NBA – The Young Veteran

Portsmouth Invitational 2024 Day 1 Recap

PIT 2024 Day 1 Recap

The 70th annual Portsmouth Invitational has begun!!! The first two games were very sloppy to start. But, Hey thats to be expected when you are playing with new teammates, in a high school gym, in front of hundreds of executives from the NBA, to Italy, Germany,South Korea, Greece etc.

Players That Impressed

Tolu Smith III Miss. State 6’11 245 C

Smith is a very physical presence on the block. If he was in the paint he would physical make sure he moved you under the basket to get the closest finish possible. He ran the floor well and showed solid mobility overall. Being matched up against Joel Sopriano was a fun watch. Smith finished with 18 points and six rebounds.

Tristan Enaruna Cleveland St. 6’8 219 F

Enarauna showcased versatility on both ends. He has a solid pro ready body with some length. He knocked down a couple of three’s. Showed an ability to hit the mid range and can slash or play in the post. Tristan didn’t force anything, he just took what was given and and played an extremely efficient game. He also provided a nice highlight tip slam. https://twitter.com/PIT_Basketball/status/1780751379914486231

Courtesy of the official Portsmouth Invitational twitter handle @PIT_Basketball twitter

Tristan was the best NBA and pro prospect that played tonight. Yes, it was just one game….. That’s why I said tonight. He finished with 25 point, on 9-14 shooting, 2-4 from three, three rebounds and two blocks.

Tyler Burton Villanova 6’7 215 G/F

Burton struggled to get involved early, but found his footing in the second half. He showed versatility on both ends. He can initiate the offense or play off the ball. He’s a guy that does whatever his team needs him to. He also rebounds extremely well.

Aaron Estrada Alabama 6’4 195 Combo

Estrada showed an ability to lead an offense. He has a great feel in the 2 man game. Knows when to be patient and wait for the roll, or attack the defender. Solid ball handler with very good vision. Estrada was at his best when attacking on the fast break. He is very tough to stop from penetrating the lane and is a crafty left handed finisher around the rim. I’m a fan of his. He had 12 points, four rebounds and four assists.

Joel Soriano St. John’s 6’11 250 C

Big fan of Big Joel. He showed some offensive versatility today. We all know he can finish around the rim and in the paint. He also made a three today and it didn’t look bad. He only made seven his entire 5 year college career, BUT all seven were this year. He can definitely keep working on this and add this to his reportoire. Joel showed soft hand in the paint with nice touch as well. Knocked down a couple of mid range fades also. When he elevates his release is super high and tough to block. Big Joel had 28 points and twelve rebounds.

Jarod Lucas Nevada 6’4 195 SG

Lucas is a scorer. He can score at all three levels, but is more comfortable outside of the paint. Quick first step off the dribble. Likes the p/up jumper. Ball handling is ok. Very conssistent three point shooter. I want to see if he can defend at the next level. Also, can he consistently create for himself and others?

Eric Gaines UAB 6’2 160 PG

Gaines is a thin athletic playmaker. He is unselfish and knows how to run the show. He had 10 points, 10 assists and 4 rebounds. Anytime you have ten assists to three turnovers you’re doing you job. Especially in a showcase tournament.

Isaac Jones Washington St. 6’8 235 PF

Jones was all over the paint. He’s very physical and an explosive athlete. He will always finish with dunks. Very long arms. I want to see some more offensive versatility from him throughout the week.

Players That Struggled

AJ Hoggard Mich. State 6’3 215 Combo

Hoggard didn’t make an impact. In college he did a little bit of everything. This can be a tough setting to really stand out and show your skills. He finished with four points on 1-8 shooting.

Drew Pember UNC Ashville 6’11 225 F/C

Drew was 1-5 from three, with five rebounds. If he’s not making three’s at the next level can he add enough other value?

Tyson Walker Mich. State 6’0 175 PG

Much like his fellow Spartan he struggled to make an impact. Walker just didn’t take charge like I expected him to. He had six points, four rebounds and three assists……. But, lacked confidence or assertiveness.

Eric Dixon Villanova 6’8 260 PF

Dixon struggled shooting. He seemed way too content shooting three’s. And tough ones at that. He shot 3-11 overall and 0-5 from three. Dixon had 9 points, five rebounds and three assists. I would like to see him more assertive in the mid post.

Things I Enjoyed Today

Watching Tolu Smith III and Joel Soriano battle. Two of the more physical specimens here. And they went back and forth.

Tristan Enaruna’s versatility

Aaron Estrada running an offense

The Most Impressive Thing Today

How absolutely annoying Santiago Vescovi is on defense. I would hate to bring the ball up the court against him. Keep it up Santiago. Keep being annoying!

Portsmouth Invitational 2023 Day 3 Recap

Portsmouth Invitational Day 3 Recap

It was a good day. Yes, Ice Cube has been referenced in the first sentence. You’re welcome. The last game was ugly at times, then I jinxed it when I mentioned to my friend Jamaill we haven’t had overtime yet in the showcase. Then, the basketball god’s blessed us with a double OT game. Everyone in the gym tonight, You’re welcome.. Or, I’m sorry!

