USSSA Nationals 7/30

The Spiece Fieldhouse was home to some of the best talent in the country on Thursday and the Lucky Mongrel got to take in some of it and get lots of pictures, all of which taken about a quarter of a second after the players turned around. So it goes, but the basketball was not disappointing at all. There were ballots for the all-tourney team for the coaches and since I was denied the pleasure of a secret ballot, let me make mine publicly (with apologies to the guys i didn't get to see).

* I'll start my ballot off with 2012 Spiece Indy Star Ron Patterson (pictured on right). He was impressive as per usual. The 6'2 guard is a really dangerous scorer. He gets to the bucket on the drive and can jump up and shoot it quickly and he's usually on target. His athleticism around the basket can be really impressive. He seems to always have a few dunks or awe inspiring hang time plays and today was no different. His Spiece Indy Stars won their 10:30 bracket game 66-62 against the Fieldhouse Elite 2011 Knights. Patterson had 20 and was well on his way to another good game in the evening against Spiece Indy Heat (Felder). The Stars are playing up but still competing and winning. Jeremy Hollowell scored 11 and looked good as well.

*I'm not sure if I think he had one of the five best weeks there, but just off wow factor Marques Teague is probably gonna make my list. Teague has become a really strong leader on the floor. He makes some of the nicest plays I've seen a high school player make when he gets an angle to go to the bucket. He can take over offensively and defensively and is massively talented but might not be as consistently dominant as he could be. He has a decent looking shot, he is improving those two areas and be even better than he is already. I'll bet the high majors start recruiting him if he starts out his junior season strong. kidding, kidding... Spiece Indy Heat 2010 Betts defeated Team Southern Indiana ed 66-51. Ross, Wischmeier, Jeffersonville's AJ Adams were outstanding in defeat, and Teague was joined by an all star cast on his squad (Yogi Ferrel, DeJuan Marrero, Khristian Smith, Raphael Davis, AJ Hammons and more). I will double check on a couple of those TSI 17U names so as to avoid ridcule.

* I was just up there today so forgive me if the rest of the tournament went differently but Gary Harris was playing for a squad called Team Indiana. He is one of the 7 kids I'm calling the top prospect in the Indiana high school class of 2012 depending on day of the week. Harris is a superior athlete with long arms and is already becoming a special player. He could play point or wing, has a nice looking shot from three, and is young for his class if I remember correctly. The last time I caught him he got hurt for Up Tempo in a 15U game but was the best player on the floor. His game was at half time when I left so I don't have any stats for him. Harris, Patterson, Smith-Rivera, Hammons, and Marrero are on the rotation so far at least...vbg

* Ryan Taylor was outstanding for Spiece Indy Fastbreak and has to be on my first team ballot from today. The 2011 Lawrence North little power forward is well on his way to becoming the Louisville Cardinals wing forward. He has always been tough on the glass and fearless inside, but today I got to see him really attack the basket a lot more than I've seen off the dribble before. Taylor is handling the ball with more confidence than he was in the school year. Turner wound up with 22 points on the game. He was matched against a very impressive player Evan Cleveland wound up with 15 points and is probably was a little taller than Taylor but not quite as thick.

* Crishawn Hopkins was playing with the Blaze Select again. They had a chippy battle with Fieldhouse Elite Hoosier Boyz. Need to look up rosters, but #5 was good and competitive for the Hoosier Boyz and was probably a 6'4 kid with good length but Hopkins was in control. He elevates very high in the air when he shoots and it is a very smooth shot. He is a lot more than a leaper, the 6'0 Manual guard needs to put on some weight but he is fearless. Eastern Michigan and Ohio had coaches watching. I'll have to go with two points on my squad, put him on the first team.

