Brian Flinn:
Future150 National Recruiting Analyst. Covering high school basketball nationally.
Houston, TX (Future150) -- On the final day of the inaugural UA Invitational, there were a number of closely contested games. All three of the championship games were back-and-forth battles throughout. In the end it was Team Charlotte who took home the 17U title over DC Premier. The DC Premier program didn't go home empty-handed, as they topped New Heights to take home the 16U crown. In the 15U division, it was Grassroots Indiana besting a talented KC Run GMC team to win the title.
Some of the standouts from championship Sunday included...
Kevin Puryear, 2015 PF, KC Run GMC: One of the most physical and aggressive forwards we saw last weekend was the 6-foot-7 Puryear. While a tad undersized for the post, his drive and physicality make up for his height. He is a big time producer on the boards and is a consistent double-double threat. Oklahoma State, Creighton & UAB are a few of the programs who have already offered him a scholarship, with several other programs pursuing him.
Troy Brown, 2017 PG, Las Vegas Prospects: Perhaps the best prospect on the West coast for the 2017 class, the 6-foot-5 point guard did not disappoint in Houston. With excellent feel and ball skills, Brown can run the team or score the basketball, depending on game situations. He already holds offers from Arizona, UNLV & USC, and you can bet that the bluebloods will be knocking down his door very soon.
Cameron Lard, 2016 PF, Louisiana Elite: While Louisiana Elite has had a rather disappointing run throughout the Under Armour circuit, one bright spot has been the 6-foot-9 sophomore. A high motor big man who rebounds the ball well, Lard is very effective in the interior on put-back opportunities and in one-on-one situations, where he finishes well. New Orleans and Louisiana-Monroe have already offered, with Baylor, Purdue and Northwestern State all expressing serious interst.
Sacha Killeya-Jones, 2017 PF, Team Felton: A relative unknown heading into the weekend, the 6-foot-10 power forward showed excellent mobility and touch around the rim throughout the tournament. He also finished well at the rim and drew several fouls in order to get free-throw opportunities. Charlotte has offered already, and you can expect more teams to get into the mix very soon.
Darian Scott, 2017 C, Las Vegas Prospects: The dynasty at Bishop Gorman (NV) looks like it has no end in sight, with the 6-foot-9 post becoming the next big man to roll through the program. A hard working low block offensive player, Darian posts hard on the interior and finishes well around the rim. He is also a skilled shot-blocker and he runs the floor extremely well. New Mexico is already expressing interest in the Las Vegas product.
Mike Nzei, 2014 PF, New Heights: The newest edition to a strong Seton Hall class, Nzei did what he does best this weekend, namely rebound, run the floor, and defend. He is a bit like Phillips in that he plays incredibly hard on both ends of the floor. He may need some time to further develop before he makes an impact for the Pirates, but make no mistake; he is a quality addition this late.
Rayjon Tucker, 2015 SF, Team Charlotte: When talking about players who have had a breakout spring, the conversation must start with Tucker. He is an athletic, and under-recruited, wing prospect that got to the rim all weekend and finished in traffic. He possesses great length defensively and looks to dominate his opponent every time he steps on the floor. He has the physical tools to be a top 50 type player, as well as the competitive edge. The next step for him will be staying consistent in his approach as well as improving his jumper.
Leroy Butts, 2015 CF, DC Premier: The Rutgers commit showed why head coach Eddie Jordan made him one of his highest priorities once he took the job in Piscataway. He rebounded the ball well and showed good touch around the rim. In addition, Butts has a vastly improved perimeter game and is working to improve his jumper beyond the arc as well. If he can play on the perimeter more frequently, he will be very hard to account for.
Kris Wilkes, 2017 PF, Grassroots Indiana: Wilkes is a high energy forward that did a ton of damage on the interior throughout the weekend. He rebounded the ball incredibly well and was able to finish through contact at the rim. He was a major reason why Grassroots Indiana won the 15U title.
Ty Jerome, 2016 PG, New Heights: Jerome had his point guard skills on display all weekend and helped to lead his 16U team all the way to the championship game before ultimately falling to DC premier. He can punish defenses with his shooting ability and has great floor vision. He rarely makes the wrong pass and values the ball in his hands.
Alani Moore, 2016 PG, DC Premier: One of the more explosive guards this weekend, Moore shouldered the scoring load in the championship game and helped DC Premier top New Heights for the first time this season. He got into the lane at will and finished around defenders. Moore also showed an improved shooting stroke from beyond the arc and proved he can score at all three levels.
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