I was in Schaumburg to check out the GPA Top 20 Showcase featuring some 2022 and 2023 players in the area. There were a number of uncommitted seniors who should be targets for colleges over the next few months. Here are the writeups on all of the players in attendance.
Mike Vuckovic (6’0 PG, Hoffman Estates) – 2022
Mike Vuckovic was the most dominant player from start to finish, scoring at will from all over the court. He made pull-ups in transition, stepback threes with defenders in his face, and a sidestep from the wing. The creativity that he showed off the dribble was impressive. He broke down defenders with his handle and quickness to create stop-and-pop jumpers or finish with runners or acrobatic layups. Vuckovic is a skilled distributor as well, delivering on-point passes from a variety of angles. He should be a high-level Division 3 lead guard.
Nick Vuckovic (6’0 PG, Hoffman Estates) – 2022
Nick got himself going with a couple of threes and transition layups. When the ball was kicked out, he had his feet set and stepped into shots from long range. In the half court, he threw some timely backdoor passes and found cutters on his baseline drives. Vuckovic has good burst off the dribble and regularly got to the rim before help could come over. His active hands defensively led to steals and turnovers which led to points. Nick is another creative guard that should be a good D3 addition.
Lonnel Strickland (6’3 SG, Fenger) – 2022
Strickland was very impressive absorbing contact and scoring from the perimeter. He’s a powerful athlete that threw down a couple of big dunks, guarded multiple spots, and showed body control on layups around help defenders. Though he was comfortable battling for second-chance points, Strickland also made multiple threes from well beyond the high-school line. Strickland is a big guard with upside as the game slows down for him.
Anthony McGhee (6’3 SG, Notre Dame College Prep) – 2022
McGhee can really shoot the ball. During drills, his release was the same every time. That translated to the games as he was automatic on every catch-and-shoot or pull-up. McGhee cashed in on a few stepbacks and pullback move off the dribble. With his size and shooting ability, McGhee should be a solid college prospect for smaller schools.
Darien Irvin (6’5 PF, Hoffman Estates) – 2022
A physical forward, Irvin did most of his work as a rebounder and recipient of passes around the paint.. Irvin set screens and worked in pick-and-roll actions. He got off the ground well for putbacks, showing a quick second jump off of missed shots
Aaron Onesimus (6’4 SG, Schaumburg Christian) – 2022
Onesimus stood out defensively, applying pressure on ball-handlers and getting deflections. Onesimus is streaky as a shooter, doing most of his damage on straight-line drives and transition takes. But he showed some versatility to play on the ball as a primary playmaker which should add to his value. The Schaumburg Christian guard will make an impact with his defense and athleticism.
Arnav Jain (6’2 SG, Crystal Lake South) – 2022
Jain provided most of his production off of catch-and-shoot threes. That’s an area where he can be elite at times when he gets his feet set, even from NBA range. Jain made a short pull-up during games and shot the ball well during the drill portion. Division 2 Southern Indiana has offered Jain and a number of Division 3 schools have reached out as well.
Julian Triffo (6’6 SF, Maine South) – 2022
As the games progressed, Triffo stood out even more. Everything he did was efficient, never wasting any motion or overdribbling. He got to his spots from the mid-range and stretched the floor with catch-and-shoot threes. Triffo cut hard to open space and was able to put down a couple of strong dunks when he got out in transition. He showed that he can play on the wing or work around the paint to score. Triffo brings intensity and efficiency that should attract scholarship-level programs.
Lane McVicar (6’5 PG, DeKalb) – 2022
McVicar played on or off the ball with success. As a playmaker, he was a willing and gifted passer that had a number of assists during the showcase. The 6-foot-5 size allowed him to survey over most of the participants to make the simple play. When he did look for his shot, McVicar made some threes and had dunks down the lane. McVicar is a solid athlete that scores, defends, and distributes at an above-average level. He should be in that D2/Low-major category.
Elijah Brown (6’0 PG, St. Thomas More Prep) – 2023
The former Schaumburg guard has a lot of different ways to make layups when he gets into the lane. Brown was shifty, even in tight spaces, weaving through crowds before putting some spin on his finishes. He made a three during the games and made pull-ups comfortably during drills. Now in the 2023 class, Brown has a chance as a penetrating guard.
