We had a run yesterday that may have been the most complete from start to finish. A lot of good ball movement and activity throughout. Here are the writeups from yesterday.
2021 Players
Troy Glover (6’8 PF/C, Glenbard West)
Glover was doing his usual work contesting everything and running the floor. He deterred a lot of shots in the paint after blocking a few drives early. Glover also showed some ability playing out of the high post. He scored on a few drives off of face-ups, kicked back out to shooters, and rolled hard after screening. The 6-foot-8 big also took a few defensive rebounds coast to coast for finishes. Glover is on a shortlist of true shot-blockers still available in the 2021 class.
Danny Mulcare (6’6 PF, Glenbard West)
Mulcare was tough on the glass and in the paint. He had a putback, got out in transition for a layup, and hit a three. The rebounding that he provides will be a huge boost at any program he chooses. Mulcare clears out space and is a good athlete that can high point misses. The development of his perimeter game would have shown this season, as he looks comfortable driving and shooting from the outside. Mulcare has plenty of D3 schools to pick from, and he has the type of game that should make him a contributor early in his college career.
Justin Starks (6’1 SG, Waubonsie Valley)
Starks was aggressive from the start, taking and making outside shots. He showed comfort a few feet behind the three-point line. Overall, Starks was solid on defense and got to the rim when he had open straight-line drives. He would be starting on a Waubonsie team with one of the better senior classes in the area.
2022 Players
Garrett Bolte (6’6 SF/PF, Hinsdale South)
Bolte is a steady force on both ends. He never seems rushed but always plays with energy. The 6-foot-6 forward was making plays for himself and his teammates in transition. Usually matched up with bigs, he caused problems as a ball-handler on the break, drawing help or finishing. He had a few putback layups that could have been dunks and showed very good footwork on spin moves and up-and-unders in the paint. Bolte is able to flex between the wing and the post without losing value thanks to his athleticism. He still looks like a monster Division 2 player that is running with Breakaway for the AAU season.
Adidas Davis (6’3 SG, Buffalo Grove)
The combo guard picked his spots, made plays, and worked on the defensive end. Davis nailed threes when he had openings, but he also set up a lot of good looks for his team from penetration. He was making the right plays and his team benefited. His length led to deflections and steals defensively. This likely would have been a breakout year for Davis but he has shown improvement over the last few months that should carry into the spring/summer.
Darius Duff (6’3 SG, Lake Forest Academy)
Duff was back to pulling down rims this week, finishing with three aggressive dunks throughout the day. He did a little bit of everything, looking especially effective shooting the ball. Duff made a spot-up three, a few contested mid-range pull-ups, and sent a defender flying with a crossover before hitting a long three. When he picks a direction and puts his head down, defenders have to foul him or let him go. The strength getting to the rim and potential as a shooter give him a good upside as a scorer. But it’s his defensive consistency and passing that will really make a difference at the next level. Duff is unselfish and committed to getting wins. Playing on a loaded 17U Illinois Wolves team, look for Duff to get more mid-major looks in the spring. A good student as well, he should have a lot of options.
Daniel Hong (6’1 PG, Barrington)
Hong ran the show with precision. He put on a pick-and-roll clinic, finding rollers, holding off his man to create advantages, and snaking dribbles into pull-ups against drop coverage. He was one of the highest scorers of the day but did so efficiently from all three levels. The pull-up threes are a staple for the Barrington guard, stepping into deep ones without hesitation. Hong made good decisions when he drove, hitting shooters often. As his play elevated, his team put together a string of wins. Hong has a lot of craftiness and feel that showed yesterday.
Gabe Madej (6’6 SF, Fenwick)
Madej was lighting it up from three and showing his strength in the paint as well. He was shot ready on kick-outs and hit a majority of his open looks from the perimeter. Madej showed a consistent release even on passes that were outside of his shooting pocket. The big 6-foot-6 wing was also using his upper body strength to move defenders on drives. He went through the body of 6-foot-8 Glover on one and had some nice plays off the dribble where he did the same with other defenders. As a junior, he already has the physicality and shooting ability that will translate to college. Madej ran the floor well all day and got some easy buckets from it. Another high-academic kid, Madej has heard from some Ivy League schools.
