LAS VEGAS, NV – Day II of my Spring Las Vegas Adventure (SLVA) was so long that I’m five hours into Day II before I can even partially recount it for you.
It started at Green Valley High, where I propelled myself head first into the adidas /VIP Exclusive Run.
Among the players/teams I saw there were:
*The Florida Rams were led by two of FL’s best players – point guard Kasey Hill (Montverde Academy), power forward Chris Walker (Holmes County) – and one of the best in GA in wing Brannen Greene (Parsons).
Until someone convinces me otherwise, Hill should sit atop the national ratings of the nation’s best “pure” point guards for a while. His decision making and execution were pretty much flawless in the 45 minutes or so I watched him Saturday.
The 6-9 Walker has to be one of the sleekest and athletically gifted players in the national Class of 2013.
And Greene has a variety of ways to score – and put a lot of them on display during my court-side stint at Green Valley.
*I saw the Massachusetts Rivals squad play in Anaheim (just down the street from Disneyland!) late last July during the Best of the Summer and 6-8 Noah Vonleh (New Hampton School) didn’t need a lot of time to demonstrate to me that he was one of the elite prospects in the national Class of 2014.
And he didn’t do anything to disappoint Saturday in Green Valley’s auxiliary gymnasium, either.
He’s not the prospect that Andrew Wiggins is. But who is, of course?
But Vonleh should be on equal footing for anyone in the run for the title of “second-best rising junior in the country” this spring and summer.
*North Carolina head coach Roy Williams was courtside while Vonleh was in action and, of course, was pretty much in the same spot – but in Foothill’s auxiliary this time – to watch Garner Elite of Raleigh, NC, hoop it up.
That’s because Garner is led by 6-8 Isaiah Hicks (Oxford, NC, Webb High), a class of 2013 standout who committed to the Tar Heels late last summer.
Hicks’ effort – at both ends of the floor – is as impressive as is his immense set of athletic skills.
*Foothill’s main gym was where the Michigan Mustangs were on display against the Franchize All-Stars (of Houston).
Among the plethora of Mustangs’ standouts was 6-3 point guard Monte Morris (Flint Beecher), who reportedly is being pursued by just about every elite program in the Midwest region of the good ol’ U.S. of A!
The most dynamic prospect in the game, though, was 6-5 junior-to-be the Bahamas, by way of Kinkaid High in Sugarland, TX.
The lefty has an impressive combination of power, skill and assertiveness.
The national gurus better find a cozy place to plant him in the national Top 25 class of 2014 ratings.
*And then I was west-bound to Bishop Gorman High, for more action in the Pangos Spring Spectacular.
Among the highlights were impressive comeback victories by the Bryce Alford and Cullen Neal-led Danny Granger (Albuquerque) squad over the Las Vegas Prospects and by the Arizona Select over Branch West (of Southern California).
*Check back later tonight and Monday for wrap-ups on both events . . . I’ve gotta bust out of this hotel room for Green Valley now.
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