NY2LA Sports Summer Jam: Saturday notes
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MEQUON, Wis. - The NY2LA Sports Summer Jam in the Milwaukee area is nearing its end. Here's a look at some of today's action and biggest names.
A lot to live up to
As if Kostas Antetokounmpo's name didn't stand out enough as is, the brother of NBA's "Greek Freak" has a comparison point that's difficult to escape.
Not that Milwaukee Bucks standout Giannis Antetokounmpo's younger sibling wants to distance himself from it.
"Everybody wants me to become like my brother," Kostas said, "but I don't think that puts any pressure on me.
"I like it."
There's a better than good chance the younger Antetokounmpo will make his own name in time.
Like Giannis, he's all arms and legs physically, but extremely athletic, with that uncommon length affording him the ability to wreak havoc defensively. Kostas Antetokounmpo, No. 86 in the 2016 Rivals150, runs very well and has shown he can attack the basket some off the dribble.
That said, he is very much a work in progress, but the raw materials are difficult to dispute.
"Coaches like my length and the way I run on the court," he said. "They think they can develop me as a player. They just want to work with me."
Iowa State has offered a scholarship, Antetokounmpo said.
Texas, Arizona State and St. John's are the others he listed as interested.
Gordon coming of age
Carte'Are Gordon only turned 15 in March.
But that is a man.
The 6-foot-8, 250-plus-pound power forward from the St. Louis area is a powerful presence, and knows how to use it.
Sometimes, young big guys don't leverage their size advantages as much as possible.
Not Gordon.
"I know how big I am and I know how strong I am and I know a lot of guys aren't as strong as me," Gordon said. "So I just try to get it and go."
College coaches, in time if not already, will love the young big man's makeup, not just physically, but in his temperament.
"I love to win," Gordon said, after his Ramey-Jets United team won its bright-and-early 15-and-under meeting with U-Play at Brown Deer High School. "I love to give it my all and leave it all on the court."
More are coming.
Ohio State, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Purdue, Virginia, Iowa and Kansas are recruiting him, and in some cases have been for some time.
Gordon said he will attend Purdue's elite camp in late August and expects to make unofficial visits to Illinois, Missouri and Virginia in coming weeks, too.
Playground Elite 15's
Marquette coach Steve Wojciechowski, Iowa's Fran McCaffery and Michigan State assistant coach Mike Garland put in some 15s time in the morning to see Wisconsin Playground Warriors' Class of 2018 recruits.
One player in particular stands out to the casual observer: 7-foot-2, 200-pound sophomore-to-be Alex Trapp, who's getting early looks from Minnesota and UCLA, where his sister, Savanna (who's 6-foot-9, by the way), plays.
Coaches will have no choice but to look long and hard at the Esko, Minn., native in the future. His height is virtually unparalleled - and he may still be growing - and he runs like a player a half a foot shorter, though he will have to become stronger and more physical.
But Trapp wasn't the reason, or at least not the only reason, those coaches were present courtside.
Point guard Jordan McCabe is a tough, heady point guard and shooter with offers already from Missouri, DePaul, Green Bay and UW-Milwaukee.
Unlike Trapp, the eye-ball test would not scream "high-major prospect," but the 5-10 McCabe says he's used to it.
"(The early offers) have kind of surprised me, honestly, because growing up I've always been a kid who's been doubted and poked holes in," McCabe said. "But at the same time, I know the work I put in is going to exceed any setback people think I'm going to run into."
Fellow Playground Warriors wing Tyler Herro has DePaul, Green Bay and Milwaukee offers and wing Keshawn Justice has Marquette and Virginia among those looking at him at this very early juncture.
Lucas comes back srong
Milwaukee Spartans point guard Te'Jon Lucas is battling a bruised tailbone suffered when he took a nasty spill last week, but after missing the bulk of yesterday's game, he looked like he's returned to form during a 45-36 win over the Iowa Barnstormers.
Lucas scored nine points in the victory, shooting the ball well and making sound decisions from his point guard position. The Milwaukee native's demeanor stands out. He forces very little and makes good basketball plays almost always.
Later, he was the game's dominant second-half presence in the Spartans' impressive 60-39 win over a talented MBA Hoops Elite team. Lucas rained jump shots against MBA, finishing with 14 points, and likely double-digit assists if anyone was counting.
Head coaches John Beilein and Chris Holtsmann of Michigan and Butler, respectively, were among Lucas' audience in the afternoon.
Wisconsin, Indiana, Purdue and Iowa are among other Big Ten programs have been keeping a close eye on the Milwaukee Washington guard.
