The @BBCbasketball Notebook from Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach, SC - The 39th annual Beach Ball Classic tipped-off this week at The Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with a national level field. Our coverage started late on Friday and here is a rundown from the what we saw from the day.
TOP PERFORMERS
Zed Key had one of the best performances of the day. The 6-foot-8 forward who has signed with Ohio State scored 28 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for Long Island Lutheran (NY) in a win 77-44 over Myrtle Beach (SC) in the final game of the day. Key is part of a two-man recruiting class for Chris Holtman and Ohio State joining Georgia standout Eugene Brown in the 2020 class. Key dominated against the smaller lineup from Myrtle Beach (SC) and was able to put up some gaudy numbers, going 9-14 from the field and spent a lot of time at the free-throw line making 10-14 from the charity stripe.
Kaden Metheny always draws a crowd with his shooting ability and explosive style of play. The 5-foot-11 guard from Morgantown, West Virginia recently signed with Bowling Green University and his future head coach Michael Huger was on hand for his Friday night game against Millennium (AZ). Metheny was hot in the first half scoring 18 points and finished with a game-high 31 points including 5-14 from beyond the three-point line. Metheny is a pure scoring combo guard that has a quick first-step and some bounce to his game that allows him to finish plays near the rim against bigger opponents. He is at his best when he is coming off screens or breaking down a defender before letting the long ball go.
Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood and assistant Orlando Antigua made the trek from Champagne to the East Coast to see their future Fighting Illini Adam Miller do some work for Morgan Park (IL). The 6-foot-3 shooting guard made six three-pointers en route to 29 points in his Friday game. The Mac Ervin Fire product has length at the shooting guard spot and can really get hot from beyond the three-point line. Miller is ranked 30th in our HoopSeen National Rankings.
Illinois staff also had the chance to get another look at 2020 signee Andre Curbelo, a 6-foot point guard for Long Island Lutheran (NY) in the last game. Curbelo went 8-14 for 16 points from the field, dished out 8 assists and forced 6 turnovers on the night in the win over Myrtle Beach (SC). The steady point guard doesn't make mistakes and has quick hands that helped him in causing the 8 steals in the win.
YOUNG GUNS
DaRon Holmes, one of the top-30 prospects in the 2021 class didn't disappoint and held up his share of the hype surrounding the 6-foot-9 forward out of Millennium (AZ). Going 9-17 from the field in front of staffs from Illinois, Wake Forest and Vanderbilt, Holmes showed a good back-to-the-basket game, length and rebounding ability. He scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the win over University (WV).
Speaking with Holmes, he said the schools that have reached out the most recently are Kansas, Texas Tech, USC, and Wake Forest. In-state schools Arizona and Arizona State have been in touch a lot recently as well. He has taken official visits to Marquette and Virginia. The only school that hasn't offered that has been keeping in contact is Gonzaga.
With offers from Montana, Pacific, Southern Utah, Portland, North Carolina A&T, Pepperdine and Grand Canyon it's easy to see why Justus Jackson is a priority mid-major recruit in the 2021 class. He had a little of an off night shooting but made up for it with 4 assists, forced 2 steals and grabbed 4 rebounds for Millennium (AZ) in the win over University (WV). He is a true floor-general that wants the ball in his hands and to be able to make plays and make shots.
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