* Other guys that were impressive included Yogi Ferrel was outstanding. He seems to be a little bigger but the urgent pace and intensity which he plays with is a real treat to watch. His recent Ohio State offer is well deserved. His teammate Raphael Davis looked good playing up. He had 16 points and played hard. He is always good, and consistently shows off some of his scoring prowess but today even though he was less dominant than he can be, he also did a much better job deciding when to pass the ball to a teammate and he limited the wild shots. Playing with a vocal point like Teague might be really good for the young Purdue star who looks to be 6'5 and strong. Bowman Academy's Dejuann Marrero was a treat to see as well. He controls the glass every time out and is an all effort kid with impressive ability in the paint and high major athleticism.

* Kenny Enoch scored 9 points and Evan Blackman had 14 for the Spiece Indy Fieldhouse who were eliminated 63-61.

* Travis Carrol and Donnie Hale were imposing for Spiece Indy Heat Down against Spiece Gym Rats Tolson. The Mongrel is a big fan of both players. Carrol particularly will be a very good power forward for Purdue. Unfortunately I just looked in a bit on this game and didn't get any stats.

* The NEO Ballers 16U squad were very impressive. A Michigan State assistant was on hand to see them crush the Illinois Predators. He most likely was watching Anton Grady, a 6'7 shot blocker who really got off the floor quickly. #14 Brian Burdine from Lutheran East High School is class of 2011 and is a very quick but thin 5'9 skinny point guard with amazing body control. They beat the Predators 81-41 and just terrorized them defensively. Thanks to coach Tom Coleman for getting me the updates on the roster.

* A sophomore to be Spiece Gym Rats Davis squad was in action on the adjacent court. They were led by #13 Jason Kalongi I believe who is going to be playing varsity for Bishop Leuers this year. #50 was about a 6'6 strong forward who had good form shooting to 15 feet for the Gym Rats. #52 Gregory for Fieldhouse Indy Impact was really impressive, he is about a 6'6 forward who likes to play defense with attitude. Nick Nimtz was another big kid who played well for the Impact.
* 2013 super phenom Daryl Baker scored 21 in a loss Wednesday to Team Indiana (Gary Harris). Logan Bailey (Bedford North Lawrence) added 20. This HoosierHillsHoops.com update has several other notes on Hoosier state prospects in the event. http://www.hoosierhillshoops.com/index.php

* Coaches were looking a little less bright eyed and busy tailed than they were on day one of the evaluation period a few weeks ago. IPFW Coach Dane Fife was on hand as were coaches from Evansville (straddling Spiece Indy Heat games at one point), Gardner Webb, Ball State, Michigan State, Northwestern, and others.

Hoosier Shootout Preview (Part 2)

Yesterday we discussed some of the programs who will be in Indianapolis for the Hoosier Shootout July 6-9th. See yesterday's entry for updates on the Wisconsin Playground Warriors, Georgia Stars, Team Detroit, Illinois Titans, Randolph Boys Club, Illinois Old School, Peoria Irish, Tennessee Travelers, Shining Stars, Terry Porter Elite, Birmingham Storm, and Wisconsin Force squads. Today we'll feature a few more squads and report back after seeing some of them in action on Monday (the Mongrel will be celebrating nephew Eli's 3rd birthday on the 4th).

The Alabama Terriers are sending their 17U team. Look for Luke Cothron to lead the charge for Coach Wherry's athletic squad. Cothran is a 6'8 power forward rated #37 on Scout.com's new updated 2010 rankings who is a hot name on the recruiting trail for Louisville and several SEC schools.

Eric Gordon Indy All Stars 15U squad is led by Indianapolis Tech guard Momo Cross and Morristown's Dylan Lankabel who both project as future D1 players and should be fun to watch. Cathedral's Paul Bayt is another key player for this club. Here's a link to a blog post from someone close to the Eric Gordon program who talks in more depth about Bayt and Cross and some other Indianapolis area 15U players. http://p-hoops.blogspot.com/2009/04/pitt-jam-fest-report.html

Indiana Elite One Green 16U is not the most well known Indiana Elite team in this age group, but they won the 16U division at the Adidas May Classic and have several outstanding players including the Dontray Chavis and Rontray Chavis from Princeton and Brandon Dunnaway from Corydon. Hoosierscout has some video on Dontay Chavis if you scroll down. http://www.hoosierscout.net/ The Chavis twins are among the most explosive prospects in the country in this class but high majors are worry a bit that they might be undersized as 6'5 power forwards (for now). Both are getting plenty of D1 interest already however.


