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CHARLOTTE,NC --ThedoorstotheUnderArmourAll-AmericaCampPoweredbyRivals.com openedtocollegecoachesonWednesdaynight,andcampersimpressedwithstrongperformances.Here'sarundownofthenotableactionfromtheWednesdaysession.
Horneoffontherightfoot
PriortotheofficialstartofgamesWednesdayeveningatthe
UnderArmourAll-AmericaCampPoweredbyRivals.com ,
JeriahHornemadeitclearhehadagoaltoshowthateventhoughhe'sanundersizedpowerforward,hisnamebelongswiththetopdogsinCharlotte. OnWednesdayevening,infrontofthreedozenorsocollegecoaches,heaccomplishedthatmission.
Thethree-starKansasCity(Mo.)Barstowprospectpostedagame-high20points,13rebounds,threeassistsandthreestealsintheopeninggameoftheAll-Americacamp,causingcollegecoachesonthesidelinetobuzzwith
DraymondGreencomparisons. "Isawsomeprettybigschoolsoutthere,"Hornesaid."
Floridawasthere,IknowTexasA&Mwasthere,LSUwasthere,Duke-someprettybigschools…Thefactthattheyweretherebeingabletoseemehaveaprettygoodgametodaymeansalot." Horne'sperformanceWednesdaynightwasagoodone,buthehopesit'sjustthestartofabigweek.Withseveralmoregamesontheschedule,heknowstherearestillminuteslefttoprovehe'sworthyofthehigh-majorofferssomeofhisUnderArmourAll-Americapeershold.
"I'vegottherestofthiscampandIhavetomakesureIcontinuetoplaymyheartoutandhopefullytherestwillfollowthrough,"Hornesaid.
Makerleavesamark
Five-starcenters
ThonMakerandDeAndreAytontookthefloorattheUnderArmourAll-AmericaCampPoweredbyRivals.com onWednesdaynightinwhatmanyconsideredtobethebesthead-to-headmatchupofthecamp'sopeningnightofgames. Butbeforethetwomegaprospectsputontheiruniformsandranonthecourt,theybattledinaspiritedgameofpingpongintheplayer'sloungeofthecamp.
AytonmighthavewonthematchupagainstMakeratthetable--thankstowhatonestaffmembercalleda"wickedserve"--butMakergotthebetterendofthingsonthehardwood,goingfor23points,17reboundsandtwoblockedshotsashisteam,Energy,tookhomea99-86win.
The7-footMakerwasincrediblyimpressiveonbothendsoftheflooronWednesday,drawingfoulsonAyton,finishingplaysintrafficwithquickelevationdunksandalsosnaringdefensivereboundsandtakingthemcoast-to-coastandfinishingwithgreatdisplaysoffootwork.
The6-foot-11Ayton,theNo.1playerintheClassof2017,wasoutplayedbyMakeronWednesdaynight,butitwasinpartbecausehisteammatesdidn'tgivehimtheballveryofteninprimescoringspots.Aytononlyattemptedfourfieldgoals--going3-for-4fromthefloor--andfinishedwithsevenpointsandsixrebounds,includinggoing1-for-1from3-pointterritory.
AfteranMVPperformanceattheNBPATop100CampinlateJune,itappearsthatMakerhasputhimselffirmlybackontrackasoneoftheelitelong-termprospectsinhighschoolbasketball.
Shulerstandsout
WhileMakerandAytonwereengaginginaclashofthetitansnearthebasket,Classof2017pointguard
DevontaeShulerwasflyingalloverthefloorandfillinguptheboxscoreforEnergy. Thefour-starpointguardfinishedwith19points-on8-for-11shooting-andaddedfiverebounds,threeblocksandtwoassistsinawinforhisteam.
Althoughhestruggledabitfromthefree-throwstripe,going1-for-5ontheevening,Shulerwastremendousinallotherfacetsofthegame,andhewasespeciallylethalinopen-floorsituations.
