We held our annual Spring Showcase Camp over the weekend with over 50 kids from around the state. Throughout the week, we will be periodically releasing information and writeups on event attendees.

Red

Ben Newcomb (6-3 SG/SF, Lakes)

Newcomb had a strong showing throughout the day as a composed, polished scorer who brought activity as a rebounder and defender. He covered ground well with his defensive slides and was looking to blow up actions during live play. As a shooter, he may have been the best mid-range threat in the group, with the ability to stop on a dime and shoot up over the top of defenders. Newcomb has soft touch, innate footwork, and springs to convert regularly from that 13-to-17 foot area. He also shot it at a high clip from three and looked to have the type of stroke that should translate seamlessly to the college level. The Lakes standout measured in with a 6-foot-4 wingspan and had the athleticism and nose for the ball to go into crowds for rebounds. He’s an all-around player who helps impact games in winning ways.

Ben Piekarz (5-9 PG/SG, Marmion)

Coming off a strong junior season for Marmion, Piekarz was effective at making plays for others and stepping into open shots from the perimeter. During the drills, his release was quick and productive, getting his feet set well on the move. He understood angles when he had the ball and wasn’t forcing anything in their offense. On numerous occasions, he made the extra pass to find open shooters and was ready to step into shots of his own when the defenders were late. Piekarz will excel while carrying a heavier load for Marmion next year.

Brady Harris (5-10 PG, Francis Parker)

Harris was excellent throughout the scrimmages, particularly as a decision maker out of ball screens and in the open court. His acceleration to the rim allowed him to live in the paint, where he made tough finishes off the glass against length and used deception with his rhythm to freeze defenders. Harris had the ball on a string when maneuvering off of screens, using a variety of crossovers and hesitations to get where he wanted with the ball. His vision stood out at times, particularly in transition where he threw on-point passes while attacking at high speeds. When he got space from the outside, Harris was spraying in high-arching threes on command. It was a very impressive showing from a guard who should be on the radar for high-academic programs.

Declan Brennan (6-7 PF/C, Leland)

The 6-foot-7 big man out of Leland flashed a lot of upside as a mobile, interior presence. He did a great job of attacking mismatches and trying to bury defenders on switches when he had an advantage. Off of the interior catches, he had hooks and short turnarounds working to convert on the touches. Throughout the live segments, he was strong on the glass and went up to high point misses. Brennan has a promising face-up game as well, showing range during the drills and having some comfort putting it on the ground to attack. His frame suggests plenty of physical runway to tap into and he already uses his 6-foot-8 wingspan well to disrupt shots in his area. Brennan is an under-the-radar big outside of the Chicago area to keep an eye on.

Jimmy Parrilli (6-3 SF, ICCP)

During drills, Parrilli was solid off of the catch in spot-up situations and translated some of that over to the 5-on-5 portions. He always seemed to be shot-ready, even when he didn’t let it fly. At 6-foot-3 with a solid build, Parrilli was a committed defender on the wing as well, using his strength to cut guys off. The catch-and-shoot game showed flashes and his grit defensively and while doing little things like fighting through screens or hustling back in transition were noteworthy.

Kye Parker Peterson (6-5 SG/SF, Hersey)

Parker Peterson has a prototypical build for a college level wing. He’s long, can stretch the floor, is a plus athlete, and has a good frame to him. Floor spacing is his greatest strength and he was lights out for stretches during the drill work. When he got open looks in the scrimmage portion, he was shooting them with confidence and forcing defenders to overextend at times with his range. Where Parker Peterson has really developed is as a physical driver who uses his strength to battle defensively and affect the vision and comfort of other wings. With several departures at Hersey, he could have a big leap as a senior.

Timothy Sirotyuk (6-7 PF/C, Stevenson)

If you want to talk about pure upside, Sirotyuk’s performance was a perfect example of that. The 6-foot-7 big measured in with a 6-foot-10 wingspan and was among the more impressive run-and-jump athletes of the group. He was blocking or affecting shots during the scrimmages with a relentless pursuit of the ball. Even while recovering off of hedges or from the weak side, Sirotyuk was flying over to make his presence felt. Offensively, he had a few thunderous dunks in traffic and was piling up second chances and dump off finishes for his team. His reach and ability to go up and get it was a big asset for the red team and made an impression on the camp coaches. He also knocked down a few threes off of the catch and has touch that should be workable as he continues to develop. The tools are there for Sirotyuk to be a classic, high-upside late bloomer.

Will Mancine (6-5 G/F, DME Academy (WI))

A DME Academy product by way of Lake Forest, Mancine’s athleticism and power getting to the rim were too much for defenders to counter at times. When he put his head down from the wing, he got into the paint at will. He had a few flushes inside and was playing through contact well. Mancine crashed the offensive glass well at times and also had a few good deliveries on drive-and-kicks. At 6-foot-5, his pull-up game looked decent off of one to two dribbles where that athleticism and size allowed him to get separation and lift. All of the physical tools are there for Mancine to be a plus college-level defender as well, with the length (6-foot-6 wingspan), body, and explosiveness to defend multiple spots.