These are some of the players that opened some eyes of scouts at the 65th annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.
Zach LeDay 6’7 235 Virginia Tech – Leday is an undersized power forward. He makes up for that with a solid frame and good length. His range doesn’t extend past 17-18 feet. He will need to develop his mid range to be more successful at the next level. He is relentless at attacking the paint through straight line drives and will challenge shot blockers. LeDay makes up for his lack of size with his high motor on both ends of the floor.
Tim Kempton 6’10 250 Lehigh – The two-time Patriot League player of the year showed flashes of why he was so successful at Lehigh. Kempton is a very physical player. He can post players up or even be effective in the mid range. He is still extending his range, but has the potential to eventually be a decent three-point option if left open. Kempton has a pro body and can dish out the physicality necessary to play the center position as a pro. He should get some looks for the NBA summer league, if not he will be a solid pro overseas.
Emmanuel Omogbo 6’8 210 Colorado State – Omogbo is a high level athlete. Very explosive leaper and has a relentless motor. He finishes breakaways with dunks and never shy’s away from potential shot blockers. Emmanuel is not the most polished player on offense. His jumper is a work in progress. His scoring comes off hustle plays or “garbage” baskets. On defense he is a work-horse. He plays solid on and off ball and has the potential to be a lockdown perimeter defender.
Sebastian Saiz 6’8 245 Ole Miss – Saiz is a extremely long 7’5.5 wingspan. He is an average athlete that lacks explosiveness, but makes it up with his relentless effort. Saiz has a decent mid range game extending to 17 feet, he is still working on his three-point range. He still has room to improve his post game, he needs to make more decisive quick moves and work on finishing with both hands. On defense, Saiz affects a lot shots in the paint, but may struggle with foul trouble due to being over zealous to block shots.
T.J. Williams 6’3 205 Northeastern – Williams has a pro ready body. He is a physical point guard and a solid athlete. He is not overly explosive or quick but understands how to use angles and exploit mismatches on the perimeter. He will need to improve as a three-point shooter however as he was just 33% this year. Williams has a solid feel in the pick and roll and has the ability to get all the way to the rim or dish it to open teammates. He is a steady point guard that also has the ability to score.
Jeremy Senglin 6’1 188 Weber State – Strong build, but lacks height to play at high level. He is an average athlete, but he finds ways to be effective as a scorer. He is a solid three-point shooter especially in the catch and shoot. Senglin made 11 of 23 three-pointers in the three games. His ball handling needs to tighten up, as well as his playmaking ability to get others involved. He is more of a combo guard. Senglin is a solid on ball defender. Very physical, but his lack of height and overall athleticism limits him to guarding just the point guard slot.
Matt Jones 6’5 200 Duke – Jones had a solid tournament on both ends of the floor. He displayed an ability to hit the three, as well as play solid on and off ball defense. Jones has potential to be a solid 3&D type player. He looks like a safe bet to play overseas and carve out a solid career. His limited playmaking ability and isolation capabilities would make it extremely hard for him to advance to the NBA level.
Erik McCree 6’8 226 Louisiana Tech – McCree is a flat out scorer. He needs to extend his range and work on his three-point jumper. Anywhere from 18 feet and in McCree has a consistent stroke. He is most effective when driving to the basket. As a solid athlete and a having a strong frame, McCree has the ability to finish in the lane or draw contact to get to the line. He will have to put more work in on defense to prove he is more than a one-dimensional player.
The Young Veteran 