Players That Impressed

Timmy Allen Texas 6’6 200 G/F

Allen was super efficient. He has a lot of toughness and physicality. He has a great feel in the m/r and mid post. Takes contact well. Strong bodied and looks thicker than 200lbs. in a good way. Allen also was chipped in with 12 rebounds. He had 25 points and went 11-14 from the field. Almost all of his damage was in the m/r.

Kris Bankston Norfolk State 6’8 220 PF

Bankston struggled to make an impact his first game. Today he flashed athleticism that may be unmatched compared to any other player here. He has great hangtime and body control in the air when attacking the rim. He’s a dangerous roll man for lobs and has a great motor as a rim runner. Bankston had a massive one hand throw down, where it literally looked like he threw the ball from straight down ala Dwight Howard in the dunk contest. I don’t think he touched the rim, because he was too far away…. but, man he was way over the rim.

Kevin “Tha Dogg” Obanor Texas Tech 6’8 225 G/F

Man…. Obanor is intense. Plays extremely hard with emotion and authority. He also takes care of his body. He had ice on both knee’s and ankle’s when he left the gym. I liked seeing that because I don’t recall anyone else ever doing the same here. He is a freak athlete and super strong he can do a little bit of everything. I would be stunned if he’s not at the combine. He can make the three, attack the lane or just p/up in m/r. He can literally guard 1-4. He’s strong enough and agile enough either way. I loved his intensity and letting everyone know he’s that DUDE. Obanor finished with 29 points, five rebounds and three blocks.

Ed Croswell Providence 6’8 245 F/C

Big Ed flashed today. He started slow, but really came on after that. Ed is strong in the paint. He showed good hands and a soft touch. He’s solid in the p/roll game. He was relentless on the boards today also. Croswell finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds….. Ten were offensive!

Sales Systems Team

KJ Williams struggled from three, but still managed to score around the rim and with a post fadeaway. Williams also chipped in on the glass. He had 15 points and 17 rebounds.

Caleb McConnell chips in wherever he can. He showed the ability to score at times and he’s always a lockdown type defender. He plays within himself and that’s always refreshing to see nowadays.

I love Erik Stevenson’s confidence. He’s a flat out scorer. He can get hot quick and has a nice stroke from deep. Stevenson can occasionally shoot shots that may not be the best, but what scorer/shooter doesn’t. Stevenson finished with 23 points, going 5-8 from three.

Nathan Mensah had three late buckets in double OT that basically sealed the game. Mensah has a nice stroke 15 feet and in. Good rotation and doesn’t fade when shooting. I’ve watched a lot of him throughout his career. He’s a steady big. Defends well, has switchability and mobility. Ohhh and a 7’5 wingspan. Mensah had 17 points, ten rebounds and went 8-10 from the field.

Tanner Groves Oklahoma 6’10 235 F/C

Tanner is not the strongest or most physically skilled player. But, I would take him with me to a fight everyday. He’s a tough son of a gun. He plays with passion and he may be the toughest dude here. He never backs down. He keeps getting up off the ground. He struggled from three tonight, yet still made an impact. He had 19 points and eight rebounds. Next time though….. Shoot the open three at the end of the game. There were two chances you passed it out.

Players That Disappointed

Trey Jemison UAB 7’0 260 C

Trey is a massive man in the post. He really struggled today though. His hands looked very questionable. There were three straight p/roll plays where he just couldn’t catch and handle the pass and fumbled it away….. And the passes weren’t bad either.

Grant Sherfield Oklahoma 6’2 190 Combo Guard

Sherfield fell back to struggling today. He couldn’t make anything. He finished with two points and 1-11 from the field…..

Dane Goodwin Notre Dame 6’6 200 SG

Goodwin clearly is a good jump shooter and has a very nice stroke. He just missed shots today. None looked bad, they just didn’t fall. I like him. Today was just not his day. He had six points, four rebounds and was 1-9 from the field.

Things I Loved Today

Kevin Obanor’s competitiveness. He is “Tha Dogg”. He has so much confidence and isn’t afraid to let people know. One other thing I liked is when he left the gym he gave a nod to the trainer that helped ice him up after the game. That was cool and she appreciated it as well.

Tanner Grove’s passion. He made an and one and then had a weird, yet awesome counting motion with both hands while laying on the ground…… I realize my explanation is anticlimactic. But, If you were here at the PIT…… It was Electric, and very much a goofy white guy thing. And as I reread this I just can’t do it justice. Sorry, I’m a goofy white guy too!

KJ Williams showed some more physicality. I’m still not sure he can or is willing to post up on offense. He had one baby hook shot and a fadeaway post jumper score….. But, both were going away from the basket……. So, maybe I just kinda had a fling and didn’t fully love it yet….