RegardedastheNo.69overallprospectintheClassof2017,thenativeofSouthCarolinahadalotofcollegecoacheslookinguphisinformationintherosterbookandheimpressedalotofpeoplewithhisplay.
IfShulercontinuestoplaywiththisamountofenergyandactivityhe'lldrawevenmorehigh-majorscholarshipoffersthanhecurrentlyhas.ShulerclaimedscholarshipoffersfromWofford,StephenF.Austin,
Clemson,WakeForestandUSCwhileNorthCarolina,N.C.State,Louisville,Xavier,Texas,MiamiandFloridaareshowingsomeinterest. ClemsonhasalreadyhostedShuleronanunofficialvisit,andthepointguardacknowledgedthatN.C.StateandMiamiarecurrentlyrecruitinghimthehardest.
Diarrastaysdialedin
AsaClassof2016prospectwhoisalreadycommittedtoUConn,
MamadouDiarracouldhavetakeniteasyandjustgonethroughthemotionsifhewantedtosinceheisalreadysecurewithhisbasketballfuture.Butfromthemomentthethree-starpowerforwardtookthefloorinthenight'sopeningcontest,hewasfocusedandreadytomakeplays. The6-foot-8Diarrafinishedwith18points,10rebounds(sevenoffensive)andtwoblockedshotsontheeveningwhilemakingthemostofhislimitedopportunities.Incampplay,bigmencangetfrozenoutofhalfcourtsetswithrelativeease,soDiarrahittheoffensiveglasshardanditresultedinmanyferocioustwo-handedputbacks.Alsorunningthefloorandconvertingonpassesfromguardsonthebreak,Diarraplayedwithahighmotorfortheentiretyofhisgame.
WhenDiarrapreventedopposingshootingguardHamidouDiallofromconvertingwhatlookedlikeaneasy,breakawaydunkearlyinthegame,youknewhemeantbusinessbecausehecouldhaveeasilylethisgoodfriendconverttwopointswithoutincident.
Lightfootlightsitup
ThonMakerandDevontaeShulerweretheshowstoppersforEnergyonWednesdaynight,butthree-starpowerforwardMitchLightfootalsohadanimpressiveoutingbyplayingaphysicalandenergeticbrandofball. WithMakerdrawingalotofdefensiveattention,Lightfootwasabletofreehimselfuptomakeplaysaroundthebasketashetallied16pointsandeightreboundson6-for-10shootinginawin.AmemberoftheRivals150intheClassof2016,Lightfootdidn'tdomuchoffensivelybesidesthrowingdowndunks,buthisphysicalityandhigh-motorplaywereveryhelpfulonbothendsofthefloorandheactedasaglorifiedgarbagemanonateamthatjustneededhimtodothelittlethings.
StanfordhasalreadybroughtLightfootinforanofficialvisitandhetoldRivals.comthathehopestotakeanofficialvisittoKansasinSeptember. Baxterfindshisperimetershot
Asoneofthepremierrun-and-jumpathletesintheClassof2016,
USFcommitandforwardTroyBaxtershowcasedarevampedperimeterjumpertoopenupcamp.The6-foot-9Rivals150memberfinishedwith18points,fivereboundsandthreestealsinaloss,butitwashis3-for-7performancefromthe3-pointlinethatshowedgrowthfromhisplayduringthespring. In12gameswithTeamBreakdownintheUnderArmourAssociationthisspring,Baxterwasonly4-for-18from3-pointland,sohisimprovingperimeterjumperisapositivestepinhisoffensivedevelopment.IftheperimeterjumperisfallingforBaxter,itmakeshisfirststepthatmuchmoreexplosiveandhe'salreadyverygoodatfinishingplaysaroundthehoop.
We'llhavetoseeifBaxter'sperimeterjumperstaysthisconsistentthroughoutthemonthofJuly,butifWednesdaynightwasanyindication,youhavetoatleasttakehisperimeterjumperabitmoreseriously.