Bryce Moore (6’4 SG, Carmel)
Moore took over a couple of games with his athleticism and scoring ability. He is smooth getting o the basket, using different moves to get defenders off balance. Like prior weeks, he made a couple of acrobatic layups that probably couldn’t be replicated. Moore’s jump shot was on point, making mid-range shots and threes with hands in his face. He is a complete player that can set up an offense, rebound in traffic, and lockdown three spots on the perimeter. Moore is another wing that has D1 interest right now.
Cooper Noard (6’2 PG, Glenbrook South)
Noard was creating shots off the dribble all day. The three-point marksman probably made more jumpers off the bounce than off the catch. He has the ability to change speeds, use screens effectively, and read how the defense is playing him. Noard controls pace with his hesitation, capable of pulling up when defenders back off or blow by them when they press up. Even against shot blockers, he was able to score in the paint using floaters, and shot fakes. He has gotten physically stronger since last year and had a number of contact finishes in traffic as well. Noard is a skilled scoring point guard that advances the ball in transition with the pass. Noard will be teaming up with Duff on the Illinois Wolves this spring where he should see his interest skyrocket. Definitely a Division 1 caliber guard that has ideal academics to help.
Dom Trelenberg (6’5 SF, Nazareth)
The high-motor lefty was active all over the court. An excellent rebounder, he beat kids to loose balls and offensive rebounds regularly. Trelenberg has good size at 6-foot-5 and is a solid athlete that gets off the floor well. He got up around the rim on a few drives and finished an alley-oop as well. When he had time, Trelenberg made a few spot-up threes. He has good form and extends defenses with his shot. That allows his game will open up because he is a good slasher with touch from the inside too. He is a plus defender that has the versatility to guard on the perimeter or the interior. A returning varsity player, Trelenberg should be on the radar for D3/D2 coaches.
2023 Players
Alex Engro (6’0 SG, Loyola)
Engro had a solid all-around day despite some tough matchups. He had a few turnovers early on against tight defense, but got his rhythm and never looked back. He used off-ball screens well, getting the space to knock down threes. Most of his threes came from moving away from the ball and he added a pull-up three on the break. Engro is very smart with the ball, attacking angles well. He got to the basket more than usual, cutting and using his length to finish over the top of defenders. He guarded Noard for parts of the run and had some trouble containing him initially. But he remained competitive defensively and forced some turnovers as the day went on. Engro was nearly dunking during the drill work and has the length to suggest that he has plenty of growing to do. Playing with Wisconsin Playground, he should get some looks now that UAA has announced they are playing. I would not be surprised if Engro gets some calls on June 15th.
James Muse (6’3 SG, Prairie Ridge)
Muse was one of the best defenders at the run. From start to finish, he guarded the ball with tenacity. He got deflections, picked some pockets, and blocked a shot. Muse was able to frustrate a number of different players. While he didn’t take many shots, Muse made the most of his chances. He hit a very long three off a screen and got out in transition for some finishes. Muse will be a key player for Prairie Ridge.
Ryan Sammons (6’3 SG, Fremd)
Sammons has been a consistent shooter every run he has attended. When he has space, you can book it. He made a sidestep three and plenty of catch-and-shoot looks. Sammons also got going with left-handed drives and finishes, playing through contact a couple of times. He has the scoring trait but he made some good passes throughout the day as well. Look for the 6-foot-3 guard to have a productive AAU season with All-In.
2024 Player
Kelton McEwen (5’11 PG, Bartlett)
McEwen was the youngest player to come to a run but didn’t look like it at all. The highly-skilled guard is a dynamic scorer that can defend and make passes on the move. He showed advanced footwork on stepback and sidestep threes to create space. McEwen has a quick trigger that extends past the college line, hitting an array of long-range shots. His patience in pick-and-rolls was impressive, running defenders off the screener, using rescreens, and taking what was available. He made a floater and a one-legged mid-range stepback. In transition, the Bartlett guard showed vision with a couple of nice passes. McEwen also moved his feet well and showed a lot of activity defensively. He is a solid athlete that was tough on the ball despite giving up some weight. I haven’t added a list of 2024s to the site yet, but McEwen is definitely a freshman with a high ceiling.