The Bier Garden in Olde Towne, downtown Portsmouth, VA. I highly recommend this place. Its very relaxed and authentic German cuisine. I make sure I eat there every year I attend and its just fun and doesn’t disappoint. They also have a ton of beer selections. And whenever you have a beer referencing James and the Giant Peach….. I have to try it…… Johann beware of the Rhinoceros in the sky. And Aslin job well done!

Oh yeah the food was awesome! I had Curry Bockwurst, with German potato salad and beer battered fries.

Paired with Aventinus Weizendoppelbock

Portsmouth Invitational 2023

Day 2 of the PIT

Who do you think you are?… I AM!!!!

Day two early on was okay. I had already seen both teams and really wanted to watch the nightcap games. So, after the first game I prepared myself by eating Pork Fried rice, vegetable lo mein and a shrimp egg roll. Needless to say, I was more than primed and ready in several ways.

Players That Impressed

Tevian Jones Southern Utah 6’7 190 G/F

So, full disclosure…. I knew Jones had a good game. I’m literally doing a recap on every player. That said, He may have had the most impactful game at PIT since I’ve been attending dating back to 2016. He was lights out all day. He also has great size as a wing. Now in his career he’s a little streaky, but has that microwave ability….. or now that Air Fryer ability. So, was this literally his best performance ever and an anomaly? Maybe. But guess what, he performed and that’s what matters. I heard someone in the crowd say….. This guy needs to go to the combine in Chicago. Jones finished the game 11-13 from the field, 7-8 from three with 36 points and 7-7 from the foul line…… Bravo. You have my attention forever now.

Toumani Camara Dayton 6’8 220 F

Once again Camara stood out. If he has one more performance like that and his team still loses I feel like he’s the MVP of the PIT. I know that’s against the rules, but he’s impressed the most in my opinion easily. Camara had 21 and 12, yet he was only 1-6 from three. He still flashed and showed a versatile skill set. He also Yammed over Pete Nance too….

D’Moi Hodge Missouri 6’4 180 G

Hodge was an issue for Jani King immediately. He is a very opportunistic defender. He loves to play fast. He really showcased an ability to knock down the 3. He’s a captivating player. You see his imprint on every game. He’s a winner. He’s a SG that is an issue on defense for his opponents. Hodge was very impressive tonight. He finished with 26 points, 8-10 from the field and 5-7 from 3. He had to have had more steals, but that’s not what was recorded officially. He was a DOG.

Sales Systems Team As A Whole

Call It A Cop Out….. But, I Don’t Care

They dropped 119 points. Everyone flashed at points…..

But, I do want to say Grant Sherfield really bounced back form his performance at the NABC Reese’s All Star game. He had zero points on 0-11 from the field there. Today, he missed a couple jumpers early then attacked the rim and that opened his whole game up. He finished with 19 points, seven assists on 8-12 from the field.

Players That Struggled

Damion Baugh TCU 6’4 185 G

He just hasn’t flashed or made an impact.

Tyshaun Crawford Augusta Univ. D2 7’1 264 C

He is still struggling with the speed of the game. He has long term potential. He will have to start low level overseas, but he is a physical specimen. If he stayed D1 maybe he could have developed quicker? But, he has potential he just needs work on moves in the post and his motor in general.

Race Thompson Indiana 6’8 225 PF

Race just didn’t have the explosiveness or lift athletically today. He scores on hustle plays, or facing up and driving the lane. Or rebounds. Today, he was just flat.

Kevin Samuel South Alabama 7’0 260 C

Big body. Yet, He really struggled to make an impact. He was just overmatched by Jemison and Udeze.

Things I Enjoyed Today

Toumani Camara‘s dunk over Pete Nance…. No, I don’t have video….. But, it happened. Sorry, I’m young, but old and don’t do social media. Call me “The Young Veteran.”

Manny Bates dunk on Josh Roberts.

Nathan ” Nate Dogg ( The Rapper/R&B Soul Vocalist, RIP… and then the son in the Outdoor Boys Youtube channel I nicknamed Nate Dogg with my 3 kids, that I watch with my them weekly, https://www.youtube.com/c/OutdoorBoys ) ” Mensah dunking on Patrick Gardner… Gardner actually played well he just got, GOT.

Hey, Luke if you see this my family is all in on what you do!

Talking with a few Basketball friends in person, which I only get the opportunity at the PIT.

Lastly, Jake Stephens being loud and wailing like a goose on defense. Thank you Jake.

Portsmouth Invitational 2023 Day 1

Day One of the Portsmouth Invitational

Here We Go

It’s that time of year again. The best showcase in the business. I love this trip and look forward to it every year. Despite staying at a place where my door doesn’t fully shut…., Me like the players at the PIT are grinding away. Lets get it!

Players that Impressed

Tyger Campbell UCLA 5’11 180 PG

Everyone knows who he is. He played at UCLA forever. He controlled games and was a great floor general….. Yet, I was still super impressed with his play. He had 18 points, ten assists and only three turnovers. He is majestic with the ball. His hair flowing in all its glory, while he darts pass defenders to find open players for easy shots or buckets. He’s the best passer here. I have only seen four of the eight teams, but honestly it doesn’t matter. He see’s things different than anyone else. Even so his team lost 96-84.

