Player of the Week
Zion Williamson 6’6 240 SF/PF – Spartanburg Day 2018
Zion Williamson is becoming a household name around the country for his highlight explosive ability and high scoring outputs. He started the week with 53 points (25-28 shooting), 16 rebounds, and three assists to beat Gray Collegiate. His follow up is considered a quiet performance for him with 19 points, 15 rebounds, four blocks, and three steals in the win over Keenan. His final game consisted of 35 points, six rebounds, and three steals losing to Hamilton Heights Christian Academy. His 107 points over three games broke the Chick-Fil-A Classic record. His average over the week was 35.7 points, 12.3 rebounds, two blocks, and 2.3 steals per game. There are many impressive features about Williamson’s game but what stands out possibly the most is how efficient he shoots from the field. His 107 points over three games included just 13 misses (46-59, 78%).
Hot
Chuma Okeke 6’7 220 SF/PF – Westlake 2017 (Auburn)
Okeke had quite a performance at the Chick-Fil-A Classic. He started the week out with 21 points, 23 rebounds, and three blocks in the loss to Lafayette Christian Academy. He followed up with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists losing to Providence Day. He missed his double-double but came away with 19 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and three blocks defeating Porter Gaud.
Kiyon Boyd 6’5 190 SG – HD Woodson 2018
Boyd had an impressive pair of games at the Make Playz Tournament. His first game he scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the loss to Norcom. His second outing included 43 points, while shooting 18-22 from the field and 5-8 from three, 11 rebounds, and four blocks over Norfolk Collegiate.
Coby White 6’4 165 PG/SG – Greenfield 2018 (North Carolina)
White posted 32 points and eight assists in his first performance to beat Grace Christian. He set a school record with 52 points, including five three-pointers, in his second game in the win over Faith Assembly. He also grabbed nine rebounds and passed out five assists. His third and final game of the week consisted of scoring 38 points in the loss to Fayetteville Academy.
Cold
Patrick School
The Patrick School took two losses at the City of Palms Classic over the week. Losing to a tough Memphis East team coached by Penny Hardaway and IMG Academy. Kentucky commit, Nick Richards, finished with ten points and 13 rebounds against Memphis East and just missed double figures against IMG with nine points and ten rebounds before fouling out.
Under the Radar
Jose Alvarado 6’0 160 PG – Christ the King 2017 (Georgia Tech)
Alvarado came up big over the week. In the loss to Archbishop Stepinac, he finished with 30 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. He posted a rare feature that not many at any level have achieved, a quadruple-double, with 18 points, ten rebounds, ten assists, and ten steals to beat Xaverian. Similar to Kenny Anderson and Stephon Marbury, Alavarado will make his way from New York to run the point for Georgia Tech. Although he’s not ranked at the top, he has the opportunity to make a splash in the ACC.
Top Five 7-foot Prospects
1. Deandre Ayton 7’0 245 C – Hillcrest Prep 2017 (Arizona)
The nation’s overall top recruit for some time tops the list. His size, athleticism, and ability to stretch the floor gives him an edge over other prospects. His potential on both ends of the floor make him intriguing at the highest level.
2. Mitchell Robinson 7’0 225 C – Chalmette 2017 (Western Kentucky)
Robinson may bring the most intense presence of all high school prospects. Although his movement can be a bit awkward at times, he can really disrupt the opposition with his activity and athleticism. He’s more of a defensive presence at this stage but looks to improve his offensive repertoire moving forward.
3. Balsa Koprivica 7’0 240 C – University High School 2019
Only a high school sophomore, Koprivica shows a strong basketball IQ. Also, the ability to score from outside and moves in the low post. His development could determine whether he will challenge Charles Bassey and RJ Barrett at the top of the 2019 high school class.
4. Chol Marial 7’2 190 C – Cheshire Academy 2019
Size, length, and coordination describes Marial. He shows good rotation on his outside shot and ambidexterity in the low post with no hesitation. He covers a lot of ground and shows great potential as a defender.
5. Bol Bol 7’1 205 C – Mater Dei 2018
The son of former NBA player, Manute Bol, rounds out the list. Bol impresses with his versatility but must improve strength and post play. He recently transferred to Mater Dei and currently holds offers from Creighton, Kansas, New Mexico State, and St. John’s.