Brian Flinn:
Future150 National Recruiting Analyst. Covering high school basketball nationally.
North Augusta, SC (Future150) -- (Note: Midwest analyst Derek Piper contributed to this article)
There was a sense of urgency for some teams on Friday, pool play was starting to wind down and teams were looking for a couple of wins to keep them out of a "must win" scenario during their final game Saturday. The 16U bracket all played their final pool play game Friday afternoon and the seeding was decided as to who would move on and who would play their final game on Saturday. Here are a few players who stood out when it mattered the most:
K.J. Lawson, 2015 CF, Team Penny: The Memphis commit scored in a variety of ways as the Texas Titans couldn’t find a way to slow him down. He hit a number of mid-range jumpers and was able to finish through contact around the rim as well. Tiger fans should be excited about what he will bring to their team next season, as well as him increasing the likelihood that his brothers will follow in his footsteps and stay home.
Bruce Brown, 2016 CG, BABC: Brown has the kind of bulldog mentality that wins games, and came up the biggest when his team needed him to. He got to the rim at will and hit a nice floater that ultimately put BABC ahead for good. He is a physical defender who is capable of creating his own shot. Once he improves his range he will cement himself as an elite player in this class.
Donte DiVincenzo, 2015 CG, Team Final: Jay Wright and Villanova have a good one coming to campus next year in Divincenzo. He has the ability to play either position and is a smooth, yet explosive, athlete. In addition, he can really shoot the ball from beyond the arc or take his man off the bounce. He uses his athleticism well and is an above average defender because of it. He helped to lead the way in a good win over a solid Mac Irvin Fire squad.
Tremont Waters, 2017 PG, Team Scan: Despite losing at the buzzer, Waters still proved that he is one of the elite lead guards in the class of 2017. He was able to create opportunities for both himself and his teammates throughout the game and showed off a pretty shot from all over the floor as well. He is smart with the ball in his hands and is equally likely to score it or find open teammates. He should be in line for a huge sophomore campaign at a revamped South Kent next season.
Nick Rakocevic, 2016 PF, Mac Irvin Fire: Rakocevic has seemingly begun to turn the corner from prospect to player and came up big in the first half when his team needed him to. At 6-foot-10 he has good size and a great shooting stroke, which he showed off and was able to space the defense and create driving lanes for his teammates because of it. With a number of head coaches on hand, Rakocevic delivered, don’t be surprised to see him pick up a few new offers in coming days.
Shake Milton, 2015 CG, Mokan Elite: Milton did a little bit of everything on Friday—showcasing his versatility as a combo guard who can play the point. He drove to the basket, controlled the pace, dished to his teammates, made an impact on defense and contributed on the glass in a big way. Milton finished with 12 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and two steals. At 6’4”, he has great length and he is a matchup problem for opposing guards. Milton had Creighton, Illinois, Indiana and others watching.
Alterique Gilbert, 2016 PG, Team CP3: Gilbert is a flat-out scorer at the point guard position, and he is quickly becoming known as a high-caliber prospect in the 2016 class. He can score in a variety ways, with an ability to get to the rim, pull up for a jumper or hit a floater in the lane. Gilbert had 21 points in an impressive performance on Friday. He has a variety of offers, and more are sure to come for this promising prospect.
Bryant Crawford, 2015 PG, Team Takeover: Crawford is another scoring point, who can get it going in a hurry. He has high-end athleticism, with an ability to handle the ball or play the off-guard. Crawford is extremely skilled at penetrating the defense and finishing at the rim. He had 23 points in a win against CP3 on Friday. Indiana head coach Tom Crean was one of many coaches looking on.
Dillon Brooks, 2015 SF, CIA Bounce: Brooks has blown up this summer with one impressive performance after another on the big stage. On Thursday, he received an offer from Iowa State. Brooks is a big-bodied wing, who is known for his toughness on both ends of the floor. He is very smooth with the ball in his hands, drives the ball to the hoop and finishes. Brooks finished with 13 points and four rebounds on Friday afternoon in front of a laundry list of high-major coaches.
Temple Gibbs, 2016 PG, NJ Playaz: Gibbs is a big-time scorer, who has the ability to handle the ball, get to the rim with relative ease and shoot from the outside. He is also highly skilled at drawing contact and getting to the line. Gibbs had 19 points on Friday, hitting all seven of his free throw attempts in a win against CIA Bounce. Rutgers and Seton Hall were among the schools watching Gibbs in action on Friday.
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