2010 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament: Day 3By:

Game 6

Sales Systems Ltd 96 vs Cherry, Bekaert & Holland 86

Landry Fields (14 pts, 11 rebs, 5 ast)

Landry plays the game the right way and is not concerned about forcing the issue in order to show his stuff. He has terrific size for the wing and his natural feel for the game allows him to make plays on the offensive end. His good leaping ability and body control make his a good slasher and he is able to finish a high percentage of his shots thanks to his soft touch around the basket.

Reggie Holmes (22 pts, 7 rebs, 7/11 FG)

For the 2nd day in a row, Holmes has shown his ability to score the ball at a high level. He is a capable outside shooter as he has proven on numerous occasions, but is much more dangerous attacking the basket. He has good balance on his penetration and is able to make tough shots in the paint.

Zach Peacock (17 pts, 7 rebs, 7/11 FG)

A strong and high energy player inside, Peacock is able to use his body in order to muscle people in the paint. He creates space inside and is able to establish good low post position, allowing him to catch the ball in very high percentage scoring areas. Using his wide shoulders and frame he can bully his way to the basket and finish strong at the basket. He is also a very capable spot up shooter, looking to space out in the midrange area where he can comfortably knock down shots with his feet set.

Ishmael Smith (13 pts, 7 rebs, 5 ast)

Putting in a much more efficient and controlled performance that in his first outing, Smith slowed his game down and was able to cut down on his turnovers (1 TO) substantially. He is without a doubt at his best when pushing the tempo and creating plays with his speed, but continuing to show that he can play in a half court game will go a long way for his future.

Edwin Ubiles (20 pts, 5 rebs, 3 ast, 2 stl, 3 blk)

His length and athleticism are difficult to match up with, add to that his ability to knock down outside jumpers and it becomes apparent why Ubiles can be a difficult guy to defend. Unfortunately he doesn’t have a high basketball IQ and his inability to read the action puts him into difficult situations frequently. He likes to attempt to make thing happen off the dribble and gets caught up in creating scoring opportunities for himself in one on one situations rather than swinging the ball and keeping the flow of the offense going.

Laurence Ekperigin (14 pts, 8 reb, 7/13 FG)

The D2 product proved that he belongs on this stage with his production and physical package. He has good length and very nice athleticism, helping him make plays around the basket. He is active and plays with good energy, looking to get tips and putbacks around the rim on the offensive end. His post game is also intriguing because he has very quick feet and good footwork on post moves. He may not have enough size to get a good look in the NBA, but he has definitely earned himself a contract overseas.

Jordan Eglseder (12 pts, 9 rebs)

The Northern Iowa product displayed his soft touch around the basket and strength on the blocks on numerous occasions. His wide body and strength allows him to establish great position, where he can catch and turn for easy scores. His motor is actually better than previously thought, even though he didn’t play major minutes, during the time he was in he showed decent mobility and was able to get up and down the floor within the flow of the game.

Devan Downey (11 pts, 6 ast, 5 TO)

Playing as a lead guard, Downey was able to distribute the ball fairly well, but he also struggled with turnovers. He seemed a bit uncomfortable in a facilitating role, as if he was holding back from playing his natural game. Even though he is extremely undersized playing as a scoring guard, his explosive scoring ability forces teams to matchup with him, so it may be counterproductive playing him as a playmaker.

Game 7

K&D Rounds Landscaping 77 Norfolk Sports Club 67

Donald Sloan (18 pts, 7 rebs, 3 ast)

Sloan’s aggressive approach and ability to get into the paint were a difficult combination to match up with. He was able to use his first step and explosiveness to create separation on the perimeter on a number of occasions. He has a strong body and is very good at absorbing contact when attacking the basket. In terms of a true position, he certainly doesn’t have one and his inability to consistently make shots from the outside hurts him substantially as an NBA prospect, but he is a player and will do well at the pro level.

Rodney Green (15 pts, 7 rebs, 3ast)

A similar player to Sloan, Green is a bit taller and he has a stronger frame. He doesn’t have great size on the wing and his shot is a serious weakness, but he knows how to play the game and he doesn’t back down from anyone. He is a very good athlete and he has a knack for finishing tough shots through contact around the basket. He doesn’t shy away from physical play, instead he looks to initiate and dish it out. Maybe not a great NBA prospect, but certainly a guy who will be playing for years to come.

