CHARLOTTE,NC--DaytwoofcompetitionattheUnderArmourAll-AmericaCampPoweredbyRivals.comcontinuedonThursday.Here'sarundownofthenotableactionfromthetheeveningsession.
Duvaldominates
TrevonDuvaltooktheflooratQueensUniversityduringThursdaynight'ssessionattheUnderArmourAll-AmericaCampPoweredbyRivals.comwithsomethingtoprove. Aftera4-for-16shootingperformanceduringthemorningsessioninwhichhecouldn'tgetanythingtodrop,thefive-starClassof2017pointguardexplodedfor30pointsinadominatingperformance.
Comingupwithhighlight-reeldunks,3-pointersandpull-upjumpers,the6-foot-3pointguardwasanabsoluteterrortodefendonThursdaynightasheshowedthefullscoringpackagethathashelpedmakehimatop-fiveprospectinhisclassandoneofthebestguardprospectsinthecountry,regardlessofclass.
Going13-for-17fromthefield,Duvalalsoaddedsixassistsandfivereboundsasheprettymuchdidwhateverhewantedonthefloor.TheonedrawbacktoDuval'snight--ashasbeenthecaseallweek--wasseventurnovers,butmanyofthoseplayscameasaresultoftryingtoforcesomethingtoodifficult.
Inthefuture,Duvalcanlimitthoseturnoversashegetsagreaterunderstandingofhiscapabilitiesandheplayswithconsistentteammateswhounderstandwhathe'stryingtodowhenhe'sattackingtherim.
WhenyouconsiderthatDuvalwasalsoplayingwithataped-upandswollenlefthandthatheinjuredonWednesdaynight,theperformancewasthatmuchmoreimpressive.
Cowanmakinghiscase
AnthonyCowandoesn'tquiteunderstandhisranking.Healsodoesn'tquiteunderstandwhyhe'snotconsistentlymentionedamongthebestpointguardsinthecountry. Sothisweek,he'smakingsuretheconversationabouthispotentialchangessoon.
CowanlititupyetagainintheeveningsessionoftheUnderArmourAll-AmericaCampPoweredbyRivals.comThursday,postingagame-high30pointstogoalongwith10assists,ninereboundsandfoursteals.
ItwasthethirdstraightgameCowanloggeddouble-digitpointtotalsattheUAcamp.Throughthreegamesthisweek,he'snowaveraging22.6points,8.6assistsand5.6rebounds.
"I'vebeentryingtoprovethatI'moneofthebestguardsinthecountry,"saidCowan,whowenttothefreethrowline23timesinThursdaynight'sgame."Obviouslypeopledon'treallyseethat.Idon'tknowhow.Butthat'swhyI'mtryingtojustplaymybuttoffandtrytoprovemyself."
McLaughlinimpresses
With
ArizonaheadcoachSeanMillersittingcourtside,four-starpointguardJaQuoriMcLaughlinhadarguablythebestgameofhisweekThursdaynight.Hewaspoisedatthepoint,makingprecisionpasses,buthedidmostofhisdamageThursdayeveningwithhisshot.Scoring10points,hewasabletocontrolhisteam,causingteammate
SamCunliffetotellRivals.comafterthegame,"Thisboyisnicerighthere.""Myteammatesreallyhelpmeoutalot,"McLaughlinsaid."PlayingwithThonandtheotherguysthatwehaveontheteam,I'mabletogetmyteammatesinvolvedandsharetheballandnothavetoshootasmuchasIusuallydo."
McLaughlinsaidafterthegamethathestillhasatopfiveof
Wisconsin,Arizona,Washington,StanfordandGonzaga.HeaddedthathefeltlikeArizona,WashingtonandGonzagawerecomingafterhimthehardest.Simsgetsrolling
LSUcommitandClassof2016smallforwardWaydeSimsputuppedestriannumbersearlyinthecamp,buthegotrollinginamajorwayduringthenightsessiononThursday. A6-foot-6wingwhopledgedtotheTigersinlateJune,Simspickedupthescoringslackforhisteamsincetheyweremissing
JoshJacksonandJaylenFisherduringthecontest.Pouringin29pointsbyscoringatallthreelevelsandaddingsixrebounds,Simsonlyhadacombined11pointsandfivereboundsthroughthefirsttwogamesofcamp.Oncehehadafewdunksunderhisbelt,Simsdisplayedaperimeterjumperthatwasfallingtothetuneof3-for-6from3-pointlandandhealsohitsomemid-rangejumperstoshowthefullscopeofhisabilities.IfSimshaddonebetterthana4-for-9eveningatthefree-throwlinehecouldhavebeenoverthe30-pointmark.
Thethree-starprospectplayedtremendouslyandhe'llhopefullyplaymoretothatlevelasJulyrollson.
Thonrollson
Evenaboutwithfoultroublecouldn'tstopfive-starforward
ThonMaker'smonsterweekfromrollingon.DespitesittingoutnearlytheentirefirsthalfinThursday'seveningsessiongame,Makerputup23points,ninereboundsandfourblocks.Hewasaggressiveontheglass,hewasaforceontherim,and,onceagain,heshowednotroublesbringingtheballupthecourtwhenaskedtodothattoo.
"Mybodyhashelpedmeoutlately,"Makersaidafterthegame."Justbeingbiggerhascausedmetobethataggressive.Soyeah,I'mreallytryingtodominate."
Makerisnowaveraging20.7points,15.7reboundsandthreeblocksthroughthefirstthreegamesofcampthisweek.
