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SLU recruits on display this week


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Hazelwood Central is the #1 seed at the Ameritime Classic this week hosted by Missouri Baptist University. Xavier Sneed and company will be in action on Wednesday against a decent Parkway West team, featuring another SLU recruit, 2017 post player Wyatt Yess. I expect Parkway West to take the air out the ball but they just don't have the guard play to hold Central at bay all game. Game time is 7:00pm.

The second best team in the tournament is a senior-laden Lafayette squad, led by one of the best big men in the area, Zach Steinberg. They've got good outside shooters, solid guard play and play tough man-to-man defense. Should be a formidable test for Central if they meet in Friday's championship game. The third place game starts at 7:00 pm and the championship tips off at 8:30 pm. I'm only interested in watching Sneed so I'll likely attend the late game.

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And where/who is after the Steinberg kid?

Steinberg does not appear to have any suitors. He's not a bad player though.

Yess vs Sneed was a good matchup.

Sneed has hard time being the focal point on the team. West did a good job of doubling him and keeping the ball out of his hands. He had 19 points but missed a lot of jumpers. Central has a lot of talented players and not a lot of hierarchy on the team causing Sneed to get lost in the mix. He's a serious 6'5, with an improving jumper, nice speed and bounce, and a good 1 on 1 game.

Yess was the real star last night, he played the best I've ever seen him. Central has a big frontline, they can run out 3 guys 6'7 and over. Dobbs and George are not quite D-1 players but will definitely be college players. Yess really dominated them. He had at least 12 rebounds, probably more, 3 block and 23 points. He scored all over the place, hit long jumpers, broke down guys off the dribble, and post ups. He was also 11-12 from the free throw line. As usual his passing was top notch as well.

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Thanks for the report. So it sounds like Yess is the real deal. Who would you list as local kids to keep an eye on?

2015 -

2016 - Tatum, Cook, Sneed, Barnes (?)

2017 - Yess, Goodwin

2018 - Gordon, Watson

Ramey

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Well, the gym was packed, no doubt.

Tatum is obviously D1 already: he glides. Tatum definitely knows he is the star of the show. But I was also impressed with Cook, who is more of a banger and a good athlete. Cook is long and powerful, jumps well, and already has Remekun skills (at 16). His upside is probably pretty high, and I know from a friend who teaches both guys that they are both good kids, good citizens. Both play good defense and have major upside, (to say the least). I'd be extremely happy to sign Cook, even without Tatum. He will need time in the weight room but he appears stronger already than our 2 freshmen bigs. Also: Vianney has their own beast of a kid who is a FRESHMAN; he is a bull in a china shop but what a load. Cannot wait to see him in 2 years; I wonder if he is a footballer and bball is just his 2nd sport?? he can really run the floor, and is very scrappy; anyway keep an eye out for this kid: Carte'Are Gordon. He's already 6'7" 250.

The Chaminade team is loaded: they play good defense, including full court trap pressure. They have their own impressive freshman: Jericole Hellems. However, the offense is non-existent. I've seen pick up games at Simon with better offensive schemes. I do not think I saw a single pick or screen; and as far as I could tell they ran no plays at all. I guess I'm still spoiled from my own wayward youth, but don't coaches in STL teach offense anymore?? That truly confused me, especially since they seemed pretty well schooled on defense; and I always feel that way when I go see HS ball here... absolutely pi$$ poor offensive sets!

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TheChosenOne, on 30 Jan 2015 - 2:11 PM, said:

Not this time. I will be heading to O'Fallon next Saturday to see Chaminade take on East St. Louis as well as to see Vianney and Althoff.

TheChosenOne, will you please give me directions to O'Fallon High from north County? I don't trust Map Quest to get me to the high school.

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I will verify these directions next week with my coworker who has a son at O'Fallon.

-70 East across the river into Illinois to

-64 East for 11 miles

-Turn left on W US 50 (looks like mile marker 14), 2.6 miles

-Turn left on S Smiley St and the school is right there

It should be a really nice day of hoops. If you break for lunch or dinner I hear the options are Shooters (bar and BBQ) or Peel (wood fired pizza place that opened their 2nd location in O'Fallon).

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TheChosenOne, on 31 Jan 2015 - 06:48 AM, said:

I will verify these directions next week with my coworker who has a son at O'Fallon.

-70 East across the river into Illinois to

-64 East for 11 miles

-Turn left on W US 50 (looks like mile marker 14), 2.6 miles

-Turn left on S Smiley St and the school is right there

It should be a really nice day of hoops.

Thank you. I'm looking forward to seeing the different players.

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Sneed is starting to figure out things on offense. Namely, when you're as quick and jump as well as he does, driving to the basket is probably a good idea. If he hadn't done that, Lafayette was going to win that game last night. Central gets off to notoriously poor starts against good teams and Friday's contest was no exception.

He worked really hard on defense last night. Cameron Scales, Lafayette's top perimeter threat, had his way with Sneed in the first half but X did a much better job of staying in front of him in the second. That was good to see considering how Fort Zumwalt's talented swingman, Marshawn Blackmon, torched Central a few weeks ago. Central will likely match up with South in districts. If it happens, I will definitely be there.

Ballhandling needs to be a focus for Sneed in the offseason. I think that's why he settles for some many jump shots -- he's not confident with his handle. Once that happens he'll be a lot harder to guard in the halfcourt. Kid is a legit shooter from outside but he can be so much more.

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I'd be extremely happy to sign Cook, even without Tatum. He will need time in the weight room but he appears stronger already than our 2 freshmen bigs.

Tyler Cook is actually quite strong and would potentially be the strongest player on our roster today (?). He spent a lot of time in the weight room this summer and fall getting stronger. He is a member of the 750 club at Chaminade and is the first junior and second basketball player to reach that (combined front squats, power clean, and bench press have to be more than 750 lbs). I think he needs to learn how to use that strength now and be more of a dominate force in addition to increasing his skill level, but he took such a huge step from his sophomore to junior season that I am really excited to see his development.

I am not sure the likelihood of us getting Tyler to stay home though.

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