The East kept it close in the first half but ultimately couldn’t sustain that momentum, as the West pulled away in the second half.
Jordan Smith 6’2, 200 PG/SG – Arkansas
21 MIN, 15 PTS, 4 AST, 6 REB, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 6-12 FG, 2-6 3PT, 1-5 FT
Smith led the East in scoring with 15 points on 6-12 shooting. He played hard every second he was on the floor on both ends. He showed his burst and ability to get to the rim, along with the physicality to finish through contact. He made some good passes to record 4 assists but also telegraphed a few, leading to fast break opportunities the other way, finishing with 3 turnovers. His shooting has improved but still needs work, going 2-6 from three and 1-5 from the line. Smith also added 6 rebounds and 2 steals.
Toni Bryant 6’10, 215 PF – Missouri
24 MIN, 14 PTS, 1 AST, 5 REB, 0 STL, 2 BLK, 6-11 FG, 2-4 3PT, 0-0 FT
Bryant started the game with a hot hand, knocking down a three in the opening minute and another shortly after from the corner. Much of his offense comes facing the basket, which he also showed on a midrange pull-up. He’s an athletic finisher as well, scoring on an alley-oop, tipping in a miss, and capitalizing on a mismatch with a drop-step dunk. Bryant finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
Jaxon Richardson 6’6, 205 SF – Alabama
22 MIN, 13 PTS, 0 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 6-9 FG, 0-2 3PT, 1-1 FT
Richardson (pictured) consistently looked to showcase his athleticism. He was very active, cutting, filling lanes, and crashing the glass. He threw down a few explosive dunks on his way to 13 points and also showed body control on finishes, including an acrobatic layup and an and-one. He missed both three-point attempts and will need to continue improving his perimeter shooting. Richardson added 3 rebounds and a highlight block off the backboard.
Latrell Allmond 6’8, 225 PF – Oklahoma State
19 MIN, 8 PTS, 0 AST, 3 REB, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 3-6 FG, 0-1 3PT, 2-2 FT
Allmond finished with 8 points on 3-6 shooting. He didn’t stand out consistently but showed flashes of athleticism. He had a few dunks, a drop-step finish, and recorded a nice block while adding 3 rebounds.
Deron Rippey 6’2, 175 PG – Duke
22 MIN, 7 PTS, 4 AST, 5 REB, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 3-7 FG, 0-3 3PT, 1-2 FT
Rippey played with high energy, showcasing his quickness and handle. He pushed the tempo and showed burst, finishing creatively around the rim. He totaled 7 points and created opportunities for teammates with 4 assists, including a few alley-oops. His aggressive style also led to 3 turnovers. Rippey rebounded well with 5, including 3 offensive boards.
Bruce Branch 6’8, 195 SF – BYU
20 MIN, 7 PTS, 1 AST, 4 REB, 0 STL, 2 BLK, 2-6 FG, 0-4 3PT, 3-6 FT
Branch struggled shooting, going 2-6 from the field and 0-4 from three. He did convert on an alley-oop layup and a midrange fadeaway. He contributed 4 rebounds and 2 blocks defensively.
Anthony Thompson 6’9, 205 SF – Ohio State
15 MIN, 5 PTS, 1 AST, 3 REB, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 2-6 FG, 1-4 3PT, 0-0 FT
Thompson showed his shooting ability, knocking down a corner three off the catch despite a contest. His other basket came off an offensive rebound. He finished with 5 points, 3 rebounds, and a block.
Taylen Kinney 6’3, 190 PG – Kansas
16 MIN, 5 PTS, 3 AST, 2 REB, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 2-8 FG, 1-4 3PT, 0-0 FT
Kinney has a good handle and can create offense but played at full speed and was a bit reckless at times. He scored 5 points, including a steal leading to a dunk and a step-back three. His shot selection was inconsistent, finishing 2-8 from the field. He added 3 assists but also had 3 turnovers. Defensively, he showed quickness with 2 steals.
Darius Ratliff 7’0, 210 C – USC
15 MIN, 5 PTS, 0 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1-4 FG, 0-1 3PT, 3-5 FT
Ratliff scored 5 points, with his lone field goal coming on a cut for a dunk. He struggled finishing around the basket, missing some easy looks. He’ll need to get stronger and continue developing his skill set. He added a rebound and a steal.
Jasiah Jervis 6’5, 190 SG – Michigan State
15 MIN, 5 PTS, 1 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 2-4 FG, 1-3 3PT, 0-0 FT
Jervis looked to score when given opportunities, finishing with 5 points. He hit a deep catch-and-shoot three and a step-back midrange jumper. He had limited impact otherwise, adding a rebound, a steal, and 2 turnovers.
Darius Bivins 6’1, 160 PG – Undecided
12 MIN, 2 PTS, 2 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1-5 FG, 0-2 3PT, 0-0 FT
Bivins struggled overall but showed flashes of his handle and passing ability. He had difficulty creating clean looks due to his size but did record 2 assists and scored on a hesitation move at the rim. He also contributed 3 rebounds, a steal, and a block.
