By Borko Popic
4/12/08

Day 3-April 11, 2008

Game 6- Consolation Game

Norfolk Sports Club 89 – Cherry, Bekaert & Holland 88

Two losing teams from the previous day met in the early matchup. A fairly exciting game that went down the wire, where Chris Lofton hit a tough 3 point shot to give his squad a 1 point victory.

Norfolk Sports Club

Jonte Flowers 15pts, 5asts, 2stls

For the second day, the DII product showed than he not only belongs at the camp, but that he is one of the better players. He showed his nice jumper once again, converting from both mid and long range. He is very crafty when he gets in the lane, because he is able to use his length and good body control to finish. Yet, his best attribute is a great sense of where the action is going, he is all over the place and always in the right spot to make a play on both ends.

Chris Lofton 23pts, 5rebs, 4asts

The hero of the game finally found his shooting touch. Unfortunately he has not showed much else; he is very undersized, slow footed, limited ball handling ability, somewhat soft defensively and his body isn’t well defined by any means. He has a very unusual running motion that makes him look even slower than he might be. While he did hit some tough contested shots from long range, he surprisingly missed as many wide open spot ups. His performance at the camp is showing that the slump we saw from Lofton this season might unfortunately be a permanent thing.

Cherry, Bekaert & Holland

Charron Fisher 28pts, 3rebs, 1asts

After a poor performance in his first game, Fisher showed today why he was one of the top scorers in the country this year. He has a crafty game, and is very versatile in the way that he scores. Showed great range by knocking down 3 point shots from deep, but he also got to the hoop where he used his large body to finish or draw contact to get to the line. He also utilized his strength by backing his defender down, then either using a spin move or a nice stepback to convert. As good a scorer as Fisher is, there are certainly many limitations to his game. He is essentially a 4 man in a shooting guard’s body, his handles are less than adequate, and he has very limited quickness and speed. Defensively, he is a mistmatch waiting to happen because smaller guys blow by him, and bigger guys don’t have much trouble shooting over the top. However, his scoring is something that cannot be overlooked, and he should get some nice looks overseas because of it.

Jajuan Smith 16pts, 8rebs, 7asts, 5stls

He did it in all parts of the game today, and showed that he might be the best Tennessee player at the camp. Has a very nice stroke, and is able to shoot it from deep under duress. He is very unselfish, always keeping his head up looking to find the open man. His active play allows him to get to rebounds as well cut off passing lanes. He is fairly athletic, but lacks a great first step, is a bit on the skinny side, and his dribbling is not at the level required. A nice player overall, who could end up being a specialist with his shooting ability.

Notes: Joe Crawford did not play in this one because of injury, and Patrick Ewing Jr. went down early with a sprained ankle. Quan Prowell had a nice performance for the second straight game, he is very aggressive in attacking the hoop, shows great athleticism on rebounds and has some nice moves off the dribble. Drew Lavender didn’t play much today, and he struggled with his shot when he was in. Brian Butch has not shown any low post moves whatsoever, but has proven that he can step out and knock down the three. Derrick Low is one of the most disappointing players so far, even with a good amount of playing time he has not been able to find his shot, and he looks very passive. The isolation style of play at the camp doesn’t seem to fit his game very well.

Game 6-Semi-Final #1

Tidewater Sealants 91 – Norfolk Naval Shipyard 88

The first of the night’s semifinal match ups ended up being the best game of the camp by far. Both teams found their groove early, and the action was back and forth all the way to the end. Norfolk NS seemed to have put the game away, when Tidewater came up with some key steals, and Pat Calathes hit a big three to bring them to within one, and then after a turnover, Martin Zeno made a layup to put them up by one, eventually resulting in a nice come from behind victory.

Pat Calathes 15pts, 8rebs, 4asts, 2 blks

There has been much buzz surrounding Calathes following his game one performance. He came out ready again and continued to show his well rounded game. He did pretty much everything like the other night, showing an efficient shot, even though it has a bit of an awkward release. His vision is extraordinary, and he may be one of the best playmakers in the camp. The way he can push the ball in transition and still make good decision is impressive for someone his size. He even showed a nice amount of leaping ability finishing a play with a powerful two handed dunk. Yet when you look at Calethes you can’t help but think that he is sickly thin, and needs to put on at least 20 or so pounds. An intriguing matchup early on was between him and Forbes, and for the first time we could see him check a legit prospect. Calathes showed that he will absolutely be overmatched guarding on the perimeter, as Forbes blew by him numerous times. While he is fairly long, the lack of lateral quickness and thin frame put him at a great disadvantage guarding either post or wing players at the next level.

Martin Zeno 20pts, 4asts, 3stls

Making what ended up being the game winner was only one of the great things Zeno did tonight. His most impressive feat was on the defensive end, where he was the only one able to stay in front of Forbes this week. Long arms, wiry strength, good quickness and athleticism make him a tough matchup for anyone on the perimeter. He showed his great anticipation by making a key steal down the stretch. He also looked very good on the offensive end, got in a grove early and made some nice shots from deep as well as midrange. His 3pt % was abysmal this season, so continued shooting performances like tonight could show that he is making good progress.

