CARMEL (AND THEREABOUT) — Hello, me again.
Today was the second and final day of the second June evaluation/the Charlie Hughes Shootout in and around Carmel and here's our report from Sunday's action and a wrap of the weekend.
XAVIER BOOKER DRAWS A CROWD
All the coaches who didn't show up on Saturday for Xavier Booker did on Sunday, as Tom Izzo, Chris Holtmann, Brad Underwood, Juwan Howard and Bruce Pearl were among those watching him. Purdue and Indiana had assistant coaches there. Matt Painter did remain in Carmel after Saturday, but apparently fell ill and wasn't around today.
Booker had a solid weekend, I think, but some ups and downs. Maybe I'm holding him to too high a standard given his ranking, but he certainly showed more than just flashes of why he's all of a sudden one of the highest-ranked players in the country.
He's completely different from December and that time frame in general when he'd largely stand around and wait for things to come to him and wasn't much of a factor as a rebounder/rim protector. Now, he's being really aggressive, really dynamic, playing much faster and really looking to assert himself. He's getting contested rebounds — a really strong indicator of his growth the past six months or so — and making his presence felt more defensively at the basket than ever before, though foul trouble got him here and there this weekend.
He is definitely looking more and more like that perimeter-oriented forward than a traditional center, though he may still slot in at the 5 for whatever school he goes to.
MARKUS BURTON BLOWS UP
Purdue has been talking to the Penn 2023 guard for some time now, but its scholarship situation is tight, and two perimeter players are already committed.
That said, Purdue really needs a point guard in this class or the next and so the coaching staff has kept Burton on the line, as he's only fielded low- and mid-major offers to this point. Why, I have no idea, because he's very good. Probably the size/position thing, but players are players, and Burton showed today he's a player.
In Penn's comfortable win over Cathedral to finish the event, Burton tore up the Irish to the tune of 35 points, usurping the center stage from Booker in front of all those coaches listed above.
Burton's a vicious scorer who can really get past people and finish around the basket. He's really physical and a super competitor. Purdue's hands are kind of tied here scholarship-wise, but they'd be wise to keep involved here and see what happens. He might make for something of a non-traditional point in the sense he's kind of a score-first guy, but guys as competitive and talented as he is, it's hard to go wrong.
It's my understanding that Markus Burton is the cousin of former Purdue guard Brandon McKnight.
MYLES COLVIN LEADS A STRONG WEEKEND FOR HERITAGE CHRISTIAN
Big weekend for Heritage Christian, which won three of its four games — the lone loss being the old 8:30 a.m. stinker that you'll see from time to time in June — and finished the event with a comfortable win over Heritage Hills and Trent Sisley, who really had to fight through some things this weekend as people basically defend him the way the Big Ten defends Zach Edey.
Anyway, Myles Colvin ... he was excellent against Heritage Hills, as he was on Saturday afternoon against a team I can't remember in a game I barely saw. (Yes, they pay me to produce content like that.)
Folks, there was a coach at that game from a big-time school that's going to be facing Colvin next year who didn't know who the player was, even though he's a top-100 sort of recruit.
This week, Colvin goes to NBA Camp in Orlando. If notoriety matters to him, this is his big chance.
If he plays down there like he played on Sunday afternoon against Heritage Hills and for the better part of this weekend, a lot more people are going to know who he is, including a lot more NBA people.
JACK BENTER
I only saw one of his games this weekend, and he was excellent in a one-sided win over Snider. I heard he wasn't great in a later loss to end the event, but I think the writing's on the wall with this one.
Purdue's got to figure some things out scholarships-wise, so there may be a process involved here, but Purdue's recruiting Benter like an offered player and my guess is that at some point in time he is.
A 2025 PROSPECT TO NOTE
Purdue has been watched Crispus Attucks sophomore-to-be post player Dezmon Briscoe the past two weekends and he'd have to considered an offer candidate already. He's impressive.
Purdue has offers in that class out to Sisley, Jalen Haralson and Kentucky's Malachi Moreno.