Feltonfeelsitfromdeep
NorthCarolinacommitandfive-starClassof2017pointguardJalekFeltonhasbeenoneofthecamp'sleadersinassistsandhestartedhisplayonThursdaywithadouble-doubleperformanceandasolidoverallgame. WithcampteammateandNo.1overall2017prospect
DeAndreAytonsittingoutThursdaynight'saction,Feltonhadtopickupthescoringslackforhisteamanddidsoinamajorway,goingfor22pointsandhitting5of73-pointattempts.Continuingtoaddtohisimpressivecampassisttotalwithsevenmorehelpers,Feltonshowcasedhisgiftedpassingabilitywithanumberofone-handedbulletswitheitherhandwhilealsocreativelyusingjumppassesoncehegotintheairtodrawinhelpdefenders.
Sometimesthoseuniquepassesleadtoturnovers,butFeltononlyhadoneonThursdaynightasallofhispasseswereonpoint.
MJWalkergetsbackontrack
OpeningthecamponWednesdaynightwithastellarperformance,four-starClassof2017guard
M.J.WalkerhadasimilaroutingonThursdaynightashecontinuedastrongoverallshowingatthecamp.The6-foot-5Walkerputupadouble-doubleof23pointsand12reboundsasheaggressivelyattackedthebasketandtriedtodrawcontactwhilefinishing.Walkerwasanimpressive9-for-12fromthefieldandhealsodidagoodjobofdrawingfoulsandgettingtothefree-throwlineashewent9-for-12fromthecharitystripe.
Sinceheisalsoastandoutonthefootballfieldatfreesafety,Walkerisaccustomedtophysicalplayandhisruggedbrandofballtranslateswellinhispowerdrivegame.Ifhehasafullheadofsteamheadingtowardsthebasket,Walkerisn'tafraidtotakeitatanybodyandhe'sbeenfearlessaroundthebasketthisweek.
MarkVitalstaysproductive
Oneofthemostconsistentplayersatcampthisweekhasbeen
BaylorcommitMarkVital,apowerwingat6-foot-5whocontinuestobeproductiveandpowerfulnearthebasket.OtherplayersmighthaveputupbiggerscoringnumbersonThursdaynight,butthefour-starClassof2016winghadadouble-doubleof16pointsand12reboundsandhe'snowaveraging17pointsandninereboundsthroughthreegamesofcamp.
WhileVitalisn'tgoingtoattemptalotofshotsbyusinghisjumper,hestayswithhisstrengthsandmakesdefendersstophimattherim,whichisaverydifficulttask.Vitalisshootingahealthy50percentfromthefieldontheweekandmorethanahandfulofthosemissescamewhenhewastryingtocatchabodyattherim.
It'sgoingtobeinterestingtoseehowBaylorheadcoachScottDrewusesVitalatthenextlevelbecausehecouldopttousehimonthewingasathree,orgosmallanduseVitalasafour.
Eitherway,Vitalisgoingtobringahighlevelofenergyandheisn'tafraidtomixitupinsideagainstbiggerdefenders.
CurtisJonescontinuesscoringtouch
Comboguard
CurtisJoneshasbeenadestructiveforcescoringthebasketballallweekashecontinuedtoscorchthenetsfor22pointsonThursdaynight.Thefour-starClassof2016guardhasshottheballwelloffthecatchallweekandhe'sdoneareallynicejobofspacingtheflooronbreaksandinhalf-courtsetswhenhispointguardsareabletopenetrateandgetinthelane.
The6-foot-4Jonesisshootingaveryrespectable40percentfrom3-pointrangeduringthecampandcontinuedtofillitupfromtheperimeterbygoing5-for-8fromdistanceonThursdaynight.
Oncehe'shitsome3-pointers,Joneshasdrawnhisdefenderouttothelineandblownbythemforsomefinishesnearthebasket.
Newsandnotes
Four-star2017shootingguard
DevontaeShulerClickHeretoviewthisLink.showedoffhisscoringabilityonceagainThursdaynight,pouringin18pointstogoalongwithsevenrebounds.HelistedoffersfromStephenFAustin,WakeForestClickHeretoviewthisLink.,WoffordandUSCClickHeretoviewthisLink.,plusinterestfromVirginiaClickHeretoviewthisLink.,NorthCarolinaClickHeretoviewthisLink.,LouisvilleClickHeretoviewthisLink.,GeorgetownClickHeretoviewthisLink.,TexasClickHeretoviewthisLink.,Xavier,ClemsonClickHeretoviewthisLink.andArizonaStateClickHeretoviewthisLink..Skylar MaysClick Unranked stretch four Wyatt LowellClick Here to view this Link. made a case for some attention this week with his 12-point performance Thursday afternoon. The 6-foot-9, 220-pounder made two 3-pointers and said after he's hearing more and more from ColoradoClick Here to view this Link., UtahClick Here to view this Link. and Gonzaga recently. For now, he holds offers from Colgate, Rice, Weber State, Lehigh, UC Davis and Northern Colorado. Here to view this Link. has found some success playing alongside Fultz this week, but he'll be off to
BaylorClick Unranked stretch four Wyatt LowellClick Here to view this Link. made a case for some attention this week with his 12-point performance Thursday afternoon. The 6-foot-9, 220-pounder made two 3-pointers and said after he's hearing more and more from ColoradoClick Here to view this Link., UtahClick Here to view this Link. and Gonzaga recently. For now, he holds offers from Colgate, Rice, Weber State, Lehigh, UC Davis and Northern Colorado. Here to view this Link. as soon as the camp ends this weekend. The three-star guard is all set for his official visit to Baylor, hoping to have a good time in Waco, Texas. "I want to just see what they've got going on and how I fit in their system," Mays said. "I'm looking forward to it."