Jamar Butler 15pts, 2asts

Caught fire early on, and put a nice string of shots together. He looked very active all night on both ends of the floor. He was able to get into the lane and finish well over bigger guys, he showed a nice pullup and also the ability to shoot with range. Also displayed some nice moves to break people down off the dribble. He needs to look at setting people up more, with his height he is assured to be a PG at the next level, so he would be better off looking to distribute rather than pull the trigger every chance he gets

Norfolk Naval Shipyard

Gary Forbes 18pts, 9rebs, 7asts

He is the most complete player in camp and as a result is turning into the best prospect. Shows ability to score from all areas of the floor, and even his ballhandling was on display as he made a variety of nice crossover and hesitation moves to get into the lane. Even though he is a very good scorer, he is showing that he is fairly unselfish and that his court vision is also decent. All that being said, there are still some rough edges to his game; when he gets into the lane he is not able to finish as efficiently as he should. This is probably a result of his less than superb explosiveness, as he is forced to attempt acrobatic finishes instead of just going over and through people. He also struggles when he is forced to make a secondary move against the help defense, because he gets a bit out of control and off-balance as he tries to spin and maneuver around the lane. It was a bit disappointing that he didn’t get a chance to win the game at the end, because of a Jason Richards turnover.

Bryant Dunston 17pts, 12rebs, 3blks, 2stls

Finished the game perfect from the field (8/8), in large part because of his good movement and ability to get garbage points. Minimal plays were set for him, yet he found a way to be very effective by getting on the boards and making hard cuts. Strictly a role player, but his nice frame, and good athleticism make him a difficult guy to contain.

Note: Deron Washington went down with an injury, part of the problem could be his subpar performance. He played very soft, and showed that aggressive defense completely negates his athleticism. Mark Tyndale had another decent all-around game, but did not seem to have the extra pep in his step like he did the other night. Jason Richards committed what ended up being a turnover that caused his team the game, but more importantly he has shown very minimal ability to play at this level. Comparisons to Jared Jordan seem completely out of place.

Game 7- Semi-Final #2

Portsmouth Sports Club 100 – K&D Round’s Landscaping 83

A bit of a downer following the high energy game that came before. Both teams shot the ball well in the 1st half and the score was knotted up at half. In the 2nd half K&D hit a cold spell, and they could not find their groove, resulting in a 17 point loss.

Portsmouth Sports Club

Kyle Hines 25pts, 10rebs, 3blks, 3stls

A complete monster in all aspects, Hines built on his good play from game 1 and put together one of the most impressive performances statistically. Had two glimpses of athleticism that put him in the top echelon in camp, one was finishing over Longar Longar in the post, and the other was blocking the extremely long and athletic Longar on a huge dunk attempt. He is very active, and also attacks the hoop with great aggressiveness, it might help that he is built like a linebacker. The downside to his game is that he is only 6’6 and his handles are very shaky, and his outside shot is completely non-existent, all weaknesses that hurt his stock substantially. With a 7-foot plus wingspan, the question is whether he can become another Chuck Hayes type of undersized 4.

Rob McKiver 19pts, 7assists, 3steals

A fairly good game by McKiver, showed that he has nice ballhandling ability, combined with good range on the jump shot, and some creativity to finish in the lane. His problem is that he dominates the ball too much, and is reluctant to give it up in transition or to the open man in the half court. Maybe a family connection at the scorers table resulted in the 7 assists, but it looks like McKiver is strictly a scoring guard at this point.

Chris Daniels 12pts, 6rebs, 2blocks

A much better performance then yesterday, he showed good glimpses of an intriguing skill set that we have seen at times through his college career. For a guy his height, he shows tremendous form and range on his jump shot. Showed a very soft touch from the mid post by using the backboard. His length is also a very effective on defense where he can alter shots with his shotblocking ability. Unfortunately, he has not developed any sort of low post game, and looks completely lost when he does get the ball on the block. He does run the floor well, and has decent mobility for a big, but his post footwork is limited and his movements seem very stiff.

K&D Round’s Landscaping

Arizona Reid 22pts, 7rebs, 2stls

Displayed a nice scoring touch from all areas, even though he is not the greatest athlete, he still finds the seams to get through. More of a tweener between the 3 and 4 spots, but his size created match up problems which he was able to utilize. He showed his stroke from deep, even though the release is a bit slow, he was able to convert.

Sundiata Gaines 13pts, 5asts, 3rebs, 2stls

A steady outing for Gaines who made some nifty passes and was showing great form and range on his jump shot (finished 3/3 from the three). Showed he has the ability to get in the lane and finish over bigger players. Nothing spectacular, but you can expect a solid performance from Gaines every time out.

Notes: Mike Green didn’t have the best outing, turning the ball over 5 times and only getting 3 assists. He shows some good moves off the dribble, but the lack of explosiveness limits his effectiveness tremendously. Reggie Williams didn’t have the best shooting day, but once again showed his nice passing ability. Matching up with smaller guys, he showed some glimpses on the defensive end by using his athleticism and length.


