Stars-to-be emerging on EYBL Lexington stop

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – All of the big names of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League were on display Saturday at the Kentucky Basketball Academy on the second day of the second weekend of the 2015 EYBL.

Among those players were 6-foot-9 Harry Giles (Winston-Salem, NC, Wesleyan Christian) of Team CP3, 6-7 Jayson Tatum (St. Louis Chaminade) of the St. Louis Eagles and 6-4 Malik Monk (Bentonville, AR) of the Arkansas Wings – each, certainly, to be found in a consensus selection of the five best prospects in the national class of 2016.

And two of the top three or four prospects in the class of 2017 are 6-8 Michael Porter (Columbia, MO, Father Tolton Catholic), who is averaging 16.0 points and 5.4 rebounds for MOKAN (as in “Missouri-Kansas) Elite during its 5-2 start through Saturday night as well as 6-8 “point forward” Jarred Vanderbilt (Houston Victory Prep Academy) who is averaging 16.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists for Houston Hoops.

But, at least from what I saw during the session of games that started at 9:30 Saturday morning and wasn’t a wrap until 11 in the evening, there are some fellows on the verge of climbing to that same plateau.

Here are those in that category that I watched Saturday:

*Trae Young (Class of 2017/6-1/Norman, OK; MOKAN Elite): A few of his penetration forays were stuffed out by 7-footers Zach Brown and Victor Uyaelunmo Saturday morning.

But there wasn’t a thing anyone on Nike South Beach roster could do when the affable Young was launching his jump shot.

He hit seven of 11 attempts from behind the arc and scored 29 points when MOKAN Elite squad toppled the guys from Florida (71-44) which was the same number he put up the night before when he and his buddies (including Porter) were edged by Tatum and the St. Louis Eagles, 73-70.

Young’s performance (he was averaging 17.3 points during his team’s 5-2 start in the EYBL season) may be surprising some but not those who watched him knock in jumper after jump in the past couple of Pangos All-South Camps in Texas in 2013-14.

*Kostadinos “Dinos” Antetokounmpo (2016/6-9/Whitefish Bay, WI, Dominican; Playground Elite): The brother of second-year forward Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks demonstrated that he is capable of doing some “freaky” things himself Saturday, hitting three 3s against the Kentucky Travelers and taking full advantage of a wingspan that seems to stretch to Louisville to snatch rebounds and harass opposing shooters.

*Javonte Smart (2018/6-3/Baton Rouge, LA, Scotlandville/Elfrid Payton Elite): The youngest point guard in the building Saturday certainly wasn’t lacking for savvy, maturity and skill-level as he showed why he is one of the very best prospects in his class, regardless of position, in the deep south and anywhere else.

*Sam Cunliffe (2016/6-6/Seattle Blanchet/Northwest Xpress): The recent addition to the EYBL circuit was a bright spot for Northwest Xpress in its losses Saturday while averaging 10.0 points and 6.0 rebounds.

He is one of the better “wing” prospects in the western class of 2016.

*Shamorie Ponds (2016/6-1/Brooklyn Thomas Jefferson/NY Lightning): The left-handed jump-shooting specialist scored 19 points to help his team mount an impressive rally to stun the Las Vegas Prospects Saturday morning.

And, through his play in Hampton, VA, two weekends ago and in Kentucky he has proven to be one of the best “pure scorers” on the EYBL circuit, too (17.3 points per game after six games).

*Bryce Aiken (2016/6-0/Newark, NJ, St. Patrick School/PSA Cardinals): The most underrated point guard on the EYBL circuit showed why that isn’t going to be the case for long with his 18-point, five-rebound and four-assist performance in his team’s 66-63 upset of Houston Hoops Saturday.

He pretty much did anything he wanted with the ball in his hands in the game.

*Jonathan Isaac (2016/6-9/IMG Academy/E1T1): The oh-so-skinny (180 pounds . . . maybe) but oh-so-skilled Isaac was one of the first EYBL session’s (in Virginia) revelations and he continued his star-making efforts Saturday for Each 1/Teach 1 while averaging 19.5 points in wins against the Family and Team Penny.

*Nicholas Richards (2017/6-11/Newark, NJ, Patrick School/Expressions Elite): He was impressive playing for his high schools squad in San Diego, post-Christmas, during the Under Armour Torrey Pines Holiday Classic.

And he was every bit as impressive – dominating at times, in fact – when I watched him Saturday.

He is the most unsung “true 5” in this class, nationally.