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CoBL's Hoop Group/Elevate Hoops Standouts

07/13/2015, 10:45pm EDT
By Tom Reifsnyder
Dover (Del.)/We R1 2016 SG Jordan Allen. (Photo: Tom Reifsnyder)

Dover (Del.)/We R1 2016 SG Jordan Allen. (Photo: Tom Reifsnyder)

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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While CoBL Owner/Editor Josh Verlin was down in North Augusta, S.C. covering the Nike EYBL's Peach Jam, the rest of our staff was working hard back home, covering events such as the Hoop Group Elite Session I in Reading, Pa., the Elevate Hoops Icebreaker at Philadelphia University, and the Elevate Hoops Showdown, also at Philly U.

Here’s a list of standouts from the three events listed above:

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Jordan Allen (2016/We R1/Dover, Del.) 
There’s only one word to properly describe Allen (pictured above), and it’s one that almost every coach would value: shooter. Allen is as pure a long-range sniper as there is in the area, and maybe the country, as it’s routine for him to knock down at least a trio of three-pointers in every game he plays. Over the course of the week at Philly U, he hit as many as seven in one game, and had a number of 20-plus point performances. He does a great job of moving without the ball to get himself open, and his quick release allows him to get his shot off before the defense can close out. Allen is best shooting off the catch, but displayed an ability to pull up off the dribble as well. He’s not a one-trick pony, however, as he has a nifty dribble-drive game attacking closeouts going towards his right, and is a sneaky athlete who can stay in front of his man defensively and rise up for some highlight blocks.

Eli Alvin (2017/Team Philly/Mastery Charter North, Pa.)
Alvin made his mark in a matchup with the Tim Legler-coached South Jersey Jazz at the Elevate Hoops Showdown. The 5-foot-10 guard went head to head with Appoquinimink guard Myles Cale, who has a Temple, La Salle and Delaware offers, and really held his own. Alvin was extremely active on both ends, ripping the ball from opposing guards and slashing through the lane for spectacular lefty finishes. Alvin was getting to the basket at will, making every player that drew his matchup look several steps slower than him. Although he’s not a big guard, it’s hard to miss Alvin when he’s on the floor. Whenever he got the ball, you could practically hear him dribbling from the bathroom at Philly U. Alvin’s exceptionally strong handle and playmaking skills make him a very tough cover, and a nightmare for opposing coaches.

Charlie Brown (2016/Philly Pride/St. Thomas More, Conn.)
The 6-foot-6 wing hit over half a dozen triples in three games on championship Sunday, helping lead his Philly Pride squad all the way to the Elevate Hoops 17U championship, where he and teammate DeAndre Hunter stole the show in a win over We R1. With point guards Stevie Jordan and Jaekwon Carlyle penetrating the defense, all Brown really had to do was catch and shoot; and more often than not, his shots were hitting the bottom of the net. The smooth-operating swingman also showed off some impressive court vision, tossing a few extremely accurate behind-the-back passes to his teammates for easy scores.

Devante Cross (2016/Jersey Force/Parkland, Pa.)
The lengthy 6-foot-2 guard has quite the interesting situation heading into his final summer before his senior year. Cross, one of the main reasons why Parkland went 28-2 and reached the second round of the state tournament, has a decision to make. The starting quarterback of Parkland’s football team, Cross holds football offers from high-majors Boston College and Syracuse (among others). Basketball-wise, the guard has only been offered by UMBC. Regardless of his decision, Cross put on a show at Hoop Group’s Elite Session I. Cross ‘wowed’ coaches with nifty drives and stepback jumpers. He served as a steady distributor for his team of Jihar WilliamsPatrick Fleming, etc. It will surely be interesting to see if Cross can add basketball offers, but either way, he has the talent to excel on the court in college.

Mikey Dixon (2016/Diamond State Titans/Sanford, Del.)
Dixon was one of the hottest names at Hoop Group’s Elite and Team camps in Reading, Pa. this past week, picking up offers from Central Connecticut State, Canisius, and most recently Robert Morris. The 6-foot-2 scoring point guard has had a significant growth spurt since last year, growing four to five inches and tacking on a few pounds to boot. Dixon was a must-watch player at Hoop Group, catching the eye of numerous D-I coaches with his sweet pull-up jumper and ankle-bending crossover. With Sanford, Dixon shares the playmaking duties with high-major prospect Eric Ayala, but he has been able to really showcase his talent as the go-to guard for the Diamond State Titans over the past few months. The 2016 guard’s stock is growing steadily, and another growth spurt may even get a high-major school or two to start sniffing around.

Grant Golden (2016/Virginia Elite/St. James School, Md.)
In an era in which true power forwards are becoming a thing of the past, with the more modern “stretch 4’s” taking their place, Golden is going right along with the current trend. At 6-foot-10, he’s able to run the floor and handle the ball in space like a guard, with the jump shooting ability to stretch the defense and open up the floor for his teammates. What separates him from big men that strictly want to play on the perimeter is that Golden also has a solid post-up game and an array of finishes when slicing to the rim off pick-and-rolls. Golden helped lead Virginia Elite to the Elevate Hoops Icebreaker championship, and has almost the entire Patriot League recruiting him right now, although an offer from Drexel could be an indication of some higher level schools starting to get involved.

Amadi Ikpeze (2016/Western New York Elite/Amherst, N.Y.)
At 6-foot-10, Ikpeze is a force to be reckoned with inside the paint. In a high profile matchup with Roselle Catholic (N.J.) center Peace Illegomah, Ikpeze got the better of his counterpart with a variety of post moves, and he was able to frustrate Illegomah with his length and defensive ability. His ability to step out and hit a mid-range jump shot remains a concern, but Ikpeze says he has been working on his shot every day. The lefty standout big man may still have more work to do with his right hand and jump shot, but he is already a tough matchup for any big man because of his size and athleticism. At Hoop Group Elite Session I, he proved to be one of the best centers in the lot because of his scoring ability in the low post and dominant presence on the glass. 