Rosters

CHERRY, BEKAERT & HOLLAND
Coaches : Martin Oliver & Larry Ward

Brian Butch 6-11 245 PF/C Wisconsin Sr.
Patrick Ewing Jr. 6-8 238 SF Georgetown Sr.
Charron Fisher 6-4 230 SF Niagara Sr.
David Gomez 6-7 235 SF/PF Tulane Sr.
Parfait Bitee 6-2 190 PG Rhode Island Sr.
Joe Crawford 6-4 205 SG Kentucky Sr.
Derrick Low 6-1 186 PG Wash. St. Sr. 
Jajuan Smith 6-2 195 PG Tennessee Sr.

HOLIDAY INN – PORTSMOUTH
Coaches : Dave Trickler & Eric Acra

Gavin Grant 6-8 208 SF NC State Sr.
Anthony King 6-9 242 PF Miami Sr.
Charles Rhodes 6-8 240 PF Miss.St. Sr. 
Will Thomas 6-7 230 PF George Mason Sr.
Demetric Bennett 6-4 210 SG South Alabama Sr.
Alex Harris 6-6 185 SG UCSB Sr.
Bo McCalebb 6-0 180 PG New Orleans Sr.
Brian Roberts 6-2 180 PG Dayton Sr.

K&D ROUNDS LANDSCAPING
Coaches : Jim Markey & Larry Smith

Longar Longar 6-11 232 C Oklahoma Sr.
Kentrell Gransberry 6-9 270 PF So.Fla Sr. 
Rob Kurz 6-8 235 SF/PF Notre Dame Sr.
Arizona Reid 6-5 205 SG High Point Sr.
Folarin Campbell 6-4 205 SG George Mason Sr.
Sundiata Gaines 6-1 210 PG Georgia Sr.
Mike Green 6-1 184 PG Butler Sr.
Cliff Hammonds 6-3 200 SG Clemson Sr.

NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD
Coaches : Billy Mann & John Kelly

Frank Elegar 6-9 230 PF Drexel Sr.
Bryant Dunston 6-8 233 PF Fordham Sr.
Deron Washington 6-7 205 SG/SF VT Sr.
Adrian Banks 6-3 190 SG Arkansas State Sr.
Gary Forbes 6-7 220 SG UMass Sr.
AJ Graves 6-1 160 PG Butler Sr.
Anthony Morrow 6-5 205 SG G.Tech Sr.
Jason Richards 6-2 190 PG Davidson Sr.

NORFOLK SPORTS CLUB
Coaches : Mike Head & Mark Butts

Steven Hill 7-0 250 Arkansas Sr.
Dwayne Curtis 6-8 280 PF Mississippi Sr.
Dion Dowell 6-6 195 SG/SF Houston Sr.
Jonte Flowers 6-5 185 Winona State Sr.
Drew Lavender 5-7 153 PG Xavier Sr.
Chris Lofton 6-2 200 SG Tennessee Sr.
Quan Prowell 6-8 215 SF/PF Auburn Sr.
Jonathan Wallace 6-1 180 PG G’town Sr.

PORTSMOUTH SPORTS CLUB
Coaches : Tony Holloway & P.J. Honore

Chris Daniels 7-0 260 C Texas A&M CC Sr.
Kyle Hines 6-6 240 PF UNC Greensboro Sr.
Haminn Quaintance 6-8 220 PF Kent State Sr.
Mykal Riley 6-6 180 SG Alabama Sr.
Reggie Williams 6-6 185 SG VMI Sr.
Jaycee Carroll 6-2 175 SG Utah St. Sr.
Dominique Kirk 6-3 185 PG/SG Texas A&M Sr.
Rob McKiver 6-3 195 PG/SG Houston Sr.

SALES SYSTEMS LTD
Coaches : Leo Anthony & Mac Carroll

Jiri Habalek 6-11 225 PF/C Iowa St. Sr.
Justin Hawkins 6-7 205 SF N.Mex.St.Sr.
Othello Hunter 6-9 225 PF Ohio St. Sr.
Brian Laing 6-5 215 SG Seton Hall Sr.
Williams Leon 6-8 255 Ohio PF Sr.
Ramel Bradley 6-1 179 PG Kentucky Sr.
Stanley Burrell 6-2 205 PG/SG Xavier Sr.
Marcus Hall 6-1 190 PG Colorado Sr.

TIDEWATER SEALANTS
Coaches : Max Gillespie & Jerry Hasty

Shaun Pruitt 6-10 255 C Illinois Sr.
Pat Calathes 6-10 220 SF St.Jospeh’s Sr.
Joseph Jones 6-9 250 PF Texas A&M Sr.
Mark Tyndale 6-5 210 SG Temple Sr.
Aaron Bruce 6-2 180 PG Baylor Sr.
Jamar Butler 6-0 180 PG Ohio St.
Josh Duncan 6-9 230 PF Xavier Sr.
Martin Zeno 6-5 208 SG Texas Tech Sr.

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