The 2019 Summer Jam continued on Friday at Homestead High School in Mequon, WI. There were plenty of talented teams and players in action at both the 14U and 15U level. Here is a recap of some of the top performances of the day.
Top Performers
Levontay Lilly - Mac Irvin Fire - 2022
In an early morning game Mac Irvin got energy from Levontay Lilly. Lilly is a fearless guard who is relentless in getting to the rim. With his court awareness and vision he is a solid guard who does a lot of good things for his team. Lilly is a tremendous scorer who can score inside and out. Lilly connected on 4 three point baskets in a 58-51 victory over Kessel Heat in which he finished with 27 points.
Najashi Tolefre - Milwaukee Running Rebels - 2022
The Milwaukee Rebels benefited from Najashi Tolefre’s strong performance on Friday. The Rebels got out to an early lead against the Il Attack and they never looked back. Led by Tolefre, the Rebels created many steals that led to easy buckets. Tolefre scored the ball efficiently in the 57-37 victory as he scored 12 points.
Derek Lindert - Randolph Boys Club - 2022
Derek Lindert was an exciting player to watch on Friday morning as Randolph played against All In. Lindert is a strong, athletic guard who can score in a hurry. His decision making and shot selection showed that Lindert has a high basketball IQ and plays the game the right way. Lindert knocks down open shots and takes the ball to the rim when it is open. He is always hustling and giving maximum effort. Lindert finished with 30 points which included 3 three pointers to contribute to a 21 point victory.
Kyle Thomas - Illinois Wolves UAA - 2022
Kyle Thomas continued to be struggle for opponents to match up with in the paint. The Illinois wolves UAA team faced off against the WI RAP DJ team and Thomas did not disappoint. Thomas is aggressive on the boards and uses his length, strength along with his size to get position to rebound. Thomas showed great post skills and even showed the ability to step back and hit some jump shots. Thomas is a force on defense that changes and blocks multiple shots. Thomas finished with 14 points as the Illinois Wolves defeated the WI RAP.
Hayden Cutter - IE Side - 2022
An impressive player for IE Side thus far has been Hayden Cutter. Cutter is always looking to score the ball for his team and does it often. Whether it is a catch and shoot mid-range jumper or finishing around the rim, Cutter has the shooters touch to find the bottom of the net. To compliment his scoring Cutter also rebounds tenaciously, grabbing every board he can. Although IE side fell short of a victory again today, Cutter was impressive scoring 16 points.
Ben Olson - WI Swing Siebert/Weisboro NY2LA - 2022
There has yet to be a player to play against the WI Swing Siebert/Weis NY2La team and match the physicality and toughness of Ben Olson. Olson is an explosive player who rebounds and scores very well. He finishes through contact in the paint and can hit a mid-range jump shot when left open. On defense it is a challenge to get past him, as he has active hands and moves his feet well. Olson finished with 29 points against IE Side on Friday.
Jackson Paveletzke - Phenom University EYBL - 2022
For the second day in a row Jackson Paveletzke continued to score the ball at a very high level. Paveletzke is an outstanding shooter who can stretch the floor with extended range. In a Friday matchup with Quad City Elite Paveletzke got into the paint often usually finishing with a floater or a pull up jump shot. Phenom University defeated Quad City Elite 57-48 and Paveletzke finished with 18 points which included 3 three pointers.
Stock Boosters
Shawn Williams - Mac Irvin Fire - 2022
For Mac Irvin, Shawn Williams does everything that he is asked to do. Williams is a hard working big man who plays to his strengths and showed lots of hustle in effort against Kessel Heat. Williams has good size and is a strong player who has a tremendous upside with the right work ethic. He is active on defense and grabs any rebound near him. Williams also scored the ball pretty well on Friday as he netted 13 points in a 58-51 victory over Kessel Heat .
Leon Zolicoffer - Milwaukee Running Rebels - 2022
Another big who played well on Friday was Leon Zolicoffer of the Milwaukee Running Rebels. This big man has good footwork and is always looking to get deflections on defense. Zolifcoffer runs the floor well and finishes around the rim with ease. Zolifcoffer had 7 points and rebounded very well against the Il Attack as the Rebels won 57-32.
Riley Brooks - WI Swing Siebert/Weisboro NY2LA – Class 2022
The Swing has dominated in their first two games of the week and have gotten the most out of Riley Brooks. Brooks is a long guard who can handle the ball and uses his quick moves to blow by his defenders. He is a great passer and playmaker that creates for his teammates. Brooks can shoot the ball from the perimeter and is a great decision maker when he is on the floor. Brooks contributed 15 points in a 69-53 victory over IE Side.
Nate Henry - Quad City Elite - 2022
In a battle with Phenom University Nate Henry put up his best fight to help his team win. Henry played very hard and did not back down from the challenge, he was relentless rebounding and attacking the rim. Henry brings toughness to his team and his hustle is contagious for the rest of the team. Henry finished with 16 points as Quad City fell to Phenom University 57-48.
Steven Clay - Phenom University EYBL - 2022
Steven Clay had a nice game on Friday against Quad City Elite. Clay uses his length to create havoc on defense and find ways to score on offense. Clay connected on multiple mid-range jump shots and got to the rim attacking downhill consistently. Clay has the potential to be a very dangerous offensive and defensive player. Clay finished with 12 points in the 57-48 victory over Quad City Elite.
Sleepers
Nick Pezzella - Kessel Heat - 2022
A player that stood out for Kessel Heat was Nick Pezzella. Pezzella is not a flashy player but he has good court awareness and plays to his strengths. Kessel Heat relies on Pezzella to get loose balls and do the little things to help his team. In a close contest with Mac Irvin Pezzella finished with 10 points.
Daniel McNieve - WI RAP NY2LA - 2022
Daniel McNieve had a solid day for the WI RAP NY2LA team as they squeaked out a close win against All In. McNieve is a point guard who showed great vision and court awareness, McNieve is a smart player who is always making the right decisions on the court to help his team. McNieve takes care of the ball and sets up his teammates for success. He also was able to score the ball as he contributed 10 points in a 39-38 victory.
Matthew Volkening - Illinois Wolves UAA - 2022
Matthew Volkening complemented the Illinois Wolves UAA team very well on Friday as they were able to defeat the WI RAP DJ team. Volkening runs the floor well and can shoot the ball extremely well. He connected on 4 three point baskets and netted 15 points to help the Wolves win 55-31.
Gavin Schooley - Man Up Basketball - 2023
A player who made an impact for Man Up Basketball was Gavin Schooley. Schooley is a physical forward who plays the game the right way. He does all the right things on the floor and does a little bit of everything. He can pass, defend, dribble, rebound and shoot. Schooley is a true all-around player. He finished with 15 points in a victory over the ABC Young Lions.