Published Jul 9, 2015
UA Camp: Thursday evening session notes
Edward Lewis & Scott Phillips
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Rivals.com
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THERIVALS150:2016|2017
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
WithArizonaheadcoachSeanMillersittingcourtside,four-starpointguardJaQuoriMcLaughlinhadarguablythebestgameofhisweekThursdaynight.
Hewaspoisedatthepoint,makingprecisionpasses,buthedidmostofhisdamageThursdayeveningwithhisshot.Scoring10points,hewasabletocontrolhisteam,causingteammateSamCunliffetotellRivals.comafterthegame,"Thisboyisnicerighthere."
"Myteammatesreallyhelpmeoutalot,"McLaughlinsaid."PlayingwithThonandtheotherguysthatwehaveontheteam,I'mabletogetmyteammatesinvolvedandsharetheballandnothavetoshootasmuchasIusuallydo."
McLaughlinsaidafterthegamethathestillhasatopfiveofWisconsin,Arizona,Washington,StanfordandGonzaga.HeaddedthathefeltlikeArizona,WashingtonandGonzagawerecomingafterhimthehardest.
Simsgetsrolling
LSUcommitandClassof2016smallforwardWaydeSimsputuppedestriannumbersearlyinthecamp,buthegotrollinginamajorwayduringthenightsessiononThursday.
A6-foot-6wingwhopledgedtotheTigersinlateJune,SimspickedupthescoringslackforhisteamsincetheyweremissingJoshJacksonandJaylenFisherduringthecontest.
Pouringin29pointsbyscoringatallthreelevelsandaddingsixrebounds,Simsonlyhadacombined11pointsandfivereboundsthroughthefirsttwogamesofcamp.Oncehehadafewdunksunderhisbelt,Simsdisplayedaperimeterjumperthatwasfallingtothetuneof3-for-6from3-pointlandandhealsohitsomemid-rangejumperstoshowthefullscopeofhisabilities.IfSimshaddonebetterthana4-for-9eveningatthefree-throwlinehecouldhavebeenoverthe30-pointmark.
Thethree-starprospectplayedtremendouslyandhe'llhopefullyplaymoretothatlevelasJulyrollson.
Thonrollson
Evenaboutwithfoultroublecouldn'tstopfive-starforwardThonMaker'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.1overall2017prospectDeAndreAytonsittingoutThursdaynight'saction,Feltonhadtopickupthescoringslackforhisteamanddidsoinamajorway,goingfor22pointsandhitting5of73-pointattempts.
Continuingtoaddtohisimpressivecampassisttotalwithsevenmorehelpers,Feltonshowcasedhisgiftedpassingabilitywithanumberofone-handedbulletswitheitherhandwhilealsocreativelyusingjumppassesoncehegotintheairtodrawinhelpdefenders.
Sometimesthoseuniquepassesleadtoturnovers,butFeltononlyhadoneonThursdaynightasallofhispasseswereonpoint.
MJWalkergetsbackontrack
OpeningthecamponWednesdaynightwithastellarperformance,four-starClassof2017guardM.J.WalkerhadasimilaroutingonThursdaynightashecontinuedastrongoverallshowingatthecamp.
The6-foot-5Walkerputupadouble-doubleof23pointsand12reboundsasheaggressivelyattackedthebasketandtriedtodrawcontactwhilefinishing.Walkerwasanimpressive9-for-12fromthefieldandhealsodidagoodjobofdrawingfoulsandgettingtothefree-throwlineashewent9-for-12fromthecharitystripe.
Sinceheisalsoastandoutonthefootballfieldatfreesafety,Walkerisaccustomedtophysicalplayandhisruggedbrandofballtranslateswellinhispowerdrivegame.Ifhehasafullheadofsteamheadingtowardsthebasket,Walkerisn'tafraidtotakeitatanybodyandhe'sbeenfearlessaroundthebasketthisweek.
MarkVitalstaysproductive
OneofthemostconsistentplayersatcampthisweekhasbeenBaylorcommitMarkVital,apowerwingat6-foot-5whocontinuestobeproductiveandpowerfulnearthebasket.
OtherplayersmighthaveputupbiggerscoringnumbersonThursdaynight,butthefour-starClassof2016winghadadouble-doubleof16pointsand12reboundsandhe'snowaveraging17pointsandninereboundsthroughthreegamesofcamp.
WhileVitalisn'tgoingtoattemptalotofshotsbyusinghisjumper,hestayswithhisstrengthsandmakesdefendersstophimattherim,whichisaverydifficulttask.Vitalisshootingahealthy50percentfromthefieldontheweekandmorethanahandfulofthosemissescamewhenhewastryingtocatchabodyattherim.
It'sgoingtobeinterestingtoseehowBaylorheadcoachScottDrewusesVitalatthenextlevelbecausehecouldopttousehimonthewingasathree,orgosmallanduseVitalasafour.
Eitherway,Vitalisgoingtobringahighlevelofenergyandheisn'tafraidtomixitupinsideagainstbiggerdefenders.
CurtisJonescontinuesscoringtouch
ComboguardCurtisJoneshasbeenadestructiveforcescoringthebasketballallweekashecontinuedtoscorchthenetsfor22pointsonThursdaynight.
Thefour-starClassof2016guardhasshottheballwelloffthecatchallweekandhe'sdoneareallynicejobofspacingtheflooronbreaksandinhalf-courtsetswhenhispointguardsareabletopenetrateandgetinthelane.
The6-foot-4Jonesisshootingaveryrespectable40percentfrom3-pointrangeduringthecampandcontinuedtofillitupfromtheperimeterbygoing5-for-8fromdistanceonThursdaynight.
Oncehe'shitsome3-pointers,Joneshasdrawnhisdefenderouttothelineandblownbythemforsomefinishesnearthebasket.
Newsandnotes
Four-star2017shootingguardDevontaeShulerClickHeretoviewthisLink.showedoffhisscoringabilityonceagainThursdaynight,pouringin18pointstogoalongwithsevenrebounds.HelistedoffersfromStephenFAustin,WakeForestClickHeretoviewthisLink.,WoffordandUSCClickHeretoviewthisLink.,plusinterestfromVirginiaClickHeretoviewthisLink.,NorthCarolinaClickHeretoviewthisLink.,LouisvilleClickHeretoviewthisLink.,GeorgetownClickHeretoviewthisLink.,TexasClickHeretoviewthisLink.,Xavier,ClemsonClickHeretoviewthisLink.andArizonaStateClickHeretoviewthisLink..