2009 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament: Prospects 6-10By:

Portsmouth Top Performers 6-10

Tyrese Rice (12.7 points, 6.3 assists, 1.6 steals, 41% FG, 41% 3PT)

It was evident from the early going that his game here will
be different from what we have gotten used to during his BC days, and for the
most part it was to his benefit. He has proven through his career that he is more
than capable of creating his own shot, but this week was a perfect place for him
to prove that he can tone down his scoring mentality and look more to be the setup
man. His best characteristic is his ability to get into the lane. Using his quickness,
ball handling and great change of pace moves, he was able to keep the defenders
guessing at all times while getting past them. Once in the paint he made good
decisions for the most part, either dishing it to the open man when the defender
committed or shooting a soft midrange jumper. Off the pick and roll he also showed
some good things, making the right reads by hitting the roll man or by attacking
the big man and turning the corner. Even though he played pretty well as a facilitator,
he seemed out of his element and as if he was holding back. At times he made poor
decisions because he was caught in no man’s land, passing when he should have
shot, or shooting when he should have passed. He needs to become better at understanding
when it is ok for him to attack and when he needs to look to run the offense,
because with his skill there is definitely a time for both. One cannot help but
notice the size of Rice, he is listed at 6`1 but he may very well be under 6 feet
(although his wingspan makes up for some of it). All in all, a solid week that
allowed people to see a different type of game from him.

Alex Ruoff (14.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists,
51% FG, 18% 3PT)

Was one of the most consistent players all week and he may have done enough to
earn a spot in the 2nd round. He doesn’t amaze with his athleticism or flashiness,
but at the end of the day he contributes in a variety of aspects that help a team
win. He has a great feel for the game, which goes hand in hand with his vision
and passing skills. Being extremely unselfish and showing a knack for finding
teammates, he proved to be one of the best passers at PIT. He also understands
how to work within the offense and how to get open coming off screens, which makes
him a very efficient offensive threat. He showed a decent first step, getting
to the hoop on a number of occasions as well as pulling up from midrange and converting
on a smooth looking jumper. The one thing that he was missing this week was his
stroke from the outside, he ended 2/11 from deep, although his form looks pretty
good shooting from the distanced 3 point line. Making a roster may be a long shot
for Ruoff, but this week was definitely a step in the right direction.

Alade Aminu (16.0 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks,
54% FG)

Aminiu possesses a good combination of size, length and athleticism. He is an
energy type bigman as he is very active in the paint and he also gets out on the
break. His post up game needs more polish and refining, but his touch is fairly
soft around the hoop, which allows him to score in traffic and in contested situations.
Defensively is where he is the most effective, as he has great anticipation and
timing making him a very good shotblocker inside. He moves extremely well and
shows great awareness by blocking and affecting many shots coming from the weakside.
His body is a little awkward as he seems to be bottom heavy, showing good strength
in his legs, but his upper body is fairly skinny. While he has a good base to
battle for position, he still gives up room fighting for space with stronger players
inside because of his weak upper body. This week has been good for him as he continued
to build on his strong senior season.

Wesley Matthews (14.3 points, 4.0 rebounds,
1.7 assists, 43% FG)

Was solid all week, not really impressing in any particular aspect but contributing
in a variety of ways. He has a strong body and decent athleticism and he uses
them both on his drives to the basket. He can body opposing wing players to the
hoop and then use his shoulder to create the necessary separation when finishing.
From the midrange, he has a nice pullup, where he gets good elevation and shows
a smooth and consistent stroke. Shooting the long ball was a bit of a struggle
for him as he will need to extend his range in order to become a reliable threat.
He prefers attacking out the triple threat as opposed to off the dribble, and
this is mostly because defenders can get into his body and crowd him since his
dribble drive game is limited. He is a bit undersized and his first step is marginal
which will keep him from being a true scoring threat, but one cannot argue with
the vast skill package that he boasts.

Chris Johnson (7.0 points, 5.3 rebounds,
3 blocks, 22% FG)

Johnson struggled for the most part the entire week, the stronger and matured
bodies that he faced gave him fits almost on every possession. He has not added
any significant weight and it makes it very easy for opponents to bully him around.
With that said, his length, athleticism and ability to run the floor make him
a very intriguing prospect. He blocked 9 shots, but he also altered many more,
showing that his length and timing are a serious threat on the inside. For a player
his size, he has great coordination and footspeed and he even showed some moves
attacking from the high to mid post. He can face up and put the ball on the deck
and also has a nice looking jumpshot with a high release point. After four years
he has not been able to add mass to his frame, so it may be a genetic thing that
will make it hard for him to ever do so. His light body forces him to give up
space way too easily inside, but with some of the other things that he does bring
to the table, he will still get his looks and opportunities.

Check out the top 5 prospects
from 2009 PIT.