Flash Flanagan Spring Hoops Review today (4/19)

[Da Coach]

I am at the Flash Flanagan Spring Hoops Review. The entire enevr is 1st class, and run extremely well. There are about 300 kids playing on 20 different teams. Each game lasts a half hour, and each team plays 4 games over the 5 hour event.

BU recuit Dyricus Simms-Edwards is playing point guard for Team 5, which also has Jordan Prosser, Paris Gulley (manual), Tyler Les, Mason Alwan (Richwoods), Zeke Schneider, Samuel Thornton (Marshall HS), CJ March (Manual), Julian Washington (Manual), and Kedric Williams (normal Community). So far, they are 2-0, and play again at 2:30 and again at 4:00. Jordan Prosser has looked very good, so far.

There are a number of lower level college coaches, and juco coaches, but D1 coaches cannot be here because events like this are off limits right now. But Jim Les can be here because his son is playing.
I also saw a few other board posters here.
I will try to post more after I watch the next couple games.

[brocks]

Thanks DC! Some questions: Are they using all the courts at Markin or just some? Who gets the seperate court with the bleacher seating? If you get to ask any coaches about the facility would love to hear their feedback.

[tornado]

the separate court with the bleachers was treated just like the rest by the people who scheduled....but if you wanted to get seen by one of the college coaches, then you hoped your game was NOT in that separate court....as all the coaches hung around in the big open gym area so they could watch all three of those courts at once!

and Da Coach, I never saw Manual's Paris Gulley play... are you sure you saw him?
I may have just missed him as I was going between several different games on different courts.

I agree Prosser was the best player there...

[Da Coach]

The only BU coach here was Jim Les, and he was only there for the games involving his son.

I just finished watching the 3rd game for the team with DSE, Tyler Les, and Jordan Prosser. Jordan is the best big man here. He didn't score a lot of points, because these kinds of events involve very little passing, so most of the shots are by the guards. But whenever he gets the ball within 15 feet of the basket, he usually scores. And he rebounded very well.
Zeke Schneider looked good, and will develop into a good post player at SIU-E. After not shooting well the first 2 games, Dyricus was on fire in their 3rd game, and scored a bunch, including some long threes.
By the way, Dyricus is listed as their team's coach.

All 4 courts at Markin are in use, with each court featuring a different game every half hour between 12:00 and 5:00 pm- a total of 40 games. That's 4 games each for 20 different teams. There doesn't appear to be any logic behind which teams are assigned to which court, including the one that is in a separate area and has the bleachers. There are a lot of fans here, most are standing around the courts, but there is a small amount of seating around each court. I have seen quite a few coaches from junior colleges and small colleges, but no D1 coaches since it is a dead period for evaluating players.

I am heading back in to watch the final game by DSE's and Jordan Prosser's team. They play a team coached by Carl Maniscalco and Mike Mullins and made up of some great players from the Illinois Wolves AAU program including Bobo Drummond, Chasson Randle, and one of the top underclass biug men in the state, Nanna Egwa.

Here is a photo of DSE stretching before their 2nd game-


And a picture of a few Bradley players who were at the Markin ceter working out.

[SFP]

DC great pics and thanks! Whose the tall skinny guy next to EM? Is that AT?

[Da Coach]

Yes, that's Anthony Thompson, Eddren McCain, Taylor Brown, and Sam Maniscalco. I also saw Dodie Dunson and Chris Roberts.

[Deadguy35]

The guy to the far right, in the hooded sweatshirt, looks excited to be there

Thanks for the report! The matchup between DSE and JP's team versus Bobo Drummond and some of the younger players sounds very intriguing.

[tornado]

A couple other players I thought looked good in the games just completed.....

Anthony Shoemaker, a 6-7 kid from Joliet.....decent big man
Winston Williams, 6-6 from Plainfield...a nice out side shooter.
Bobo Drummond...a smaller and much younger version of Chris Paul...he's a great PG
Phillip Jackson 6-9 kid with some good skills, from Providence St. Mel
Travis Kellum & younger bro Trey Kellum....(6-4 and 6-3) from Central....will help Central be good for a couple years to come with Bobo.
Lawrence Kinney a 5-9 soph PG from Champaign looked good

[Da Coach]

Just finished watching what I thought was the best game of the day.
Team 5 (DSE, Prosser, Ty Les, Zeke Schneider, Samuel Thornton, Julian Washington, Kedrick Williams, and CJ March) vs. Team 8 (Bobo Drummond, Chasson Randle, Royce Muskyvalley, Nanna Egwa, and others from the Illinois Wolves program).

Bobo Drummond, a freshman, and Chasson Randle, a soph, where the most impressive guards in the entire event. And playing together they looked like they could score just about whenever they wanted to. But they concentrated more on passing and the big-man advantage that Team 5 had with Prosser and Schneider was the difference. DSE played well, Ty Les made several long threes, and Prosser dominated the inside. In a game that came down to the final shot, a miss by Team 8, Team 5 won 46-45. Jordan Prosser looks very skilled because of his ability to use either hand on the shot, and his ability to react and get off the ground quickly. He also made a lot of mid-range jump shots, something I had not seen him do much in his high school games I'v seen. He played almost every minute of all 4 games. While most players were tired and had to sub more in these late games, JP never seemed to get tired. He is in great shape. DSE played almost every minute, too, and looked good at the PG spot. His better position might be the 2-guard, so he would be able to take advantage of screens better to get open shots and get to the basket. And Tyler Les looked very good for a junior. He had a good shooting day. I sat next to his coach, Eddie Matthews, and I'm sure Eddie can't wait for next year to get here with all the talent he has returning. Eddie's son, Hank Matthews, also played here today. He is just an 8th grader, but he is solidly built and is about the same height as Eddie already. He is going to be a good player, too. Maybe Bradley will be recruiting Hank soon!

And again I have to comment on how well run this event was. I never heard a single complaint by anyone. The games all started right on time, and were nearly all competetive. And the Markin Center is spectacular!

[Future Walk-On]

Eddie's son, Hank Matthews, also played here today. He is just an 8th grader, but he is solidly built and is about the same height as Eddie already.

Wow. I used to play catch with Hank after baseball practices back at Peoria Notre Dame and he was only 4.5 feet tall. He must have grown up in the last 3-4 years!

[tornado]

....and his ability to react and get off the ground quickly.....

hmmm...I was "lectured" () by a certain pseudo-expert that Prosser can't jump...
let me tell you, there's quick jumping and there's high verticals...

Prosser is an amazingly quick jumper and has a decent tho not spectacular vertical. He also runs the floor well and gets points being the first one on a fast break...
He is better than a lot of people imagine..

[tornado]

Nana Egwu, one of the best big men at the event, playing with Chasson Randle
on Carl Maniscalco's team just got an offer from the Illini

http://illinihq.com/blogs/recruiting_wrap/2009/04/19/illini_offer_nnana_egwu

[Dubl R 1]

Thanks for all the reports guys. I was in St Louis over the weekend and was not able to attend the event.

[tornado]

RR- there was a couple teams who could have used you.....

[Dubl R 1]

RR- there was a couple teams who could have used you.....

As the waterboy maybe.....