#OTRHoopsReport: A Day With Our Team – Dec. 12, 2013

From Georgia to Kentucky to Minnesota, the OTRHoopsReport had “Spike Lee” seats everywhere during a jam packed 10 hours full of basketball.
*Photo by Brandon Clay

Saturday was one of the busiest days of the 2013-14 high school season for the OTRHoopsReport team. We could think of no better way to recap what we witnessed on the hardwood than to bring our readers along with us through the busy day. Enjoy an inside look through our court side seats at our team in action.

By: @BrandonClayPSB, @JLHemingwayPSB & Shun Williams @OntheRadarHoops

11:50 am – Jonathan Hemingway: After a tough travel day that included an flight cancellation, city arrival change and the cancellation of the Friday night games at the Marshall County HoopFest in Benton, Ky, I was ready for some hardwood action. Fortunately, I found a nice seat for a full day of games with multiple Top 100 prospects.

12:00 – JH: Class of 2014 five-star prospect Trey Lyles and Arsenal Tech rush out to a 24-2 lead in the First Quarter vs. Ballard HS. Louisville signee Quenton Snider leads Ballard back to force OT. Lyles finishes with 28 and secures the win.

1:30 – JH: Class of 2015 post Thomas Bryant of Huntington Prep is a problem for the world today. He just snatched a defensive rebound, outlets, sprints the floor and receives post feed to finish on the left block. This is exactly what OTRHoopsReport Director of Scouting, Brandon Clay, was saying Bryant did at USA Basketball in October. Impressive showing for the five-star prospect. Huntington Prep runs away from Atlanta Sports Academy with a running clock.

4:20 pm – Shun Williams: Checking in for a matchup of four-star Georgia prospects. Rakim Lubin of Buford is headed to UConn while Tadric Jackson of Tift County will take his skills to Georgia Tech.

4:49 pm – Brandon Clay: It’s negative 10 degrees outside as the Breakdown Tip Off Classic in Minnesota is my move for this evening. Yes, I said negative 10. Thanks to the good folks at Breakdown Sports USA for my nice and warm “Spike Lee” seat. Solid first game as Hopkins High battles St. Michael-Albertville.

5:00 pm – JH: SMU signee Emmanuel Mudiay hits fadeaway jumpers and delivers no look passes en route to a MVP worthy performance vs. Quality Education.

5:05 pm – BC: Tip time here in Minnesota. Class of 2016 wing Amir Coffey of Hopkins High wastes ZERO time making an impact. He might be the top small forward in the nation before its all said and done.

5:21 pm – SW: Lubin’s energy is infectious. His style of play should fit Kevin Ollie’s system to a T. Our take on him from the “Jared Cook Classic” last month.

5:45 pm – BC: The first half is over with Hopkins holding a sizable lead over STMA. That said class of 2015 point guard Jackson Greenwaldt of STMA is one to keep an eye on. Who is he you ask? Let us tell you.

5:59 pm – SW: Jackson leads Tift County to a nice win over the home team. Georgia Tech is getting a dynamic scorer. Time for me to head crosstown to the Nike Explosion at Wheeler High.

6:11 pm – BC: Coffey is smooth. Real smooth. It’s easy to see why USA Basketball sent him a paid invite to Colorado in the fall even while he was injured with a fractured tibia.

6:30 – JH: John Calipari is now sitting front row on the baseline to watch class of 2014 signee Devin Booker play.  Fans are literally lined up into the hallway waiting for a chance to take a picture or get an autograph.  Booker sinks a free throw with 1:30 left in the game to finish with 40 points in front of his future coach.  Butler signee Kelan Martin leads the way for Ballard with 30 points 12 rebounds.

6:50 pm – SW: Walking in the door at the Nike Explosion. Just in time for Wenonah High of Alabama versus Norcross High of Georgia.

7:23 pm – SW: Alabama signee Justin Coleman of Wenonah gives coach Anthony Grant plenty of reason to be excited about the future inside of Coleman Coliseum on campus in Tuscaloosa.

7:55 pm – BC: There are over 4,500 people in here for the marquee matchup of Apple Valley and DeLaSalle. DeLaSalle will be without Stanford signee Reid Travis who is still nursing a stress fracture.

8:00 pm – JH: Calipari has a reason to stick around for another game to watch the aforementioned Kentucky signee Trey Lyles take on Huntington Prep.  The game is in the balance for most of the night until Lyles hits contested 18 footer right in front of his future coach. Arsenal secures the victory after that.

8:22 pm – BC: Minnesota coach Richard Pitino just walked in and has joined me courtside for this one. Class of 2015 guard Jarvis Johnson of DeLaSalle is doing everything that he can to keep DeLaSalle in this one.

8:53 pm – SW: The marquee matchup between top 25 high school programs nationally in Miller Grove and Wheeler. Both schools are located in metro Atlanta.

9:30 pm – JH: The Martin brothers put on a show early for Oak Hill. Both have signed to play at NC State next year.  6-6 wing Caleb Martin put an exclamation mark on the day by throwing down a one handed dunk over an Atlanta Sports Academy defender.

9:35 pm – BC: Duke signee Tyus Jones of Apple Valley High, is just too much for DeLaSalle. He had 19 in the first half alone. The class of 2014 point guard has been focused since he said hi to Colorado Springs back in October. Game, set, match in favor of Apple Valley.

9:38 pm – SW: Class of 2015 wing Jaylen Brown of Wheeler High is a top 25 prospect in the country for a reason. He finished with 22 points and most importantly led his team to a huge win.

Brandon Clay Brandon Clay is the Director of Scouting for the OTRHoopsReport.com. Clay is also the owner of Peach State Basketball, Inc., and ProspectsNation.com. Clay has been involved in the community since 2001 as an evaluator, event operator and trainer. You can reach him at BrandonClay@PeachStateBasketball.com

Jonathan HemingwayJonathan Hemingway is a National Evaluator for the OTRHoopsReport. He is also the owner of Coach Hemingway Basketball. He has been involved in the community since 1996 as a coach, camp director and evaluator. You can reach him via email at JonathanHemingway@PeachStateBasketball.com and follow him on twitter @JLHemingwayPSB

Shun Williams is the owner of On the Radar Hoops, Inc. The On the Radar Hoops Report is picked up by Division I and II colleges and universities across the country. He serves as the director of the On the Radar Hoops Fall Showcase, On the Radar Hoops Spring Showcase, On the Radar Hoops Invitational, Elite 32 Session I, Elite 32 Session II and Power 24


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