Elite 80 Fall Showcase: Top players
Words. Jason Jordan
C.J. Leslie
WILSON, N.C. — When a 5-8 guard sprinted from the top of the key and retrieved the ball on his way up from a seated fellow camper while soaring over top of him for an authoritative slam, everyone in Barton College’s gym was ready to anoint him the 2009 Elite 80 Fall Showcase Slam Dunk Champion.
Everyone except Word of God Academy guard Bishop Daniels.
Amidst the leftover “oohs” and cheesy imitations of the unbelievable dunk, Daniels, who stands 6-2, calmly asked Dudley High’s P.J. Hairston, a guard who stands 6-5, to stand in front of the rim. Then he walked three feet behind the left wing, turned around and bolted toward the basket where he took flight clear over Hairston’s head, without him even slightly ducking, and threw down the contest-winning dunk.
Still, as memorable as Daniels’ dunk was, it was one of many highlights at the showcase. Here’s a breakdown of who turned in impressive showings:
C.J. Leslie, PF, Word of God Academy (Raleigh, N.C.), 2010
Though he struggled from the arc, Leslie more than made up for the misfires with his typical high-wire act. On one play Leslie spun off of his defender and called for the lob, which was nearly a foot over the rim. No problem for Leslie — he caught the ball at its highest point and threw it down over two defenders. Leslie’s ball handling skills have also improved; he even ran the point during the showcase. Still, he’s at his best when he’s running the court, finishing strong and swatting and changing shots. If he develops a consistent jump shot and continues to improve his ball handling skills, Leslie, who’s currently sitting at the No. 10 spot, could shoot up even higher in the HighSchoolHoop rankings.
Reggie Bullock, SG, Kinston (N.C.), 2010
Often times, Bullock was the best player on the court and he seemed to excel even more when playing alongside Dudley High junior guard P.J. Hairston, which is a great thing since both are committed to North Carolina. Bullock was easily the best all-around player at the showcase, posting a double-double in all three games. He also seemed more agile and more explosive than he was a few months ago when we last saw him play. After a few creative dunks during the games, we thought that Bullock might even enter the dunk contest. “Maaaan, naw! But let them have a 3-point contest and I’m all over it!”
Ryan Harrow, PG, Walton High (Ga.), 2010
On a court full of stars, Harrow, an N.C. State commit, was hands down the best player when the ball was in his hands exclusively, and it wasn’t close. He just gets better every time we watch him play. Harrow teamed up with C.J. Leslie to form one of, if not the most, lethal tandems at the showcase. Harrow is masterful with the ball and broke down the defense at will with his quick crossover dribble. Once he got into the lane he either hit a teammate with a no-look or behind-the-back pass, shot the short floater or threw down a rim-rocking dunk. His most memorable play (and there were many of them) was when he dribbled over to the left wing, turned to the videographer and said “watch this” to the camera. Suddenly, he blew past his man, split two defenders with two nifty crossover dribbles and banked a short floater. We’d hoped to see how well his perimeter jump shot had improved, but since no one could stop his penetration, he didn’t fix what wasn’t broken. Harrow was “scary” good.
Dezmine Wells, SF, Word of God Academy (N.C.), 2011
It’s easy to see why more and more schools are lining up to try and land Wells. The kid is oozing with potential and was one of the most athletic players at the showcase. Wells probably had some of the most beautiful missed dunks we’ve ever seen. We’re not knocking him because the degree of difficulty was off the charts and we love the aggressive way he attacks the rim. Wells maneuvers his way through the lane exceptionally well and uses his strong frame to absorb contact and finish in traffic. His jump shot wasn’t as strong at this showcase, but we’ve seen it fall consistently in private workouts. Overall, Wells has improved immensely since we saw him at the beginning of the AAU season in the Tournament of Champions. And he was really good then.
Bishop Daniels, PG/SG, Word of God Academy (N.C.), 2011
The last time we saw Daniels he wasn’t able to walk without his crutches after severely spraining his left ankle, so when we saw him at the showcase we didn’t expect much. In the end, Daniels turned out to be one of the top players at the showcase. His speed was back, his quickness was back, his hops were in rare form and his point guard skills were much improved. He was most impressive during one of his last games against Bullock and Hairston’s team. Daniels told us that after a dismal AAU season he’s eager to rebuild his reputation. He’s well on his way to accomplishing that goal.
P.J. Hairston, SG, Dudley High (N.C.), 2011
A spectator asked us what the strongest part of Hairston’s game was, and we told him, without hesitating, that it was his shooting ability. Boy did we look uninformed! While, Hairston’s jump shot was solid, it was his ability to get to the basket and finish with authority that by far trumped any other aspect of his game at this showcase. So while it’s his deep ball that has earned him his reputation, it’s clear that Hairston has worked hard to become a more complete player.
BIGGEST SLEEPER
T.J. Walker, PG, Rocky Mount High (N.C.), 2010
It was hard to shine on a team with two other point guards, but when Walker got the ball he managed to impress. He’s got a quick first step, a solid stroke and a knack for finding the open man. It was truly refreshing to see a point guard willing to pass at a showcase full of triggermen.
BEST PLAY
Holy Springs High point guard LaCurtis Lattimore, who stands 5-7, broke down his defender, raced to the basket and threw down a left-handed chest-to-chest dunk over North Pitt Hgh’s Levion Hines, who fell back when he landed. The play caused brief pandemonium in the gym.
QUOTE OF THE SHOWCASE
“Maaaaan it’s gonna be tough, but we’re gonna try! We’ve got a shot!” — Reggie Bullock when asked about his Tar Heels’ chances of landing Harrison Barnes.
Got a burning question for Jason? Email him: JasonJ@DimeMag.com
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Great Article Jason!