Today was the second and final day of the second June evaluation/the Charlie Hughes Shootout in and around Carmel and here's our report from Sunday's action and a wrap of the weekend.
XAVIER BOOKER DRAWS A CROWD
All the coaches who didn't show up on Saturday for Xavier Booker did on Sunday, as Tom Izzo, Chris Holtmann, Brad Underwood, Juwan Howard and Bruce Pearl were among those watching him. Purdue and Indiana had assistant coaches there. Matt Painter did remain in Carmel after Saturday, but apparently fell ill and wasn't around today.
Booker had a solid weekend, I think, but some ups and downs. Maybe I'm holding him to too high a standard given his ranking, but he certainly showed more than just flashes of why he's all of a sudden one of the highest-ranked players in the country.
He's completely different from December and that time frame in general when he'd largely stand around and wait for things to come to him and wasn't much of a factor as a rebounder/rim protector. Now, he's being really aggressive, really dynamic, playing much faster and really looking to assert himself. He's getting contested rebounds — a really strong indicator of his growth the past six months or so — and making his presence felt more defensively at the basket than ever before, though foul trouble got him here and there this weekend.
He is definitely looking more and more like that perimeter-oriented forward than a traditional center, though he may still slot in at the 5 for whatever school he goes to.
MARKUS BURTON BLOWS UP
Purdue has been talking to the Penn 2023 guard for some time now, but its scholarship situation is tight, and two perimeter players are already committed.
That said, Purdue really needs a point guard in this class or the next and so the coaching staff has kept Burton on the line, as he's only fielded low- and mid-major offers to this point. Why, I have no idea, because he's very good. Probably the size/position thing, but players are players, and Burton showed today he's a player.
In Penn's comfortable win over Cathedral to finish the event, Burton tore up the Irish to the tune of 35 points, usurping the center stage from Booker in front of all those coaches listed above.
Burton's a vicious scorer who can really get past people and finish around the basket. He's really physical and a super competitor. Purdue's hands are kind of tied here scholarship-wise, but they'd be wise to keep involved here and see what happens. He might make for something of a non-traditional point in the sense he's kind of a score-first guy, but guys as competitive and talented as he is, it's hard to go wrong.
It's my understanding that Markus Burton is the cousin of former Purdue guard Brandon McKnight.
MYLES COLVIN LEADS A STRONG WEEKEND FOR HERITAGE CHRISTIAN
Big weekend for Heritage Christian, which won three of its four games — the lone loss being the old 8:30 a.m. stinker that you'll see from time to time in June — and finished the event with a comfortable win over Heritage Hills and Trent Sisley, who really had to fight through some things this weekend as people basically defend him the way the Big Ten defends Zach Edey.
Anyway, Myles Colvin ... he was excellent against Heritage Hills, as he was on Saturday afternoon against a team I can't remember in a game I barely saw. (Yes, they pay me to produce content like that.)
Folks, there was a coach at that game from a big-time school that's going to be facing Colvin next year who didn't know who the player was, even though he's a top-100 sort of recruit.
This week, Colvin goes to NBA Camp in Orlando. If notoriety matters to him, this is his big chance.
If he plays down there like he played on Sunday afternoon against Heritage Hills and for the better part of this weekend, a lot more people are going to know who he is, including a lot more NBA people.
JACK BENTER
I only saw one of his games this weekend, and he was excellent in a one-sided win over Snider. I heard he wasn't great in a later loss to end the event, but I think the writing's on the wall with this one.
Purdue's got to figure some things out scholarships-wise, so there may be a process involved here, but Purdue's recruiting Benter like an offered player and my guess is that at some point in time he is.
A 2025 PROSPECT TO NOTE
Purdue has been watched Crispus Attucks sophomore-to-be post player Dezmon Briscoe the past two weekends and he'd have to considered an offer candidate already. He's impressive.
Purdue has offers in that class out to Sisley, Jalen Haralson and Kentucky's Malachi Moreno.