Peace Illegomah (2016/Sports U/Roselle Catholic, N.J.)
Illegomah was by far one of the most impressive players featured at Hoop Group’s Elite Session I. He was easy to see, to college coaches, at 6-foot-10. The rising Roselle Catholic senior has a lone offer from Sacred Heart, but with how he played in Reading, that list should only grow over the summer. Illegomah is a very strong rebounder and a lights out blocker. While his offensive game surely needs fine-tuning, his sheer strength, size and athleticism allows him to finish well near the rim. The Nigerian native has decent post play, but relies on his defensive prowess to excel on the court. Look for Illegomah to be a hot name on the recruiting trail this summer - he’s a big name with New Jersey schools.

Jahlil Jenkins (2017/Uncommon Bulls/Jefferson HS, W.Va.)
In a tournament full of bona fide high-major prospects, Jenkins came into Philly U without any offers, but left looking like he may be joining that high-major group before long. He’s a bit small, as he’s only about 5-foot-10 and very thin, but that’s essentially the only knock on his game. Right now, Jenkins is more of a scoring point guard, but when defenses started to key on him, he showed the ability to consistently make the right pass instead of forcing his own offense. He’s at his best, though, leaving defenders in his wake and getting to the rim, though he displayed a nice middle game full of nifty floaters and pull-ups in the event that the defense stepped up. Jenkins picked up a few mid-major offers by the end of the weekend, but if he keeps performing like this, high-majors may be forced to look past his size and really start paying attention to this jitterbug of a floor general.

Stevie Jordan (2016/Philly Pride/Conwell-Egan, Pa.)
If Philly Pride was a car, Jordan would be the engine. And with the 5-foot-11 Conwell-Egan floor general running the show, you can rest assured that his team will be headed in the right direction. Jordan’s a classic two-way point guard, playing just as aggressively on defense as he does on offense. His infectious grin only grows as the game wears on, getting under the skin of opposing players to no end. But he’s a team player at heart, always looking to get others involved before getting his own. In the Elevate Hoops 17U final against We R1, Jordan played his game to a tee, scoring when needed and controlling the tempo of the game on both ends. After the game, Jordan called teammates DeAndre Hunter and Charlie Brown the “MVPs of this tournament,” but he had a lot to do with their success this weekend.

Jabri McCall (2017/Team Philly/Academy New Church, Pa.)
McCall is as “Philly” as it gets at the point guard spot. He’s gritty, quick, loves to play defense and will do just about anything it takes to win. The 6-foot guard put those attributes on full display in a terrific semifinal battle against Philly Pride at the Elevate Hoops Showdown. Although his team ultimately lost by eight, McCall scored a game-high 17 points and got the crowd jumping with his pitbull-style defense on Philly Pride point guard Stevie Jordan. Like any player that handles the ball at a high rate, McCall has his fair share of miscues, but what’s most impressive is how he handles a mistake. McCall isn’t one to hang his head. If he throws an errant pass or misses a shot, it’s just going to make him play even harder.

Nate Pierre-Louis (2017/Sports U/St. Benedict’s Prep, N.J.)
For someone with as large a list of high-major interest as Pierre-Louis, the 6-foot-7 rising junior proved this week that he’s only focused on dominating one day at a time and is devoted to growing as a player. Pierre-Louis showed an innate ability to score off the dribble and demonstrated the impressive athleticism that has led to interest from schools like Connecticut, West Virginia, Purdue, and Iowa State--all of which reached this past year’s NCAA tournament--and earned him a spot in the Top 20 all-star game at Hoop Group’s Elite Camp in Reading, PA. As he made clear, Pierre-Louis isn’t worried about getting caught up in the attention from coaches and media alike, but is solely focused on improving his game and being the best player on the court at all times.

Jahvon Quinerly (2018/Sports U/Hudson Catholic, N.J.)
Quinerly is one of four players on his young Sports U team already squarely on the high-major radar, but it’s no question who the leader is of the squad that ran through the Under Armour Association’s 15U circuit with a perfect record. He’s a true do-it-all point guard, as he was second in both scoring and assists per game on the circuit. Quinerly runs the team with the maturity of a player twice his age, dictating the tempo of the game and always making the right play. He has a complete scoring arsenal, as he’s capable of knocking down perimeter jumpers and getting to the rim for easy buckets. While Quinerly is a natural point guard, he’s also capable of sliding off the ball if necessary, and is a knockdown spot-up shooter when he does so. It’s quite easy to see why he’s already got six high-major offers to his name, and why Villanova looks to be making him a priority in the 2018 class.

Dwight Whitlock (2016/Team Supernatural/Kiski Prep, Pa.)
After a fantastic high school season at Central Dauphin East, averaging 17.7 points per game, Whitlock, a 6-foot-2 combo guard, is off to a great start this summer. Whitlock impressed many coaches at Hoop Group's Elite Session I in Reading, Pa. with his ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter and get to the hoop at will. He also demonstrated his court vision in the open floor, often leading his team out in transition and finding open shooters on the wings. Whitlock has shown that he can play both point guard and shooting guard, which is a valuable asset to college coaches. Defensively, he wreaked havoc on the opposing guards, forcing multiple turnovers and starting the break in transition. Whitlock's guard versatility, offensive efficiency, and defensive motor certainly make him an intriguing prospect to watch.


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