RYAN BOATRIGHT

Ryan Boatright a 6’2 guard weighting in 165 lbs ranked #76 by ESPN top 100 for the class of 2011 High School Basketball. Boatright attends Aurora East in Aurora, Illinois which he has led them to various amount of wins in his High School career, when Boatright graduates he will attend UConn University of Connecticut. He committed to UConn over the Miami Florida Hurricanes, UNLV Rebels, and the Oklahoma Sooners on November 8, 2010. Boatright has been committing and decommitting everywhere. In 2007 before his freshmen year was over he committed to USC, then decommitted in June 2009, then Boatright committed to West Virginia in October 2010, but eventually decommitted later that month, finally Boatright committed to UConn in November 2010.

During AAU season Boatright has played for the Derrick Rose all stars that didn’t have any luck down in Las Vegas, Nevada in the NY2LA tournament, but are a good team that has won many tournaments in the Chicago land area where the AAU team practices. Head Coach of the Derrick Rose all stars have them in the Curie gym practicing all day to get better, but Ryan plays extremely hard to make himself and his teammates better.

On the court Boatright has incredible speed he can push the ball up the court in a matter of 4-5 seconds getting past defenders very quickly and scoring the basketball with his will to finish no matter what. As defenders defend him he easily crosses them over and makes the easy bucket or passes it to the corner where he has shooters on the team who can knock down the three point jumper. Boatright weaknesses: He needs to slow down because as he speeds up his will to finish can easily become misused by turning the ball over or even traveling and making bad decisions with the basketball.

AUSTIN RIVERS

Austin Rivers son of Doc Rivers who played in the NBA for four teams finishing off with the San Antonio Spurs as a bench player before his retirement into the coaching staff of the Boston Celtics. Austin Rivers born August 1, 1992 is the ESPN top ranked Senior in high school basketball. Rivers has been offered a scholarship to play for Duke University, which he has signed (committed) to play for Duke when he graduates.

Rivers is 6’4 playing shooting guard/point guard for Winter Park High School in Winter Park, Florida. With an amazing finish Rivers scored 23 points that led Winter Park High School into their first ever state championship against Dr. Phillips High School with a final score of 76-57. Over the summer of Rivers career he has played AAU basketball with E1T1 Elite, who finished 2^nd in the 2010 AAU national championship which was held in Orland, Florida.

Rivers can do it all, he loves the jab-step to get space in between him and his opponent to knock down the 28 ft jumper he has, when it comes down to the final seconds of the game Rivers loves to perform miracles and makes things happen with the confidence he has. If a shoot is missed by Rivers, he quickly forgets that he even missed and comes down on the other end of the floor and makes up with it for the defense he has. Rivers needs to work on his left hand as defenders forces him left he simply looks to a two to three dribbles and step back for the pull up, other than that Rivers can do it all. The bottom line is that Rivers is the best player in his class, and is better than most college players to be honest, but finishing his Senior year at Winter Park he has averaged 29.4 points. Be prepared to watch the McDonalds all American game which Rivers will be starting in playing for the west team along with:

Khem Birch F/C 6-9 Notre Dame Prep, MA (Fitchburg, MA) Pittsburgh

Wayne Blackshear G/F 6-5 Morgan Park, IL (Chicago, IL) Louisville

Anthony Davis F/C 6-9 Perspectives Charter, IL (Chicago, IL) Kentucky

Branden Dawson G/F 6-5 Lew Wallace, IN (Gary, IN) Michigan State

Myck Kabongo G 6-1 Findlay Prep, NV (Henderson, NV) Texas

LeBryan Nash F 6-7 Lincoln, TX (Dallas, TX) Oklahoma State

Marquis Teague G 6-1 Pike, IN (Indianapolis, IN) Kentucky

Adonis Thomas G/F 6-7 Melrose, TN (Memphis, TN) Memphis

Amir Williams C 6-10 Detroit Country Day, MI (Beverly Hills, MI) Ohio State

Kyle Wiltjer F 6-10 Jesuit, OR (Portland, OR) Kentucky

Cody Zeller F 6-10 Washington, IN (Washington, IN) Indiana

Jahlil Okafor

 Jahlil Okafor, class of 2014, attending Whitney Young high school in Chicago IL, is a monster in the paint. Okafor 6’8 weighting in as a 260 pounds (lb), is a great inside player. He is ranked as number 7 in Espn top 100, but by his position number 1 in the nation. Being a freshmen at Whitney Young, he has already got many offers from colleges and he has been talked about on Espn TV show. Okafor has been offered a scholarship to DePaul, and Illinois fighting Illini, what school will he choose not a big deal as of right now, later on in his high school year im pretty sure he’ll get offers from many other schools.

