 13-under roster, play earlier in the day.

Visits are still being set to Miami and UNC, as ones are already scheduled to Duke and Kentucky for the fall. Michigan State has already hosted him for its own 48-hour tour back in January, and a commitment is likely to occur in the winter, though a favorite is difficult to guess at the moment.

Was it the best performance of the summer? I am not entirely sure, but it is in the mix. Lester Quinones lit the nets to the tune of 37 points off of 13-of-22 shooting from the floor, aided by the five perimeter jumpers that he made.

A wired-to-compete wing that can easily evolve into a 3-and-D prospect thanks to his dominance as shot maker and his buy-in as a perimeter defender, there is a lot to like about what Quinones can do now and what he can become in the future.

He was mighty impressive with the Dominican Republic 18-under team last month, averaging over 17 points per game in FIBA play and he has carried that momentum into July, as evidenced by his tremendous showing in Vegas. Michigan could be the next to offer, and John Beilein has made it a point to see multiple games of his this week. Pitt, Seton Hall, UConn, St. John’s, Maryland, Ohio State and UCLA are among the others in contention, but this recruitment seems to be expanding.

Will Baker is one of the top frontcourt players in the 2019 class, and his college offer list only backs that up. While he has always been regarded as an elite prospect, Baker has taken his game to the next level this summer, displaying aspects of his game that only close friends and family members had ever seen before.

On Friday at Under Armour, Baker showed his entire toolbox. He was used out of the mid-post and short corner regions, acting as an interior playmaker that can carve up an opposing defense via the timely pass, but also as a half-court facilitator, a unique dimension within his skillset. Baker is tough, confident, skilled, talented and productive, which is why he has become a national priority.

Watched by head coaches from Texas, Texas A&M, and Georgia, and assistants from Georgetown, UCLA, UNC and Stanford, Baker told Rivals.com that he wants to narrow his list in the coming days. I would expect the majority of the schools on hand to make that list.

The Bruins are thought to be the favorite by most, though Texas and Texas A&M have done an admirable job of remaining in the hunt so that if he does get to campus for an official visit, there remains enough room for either to sway the five-star toward their side.

There is much to be said for winning, something that Michael Saunders does at a high rate. He has done it in a consistent fashion this spring and summer and he did it again on Friday by leading his G3 Grind 16-under bunch to the finals of the Under Armour Finals.

Sure, he doesn’t have the ideal size at the lead guard position, as he is barely 5-foot-11. But he does possess a longer set of arms, good strength and - most of all - a competitive edge to him that helps him overcome any of his deficiencies.

Saunders is on the board for a number of Big Ten programs, though none have offered. He has taken visits to Purdue, Michigan and Ohio State, and his two biggest offers have come from DePaul and VCU, two of the 10 that he has received to date.

Expect to hear much more about Saunders in the coming years. He might not pass the looks test and may be nicked for his size, but at the end of the day - when all that matters is who wins and who loses - I am willing to bet on the most competitive player on the floor, that being Michael Saunders.

One of the best shot blockers and defensive prospects in the 2019 class, Victor Iwuakor has not been short on college interest or offers in recent months. He began his senior travel season back in April with only a handful of scholarship offers, primarily from the mid-major realm. Fast-forward to the current moment and the intimidating force boasts over 25, ones coming from nearly every power conference.

It will be difficult to keep Iwuakor outside of the Rivals150 update next month. Although he comes in the undersized variety at the small-ball center position, his fit in today’s positionless game of basketball could not be any better. Whether it is switching the high-ball screen, playing out of his area on the glass or changing shots as a rim protector, Iwuakor does a lot of the intangible things that often go unnoticed.

Next month, look for Iwuakor to narrow his list to a group of five or eight, he told Rivals.com. No visits are set yet, though he did visit Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Houston earlier this year. I would expect at least half of the schools noted to make the cut for Iwuakor, though selecting a favorite for him remains difficult.