Tag: NBA G-League

The Life of a Freelance Basketball Scout – Game 4

The Life of a Freelance Basketball Scout – Game 4

American vs UMBC

Sam Iorio game winner against UMBC

The Life of a Freelance Basketball Scout – Game 4 

November 24 – American @ UMBC

IMG_3073

The next day after my trip to College park to see Marshall vs Maryland, I made the short trip to see American University vs UMBC. UMBC was coming off a successful trip to the Bahamas, where they went 2-1. They had wins over High Point and Air Force. There loss was against South Dakota. UMBC was 4-2 on the season. American was 2-1 on the season, with wins over George Mason and New Hampshire. Their only loss was to Northwestern.

This game was a back and forth affair. UMBC led most of the way but faltered to execute on defense down the stretch. Sa’eed Nelson, the quick and craft point guard for American consistently shredded the defense. He got to the rim at will and also found his teammates regularly. He found teammate Sam Iorio for the eventual game winning 3, with under 2 seconds left.

IMG_3075

Nelson is a problem at the college level. If he can hit the three consistently, he will have a shot in the NBA G-League and for sure a legit chance to be a solid pro overseas. The junior point guard had 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Iorio does a little bit of everything for the Eagles. He is the leading rebounder on the team and provides a 3 point threat, as well as playing solid defense. He had 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Stacy Beckton Jr. had a solid game also. He chipped in 14 points and 4 three-pointers.

For UMBC it was a disappointing finish. They had the game in hand, but let American score 46 points in the second half. Max Curran had a nice game. The slender built junior, had 20 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks and a highlight dunk over Marvin Bragg. Sometimes the skinny tall guys can extend and yam over the broader shoulder fellas.

IMG_3074

This dunk is a different one. This is actually the game tying one late in the second half.

Senior Joe Sherburne did his normal thing contributing a steady presence on offense and defense. He could still be more aggressive at times though. He had 11 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals. Arkel Lamar also was not as aggressive as he may need to be. Junior point guard K.J. Jackson filled the stat sheet with 6 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists and 6 steals. Problem is he shot only 1-10 from the field. Brandon Horvath the other slender man on the team(see what I did there?), who also yams on people from time to time, had 14 points and 8 rebounds.

Overall the issue was UMBC could not stop the penetration from Nelson. He carved them up and American passed the ball very well in the second half. They could be more of a factor in the Patriot league than people originally thought.

Food for thought – UMBC had breakfast food in the media room. I chose to pass. I ate a muffin and had some water….. Very basic I know…… But I did get carryout Indian food for dinner from Tandoori Kabob in Pasadena. Spicy ginger chicken with garlic naan. Well worth the price.

 

 

 

The Life of a Freelance Basketball Scout – Game 3

The Life of a Freelance Basketball Scout – Game 3

 

November 23 – Marshall @ Maryland

JonElmore

This was my first trip to College Park this season. The traffic was fun as usual. Only took me an extra 15 minutes or so than if there was no traffic. It was pretty cold too, like low thirties range. I’m just glad I had a solid parking pass so I didn’t have to walk as far. That’s not always the case, since the priority normally goes to the “Big Dogs”. Maryland always takes good care of the media and I have always been treated well also. Not to mention they have solid catered food every time. This time was Chick-fil-A….. always a crowd pleaser.

I also was blessed with a seat with the NBA scouts so that was cool. One ex-NBA player was in attendance. He showed up a few minutes into the game. It was none other than local Eleanor Roosevelt high school product Delonte West. He has not been in the news in the past couple of years, after the rumors of him having some issues and possibly being homeless. I did not speak to Delonte. And to the chagrin of my pastor and friend Tim that was there in attendance, I never asked if Gary Williams recruited him to go to Maryland. If I see him again maybe I will spark a conversation, but this time I didn’t want to bother him! I’m not sure exactly why he was there but there is a player on Marshall (Jarrod West Jr.) with the same last name. Either way Delonte was just enjoying a game of basketball very quietly.

So the game was extremely one sided. It was supposed to be close. Maryland won 104-67. They led by over 40 at a point. Marshall loves to get up and down the court. They are led by Jon Elmore and C.J. Burks. Coming into the game they averaged 44 points a game combined. Well this night they had 16 total. Elmore struggled with his shot and really had an issue with Maryland’s length. He made many passes while in the air leaving his feet. Some were on target but several were tipped leading to loose balls or turnovers. Elmore has a great feel for pick and roll play and is a solid shooter off the dribble and from 3. Tonight was just not his night. C.J. Burks showcased an ability to score off the drive. He finished a few tough layups off the glass using his length to convert. Burks has a quick first step and also is a solid a shooter from 3. Both of these guys are candidates for the Portsmouth Invitational. Almost certainly not drafted. They could have very successful careers overseas or get shots in the NBA G-League.

 Side note Jannson Williams could be a guy to keep an eye on. He came into the game averaging like 5 points. He finished with 21 and eventually fouled out. The 6’9 forward showed an ability to hit the 3 off the catch and shoot as well as finish some alley-oops at the rim.

 Maryland thrived in this high octane game. Maybe we will see this more often. It would be exciting for the fan base and would also showcase the squads athleticism. Maryland was hitting from 3 point range as well. If they can shoot anywhere near as well as they did they will be a factor in the Big 10. Eric Ayala was impressive and showed confidence in his shot. Something he was struggling with earlier in the season. Anthony Cowan was his normal spark plug self. He had countless wide open lanes to the baskets for lay ups. It was like Marshall just parted the Red Sea for him. Bruno Fernando showcased his best pro skill all night. He had 16 rebounds. He boxes out well when focused and he can elevate better than any player on the floor for rebounds.

 This game was supposed to be like a 6 or 7 point game. Marshall is a very good team and on this night of Chick-fil-A and a Delonte West sighting, they were no match for Maryland.

 Maryland will have a much different style game on its hands when Virginia come to town Wednesday night. We all know Virginia is a grind it out, slow pace, methodical type of team. They are the polar opposite of Marshall. It will be very interesting to see how Maryland responds.

One last thing…… Turgeon did not seem thrilled that the Terps drew Virginia in the ACC – Big 10 challenge….. but, hey at least it’s at home.

 

Under The Radar At The 2017 PIT

These are some of the players that opened some eyes of scouts at the 65th annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.

IMG_1081

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.