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Ridgewood Shootout Sunday Standouts

By MHS Staff, 07/02/21, 12:30PM CDT

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The Ridgewood Shootout playoffs were packed with great basketball. Some of the best teams in Illinois went head to head and many young athletes received offers. Here are some of the athletes that stood out Sunday.

Xavier Amos (2022 Whitney Young HS): Amos is a versatile dual forward who can beat you in multiple ways. Standing at 6'8, Amos has excellent length and athleticism and can kill teams on the inside grabbing offensive boards and finishing plays at the rim. Amos can also put the ball on the floor knock down shots from mid-range and attack with his back to the basket. On defense, he uses his length and athleticism to block and contest shots at the rim.
 

Richard Barron (2023 St. Ignatius HS): Richard Barron was one of the top performers at the Ridgewood shootout. He has really driven his stock up, receiving an offer from Kent State this weekend. The guard exhibited the ability to score from the outside on pull up jumpers as well as shooting off the catch. He also showed how strong he was getting to his spots and driving to the hoop.
 

George Bellevue (2023 Lincoln Way East HS): Bellavue is a switchy forward who can guard any position. He also has long arms and is a good shot blocker. He is a great vertical athlete who can finish above the rim and put the ball on the floor. The 6'6 forward is also a smart passer on the move.
 

Jordan Brown (2023 Bloom HS): Brown is a lockdown defender who pressures the ball well and gets a bunch of steals. He uses his length and athleticism to force turnovers, by getting his hands in passing lanes and deflecting passes. On offense, Brown has a quick first step and uses his length to finish at the rim over the defense.
 

Jayden Cook (2023 Lincoln Way East HS): Cook is a slashing guard who loves to attack the basket. The 6'0 guard has an explosive first step and has good footwork around the rim. He has good body control and can draw fouls on his drives. He crashes the boards and can go coast to coast.
 

Jayden Dean (2022 Neuqua Valley HS): Dean is a slashing guard who can attack the basket and hit shots from outside. He has a quick first step and is really good at beating close-outs and finishing at the rim. Contact does not bother Dean, he embraces it and often draws fouls. 
 

Bobby Durkin (2022 Glenbard West HS): Durkin is a sniper from deep. The 6'6 guard has a beautiful jump shot with a high release and excellent ball rotation. It seems like the ball is going in every time he shoots. Durkin can also put the ball on the floor and get to the hoop. On defense, Durkin's length looks great in Glenbard West's 1-3-1 zone.
 

Emondrek Ford (2022 Bloom HS): Ford flashed an array of skills this weekend at Ridgewood. The 6'8 forward is able to handle the ball, stretch the floor from behind the arc, block shots, and rebound. All this combined with his athleticism makes him an incredibly intriguing prospect.
 

Kolby Giles (2022 St. Ignatius HS): Giles is an athletic forward who battled inside. The 6'5 forward is super strong for his position, which allows him to battle down low with bigger players. Giles plays with tenacity and makes his force displayed on the offensive glass. Giles is able to get a ton of putbacks, as well as drawing fouls by putting himself in a better position than the guy trying to box him out. 
 

Alex Gutierrez (2022 DePaul Prep): Gutierrez is a scrappy defender who takes pride in his defense. He pressures ball handlers and has good lateral quickness staying in front of his man and beating them to spots on the floor. He gets a lot of steals and turns them into transition opportunities on the other side. On offense, Gutierrez can score at the basket and shoot the three ball at a high clip.
 

Jeremy Harrington (2023 Curie HS): Harrington is a dual forward who is able to battle and finish inside, as well as playing on the perimeter and putting the ball on the floor to attack the basket. Harrington can stretch the floor and hit shots from the midrange, as well as grab boards for easy putbacks.
 

Carlos Harris (2024 Curie HS): Harris is a slashing guard who uses his tight handle and athleticism to attack the basket. He can knock down jumpers from the midrange as well as get to the hoop. Harris is shifty and changes direction well, making him difficult to guard. On defense, Harris smothers ball handlers and creates turnovers that often lead to layups on the other side.
 

Braden Huff (2022 Glenbard West HS): Huff is one of the top players in Illinois. The 6'10 big man can do it all. Huff is a fantastic passer, he can handle the ball and shoot the three. On defense, Huff has a ton of length and a high defensive IQ. Huff is great at being in the right spot at the right time and always stays vertical on his contests.
 

Payton Kamin (2024 DePaul Prep): The lengthy sharpshooter caught fire this weekend at the Ridgewood shootout. He has great mechanics and a high release point, making his shot very difficult for the defense to contest. With his high upside, Kamin continues to improve and get stronger, making  him an impactful player.
 

Niall Kenny (2024 Ridgewood HS): Kenny is a shifty guard who can score at the basket and in the midrange. Kenny is an excellent on ball scorer, who has a solid handle and great footwork. The 6'2 guard has the ability to score from the mid-range and pull up with his jump shot. On his drives, he draws fouls with ease.
 

Nick Lendino (2023 Neuqua Valley HS): Lendino is a two sport athlete, playing basketball and football for Neuqua valley, who plays with physicality and intensity, flying all over the floor making plays. He puts his body on the line taking charges, diving for loose balls, and chasing rebounds. He is unselfish and is always willing to make the extra pass, while still knocking down shots from behind the arc. 
 

Josh Picket (2024 West Aurora HS): Picket is able to play multiple positions, from bringing the ball up the floor to attacking  his defender from the wing. The long athletic slasher can finish through contact, put the ball on the floor, and play with his back to the basket posting up smaller players. On defense, he offers some rim protection, contesting shots using his length.
 

Khalil Ross (2023 Lincoln Way East HS): Ross is a lengthy athletic slasher. At 6'5 he moves great for his size and uses his long arms to pressure ball handlers and poke the ball loose on defense. On offense, he excels at finishing at the rim through contact and he can step outside to knock down a three.
 

JJ Taylor (2023 Kenwood Academy): Taylor is arguably the top 2023 prospect in the country. The 6'8 guard is an incredible athlete with a great handle and the ability to shoot off the dribble. On defense, Taylor can guard every position and uses his superior athleticism to block and contest shots.
 

Donaven Younger (2023 Bolingbrook HS): Younger had a great weekend at Ridgewood. He was able to use his length and athleticism to cause offensive players problems at the rim and was a great rebounder at both ends. On offense, he was on fire from the mid-range and drew a ton of fouls near the rim.

 

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