NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C.- The action was hot at the opening of the EYBL final session. A number of prospects had strong performances, including Brice Johnson, who is pushing his stock upward.
Rodney Purvis is the story of this team and rightfully so. He played terrific basketball on Tuesday. But Purvis has a running mate in Johnson who has been a difference maker in the paint.
In two games Johnson amassed 15 blocked shots to go along with 20 rebounds. These numbers are testament to his length, athleticism and most importantly fast running motor.
Johnson is also getting the ball in the basket, averaging 17.5 points per game on the first day.
A lot has been written about Anderson's unique abilities and rightfully so. He processes the game on a higher level than the rest and has the skill level and length to capitalize on his high basketball IQ.
Anderson came close to averaging a triple/double on the day, going for an average of 19.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and nine assists.
Goodman should step in at Villanova and do for the Wildcats what he does for the Playaz- be a force in transition, on the glass and on the defensive end. He has had a productive summer, which includes a 19 point, nine rebound and three block game on Tuesday.
The athletic forward had quite a productive day. In his nightcap he outplayed Julius Randle, scoring 19 points and grabbing six rebounds. Earlier in the day he had a 24 point game.
Having established himself as an elite prospect and potential top five prospect in the strong high end 2013 class, Gordon continues top impress with his off the dribble and athletic game. Against the Team Texas Titans he went for 19 points and 12 rebounds.
The sharp shooting big man averaged 25.5 points in his two games. Kaminski's greatest strength is his three-point shooting ability, but he still managed a 30 point game when he shot poorly from behind the arc.
Memphis came away with a couple wins on Tuesday largely behind the high octane effort of Newby. Making hustle plays all over the court, Newby also pumped in 21 and 17 points in the two games.
Just an absolute talent, Ledo played some solid basketball Tuesday. As usual he scored from all three levels, but his play in pick and roll situations and his overall passing was impressive. He averaged 22.5 points per game on day one.
An intriguing prospect because of his length and deep range as a wing prospect, Price hit for 25 points on 6-10 shooting from three in his first outing.
Bryn Forbes (2012, The Family)
In the second game for The Family, Price struggled with his shot, but Forbes picked up the slack. Also a sharp shooter, Forbes put up 17 points in their nightcap.
Brantley's play was quite a revelation on Tuesday. The point guard put up impressive numbers in an efficient manner. In his early game, which was a blow out win over All Iowa Attack, he scored 10 points and dished out seven assists to only one turnover. In his second game, he scorched the nets for 27 points on 10-15 shooting and had one assist to zero turnovers.
Playing alongside a sure finisher in Georges Niang, Noel is rarely the go-to guy on the block. Instead he roams the high post and baseline on the offensive end and dominates the paint defensively. His skill play and feel for the game continues to develop, and he has entered his name into the discussion as the best prospect in the 2013 class. He averaged 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game while also gathering up a handful of assists and steals.
Playing with a splint on his left wrists, Goodwin produced a gutsy performance in his late game, hitting for 25 points and grabbing seven rebounds against the Georgia Stars.
Speaking of the double/double range, Gathers' averages were right in line with Poythress'. Both power forwards averaged right around 20 points and 10 rebounds on the day.