Jonah Hinton (6’2 PG, Naperville Central) – 2022
Fresh off of receiving his first Division 2 offer from McKendree, Hinton was picking his spots and setting the tone defensively. He kept opposing guards out of the paint and used his length to contest shots. Offensively, Hinton operated primarily off the dribble by scoring off of size-ups and crossover moves. It was either a pull-up three or slash to the rim. Hinton’s recruitment seems to be heated up and for good reason. He remains one of the better uncommitted 2022 point guards
Sebastian Blachut (6’2 SG, Lake Park) – 2022
It was layup after layup for Blachut. His often lost his man on cuts when they started ball watching. When he had the ball, he attacked off of the catch or made a quick moves before exploding to the rim. At this point, his bounce isn’t deceptive anymore, getting above the rim on multiple occasions for rebounds and finishes. Blachut showed during drill that he is a solid shooter with time and space. A high-academic, upper-end Division 3 prospect.
Adidas Davis (6’4 SG, Buffalo Grove) – 2022
Davis has extended range and showed no hesitation taking open threes from NBA range. Long strides allowed him to get downhill quickly to score. He is a natural shot maker, scoring in volume off of threes in the first game before spending more time in the paint later. Davis has started to realize his athletic potential, evident by how easily he was punching some transition opportunities. Davis has the talent to be a scholarship player.
Vito Lagioia (6’0 PG, Lake Park) – 2022
Lagioia has a dynamic first step that led to a bunch of opportunities around the paint. He didn’t force shots and looked to find open teammates whenever possible. When he turned up the pressure defensively, his activity poked some balls loose and gave a spark for his team. Lagioia is a good mid-range shooter that made a contested one around the elbow. His speed and ball-handling will set him up to attract a number of coaches.
Darius Duff (6’3 SG, Lake Forest Academy) – 2022
Duff’s shooting has become a serious weapon. He went on a barrage in the first few games by stepping into threes from way behind the arc. Duff was in attack mode in transition, finishing with thunderous dunks when he got a head of steam. The strength of his game is using his athleticism to slash and defend, but the added element of his jump shot will open up a lot. He’s received some D2 interest of late and should be able to get some Division 1 looks as the season progresses.
Justin Page (6’3 PG, Peoria Manual) – 2023
Page was a smooth decision maker that excelled in transition. He is a fluid athlete that was outrunning defenders on the break. Page is a physical guard with plus size at 6-foot-3, not being affected by any contact when he put his head down. Off the catch, he hit two threes and drove to the lane with force. Only a junior, Page is going to have some college options.
Hunter Duncan (6’1 PG, Saint Viator) – 2023
Duncan showed some potential making jump shots off the dribble and distributing well off drive-and-kick situations. There were some turnovers issues early on, but when he was under control, Duncan found teammates for open shots all over the floor. He has natural vision and knows how to catch the attention of help defenders. His defense was solid for most of the day. Duncan has a lot of ability to refine.
Ryan Sammons (6’3 SG, Fremd) – 2023
When Sammons did get touches, he made the most of them. As the showcase progressed, he was splashing threes and getting inside the arc for short pull-ups. Sammons is a really good shooter off the dribble or off the catch. He had good patience off the dribble and wasn’t rushed by tough defense. Sammons is a scoring guard that should be able to play both guard spots going forward.
Donovan Brown (6’2 SG, Plainfield Central) – 2022
Brown was looking to score from the first game. He had a couple of and-ones and floaters on tough takes to the rim. Brown danced with the ball in isolation situations before going to work and connecting on an array of shots on the move. Throughout the day, he was one of the high scorers from three levels. Brown should have the opportunity to play at the Division 3 level and provide an offensive punch.
David Sulnius (6’4 SG, Stevenson) – 2022
Often playing off of spot ups, Sulnius shot the ball well with his compact stroke. There was good rotation with his shot and he had confidence to take any open kick outs. In the occasions where he was chased off of the line, he flashed some athleticism and instincts using hesitations to get to the paint. Sulnius had a dunk in transition and has length to go along with his 6-foot-4 body. Sulnius has a projectable game.
Nick Doroskin (6’6 PF, Schaumburg) – 2022
Doroskin has serious length and plays much bigger than his 6-foot-6 height. He grabbed rebounds in traffic by tapping the ball to himself and was easily dunking during drills. Doroskin moves very well at his size, covering ground and cutting to the rim hard. The punch spot was his go-to location during the games. He showed some touch as a shooter as well. Doroskin has a huge wingspan and ideal activity for a small school four man.