Summer Jam breakout scoring star Tyson Carter scored 19 in the loss to Lucas and Co.
More notes
McCaffery was the only coach watching Pocket City Basketball's 16-and-under team during their off-site game against DC Hoops of Illinois.
The reason: Indiana 2017 forwards Jack Nunge and Alex King.
Nunge, who grew up in Iowa City before his family moved to the Evansville area, is all of 6-foot-9, with a nice shooting stroke, solid athleticism and a wealth of versatility to him.
The Hawkeyes are interested, as are Indiana, which he visited last month, Purdue and others.
Wisconsin Playground Elite 2017 guard Jordan PooleClick King, a 6-8 Swiss Army Knife-type forward from Columbus (Ind.) North, holds a Toledo offer and has fielded interest from Iowa, Purdue, Butler, Xavier, Ball State, Wisconsin-Green Bay and others.Here to view this Link. has outstanding size for a point guard and can really shoot the ball, as he showed by stroking a few threes in a round-of-16 win over Mac Irvin Fire tonight.
Playing up in the 17-and-under division, Poole has stood out, like a player who's being recruited as actively as he is should.
Poole listed Connecticut, Indiana, Illinois, Drake, Creighton and Marquette among the schools he hears from the most right now.
"Coaches like that I'm a 6-4 point guard who doesn't have to score to be a dominant player," said Poole, who's ranked 97th in the 2017 Rivals150. "They like how I pass the ball and how I have a high IQ. And they also like my size. You don't see many 6-4 point guards who can run like I can. I think they find that very intriguing."
Howard Pulley guard Jordan HornClick Ohio StateClick Poole expects to take visits in coming months to Creighton, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Illinois. If he doesn't make the trips in August, then he will during the fall, he said.Here to view this Link., MarquetteClick Poole expects to take visits in coming months to Creighton, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Illinois. If he doesn't make the trips in August, then he will during the fall, he said.Here to view this Link., Illinois, Xavier, Michigan StateClick Poole expects to take visits in coming months to Creighton, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Illinois. If he doesn't make the trips in August, then he will during the fall, he said.Here to view this Link., MinnesotaClick Poole expects to take visits in coming months to Creighton, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Illinois. If he doesn't make the trips in August, then he will during the fall, he said.Here to view this Link., NorthwesternClick Poole expects to take visits in coming months to Creighton, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Illinois. If he doesn't make the trips in August, then he will during the fall, he said.Here to view this Link. and Iowa had coaches stationed at Howard Pulley's afternoon game, the main attraction being 2017 forward Theo JohnClick Poole expects to take visits in coming months to Creighton, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Illinois. If he doesn't make the trips in August, then he will during the fall, he said.Here to view this Link... Here to view this Link. of Saint Paul Tartan said he is picking up some Big Ten interest from Indiana and Iowa, along with Northern Iowa and others.
The well-built 2017 recruit, who's playing up with the 17s, has been offered by South Dakota State.
Boise Hoop Dreams has played well at NY2LA, led by a nice collection of prospects from Idaho.
Center Kolby Lee is a wide-bodied 6-9, 245-pounder with a traditional back-to-the-basket low-post game and a big, sweeping hook shot that's difficult to stop.
Speaking of big centers, Brock BertramClick Lee has an offer from Boise State and interest from BYU, Oregon State, Washington State, Utah State and several other regional programs.Here to view this Link. of Pulley said that WisconsinClick Lee has an offer from Boise State and interest from BYU, Oregon State, Washington State, Utah State and several other regional programs.Here to view this Link., Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska continue to recruit him, along with his standing offers from Wisconsin-Green Bay, Texas Tech and LaSalle.
Team Ramey guard Zeke MooreClick Behind 18 points from Kyle Witthuhn and 15 (including four threes) from Zach Haese, Wisconsin Blizzard-Kuranda pulled a 55-54 evening win over U-Play of Canada to advance to the event's final eight in the platinum bracket. Here to view this Link. committed to Saint Louis from the Summer Jam, according to the 6-6 Riverview Gardens standout's Twitter account.
ACB Hoops big man Braden Burke has big-time size at 6-11, 230 pounds, and has shown some ability to face the basket and shoot. He holds an Oakland offer and interest from the several MAC programs.
Northern Illinois head coach Mark Montgomery watched him in the evening, along with an assistant from Ball State. Toledo, Kent State, Detroit and Central Michigan are also interested.
Teammate Ryan Schuler is similarly sized at 6-10, 230, and might be a steal for somebody mid- or low-major. He listed Ball State, Cornell and Princeton among those looking at him. He's not gotten his first offer yet.