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MAYO SHOWS, OTHERS SHINE

By Rob Harrington
robharrington@prepstars.com
April 21, 2006

HOUSTON -- Perhaps the most pressing issue on everyone's mind entering Friday night at the Kingwood Classic was whether O.J. Mayo actually would show up with the Miami Tropics.

And when the Tropics took the court in the final round of games, surely enough, Mayo made his Tropics debut. By all accounts, the D-1 Greyhounds coaches -- playing this weekend at the Pittsburgh Jam Fest -- are in a state of shock, and that shock turned to delight when fans in Houston learned that the top dog in the class would compete at the Kingwood.

The Tropics played against the Portland Legends, and though they won by 10 points, Mayo didn't look like himself. The 6-4 guard has lost weight since last summer, and not necessarily in a good way, and he appeared to be less explosive than usual. In fairness, that was the case for many of the players on Friday, many who flew in and immediately hurried to the gym, so any assessment of Mayo with the Tropics should be delayed until he's had a few games under his belt.

None of this mentions Kyle Singler, who is coming off a very good weekend in Las Vegas at the Easter Classic. The 6-9 forward struggled to hit his shots against the Tropics, but he did pass the ball well and battle inside and collect easy baskets because of his high work rate.

BACKING UP THE HYPE

Durrell Summers was a mild disappointment at the Boo Williams Invitational two weeks ago, but he played the role of top-20 prospect on day one. The 6-4 WG at Detroit (MI) Covenant exhibited the most athleticism of any player we saw all day, repeatedly skying over defenders for tip-dunks, alley-oops and fullcourt bursts that resulted in, you guessed it, slams. Still, becoming a star requires more than leaping ability, and Summers appeared much more comfortable shooting the ball from deep than he did in Hampton. He still must improve his so-so dribbling, but at least on Friday he displayed the physical dominance and scoring prowess we've come to expect.

A good deal of cyber-ink was dropped on Brandon Jennings last weekend, so we'll keep it simple: The 6-0 sophomore PG may have been the best player at the tournament on Friday. He got the better of E'Twaun Moore in a very competitive individual matchup and led the sluggish So.Cal All-Stars to a tougher-than-expected win.

REPS ON THE RISE

E'Twaun Moore continues to climb the charts. The 6-3 PG at East Chicago (IN) Central runs the show for SYF, and his quick, acrobatic finishes on drives are reason to believe he'll be a very tough matchup for opposing college point guards. Moore has less-than-ideal form on his jump shot, yet he makes a pretty high percentage. More impressively, he uses his long arms for extend over big men at awkward angles for tough finishes. He does this consistently, and he showed no fear attacking Kevin Love and other So. Cal big men at point-blank range. Yes, he did eventually give up his share of baskets to Brandon Jennings, but Jennings was looking for opportunities every single time he had the ball, and most of the time Moore -- despite his three-inch height advantage -- moved his feet quickly to keep Jennings in front of him. As an added bonus, he's tall enough and athletic enough to help out on the glass. All in all, he's one of the best floor generals we've seen so far in the Class of 2007.

SYF has a bunch of players, so prepare yourself to read about them a bunch the rest of the travel season. Valparaiso (IN) High's Robbie Hummel is one of the most fundamentally sound players in the rising senior class. The 6-8 WF has quickness that's suitable for the major college level; essentially, he won't be asset fast or liability slow. Clearly, it's his skills and approach that make him so effective. We don't like his push jump shot from deep, but he has good touch and can adapt his shot off the dribble. He moves very well without the ball and unleashes accurate crisp passes to open shooters. His natural competitiveness also is an asset.

Speaking of natural competitiveness, 6-8 WF/BF Scott Martin, also of Valparaiso, was so involved in the game that he grabbed hold of Kevin Love's leg and wouldn't let go. Well, actually, Love kicked and gently (if that's possible) stomped on Martin after a foul, but the refs saw some give-and-take virtually no one else did, and somehow a double technical was called. Anyway, Martin had more memorable moments in a vertical position than a horizontal one, which surely would be his preference. The southpaw hit a three from the corner, then followed that with a nice step-in jumper from 16 feet. He's an aggressive rebounder as well, and he doesn't mind playing inside or out.

There's a springiness in the step of Kris Richard that you have to appreciate. Playing here with the T-Mac All-Stars, the 6-4 WG at Beaumont (TX) Ozen has a quick first step and is aggressive attacking the basket. He also is capable of knocking in three-point shots and potentially could become a tough man-to-man defender. Based on this showing, lower high-majors should take a look.

Also on T-Mac, Steve Tchiengang was impressive. The 6-9 sophomore BF at Cypress (TX) Central Community Christian is a mobile big men who's quick to the offensive glass and has a pretty good shooting stroke to 20 feet. It's the kind of shot one might assume a guy his size shouldn't take, but his release actually is fairly smooth.

The Atlanta Celtics aren't putting a vintage team on the court this year, but the future portends great things. The Celtics' best player in their first game was Derrick Favors, the 6-8 BF from South Atlanta. Just a freshman, Favors already hustles on the glass and finishes inside opportunities with slams. His hands aren't there yet and he likely will become more explosive in the future, but the early signs all are positive.

If O.J. Mayo marches on with the Tropics, it will be interesting to see how he meshes with Tropics big man Freddy Asprilla. The 6-9 C at Calusa Prep isn't a great athlete, but he's a big body who has surprisingly nimble feet and crafty post moves. He has a knack for using his wide body inside to create angles, so despite great leaping ability he finishes well. He has the look of a top-100 player in the Class of 2007.

OTHER KINGWOOD NOTABLES

Re-classified rising senior Kodi Augustus is here with the Houston Superstars, and the 6-8 BF/WF headed to Lee Academy (ME) next fall has become slightly stronger in the past year. He also has become a better perimeter shooter, though his release is too slow for that shot to become a real weapon. We still like him as a big forward, but has made strides toward becoming a wing. Assuming his academics are in order, he'll be a prized signee for some high-major.

One of the guys who got off to a slow start at the Kingwood was Senario Hillman. The 6-2 Alabama commitment struggled with his offense, and it will be paramount for this Irwinton (GA) Wilkinson County star to become more consistent prior to college. He remains a top athlete and streak shooter, so from here we'll be looking for an in-between game and improved ball-handling.

MORE FROM HOUSTON

College coaches will be allowed to make their way courtside tomorrow, and the intensity of the games naturally will escalate. In perhaps the most anticipated pool play matchup of the day, the So.Cal All-Stars will battle Team Florida in the afternoon. Team Florida coach Tom Topping cautioned that star center Solomon Alabi may not play, however, due to injury. Stay tuned. ...