Darius McGhee Liberty 5’9 160 G

McGhee literally gets a shot whenever he wants. He has unlimited range and elevates on his jump shot. I shouldn’t have been surprised, but seeing it in person it was clear. He can get buckets at any level. That’s never been an issue. He also is a great athlete. He can jump out of the gym and has great hangtime. I’m looking forward to see if he can make some plays for others in the next couple of games.

Hunter Tyson Clemson 6’8 215 G/F

Tyson was ripping the nets. He was 5-7 from three, finishing with 21 points and seven rebounds. He was not shy and took some deep shots. He displayed a ton of confidence throughout. He stayed aggressive. Tyson also showed an ability to run off screens or play the p/pop or just space the floor for c/s three’s. I was very impressed with his performance and loved his tenacity and emotion.

Sir’Jabari Rice Texas 6’4 180 SG

Rice just lets it fly. He is a scorer. Attacking the rim doesn’t seem to be his choice, but draining jumpers in defenders faces definitely is. He uses his length to get off shots and has a nice and fluid stroke. He had 19 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Kevin Obanor Texas Tech 6’8 225 F

Obanor is a DOG. Despite air balling at least two three’s, he never lost confidence. He kept his energy and intensity and his shot eventually started falling. Obanor was dominant rebounding. He was elevating and attacking the glass relentlessly. He ended up making 4-10 three’s, and all of them I believe came from the top of the key.

Toumani Camara Dayton 6’8 220 PF

Camara was all over the court. Super mobile and athletic 4 man. He can attack off the dribble and has a good handle for his size. Camara dives hard to the basket on p/roll situations and finishes above the rim. He was a player that flashed consistently throughout the game. He played 5 a little bit as well and was just running the floor like a gazelle. He’s still developing shooting range, but he popped today for sure.

Players that struggled

Connor Vanover Oral Roberts 7’5 227 C

Vanover struggled some with the quickness of the game. He seemed a little winded at times. He got the ball knock loose several plays and was late a few times on help defense. He has the ability to make the p/pop 3, but was 0-4 tonight. His lift was a little low, as well as arc.

Tyshaun Crawford Augusta University DII 7’1 264 C

Crawford was too slow. He took too long to make decisions. He needs to be decisive and explode to the basket. He was blocked by Vanover like three times. And they were brutal defeating blocks that were sent right back down to his face. He has potential, but needs to find that OBANOR DOG energy and be more assertive on both ends.

Things I enjoyed Today

Hunter Tyson’s unlimited SWAG.

Kendric Davis going 0-7 from the field and 0-5 from three in the first half…. Yet recovering and being chippy with hometown favorite Joe Bryant Jr. (from Norfolk State) to finish with 18 points and five assists.

The thing about the PIT is the always have a few local players from the area that get invited. And its deservedly so. The DMV and the Virginia coast is a hotbed for talent. So the support for Joe Bryant Jr. was awesome and something I always enjoy to see.

Rasir Bolton’s shot making ability. He can shoot….

Race Thompson looking like a Linebacker playing basketball. That’s always intriguing.

Hunter Maldonado showing he still has a wide range of skills. I’ve always liked him. This was just a lost year for him with transfers that didn’t work out and Graham Ike never playing. Maldonado showed well today.

The most Impressive Thing Today

Jake Stephens clapping with his monster hands that echoed throughout the gym his entire game.

Love the energy Jake and please keep it going!!!

On to Day 2

College Senior Pro Prospect Reports 2021-2022

260 Scouting Reports and a recap of the 2022 PIT available

I have Senior pro prospect scouting reports from this 2021-2022 season. It is 260 reports in all, with players from 24 different Division 1 conferences and several Division 2 and NAIA players. 246 of the reports are from Division 1.

I can answer any specific questions you may have. I am also willing to give more advice on specific players in the reports. I can also use my resources to help get contact info for players or coaches.

If you are interested in other players not listed in the reports I am willing to consult for a different fee as well.

The pricing for the season reports is 100$ US dollars. I have noted players that are returning to college to the best of my knowledge.

I also have reports from the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament as well for 80$ US dollars.

Or if you’re interested in both it would be 150$ US dollars.

This is available for purchase through my website theyoungveteran.com

The payment is through PayPal, or if you email me we can do Venmo, the Cash app or a wire transfer.

Game 1 of 37 Quinnipiac @ Maryland

We’re back!!! Finally college basketball is back. I haven’t been able to attend a college game in person since March 8, 2020 when Maryland beat Michigan to share the Big Ten title with Michigan State and Wisconsin.

I was pretty surprised however with the lack of attendance. Yes, I know we are still pushing through the pandemic and all of that. But, it was still surprising to me. I guess it will come in time.

