History was made in the 2011 Nike Hoop Summit for both teams tonight in what was a fairly one-sided affair between Team USA and the International All-Stars. The quickness and athleticism of the prep seniors proved too much for the world roster as the high school all-stars won the game, 92-80.
Even though the game wasn’t as close as the score indicates, the real story was the individual performances. There’s a very real possibility that 10 players from this game could be available in the NBA by 2012, including two international players for the upcoming 2011 draft. Here are Gta Hoops picks of the solid performances and disappointments of the night.
The Stars:
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| Bismack Biyombo |
The undeniable star of the show, Biyombo was literally a man among boys relative to the U.S. Team. There has been a ton of buzz about him the past week in NBA Draft circles, and he lived up to it by having the first triple-double in Nike Hoop Summit history. He’s only 6’9”, but has a freakish 7’7” wingspan to supplement his already muscular frame and explosive athleticism.
He is a physical banger in the post who absolutely overwhelmed the U.S. post players around the basket and was a physical mismatch, even against Davis and Christmas. He does an excellent job positioning himself in the post and his motor is going throughout the entire game.
With the amount of shots he turns away on defense, you don't want to say they were "blocked," but rather "Bismacked!" Still an incredibly raw talent with almost zero post game, and was clearly very uncomfortable putting the ball on the floor.
Biyombo was asked after the game if he was leaning toward declaring for the 2011 NBA Draft and said it was something he and his agent would talk about. After his performance tonight, it’s hard to see him not declare, as he should be a late lottery to mid-first rounder carrying this momentum into it.
Biyombo has been compared to Serge Ibaka (who I also saw play in this same event in 2008) in terms of style and physical makeup, but Ibaka did not make nearly the splash that Biyombo did this year.
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| Austin Rivers |
Perhaps the biggest name in the game because of his playing style and genetics, Rivers didn’t disappoint. Got off to a slow start but showed resiliency and didn’t let it bother him. In person, he looks like an NBA guard and has the frame to build muscle to be one with ease. He has one of the quickest release triggers on his shot of any major recent prospect and is a cold-blooded shooter beyond the arc.
Two of the three-pointers he hit were from behind the NBA line, looking equally effective shooting the ball off the catch and dribble His explosive quickness and leaping ability make him extremely hard to stop at any level, leaving little doubt as to his potential in the NCAA or the league.
Only real knock on his game is that he needs to add muscle and still isn’t comfortable with his off-hand dribbling, clearly favoring his right.
Anthony Davis (16 pt, 10 reb, 2 blk, 1 stl)
Recently just popped up on the national radar as the potential top pick for 2012 to a lot of Draft publications, but he’s been number one on our board since last October. The most complete, well-rounded player his class, Davis is an absolute force because of his size, length, athleticism, and skill set.
He tied a Team USA record for rebounding in the Nike Hoop Summit and played solid post defense all night. Did an admiral job on Biyombo late in the game, but his lack of muscle and strength was a clear disadvantage.
Tonight he played the role of finisher on offense, getting some nice passes and finishing on five dunks. Didn’t have to do too much because of the talent on his team, but Davis produced big numbers in relatively limited action, playing just 23 minutes.
Michael Gilchrist (16 pt, 5 reb, 5 blk, 1 stl)
Mike Gilly flashed his potential on both ends of the floor tonight. His jumper has improved drastically, as he knocked down a deep three in the game and a few jumpers in the process. However, his shooting motion is still a little awkward and mostly arms, but he will get it smoothed out in all likelihood during the next NCAA season.
Gilchrist played with great toughness, embracing contact on the perimeter and at the rim. On defense, his athleticism, defensive instincts, lateral quickness and hustle make him an absolute force. Mike has tremendous potential and an NBA frame to go along with his skill set, so don’t be surprised if he only ends up spending a season in Lexington.
Solid Performances:
James McAdoo (6 pt, 7 reb, 1 stl)
McAdoo had a relatively quiet night from what he’s used to producing, but he did what he does best tonight. He’s a versatile forward with exceptional playmaking ability, especially on the defensive end. James is a ball hawk who is involved on seemingly every play of the game and was easily one of the better defenders for Team USA.
Great athlete who bodies up and plays with a great motor, snatching boards with great tenacity. Shooting touch is still clearly lacking, but will be a big impact player for North Carolina next season.
Quinn Cook (12 pt, 3 ast)
Despite some respectable numbers from Cook, I will be the first to say I’m not a big fan of his style right now. He’s a risk taker who has questionable decision-making, a recipe for a boom or bust player with the potential to be inconsistent in the NCAA.
Doesn’t have the greatest shot selection in the world and tends to force things as well, taking frequent looks with a defender’s hand in his face, but he made them tonight to his credit. Nonetheless, Cook flashed his potential and has all the tools to be the next legit Duke point guard; but he could give the team a few headaches in the process.