Ryan Wittman (11 pts, 8 rebs, 2 ast, 1/4 3FG)

For a shooting specialist, Wittman has struggled making outside shots during the week. He has good size on the wing and is able to get his jumper off comfortably against good defenders because he can shoot over the top. His intrigue lies in his size, shooting ability and blood line, but at some point he will need to prove that he is a knock down shooter from beyond the arc.

Ryan Thompson (13 pts, 6 rebs)

Not nearly as impressive as he was on the first day, Thompson was still able to show a number of nice things. His outside shot is a reliable weapon and he has no problems shooting from beyond the extended three point line. Although he doesn’t have the greatest quickness, his long first step and a good mix of jabs allow him to get by his defender. Another good performance may just put him into serious 2nd round considerations.

Tony Crocker (12 pts, 5 rebs, 2/5 3FG)

The work that he has put into his body is very apparent, and he is now a more well rounded player than he was early in his career. His outside shot is still very effective and he is a dangerous threat from behind the three point line, but now he is also able to get to the basket and finish plays through contact. Not very good at creating off the dribble he still doesn’t show great ability with the ball in his hands, but as a role player who gets his touches within the offensive he can be effective overseas.

A.J. Slaugther (11 pts, 4 rebs, 3 ast, 0/5 3FG)

Today Slaughter struggled to find his jump shot and he was not able to show that he can contribute in other areas when his shot isn’t falling. He is a rhythm guy who depends heavily on his outside ability to open up the rest of his game.

Tweety Carter (7 pts, 10 ast, 2/9 FG, 1/6 3FG)

Carter gets most of his shots from beyond the arc, but the extended 3 point line has caused him fits thus far and he has not been able to convert at his usual rate. On the positive side of things, he was able to get into the paint and make some things happen for his teammates. His quickness forces the defense to shift and he is a capable passer and good decision maker in those situations.

Game 8

Roger Brown’s 98 vs Portsmouth Partnership 75

Jerome Randle (14 pts, 10 ast, 3 reb)

For a 2nd straight game, Randle was able to dominate the game with his ability to get the ball to open teammates. He has shown terrific passing ability, throwing well timed and pinpoint dimes on a number of occasions. His play was worthy of earning him the Player of the Days honors once again, but more importantly a potential spot in the 2nd round.

Kevin Palmer (21 pts, 11 rebs, 6 stl, 8/20 FG, 3/6 3FG)

Palmer is a terrific athlete with great length. He has a quick first step to go along with good ability off the dribble and he can get to the basket with regularity. He is a scorer with good instinct, and he can comfortably finish plays in the paint or from beyond the arc. He is a bit wild and plays out of control too often, but his physical package is very intriguing.

Marquis Gilstrap (15 pts, 7 rebs)

After struggling in the first game, Gilstrap got things going a bit in his 2nd outing and he was able to show some nice flashes. He has a great body and good size for an NBA SF and his athleticism is also good enough to allow him to compete with the athletes at the next level. He is still very young in terms of game experience as he only has one full season of D1 competition under his belt, but that can also be viewed as a positive because his ceiling has more room for development.

Osiris Eldridge (15 pts, 6 rebs, 7/18)

A confident scorer, Eldridge is certainly nor afraid or shy about pulling the trigger. When he is out on the floor he has one purpose and that is to get shots up. This can become a problem at times because he forces up too many difficult and off-balance shots and he goes out of the offense to get his looks. That being said, he is a very good athlete and has the ability to get to the basket where he can finish while taking contact. Also very comfortable shooting off the dribble, he gets good elevation and shoots a well balanced pull up.

Mikhail Torrance (23 pts, 8 rebs, 7 ast)

In a losing effort Torrance was able to put together a very impressive performance. He did a bit of everything: getting to the basket and finishing or drawing contact, finding teammates in transition & the half court and also attacking the glass on both ends of the floor. He has not shown anything in terms of a jump shot and his preference to attack to his left hand almost every time makes him fairly predictable.

Jeff Foote (8 pts, 4 rebs, 4/4 FG)

Not the most graceful or smoothest operator, Foote is a bit of a stiff when it comes to his athleticism and inside game. However, he is 7 feet tall and he has decent strength and some post up skills. Players his size are hard to come by and because of that fact he may have an outside chance of getting drafted.