WESTFIELD — So I screwed up this morning and mistook "Pro One Select" for "Pro One" and missed Will Shaver's first two games at the Under Armour event in Westfield.
I'll catch him twice Sunday, though, and will have video and a full story thereafter.
In the meantime, here's just a quick few things from Saturday's games at UA.
WILL SHAVER
The afternoon game wasn't Will Shaver's finest moment, I'm quite certain, as his team fell to a team from the West Coast in relatively one-sided fashion.
Shaver really affected the game as a shot-blocker, with at least three or four blocks, made a three and scored on a post-up late in the game, while also showing off what college coaches like about him as a passer, but this wasn't a game in which he put his best foot forward, I wouldn't think.
That said, he is legit size-wise, all of 6-10, 6-11, wide and thick. He does run the floor very well and looks very comfortable and natural both playing inside and outside. I think he was only 1-4 from three in this game, but he looks real good shooting it.
Looking forward to seeing more tomorrow and kicking myself for missing his team's win in the morning.
Shaver was unable to get up to Purdue this weekend for a self-guided unofficial, but he'll make his official visit June 18. He'll visit North Carolina right away, then Virginia Tech later in the month. He said he's booked an OV to Iowa for September, suggesting a summer decision may not necessarily be the plan. He will announce on his birthday — Sept. 17.
He spoke really highly and really insightfully about Purdue, or maybe I'm just so numb to empty answers that any comment of substance seems that way.
Again, more on his play tomorrow and a full story to come.
BRADEN SMITH
Purdue commitment Braden Smith keeps rising to the occasion in these games this spring. After a relatively non-descript game in the late morning against a non-descript team — Smith had more steals than points in that one — Smith turned it up at halftime after his team was getting handled in the afternoon by a talented Team Charlotte squad.
This game looked like it was going to be a blowout, but Smith carried Grand Park Premier to a fourth-quarter lead before falling by two on a bucket with just a couple ticks left.
Smith finished with 24 points and must have had a dozen assists. Could have been two dozen but a number of opportunities went by the wayside.
It would be interesting to see what Smith could do with a little more weaponry around him. That team has a few guys who can shoot, but not a whole lot of athleticism or finishing ability, to be honest. Grand Park really struggled with Team Charlotte's athleticism and pressure early in the game, but Smith figured it out as he went and got GPP a bunch of golden looks in which it came up empty. He didn't shoot great for the day as a whole, but he made some big second-half jumpers in addition to getting to the basket some. He, too, left a few points on the table with misses at the basket.
Two more games tomorrow.
A NEW NAME
KC Run GMC from Kansas City has a forward named Taj Manning who was excellent in the one game we saw today, scoring 23 points in a thrilling win over C2K Elite. KC made a halfcourt heave to break a tie after inbounding with half a second left on the clock.
Anyway, Manning was a Paul Lusk target at Creighton, and Steve Lutz had been looking at him for Purdue. Now, Purdue's talking to him regularly, he says.
Easy to see why. He's 6-7, 210-plus pounds, versatile and super-active, posted up effectively, finished at the rim and looked really good shooting the ball on Saturday, even though I'm not sure that's always been known as his strength. He may have taken a real jump there. We can loosely throw out the ubiquitous Vince Edwards comp here.
Iowa State, Creighton, Purdue, Missouri, Colorado and Arkansas are a few of those talking to him regularly. New Mexico, Creighton and Missouri State are his offers right now, sounds like. He has a visit lined up with Iowa State, though.
One of many names I'm sure Purdue's still looking at and will try to watch this summer when convenient. They'll have to be in the building for Under Armour events because of Shaver and Smith.
LAST THING
The neatest kid I think I've ever seen on the circuit: Hansel Emmanuel from Texas.
You know what, he can play, too. He belongs out there.
I'll catch him twice Sunday, though, and will have video and a full story thereafter.
In the meantime, here's just a quick few things from Saturday's games at UA.
WILL SHAVER
The afternoon game wasn't Will Shaver's finest moment, I'm quite certain, as his team fell to a team from the West Coast in relatively one-sided fashion.
Shaver really affected the game as a shot-blocker, with at least three or four blocks, made a three and scored on a post-up late in the game, while also showing off what college coaches like about him as a passer, but this wasn't a game in which he put his best foot forward, I wouldn't think.
That said, he is legit size-wise, all of 6-10, 6-11, wide and thick. He does run the floor very well and looks very comfortable and natural both playing inside and outside. I think he was only 1-4 from three in this game, but he looks real good shooting it.
Looking forward to seeing more tomorrow and kicking myself for missing his team's win in the morning.
Shaver was unable to get up to Purdue this weekend for a self-guided unofficial, but he'll make his official visit June 18. He'll visit North Carolina right away, then Virginia Tech later in the month. He said he's booked an OV to Iowa for September, suggesting a summer decision may not necessarily be the plan. He will announce on his birthday — Sept. 17.
He spoke really highly and really insightfully about Purdue, or maybe I'm just so numb to empty answers that any comment of substance seems that way.
Again, more on his play tomorrow and a full story to come.
BRADEN SMITH
Purdue commitment Braden Smith keeps rising to the occasion in these games this spring. After a relatively non-descript game in the late morning against a non-descript team — Smith had more steals than points in that one — Smith turned it up at halftime after his team was getting handled in the afternoon by a talented Team Charlotte squad.
This game looked like it was going to be a blowout, but Smith carried Grand Park Premier to a fourth-quarter lead before falling by two on a bucket with just a couple ticks left.
Smith finished with 24 points and must have had a dozen assists. Could have been two dozen but a number of opportunities went by the wayside.
It would be interesting to see what Smith could do with a little more weaponry around him. That team has a few guys who can shoot, but not a whole lot of athleticism or finishing ability, to be honest. Grand Park really struggled with Team Charlotte's athleticism and pressure early in the game, but Smith figured it out as he went and got GPP a bunch of golden looks in which it came up empty. He didn't shoot great for the day as a whole, but he made some big second-half jumpers in addition to getting to the basket some. He, too, left a few points on the table with misses at the basket.
Two more games tomorrow.
A NEW NAME
KC Run GMC from Kansas City has a forward named Taj Manning who was excellent in the one game we saw today, scoring 23 points in a thrilling win over C2K Elite. KC made a halfcourt heave to break a tie after inbounding with half a second left on the clock.
Anyway, Manning was a Paul Lusk target at Creighton, and Steve Lutz had been looking at him for Purdue. Now, Purdue's talking to him regularly, he says.
Easy to see why. He's 6-7, 210-plus pounds, versatile and super-active, posted up effectively, finished at the rim and looked really good shooting the ball on Saturday, even though I'm not sure that's always been known as his strength. He may have taken a real jump there. We can loosely throw out the ubiquitous Vince Edwards comp here.
Iowa State, Creighton, Purdue, Missouri, Colorado and Arkansas are a few of those talking to him regularly. New Mexico, Creighton and Missouri State are his offers right now, sounds like. He has a visit lined up with Iowa State, though.
One of many names I'm sure Purdue's still looking at and will try to watch this summer when convenient. They'll have to be in the building for Under Armour events because of Shaver and Smith.
LAST THING
The neatest kid I think I've ever seen on the circuit: Hansel Emmanuel from Texas.
You know what, he can play, too. He belongs out there.