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| Marquis Teague |
Marquis Teague (6 pt, 4 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl)
Supremely quick guard who got wherever he wanted on the court, as all the international defenders were no match for Teague’s ability and acceleration off the dribble. His quick strike moves allow him to create space for a jumper or get to the rim off a speedy first step.
His end-to-end quickness is on par with recent Kentucky point guards John Wall and Brandon Knight, with his attack mode and aggressiveness never relenting. Teague has by far the most upside at the point for anyone in his class, and there’s every indication he can be every bit as good as his brother Jeff, if not better.
Weakness is his jumper and three-point shooting, but he is going to be a force with his explosive quickness and impressive point guard skill set.
Matseusz Ponitka (17 pt)
With my eye on 14 other players in this game, I’m not going to lie when I say I wasn’t paying a great amount of attention to Ponitka. However, I can tell you that the 6’6” Polish guard looked aggressive and has great agility.
He loves the pump fake on the perimeter to get his defender in the air to drive the lane. Has a strangely reminiscent game to another Nike Hoop Summit Star International star last year, Nikola Mirotic, in terms of game if you are curious about knowing more.
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| Kyle Wiltjer |
Kyle Wiltjer (12 pt)
The hometown kid managed some respectable scoring production, but he struggled throughout the game and had five of those points in garbage time. Those familiar with Wiltjer know he’s a super skilled, multi-talented forward, but the real question became how he would compete against the elite athletes on the U.S. team. He was forced into playing the perimeter and only shot 5-of-15 from the field. He is an excellent rebounder because of his length and positioning thanks to a great basketball IQ, but he failed to collect a single rebound in the game. Definitely raises some concerns about his effectiveness at Kentucky outside of just shooting the ball, the potential is clearly evident.
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| Tony Wroten |
Fresh of a McDonald’s All-American game snub, Wroten had something to prove out on the court. He is unbelievably quick and shifty off the dribble, creating shots with ease for himself and his teammates. Tony loves to play flashy and had numerous assists off look away passes.
TW has immaculate court vision and the passing ability to create easy buckets for his team. Another player who can be a bit of risk taker, but plays smart predominantly and is an exciting player to watch. Tony is an indefinite weapon on the perimeter for Washington next year that will contend for newcomer of the year in the reloaded Pac-12.
Bradley Beal (8 pt, 4 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl)
"The Real Deal" had a fairly passive game, as the ball wasn’t in his hands all that often. Beal tended to defer offensively but managed to pick up three assists in the process. till carries that unwavering, shot taker mentality and hit an impressive three early in the game.
Beal did a much better job of attacking the rim as well when the ball was in his hands, looking less reliant on his jumper than he has in the past. Brad wasn’t spectacular, but he’s one of the best pure scorers and shooters in the 2011 prep class.
Rakeem Christmas (2 pt, 4 reb, 2 blk, 1 stl)
Rakeem played the fewest number of minutes of any player on the U.S. roster, but had a decent showing in his 17 minutes. He had the tough task of guarding Bismack Biyombo and was respectable, but Biyombo’s physicality and length were just a notch above his. Roc is the rawest player on the roster, but he does a great job rebounding and shutting down the rim to the opposition, which was on display again tonight.
Disappointments:
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| Lucas Nogueira |
For someone who is being talked about as being a potential first-round pick, Bebé sure didn’t play like it. The lanky 7-footer really struggled to settle in all game, as he only saw 13 minutes of action.
Couldn’t really hold his ground against the equally meek U.S. post players, so there’s no doubt he would struggle up against the bigger and more developed players of the NBA. A very young and indefinite NBA project if he does enter, Nogueira will likely reevaluate his options after his soft showing.
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| Kevin Pangos |
Kevin Pangos (6 pt, 2 ast, 2 reb)
The Gonzaga-bound guard was overmatched all game by Teague and Cook at the point guard position. He’s a respectable talent that could have a fine career in the WCC, but he’s not up to the caliber of talent he was facing tonight.
Pangos didn’t shoot the ball all that well, making only one of his four 3-point attempts, but the opportunity was one that could prove invaluable to Pangos world stage showing. However, questions are now being raised on how he got chosen for this over fellow Canadian point guard Myck Kabongo, in addition to the super talented Canadian post player Khem Birch.
Adonis Thomas (2pt, 2 blk)
Adonis is very smart and talented basketball player, but he was the odd man out this time around. The Memphis-bound guard/forward was only active for 14 minutes and never really seemed to jell when he was on the court. Great player without the ball in his hands and made some outstanding cuts, but just didn’t finish when he had his shots.
With how much talent was on that roster, someone was likely to get shafted and Thomas was that player this time around. Make no mistake, though, this is a 5-star player who is the frontrunner for Conference USA newcomer of the year in 2012.
All that remains for the 2011 prep class is the Jordan Brand Classic next weekend. Get ready for more excitement.
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