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AT KINGWOOD: DAY TWO

By Rob Harrington and Eric Bossi
robharrington@prepstars.com
April 22, 2006

HOUSTON -- It was clear from the moment the sun rose Saturday morning. After a relatively placed, even hesitant opening night at the Kingwood Classic, the presence of college coaches teeming by the dozens ramped up the intensity in Houston.

The coaches were in full force all day, spread far and wide throughout Houston gyms, and the level of play rose accordingly.

BACKING UP THE HYPE

No one made more of an impression in front of coaches on Saturday than Anthony Randolph. Taking full advantage of the his time on the main court, where major college coaches filled the bleachers and lined the baselines end to end, the 6-10 BF at Dallas (TX) Wilson battled through a sprained ankle and put on a show for the Dallas Mustangs. Randolph arrived on the national scene later than many of his blue-chip peers, but now it seems like he's been atop the charts forever. Rangy and athletic, despite his height, Randolph actually prefers to play away from the basket. He has the ball-handling skill to not only get away with that but actually thrive, using superb dribble moves and quickness to get to the rim and finish expertly, provided he doesn't have to absorb contact. Randolph, a lefty, also has shooting range that extends to the three-point arc. Our concern is that he doesn't rebound as well as he might, and he generally fancies himself a wing rather than an interior defender, so getting tougher -- which is in many respects a function of strength -- should be his top priority. Regardless, he has top-10 talent and is a near-certain pick for the McDonald's All-American Game next spring.

As he did at Boo Williams, Blake Griffin has looked the part of top-35 prospect. The 6-8 BF at Edmond (OK) Oklahoma Christian is a warrior, plain and simple. With a chiseled physique and lunchpail mentality, he flings himself into the scrum and doesn't complain when he emerges with bumps and bruises. Usually, he inflicts far more of those than he absorbs. He isn't a handler or a shooter from distance, which might hinder his progression to the paid level of the game, but he has bouncy athleticism, lots of strength, total hand/eye coordination and some crafty (if imperfect) moves on the low block. You read this in this space often, but Griffin actually might benefit from a touch more finesse. He tends to go through the defense, rather than around it.

The New Orleans Panthers have a jewel in Greg Monroe. The 6-9 BF at Harvey (LA) Cox is one of the ten best sophomores in the country, as he showed in a fantastic, take-this-and-think-about-it battle against Donte Green. Monroe is a slender southpaw with tremendous skills. He's a good (not great) athlete, good shooter to 15 feet, capable driver in a straight line, and a deceptive player to the defense in that, despite his size and skills, he likes to use fakes and spot the weak spots to get his points. If you're looking for a ceiling, he's just a little wooden inside, which might prevent him from ever getting to the Chris Bosh level of twisting, acrobatic finishes. Regardless, he's one of the very best in the Class of 2008 and worthy of the big-time interest he's getting.

Speaking of Green, he put on perhaps the second-best show (after Randolph's) we watched all day on Saturday. The 6-8 WF/BF at Towson (MD) Catholic had the looked a top-15 prospect, arguably top 10. First, he's a sensational passer, fabulous either in halfcourt sets or running at full speed. He made a touch in one fast break situation that we haven't seen from any big guy all year. Add to that a nice shot, even contested, to 15 feet, and solid ball-handling. Green is a very competitive kid as well, and in the end, he got the better of the individual matchup against Monroe. Also very impressively, he moves his feet extremely well on the defensive perimeter, smothering much smaller players and causing lots of anxiety for guards as the second man in a trap. Just a big-time, big-time day for this Syracuse commitment.

REPS ON THE RISE

Tracy Smith's reputation fluctuates on about the same schedule as his weight. That's no coincidence, because the 6-7 BF at Durham (NC) Mt. Zion has shown both high-major talent and too much flesh at varying points in his career, and the effects on his play are obvious. Fortunately, Smith is in perhaps the finest shape we've ever seen him. He's much more mobile than he was a year ago and is quicker off the floor, which makes his above average footwork around the basket more effective. He also is able to play hard for longer stretches of the game, although he still shows a tendency to get lazy on defense.

We loved Charles Buckner last year and we still love him. The 6-5 BF obviously doesn't have the physical credentials to play in the post, yet he continues to succeed against talented big men thanks to outstanding quickness and a relentless to drive to get every rebound. A two-sport star (football) at Bossier City (LA) High, Buckner is getting mid-major attention on the basketball side (high for football) and is at least that good. Unlike the high-upside guys littering the landscape, Bucker is a case of production over potential, and there's a place for that, too.

Clemson commitment LaRon Dendy was viewed as an excellent pickup for the Tigers a few months ago, and now it's looking like a downright coup. The 6-8 BF for the South Carolina Celtics has improved dramatically. He's gained wiry strength and loads of confidence. He played very hard against Gani Lawal and the Georgia Stars on Saturday night, and he showed commendable athleticism, desire and skills. He isn't going to blow anyone away with his ball-handling -- in fact, he should give up trying to bring the ball upcourt after getting a defensive rebound -- but he blocks shots because of his explosive leaping ability, and his shot release is higher and more accurate than it was previously. All in all, he has the look of a top-50 prospect, and that might be a conservative estimate of his ability.

OTHER KINGWOOD NOTABLES

Very few players possess the natural ability of Xavier Gibson. A 6-9 sophomore BF at Dorthan (AL) Northview, Gibson has a soft touch from deep and, at his height, is going to be tough to bother as a perimeter shooter. But this next part will read familiar: In the process of honing his perimeter skills, Gibson eschews getting dirty in the post or rebounding the way he ought to. That's nothing uncommon, and in the long run you have to believe his high skill level, size and athleticism -- plus some fakes and drives that are very advanced for his age -- will pay off.

Duncanville (TX) High's 6-7 BF D'walyn Roberts has high-major ability. The slender post needs to add muscle and definitely needs to improve his ball skills, particularly his passing, but he's a talented athlete who has a pretty nice shooting stroke, even to 20 feet. He projects as a high-major for the right school, quite possibly in the Big 12.

High-majors in the upper Midwest are accustomed to seeing players like Keaton Nankivil come through the region. A 6-8 BF/C at Madison (WI) Memorial, Nankivil lacks speed and leaping ability yet is productive thanks to a refined shooting stroke and a wide frame. That said, we'd like to see him play with more of a chip on his shoulder, and to be willing to compensate for middling athleticism with hips and elbows, like some of his recent predecessors from Wisconsin.

An extra inch or two of height isn't always a positive development, or at least it wasn't for some of the college coaches watching DeAndre Jordan. The Houston (TX) Episcopal star was 6-9 last year, and now he's pushing seven feet. What has happened as a result is that now he's a little more plodding running the court and not as quick off his feet, though obviously having the extra height has its advantages as well. On the other hand, and some other coaches sitting courtside thought a few of their colleagues were jumping the gun, a teenager who grows that late sometimes needs a year or two to bring his athleticism up to the level of his new height. No one there was writing him off, of course; the argument is whether he's top 10 or top 30. Considering that he's a fearsome shotblocker, lefty scorer and still-OK athlete, don't bet against the former.

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