Well this game featured a Maryland team ranked #21 with some expectations of making a deeper run into March. They got senior transfer guard Fatts Russell from Rhode Island and junior center Qudus Wahab from Georgetown. Both will provide different options that the Terps clearly didn’t have last season.

Maryland had their way with Quinnipiac all night for the most part winning 83-69.

Russell is a lightning fast guard at 5’11 165 pounds. He looked like he may have bulked up some as well. Russell provided a few scoring bunches on breakaways or from attacking from the perimeter. His first step is explosive and fast. However, the question will be his outside shooting. He’s a tough defender and moves his feet extremely well. A real pest on ball. He finished with 12 points and 4 assists.

Wahab is 6’11 and 240 pounds. He looks every bit of a traditional 5. He has the ability to hit from mid range and looks comfortable doing so. He is strong in the post, but I would like to see him keep the ball higher more consistently. He also tends to fade a lot when taking jumpers while backing an opponent down. With that said, he was making them but I would like to see him more on balance. Wahab finished with 17 points, six rebounds and 2 blocks.

Quiinipiac’s stars of the game were junior shooting guard Matt Balanc (no not Matt LeBlanc, doubtful Joey has hops like Balanc) and senior shooting guard Tyrese Williams.

Balanc is already up for dunk of the year as he absolutely destroyed Russell on a breakaway. Russell sized him up and Leblanc definitely got the better of him. Balanc also showed an ability to get shots off and attack the basket at will. He will be someone to keep an eye on for sure. He finished with 25 points, three rebounds and five steals.

Williams, who struggled shooting last season, looked very comfortable last night. He was pulling up from very deep and looked solid in the catch and shoot situations as well. Would like to see more versatility on offense. More aggressiveness towards the rim, but maybe that will come later this season. Williams finished with 19 points and went 5-9 from three.

Other players I was interested in seeing like Eric Ayala and Xavier Green made impressions as well. Ayala is a scoring combo guard. He will be leaned on heavily to score and he should deliver this season in my opinion. I like his game, but want to see if he can get others involved more and step up his defense as well. Green looked every part of a versatile wing defender. That will be his role on Maryland.

For Quinnipiac senior center Kevin Marfo struggled. He’s an undersized big at 6’8 245. He struggled with Wahab and Julian Reese’s length inside. Of course he makes sure he rebounds and did the little things, but he was blocked several times at the rim. One thing that stood out to me was his ball handling and passing as a big. I wasn’t expecting that. Marfo finished with two points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals.

The other player was senior G/F Jacob Rigoni. The Australian native is Quinnipiac’s all time leader in three pointers made. Consistent shooter, and when he actually attacks the lane he is a crafty finisher. He struggled shooting going 1-8 from three in this game. That was more of anomaly. This is by far his best skill. He finished with seven points, three rebounds and three assists.

Of course I am mostly interested in watching the Senior’s due to my scouting service But If ever interested I can provide my perspective on other players as well.

On to the next game which is George Washington @ Maryland on Thursday night.

The Life of a Freelance Basketball Scout – Game 17 – Minnesota vs Maryland

The Life of a Freelance Basketball Scout – Game 17
Minnesota vs Maryland

The Life of a Freelance Basketball Scout – Game 17

Minnesota vs Maryland

March 8 – Minnesota vs Maryland

After work I made a stop at my favorite liquor store “Christo’s Discount Liquors”, in Glen Burnie. This is the same liquor store that sponsors a soccer team that had a magical run in the US open cup a few years ago. When I was there I picked up a couple of variety pack IPA’s by Heavy Seas and Flying Dog. Both are local Maryland craft breweries. After that I picked up my kids from my brother in laws house. That is where my mother in law was watching the kids. I then went home to prepare to leave for the game. I was still waiting for a credential. I thought that it might be mailed, but it wasn’t. I called the location where I normally pick up my credential and they said that they did not have one for me. I then called and emailed Keith Sneddon of Maryland, and received an email immediately saying they will have a credential at the location for me. I was on my way. It was around 5:15 p.m. when I left. I traveled the back way to I-295 from my house. I know how terrible the road is right now because they are working on it, and it was also sleeting/snowing again. It seems like every game I go to this season it’s either raining or snowing. Crazy. So, I get almost all the way to the location and I decided to double check my email. Good thing I did. I got an email saying my credential will be at media will call instead of the other location. I was running late, which seems to be a theme for me this season. So, I made a quick and inspired left turn onto campus in the bad weather. Pretty ballsy move since I was quickly approaching an intersection. When I arrived at the Xfinity center and I was settled it was only 6:43 p.m. By the grace of God I made it before the game. I then took some pre game notes and ate a half of roasted chicken salad sandwich, pasta salad and half of a roast beef sandwich. I would finish the rest at halftime.