 Last year aau season Okafor played with the Chicago Ferrari, who’s ranked number two in the nation. In the season Ferrari went to Florida for the Division one bracket. They finish as number two; they lost to number one ranked Houston select. The select where just to amazing for the Ferrari team, there leading scorer Justice Winslow is ranked number 22 by the Espn top 100. Score 64-53, as the Chicago Ferrari went home with a smiling face because they made it all the way to the championship. The starting five Jahlil Okafor of the Whitney Young Dolphins, Paul White of the Whitney Young Dolphins, Paul Turner of the St. Josephs Chargers., Miles Reynolds of the Whitney Young Dolphins, and Marcus Smith of the Mount Caramel high school.

Okafor has a cousin in the NBA Emma Okafor; will the freshmen beast make it that far? In Okafor’s first Varsity basketball game, he had his first two points in the third quarter with a two hand jam. He plays Soph basketball two with the starting lineup; Miles Reynolds, Keith Langston, Scott Kingsly, Paul White, and Jahlil Okafor. With help off the bench they have Robbie, Erwin Henry, Everret Reid, Terry Johnson, Ramon Taylor, and Robert Johnson. Will the soph team win the city championship?

Sam thompson of Whitney young

Sam Thompson of Chicago Whitney Young is a 6’7 guard weighing in as about 185 pounds (lb). Class of 2011, Thompson considered Florida Gators, Oregon State Beavers,, Georgetown Hoyas, and Kansas Jayhawks, but he has signed for a scholarship to Ohio State, where the rookie Evan Turner of the NBA attended, will Sam be an Evan Turner, or much better? Ranked in as number 61 in the Espn top 100, but 15 by his position, Sam is a high flyer he is one of the nations best high school dunkers. You can go to youtube.com and check out many of his highlights, after watching these one would think he is an amazing basketball player.

Sam played with the Mac Irvin Fire during his junior year of the aau season; will he go back and fulfill his title as Fires number 1 along with Wayne Blackshear, and Mike Shaw? He can easily beat the defender off the dribble and finish with a strong move or his specialty dunk a windmill. He is a good shot blocker for a wing player, he can rebound the ball and he has a great mid range shot that he hits about 70% of the time. Sam needs to improve on his strength, don’t get me wrong he is capable of getting the job done but he has to have the ability to finish more often while drawing the foul. If he want to be better Sam can really improve on his three point shot, that way it can open the floor, defenders will try and challenge the shot but he could fake them and then drive to the hole with his speed, to get the easy finish, and if its not there he can kick it out to Wayne who’s known for his all around skills.

Wayne Blackshear

  Wayne Blackshear is an 18 year old basketball killer. He is 6’5 weights 205 lbs coming out of Morgan par high school, class of 2011. In Espn top 100 Wayne is ranked number 18 in the nation but by his position he is ranked number 5. During his junior year in high school he averaged 29.2 points per game (ppg), 14.2 rebounds per game (rpg) and 3.2 assists per game (apg).

  In the 2009-2010 basketball season of Morgan Park they beat the Marshall commandos 61-60; he banked in a shot during the last 13 seconds of the game to win the victory over the commandos. In that game vs. Marshall Wayne scored 21 points and had 5 rebounds. That shot wasn’t surprising because Wayne has done this many times, he’s like Kobe they each are trying to get the last shot to finish the game.

  In my opinion Wayne is a dominant player on and off the court, I had many conversations with him he’s a good friend we talk every now and then and he loves volunteering for community service. When Wayne graduates he will be attending Indiana State, on a scholarship for basketball.

 Last year aau season Wayne played with Mac Irvin Fire who’s known for having great talent and high flyers. The team ranked number one in the nation, to me that’s great, the staring five: Wayne Blackshear, Sam Thompson, Derrick Randolph, Mike Shaw, and Crandall Head. The Fire had a terrible lost to the Drew Gooden Soldiers (102-60). Drew’s best player Johnson was just too much for the fire, I guess they put the on ice to become the Mac Irvin Cold. Neither Sam nor Wayne could step up and over come the big challenge but the Fire still remains number 1.