National Hoopfest Saturday: Reddish shines & Roach delivers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite a condensed Saturday session of games, there was no shortage of sparkling performances at the National Hoopfest. Hosting a handful of five-star prospects, Cameron Reddish displayed tremendous versatility that is becoming his calling card, while an onslaught of others made us take notice.

Headed to Duke and partly responsible for its top recruiting class nationally this fall, Cam Reddish was emphatically good during his team’s second half on Saturday evening, finishing with 34 points, five rebounds and four assists. While he has been knocked for his inconsistent motor in the past, it looks as if Reddish is turning the corner with this facet of his game. His perimeter jumper was on point and so was his passing skills off of the high ball screen. While Reddish may be at his best on the ball - which makes him so unique - he will be played alongside other ball-heavy guards in Tre Jones and R.J. Barrett next winter. Expect the top-five wing to be used as a small-ball power forward in certain lineups similar to how Coach K once played Justice Winslow in Durham.

Not many have suited up for the famed Paul VI Catholic High bunch as a freshman and produced straight out of the gates. Now that his initial high school campaign is complete, Jeremy Roach has taken the next step into becoming the face of the program. Graced with a tremendous first step and explosive at the basket, Roach has the composure, feel and talent to remain among the top of his class in the coming years. Holding offers from Virginia, Villanova, Miami, Texas and Maryland, Roach’s most recent visits have been to Maryland and Kentucky, and a number of others are expected to jump into the mix.

On the fringes of a five-star ranking, there wasn’t much that Josh Green didn’t do on Saturday. The good-sized scoring guard from Australia showed tremendous potential as a jumbo playmaker - case in point being the nine assists that he finished with. While he has been knocked for his streaky jump-shooting skills in the past, Green did knock down one in the catch-and-shoot variety while making nine of his 14 attempts from the floor. One of the better athletes around, Green continues to be tracked by Arizona, UCLA, Kansas and a number of others. He is a 2019 guard who can complete a multitude of tasks in the backcourt.

He may be overshadowed in LSU’s sparkling top-10 recruiting class this fall, but Darius Days might end up having the best college career of anyone headed to the Bayou. The 6-foot-7 forward remains in between spots in the frontcourt - but instead of narrowing him to a specific position, let’s just call him a ballplayer. He will be the glue to Will Wade’s program immediately, thanks to his ability to guard more than one position, rebound in traffic and score out to 18 feet. Finishing with 16 points and 14 rebounds, Days continues to produce, and it should not stop once his college clock begins.

It has not been the easiest of years for Phil Martelli and his St. Joe’s basketball program. Last season, the Hawks finished the season with not one of its point guards healthy. This year, the Atlantic 10 program has lost its top lead guard, Lamarr Kimble, for the remainder of the season to injury. While he won’t be eligible to suit up until next year, Martelli must be excited about signing 2018 guard Jared Bynum. A total competitor - and one not lacking for talent or guts - Bynum was the reason why his Georgetown Prep bunch defeated a super talented Westtown unit. Finishing with 29 points and seven assists, Bynum is projected to be a four-year producer in Philadelphia beginning next year.

No one touched the box score better and in a more efficient manner on Saturday than Jahmius Ramsey. A born-to-compete scoring guard who displayed underrated passing abilities and versatile defense, the Texas native has taken well to his new teammates at IMG Academy this fall. Finishing with 33 points off of 10-of-12 shooting from the field, Ramsey is more about doing the smaller things for his unit but the fact that he can score when asked upon just adds greater value to all that the Rivals150 prospect is about. There are shades of Baylor guard King McClure in Ramsey, as the four-star guard remains one of the more underappreciated guys nationally, though Arkansas, Baylor, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech have already become a presence within his recruitment.

Get used to hearing more about Earl Timberlake, as the 2020 wing earned MVP honors during his team’s Saturday evening win, thanks to his underrated playmaking abilities, strength and ability to touch various parts of the final stat sheet. Finishing with 21 points, nine rebounds and three assists, Timberlake is due to emerge as one of the top wing prospects in his class nationally. Already a member of the Rivals50, Timberlake’s most recent offer came in from Rhode Island as it won’t be too much longer before the bigger brand name programs jump into the mix for the DeMatha product.

On a day where Duke signee Cameron Reddish may have played his best in front of a throng of national media and scouts, it should not be understated just how good Brandon Slater, Aaron Wiggins and Jake Forrester were.

Slater, headed to Villanova next fall, is a sinewy 6-foot-6 wing with a penchant for making perimeter jumpers. But he also boasts 3-and-D potential on the perimeter. A bit of a smaller Mikal Bridges, Slater displayed improved toughness and ball-handling on Saturday, which should aid in earning early minutes on the Main Line.

Hosting his future head coach, Mark Turgeon, for his outing, Aaron Wiggins’ bunch may have gone down in defeat but he looks as if he is the ideal playmaking, versatile guard-wing that has shined in recent years for the Terps. Someone who can shoot, drive, pass and defend, Wiggins should be a perfect complement in the backcourt next season alongside Anthony Cowan, Darryl Morsell and Kevin Huerter.

A future competitor of Wiggins’ in the Big 10, Jake Forrester is the high-energy and competitive hybrid forward that Archie Miller has come to love during his tenure as a head coach. Since this summer, Forrester has put on over 10 pounds of solid muscle mass, but it was his rebounding abilities and solid pick-and-roll finishes that were the highlight of the day. Headed to a program that is dying for instant energy and interior producers, Forrester should fit in right away and become a fan favorite for the Hoosier faithful.