This was a big game for Minnesota and Maryland. For Minnesota they sit on the bubble, but closer to the good side than the bad. Maryland is trying to gain some momentum before heading into the conference tournament and improving their seed for the NCAA tournament. They started the process in doing this by winning 69-60 and it wasn’t really that close. This game was all Maryland from the start. Jalen Smith played one of his better games for Maryland. Stix, as he is known, is still developing his game on both ends. He can do a little bit of everything, but he really needs to work on his body. He will probably test the NBA draft waters to get some advice before returning to school. Stix had 19 points, 3 three-pointers, eleven rebounds and three blocks. If Maryland wants to play deep into March Stix is one of the huge factors for them as a freshman. Bruno Fernando had his usual eleven points and eleven rebounds. Bruno has an energy that no one else on the court can match. He is an all time hype man. Think Lil Jon, just 6’10 and 240 pounds. Anthony Cowan got going for the terps as well. He had 21 points and five assists. Cowan has been very streaky this season. It will really come down to his play to how far Maryland goes.

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Minnesota just struggled to score. If Amir Coffey is struggling to score or create Minnesota will lose. They just don’t have enough creators or playmakers on offense. Coffey was stifled early. He only had six points in the first half. He eventually finished with 23 points and six assists. Coffey had a good run to close the gap midway into the second half, but it wasn’t enough. He is a very streaky jump shooter. He is at his best when he attacks the land uses his length and size. Jordan Murphy had foul trouble throughout the game. He never really got to exploit the matchups as much as Minnesota wanted him to. At 6’7 and 250 pounds he is a tough task to guard in the post, but since he doesn’t have much range to extend the defense it can be a problem when the opposition has solid bigs. Murphy did make two three-pointers in the game, but he only had made four on the season. So my point still stands. Murphy is an intriguing prospect.

After the game I waited around to attend both press conferences. Richard Pitino’s was pretty short and cut and dry. He knows his team sits in a decent position, but would benefit greatly from another win. As I was waiting for Mark Turgeon’s some local journalists were talking about a few things and I heard the name Steve Buckhantz brought up. Buckhantz is the play-by-play announcer for the Washington Wizards. I have grown up listening to him. His partner Phil Chenier was replaced on the broadcast this past season. Now, news has come out that it looks like Buckhantz will not return next season. I will sure miss his signature “Dagger!” call.

After the press conference I walked out to my car, which was in the important people lot, right in front of the arena. I have never parked this close. It was awesome baby with a capital A (channeled my inner Dickie V there). On my ride home I listened to music and sports talk. When I arrived back home around 10:20 p.m. everyone was in bed. I then went into my man cave downstairs to watch the Wizards game I had recorded. I have a projector down there; so, it’s a pretty cool setup. I drank a couple of IPA’s I picked up from earlier in the day and then started nodding off. I didn’t finish the Wizards game. That would have to wait for the morning. I retired for the night around 12:15 a.m. I can’t keep up with the young guns anymore.

The Life of a Freelance Basketball Scout – Game 10 – Wisconsin vs Maryland

The Life of a Freelance Basketball Scout – Game 10

January 14 – Wisconsin vs Maryland

I got off work the same time as normal, around 3 ish. I ran home really quick and then had to head off to a doctor’s appointment at 4 p.m. I hate going to the doctor’s like everyone else. I especially hate going to the doctor’s when they don’t call you into the back to see you until literally 5 p.m. So yes, the wait was an entire hour.…… We didn’t leave until like 5:35. After the appointment the wife and I picked up the little ones from her parents, we stopped by Royal Farms for gas and an 8 piece of chicken, mac and cheese and western fries with cheese and then finally we went home. Luckily the game was not until 8:30.

I left my house at 6:30 to head to College park. I picked up my credential and parking pass from the hotel on campus and zig-zagged through the back of campus to the garage, which is roughly a half mile from the arena. Not a big issue. I don’t mind walking. It was just tough because of the ice everywhere. I walked like a 75 year old with two replaced hips, just to make sure I didn’t eat it. Being a 27 year old that’s had 3 knee surgeries, 2 slipped discs in my back, 2 kids and I’ve been married for almost 8 years…… I feel like a 75 year old anyway.

The game started out very bad for the Badgers of Wisconsin. Maryland dominated the first half. They were more aggressive on offense and defense. They held Wisconsin to just 15 points and they were 0-8 from three. Only three players scored. Ethan Happ had 6, Brad Davison had 5 and D’mitrik Trice had 4. For Maryland Bruno Fernando had success in the paint. When he was doubled he would find the open man. He has vastly improved his patience in the post since last season. He still has some moments, but this game was solid. Eric Ayala had a solid half with 8 points and a couple of three-pointers. Jalen Smith had an active 7 points and 5 rebounds. Good start for Maryland as they built a 33-15 halftime lead.

The second half was much of the same early. Maryland went up by as much as 21 points. Like I said…. it was early. Then came the onslaught of three-pointers from Wisconsin. Wisconsin made eleven in the second half. Trice made three, Davison made two and Nate “Big Shot-Big Balls” Reuvers made four. Trice and Reuvers were a nightmare for Maryland in the pick and roll. Fernando was out with foul trouble for majority of the second half and Maryland didn’t have an answer on defense for the pick and pop combo. On offense Maryland stopped playing inside and out without Bruno. They ended up just scoring a ton from the free throw line. Wisconsin actually took the lead late 60-59 with two minutes left. They completed the comeback. It seemed like Maryland would just flounder away and just lose it totally in the end. They went on about a ten minute span without a made field goal in the second half. Then with a flair for the dramatic Anthony Cowan made a deep three-pointer with under a minute left to take the lead back 62-60. Maryland would go on to win 64-60.

