LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The Under Armour Association II wrapped up Sunday. We checked out the two teams with the best record in the Association and another team that has the look of being a tough out in Atlanta in the finals in July.
New Heights used all seven available players and got 17 points from junior point guard Gianni Ford to get a win over the DC Blue Devils, but it was sophomore Sid Wilson who caught our attention with a double-double of 10 points, 10 rebounds and one block.
Wilson has a high motor and is active on the defensive end of the floor. At the other end of the court, the youngster showed he can score through contact, make good decisions on the fly and used his athleticism to make plays. He's working on his ball handling and improving his jump shot.
Listing offers from St. John's, Minnesota, Providence and USF; Wilson is in the early stages of his recruitment and isn't consumed by the process right now. Instead he's focused on his New Heights team.
"The most important thing was getting my team wins this weekend," Wilson said. "We're trying to do a big thing this summer and win this whole Under Armour thing."
Delaware-based WE R1 has one of the best backcourt duos in the Association in four-star point guard Quade Green and five-star point guard Trevon Duval -- both players are class of 2017. In the front court, WE R1 has a pair of 6-9 big men in four-star center Sedee Keita and three-star center Nysier Brooks.
Duval used his quickness to get to any spot on the floor he wanted, usually getting to the rim where he had some terrific finishes through traffic. He also drew contact and got to the free throw line. He is one of those rare players who could take over the game at any moment at either end of the court.
Offensively, Duval is the fifth leading scorer with a 17.6 points per game average. Defensively, Duval leads the Association in steals with 20 thru eight games. He has great anticipation and seems to have a nose for the basketball.
"Defense is something that you can work on, but it's just really playing hard and wanting to get the ball," Duval said. "Every time I'm on defense, I want to get the ball so that we can score. That's how I like to play."
Keita just works. During pre-game warm-ups, it is apparent he is quite skilled. He can handle the ball and shoot it, but he didn't get to display those things Sunday. He rebounds the ball (he grabbed 10), brings good energy, and blocks shots (he swatted three and altered several more).
Temple, UNLV, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Seton Hall were schools Keita said he hears from the most, but added "a lot of schools talk to my coach." A few hours after we spoke to Keita, WE R1 head coach James Johns confirmed USF and Saint Louis offered Keita.
Alex Kline Tweeted that USF also offered Brooks.
Team Thad continues to be a team opponents know they'll need a complete 32-minute effort to avoid being defeated by the Memphis based program. No. 44 ranked four-star point guard Jaylen Fisher missed Sunday's game with the effects of a mild upper leg injury sustained Saturday.
No worries. A trio of 2016 prospects led the way in a victory over Sports U. Shooting guard Nathan Hoover supplied 19 points, top 100 prospect Micah Thomas had 17 points, plus several "oh wow" plays, and Memphis commit Nick Marshall patrolled the paint and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Although his shot has a low release point, Thomas had his jumper on target Sunday, connecting on three of his four three-point attempts. He also grabbed five rebounds and blocked three shots. His high-level athleticism makes him a difficult defensive assignment for opponents.
Improving his ball-handling and footwork are two of Thomas' personal goals for the summer. Thus far, his skills have earned him offers from Arkansas, SMU, Tennessee, Memphis, Wake Forest, Ole Miss, Alabama, Baylor and Temple according to Team Thad Coach Norton Hurd.
Thomas, who lives 30 minutes outside of Memphis in Eads, Tenn., said "how far it is" will be one factor he'll consider when making his college choice. "I'm close to my family," said Thomas.
Terrance Ferguson, the No. 5 ranked prospect in the 2016 class, led Mo Williams Academy with 20 points in a Sunday win over BMore's Finest. The 6-6 wing recently began hearing from new Alabama head coach Avery Johnson and told us he hosted Johnson on an in-home visit last weekend.
"It was great, it was his first in-home visit so it was an honor," Ferguson said. "Just him being a NBA player and NBA coach; he said that he can help me make my dreams come true, which is being in the league."