Our second group for our Spring Showcase Camp featured 30 underclassmen from around the state. Similar to our older group, we will release updates by team for these posts.

Orange

Bennett Meier (6-3 SG, St. Laurence – 2030)

Meier has clear upside as a high-skill, two-way wing. During the drills, he showed his athleticism and clean movement when driving to the paint and getting above the rim effortlessly. Once live action started, his understanding of spacing stood out. The 6-foot-3 guard moved off of the ball well before connecting on several threes, while also cutting hard along the baseline for layups. He is a smooth ball-handler from the wing, able to shake defenders and make pull-ups once he has room. Defensively, Meier was a big-time disruptor in the gaps, regularly baiting guys into passes that he could steal or deflect. If his 6-foot-5 wingspan and frame are any indication, I’d expect him to continue to grow and fill out as well. His instincts on both ends are advanced and he plays with the type of energy and excitement that oftentimes leads to players realizing their potential in time.

Cam Scroggins (6-5 F, Lake Forest – 2028)

Another long-armed, versatile player on the Orange team, Scroggins was a big factor defensively with his ability to recover and switch effectively. At 6-foot-5 with long strides, he made it tough on guys who were trying to get around him. When he got out in transition, Scroggins pushed and ran his lanes well, scoring on rim runs and timely cuts. He worked well as a face-up option throughout the day, having the touch and range to extend to the arc and enough ball skills to penetrate wild closeouts. It seems like Scroggins just keeps getting better by the week.

Cristian Benavides (6-1 PG/SG, St. Francis – 2028)

Benavides brought good energy and secondary playmaking to the group. Defensively, he was solid in his time, turning ball handlers and making other guards uncomfortable. Benavides looked to attack paint off of the bounce, drawing help well before making good passes to shooters. He never let the ball stick and was constantly looking for the best shot. Also a sound shooter and crafty finisher, Benavides should be a nice piece for St. Francis this year.

Eamon Lynch (6-7 PF, Metamora – 2029)

Lynch had a great showing during live play, making sound decisions, battling inside, and producing from the perimeter. The 6-foot-7 forward made some excellent passes within their offense, seeming to understand how to throw guys open on lead passes. He was a difference maker as a scorer in and around the paint, scoring off of dump off passes and showing good footwork and feel with his back to the basket. Lynch was all over the offensive glass and had numerous putbacks for them. In different segments, he was able to demonstrate that he can step out and knock down jumpers when his feet are set. I liked his impact as an interior defender as well, particularly with how he held his ground and went vertical to challenge shots. Lynch is going to be one of the better bigs in the class.

Grayson Johnson (6-1 SF, Benet – 2030)

Another projectable incoming freshman, Johnson has a slashing ability that you’d expect from an upperclassmen. On wing catches, he ripped through hard and got to the paint at will for stretches. Johnson is already a plus athlete who sprints well in the open court to get quality looks early in the offense. When he got kick outs off of penetration, he was able to hit some threes with time and space. There is a lot to like about Johnson’s length (+2 wingspan), frame, and anticipation as a wing defender. He is strong enough to battle fours but also has the lateral quickness to slide with perimeter guys. Another strong 2030 player heading to Benet.

Noah Corro (6-2 PG, St. Laurence – 2028)

Across both groups, Corro may have been the most impressive in terms of his impact and skillset. The St. Laurence product was terrific as a ball screen operator, finding the gaps in the defense all day. When the hedge was low, he hit pull-ups or stepbacks from three. If the defense sent two at the ball, he wasted no time getting the ball out to shooters or short rollers. There was strategy and intent with everything he was doing, which is hard to find for younger guards. Corro shot the ball well in live play, while also scoring a good amount on push shots and acrobatic layups inside. His ability to stop on a dime and change directions gave him an edge. That quickness showed up as a primary defender, making the other talented point guards at the event work throughout the scrimmages. Corro is a high-level shooter and playmaker, who has the IQ and competitive nature to really thrive as he matures.

Reid MacDonald (6-2 PG/SG, Fremd – 2029)

The rangy Fremd guard was one of the standouts of the group. MacDonald put on a clinic for scoring efficiently in the flow of the offense. He was hitting deep threes off the catch and using nifty footwork to score in the lane off of spins and step throughs. At 6-foot-2 with seemingly more growing to do, he was able to switch screens, take away primary moves, and effectively contest shots defensively. As a deadeye shooter, MacDonald has a clean release that he gets off quickly and is hard to affect with where the ball comes out. When defenders committed to running him off of the line, he broke down the defense with in-and-out moves and hesitations to get inside, absorb help, and keep it moving to the next guy. I am a big fan of MacDonald’s game.