Cowan would finish with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists. He also had five turnovers. Sometimes he is just a little wild in the lane. For Wisconsin, “Big Shot-Big Balls” Reuvers had 18 points, seven rebounds. He had two wide-open shots from deep in the last couple of possessions to take the lead but they just didn’t fall. Reuvers was playing out of his mind. I enjoyed watching him hype himself up he drain three after three.

SIDE NOTE – After the press conference, I made the long icy trek back to the garage to my vehicle. I listened to some Sirius XM radio on the way home. As I approached my house, Margaritaville by Jimmy was playing. I then proceeded to eat some fried chicken and cheese fries before going to bed a 12:45 a.m. Amazingly, it was a very good decision. My stomach felt fine at 5:45 the next morning.

The Life of a Freelance Basketball Scout – Game 9 – Nebraska @ Maryland

The Life of a Freelance Basketball Scout – Game 9

January 2 – Nebraska vs Maryland

I got off work around 3 ish. I drove about 20 minutes or so to my parents house to pickup my kids. The game was a 6:30 start time. Weird start time in my opinion but what can you do. I guess it was due to the Big Ten Network having a game after this one for a nightcap. Anyways, I drive my kids back to my house and prepare to leave for the game. My wife had an appointment in Silver Spring and was on her way back home, which is why I had to pickup the gremlins. I left my house around 4:30 and I arrived at the XFinity Center at around 5:35 or so.

This was a great matchup for both teams. Nebraska has a veteran team with a lot of talent. It is probably Coach Tim Miles’ best team he has had there. He has senior forward and Georgetown transfer Isaac Copeland, senior point guard Glynn Watson Jr., junior forward Isaiah Roby and leading scorer and senior guard James Palmer Jr.

For Maryland they have the fifth youngest team in the country. Turgeon made this very clear in the post game press conference. They are led by junior point guard Anthony Cowan, sophomore center Bruno Fernando and a cast of other underclassmen. One of those underclassmen played a key role in the last few minutes of the game.

The game was back and forth throughout. It had the feel of a game that would go down to the wire. Nebraska had stretched their lead out a couple of times but failed to put Maryland away. Their foul shooting was an issue in the second half. They outshot Maryland 23 attempts to 14. This was a road game for them. It’s pretty rare for a road team to have more attempts than a home team at any level. Ask Turgeon about that. Oh and I forgot to mention…. Palmer shot 13 on his own, almost eclipsing Maryland’s total as a team. With all this said…. Palmer is a monster at drawing fouls. He has long arms and is kind of awkward when he drives. He has the strength to take contact and finish through it. He did most of his damage at the beginning of each half it seemed. He is working his way into NBA draft discussion I’m sure. Watson had a solid game as well. He spread the ball around, provided leadership and is just a pest on defense. Roby struggled to get going. He was completely overmatched against Fernando. Fernando would just bully him in the post. Roby is a versatile player on offense. He is an explosive athlete and is still expanding his range. If he can continue to extend his range and get stronger he will be a very interesting prospect. He already has a lot of attention on him.

Fernando was an absolute monster in the game. It was like if your 35 year old uncle was playing against you as a 10 year old. Like if your uncle was like 6’4 210 and you were like 5’5 140. There was no chance. No matchup for him in the paint. With that said, Bruno struggled at times. Nebraska dug down hard in the paint with extra defenders and forced him to pass out. Every time he put the ball on the floor a defender was swiping at it. Fernando didn’t have great hands today. Was he getting fouled, maybe, but you can’t have 6 turnovers. So when he wasn’t turning it over, he was scoring in very close range or rebounding everything. He finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds. Pretty impressive stat line overall.

The underclassmen I teased earlier was Jalen Smith. Smith had a bad first half. He lacked intensity and physicality. He seemed slow to react to everything. The second half was different. Smith had more intensity and more assertiveness. In the press conference after Coach Turgeon said he was getting on him and so were the assistant coaches. Not only them but Fernando as well. Like I said earlier Fernando is a monster. When Smith made a few plays in the second half Fernando would get in his face and shove him in his chest to pump him up. Now, Smith is a quiet guy. He doesn’t show much emotion. Bruno is the opposite. Smith is about 215 pounds and Bruno is probably 250. Bruno looked like he was going to snap “Stix” in half. Stix is what Smith goes by due to his thin physique. So hopefully Bruno will be a bit more gentile next time, but hey it worked. Stix scored the last seven points for Maryland, including a game winning floater with 3 seconds left.