Parallel 45 has a 17U team at the event. Watch for 2 2011 players who play up with the program. Dwann Anderson is a 6'4 guard from Sutton Bay who has at least a mid-major future and Garrett Mortenson is a 6'0 pg from St Ignacius.


Spiece Indy Fastbreak is a star studded Indianapolis program who are sending a 16U team. Assuming these guys aren't playing up somewhere with a 17U team they have several can't miss prospects. The best is easily Michael Chandler, a 6'11 true center who committed to Louisville as a freshman. As did his high school classmate Ryan Taylor a 6'5 power forward who is also in the 16U age group. PJ Boutte is at least a mid-major point guard and keep an eye on Kenny Enoch, a 6'2 shooting guard who improved quite a bit this school year.

Ohio Gators have a 17U team in the event. They have a trio of seniors in their program who have been drawing good reviews this spring in 6'7 Mark Frilling and 6'0 combo guards Jay Springs and Anthony Henderson.



Spiece Indy Heat has two excellent 17U teams in the event as well as a 14U team playing in the 15U division. This is arguably the strongest arm of one of the premier AAU programs in the country and as always they are loaded with talent. Recent Wright State commitment Kegan Clark is joined by Purdue commitments Donnie Hale and Travis Carrol to lead the 17U Downs team. The Quarles 17U squad has the amazing Deshawn Thomas who is the favorite for Mr Basketball in Indiana and an OSU commit. He is joined by 2011 rivals #2 player Marques Teague and some hidden gems such as Broad Ripple's 2011 6'5 rangy Steve Jamison and other stars. They will also have a 2013 team playing up a year with the 15U and a 16U team (Felding).

Team Detroit has a 16U team in action at the Shootout. Percy Gibson is a 6'8 kid from Detroit Southeastern and along with Country Day's Urban Bigham and Lee Bailey they are going to be a force to be reckoned with at the 16U age group. Watch for 6'2 Ray Lee who has been playing up a year with this team but is 2012.

Spiece Indy Stars 15U team is one of the hottest teams on the recruiting circuit in the 2012 age group. Broad Ripple's Ron Patterson already has several high major offers including Ohio State, Indiana, Purdue, Tennessee, Illinois, and Cincinnati. The Bearcats have also offered sweet shooting 6'7 forward Austin Burgett and 6'6 wing Jeremy Hollowell. Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Purdue, Ohio State, and other area schools are all over this bunch early. Also keep a watch for 5'9 point guard Kellon Thomas who has a wonderful feel for the game and has drawn interest from many of the same teams. 6'6 Rhett Smith from Sullivan who also will be mid major or high major targets before all is said and done.

Spiece Select 2011 is going to be playing up with the 17U squads. They have made deep runs in almost every tournament since the group has been together and have probably had more head to head success than any other Indiana AAU programs in the 2011 age group. They feature 6'7 Notre Dame football target Tony Springmann. He is a strong, dominant power forward and has high major suitors in both sports. Kendall Griffin and Zach Van DeWater are two big guards to watch as well.

There are too many teams and players for the out-matched Mongrel to keep up with, and when the Mongrel shows up and gets his program half of them will be replaced by other interesting players as the summer teams tend to shuffle a bit between May and July. The Mongrel will keep his eyes open and let his faithful readers (or reader perhaps) in on the low down from the event Monday night at the latest. More kids keep coming to mind but we'll have to stop the preview before the event itself begins, see you out there!