VictorBaileyopenswithanefficientouting
Efficiencyisoftencastasideincampsettingsasplentyofplayersjackshotsandhunttheirownoffense.Thatwasn'tthecaseforClassof2017guard
VictorBailey. Aftergoing4-for-20from3-pointrangeduringthespringwithMoWilliamsAcademy,Baileywas2-for-4fromdistanceandhad19pointsononlyeightfieldgoalattemptsinhisopeninggame.
Alsogoingaperfect9-for-9fromthecharitystripe,Baileyhadaverygoodopeningnightandhe'sbeenoneofthecamp'shardestworkersthusfarintermsofputtinginextraworkduringbreaks.
Cowanlightsitup
Asafour-startop60playerwho'salreadycommittedto
Maryland,AnthonyCowandidn'tneedtoprovetoanyoneWednesdaynighthowgoodhewas.Butheplayedlikeitanyway. The5-foot-10,155-poundpointguardrantheshowforhisteam,whichscored107pointsin40minutesWednesdaynight.Hetotaled20points,11assists,twostealsandjustoneturnoverinthematchup.
"Iwasjustflowing,"Cowansaid."AndIjuststuckwithittherestofthegame."
Whileplentyofcollegecoacheswereonthesidelinehopingtolandhimduringtheperformance,CowansaidhisTerrapinpledgeremains"100percent"intact.
TwounderclassmenPGsshine
CowanmayhavebeenthetoppointguardofthenightWednesday,buttwo2018prospectscertainlybelongedintheconversationforthattitle.
JahvonQuinerly,a6-footPGfromNewJersey,lookedtobeintotalcontrolofhisteamWednesdaynight.Heloggedagame-highfiveassistsandaddedsixpointsandfourrebounds.Afterthegame,hesaidhecurrentlyholdsoffersfromVillanova,St.John'sandSetonHall.Hesaidhe'salsoreceivinginterestfromStanford,VanderbiltandNotreDame,amongothers. Inthefollowinggame,
PrentissHubbdidhisbesttomatchQuinerly'sperformance.The6-foot-2guardfromWashingtonD.C.recordedagame-highfiveassistsaswellandaddedfivepointsontopofthat.Afterthegame,hesaidhealreadyholdsoffersfromXavier,N.C.State,CincinnatiandGeorgeMason. McGustykeepsitrolling
KameronMcGustyplayedlimitedminutesinhisteam'sblowoutlossWednesdaynight. Hemadethemcountregardless.
TheTexasshootingguard,wholedtheUnderArmourAssociationcircuitinscoringthisspring,demonstratedatremendousfeelforthegame,pickinguprightwherehisbigspringleftoff.Heposted11points,fourreboundsandanassistwhileplayingsparinglyinthe29-pointloss.
"I'mtryingtoproveeverybodywrong,"McGustysaid."Iwanttostayontherightpath,keepdoingwhatI'mdoingandcontinueitoutthroughtherestofthesummer."
Newsandnotes
Four-starpowerforward
SachaKilleya-JonesClickHeretoviewthisLink.showedoffsomesky-highpotentialWednesday,usinghislongframetopost13points,fourreboundsandtwoblocks.Afterthegame,heflashedanofferlistthatwas20-pluslong.HespecificallymentionedGeorgetownClickHeretoviewthisLink.,VirginiaClickHeretoviewthisLink.,KentuckyClickHeretoviewthisLink.,FloridaClickHeretoviewthisLink.,N.C.StateClickHeretoviewthisLink.,NorthCarolinaClickHeretoviewthisLink.andNotreDameClickHeretoviewthisLink.offthetopofhishead. Four-star 2017 wing
Josh AndersonClick Here to view this Link. was one of the top shooters of the night Wednesday. He shot 7-for-9 from the field, including three 3-pointers. He said after the game he only holds offers from Louisiana Tech and UAB.