SIDE NOTE : Food for the game was ok. Three chicken tenders, a mini cheeseburger slider and some tortilla chips. My pastor Tim sat next to me for some of the game. He is a Maryland season ticket holder. We chatted about Maryland lulls in offense and how Palmer was doing some work on the terps. Great game to see, but he seemed to be feeling like it would be a lack of execution in the end that would doom the terps. This has been the case since Melo Trimble left. Melo made clutch shot after clutch shot. No one has done that since. Well someone did tonight, so have a little faith Pastor!

The Life of a Freelance Scout

The Life of a Freelance Scout- Game 8

Seton Hall vs Maryland

The Life of a Freelance Basketball Scout – Game 8

December 22 – Seton Hall vs Maryland

I left my house around 3:30 for a 5:30 tip-off. My morning consisted of waking up at 6:30 on a Saturday…. Already not ideal. The flooring company came to put in our new lvt flooring in the basement and hardwood in the living room. I was not fully prepared. I was unaware that I would have to pull-up all my surround sound wiring in my man cave in the basement. I was not too happy. I still have not set that back up haha. So, hopefully this toilet flooding fiasco is behind us now. I’m sure you will be happy if there’s no more updates on that front. During this time frame I dropped off some Christmas stocking donations that my wife was able to fundraise through her job and give them to Sarah’s House, which is a homeless mission that helps house the unfortunate. I also watched the Goonies with the wife and kids and made a last second run to McDonald’s. Pretty interesting Saturday overall.

I arrived at the game around 4:45 or so. Traffic wasn’t too bad. Weird timing for a Saturday game, but I guess since it was close to the holidays it made some sense. I was hoping for a solid meal, but ended up eating some chips and salsa. Which is fine….. Once again can’t complain about free food.

The game was pretty competitive. It was back and forth most of the time. Maryland led by 4 at half, 34-30. In the second half Seton Hall dropped 48, on a Maryland squad that seemed to pride itself on defense. The final was 78-74 Seton Hall with a big W. Myles Powell for Hall is a legit problem. His isolation game is at a different level than any player on the court. He has an explosive burst to him, a deadly crossover dribble to keep defenders off balance. Once he gets by the defender he draws a lot of contact and can finish through it. He gets to the foul line over 6 times a game and currently shoots 87%. That’s a winning formula right there. The other bright spot for the pirates was Myles Cale. Cale was very good. He went off for 23 points and was 3-4 from three-point land. He was very aggressive. He has a strong build at 6’6 210. He can spot up or take the ball to the basket. Has some length that allows him to get his shot off against taller interior defenders. Between the two of them they scored 50 points and went 16-16 from the foul line…… Once again that is a winning formula.

Maryland was led by its two big fellas, Bruno Fernando and Jalen Smith. Fernando scored 13 of his 19 points in the first half. Seton Hall did a good job blitzing him with double teams in the second half forcing him to pass. Fernando is still developing his feel on offense when it comes to passing out of double teams. He has made some strides recently. Smith had 14 points and 8 rebounds on the day. Smith just doesn’t get involved enough. The guards for the Terps need to take advantage of these two big men. Both are future NBA bigs and it would be a shame to waste that talent. Fernando and Smith should be touching the ball every possession, but that is definitely not the case.

I was sitting next to an Eastern Conference NBA scout during the game. We chatted about the lack of “identity” on Maryland’s part on offense. How they avoid using their big men to their advantage. I told him that they don’t always play on the court at the same time as well. He was pretty dumbfounded by that. Especially since Fernando and Smith compliment each other well. Fernando is a force in the post and Smith has the ability to hit an occasional three-pointer. We both agreed that basketball is a simple game, yet it seems players, coaches and whoever else seem to complicate things that are very straight forward. PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS. DO WHAT YOU DO WELL. DON’T PLAY THE WAY YOU OPPONENT PLAYS.

SIDE NOTE – During halftime of the game I was watching the Redskins and Titans game. It was a huge game for both teams who were trying to stay in playoff contention. Of course the Redskins threw a late pick and ended their chances. I am a Ravens fan so I was rooting for the Titans to lose to help us out. Not so fast. Blaine Gabbert to the rescue for an injured Marcus Mariota.

I left the Maryland game a few minutes early to get home to see the Ravens play the Chargers at 8:20. Nothing like Saturday night football around the Holidays. I sped down I-295 as fast as legally possible! Yeah it’s possible to legally speed. Around Maryland/DC anything within 7mph over the speed limit is acceptable. Any more than that and you are playing with fire (everyone does on the Baltimore/DC beltway). I was excited, my wife Kelly was making buffalo chicken dip. I called her on the way home and little did I know we were out of buffalo sauce and had no chips…… So, I had to stop at Food Lion on the way home. It was worth it as the Ravens smashed the Chargers. Phillip Rivers is the most entertaining QB of all-time. His reactions to every penalty or lack thereof is just great entertainment. God bless his wife as she is pregnant with their 9^th child! The Ravens now sit in the driver seat to make the playoffs and win the AFC North over their rival the Steelers.