MOKAN ELITE WINS NIKE EYBL FINALS AT THE PEACH JAM, BUT JALEN GREEN EDGES OUT N’FALY DANTE & CADE CUNNINGHAM FOR #1 RANKING

It doesn't get much better than the Championship Game at this year's NIKE EYBL Finals at the Peach Jam, which was held this past week at the Riverview Park Activities Center in North Augusta, SC and was finally decided when the shot from point blank range by 6'6 Jalen Green from Napa (Prolific Prep) CA with less than a second remaining bounced off the top of the rim and Mokan Elite survived in an 85-84 overtime thriller.  However, that did not stop us from ranking Green as the best player in the entire tournament, as this high flying explosive 2-guard torched Mokan Elite with a number of spectacular finishes at the rim and also made three straight big 3-pointers at key points down the stretch.  Needless to say, this was the best we've ever seen this high flying explosive 2-guard play, as he finished with 27 points, three rebounds, 8-15 field goals, 5-6 3-pointers, and 6-7 free throws and would have been the easy choice for playoff MVP honors over 7'0 N'Faly Dante from Bel Aire (Sunrise Christian) KS, who was the guy who took home those honors and was pretty darn impressive with 22 points 18 rebounds, two blocked shots, and 10-17 field goals of his own in the title game.

And, if that wasn't enough, Green also took over the game in the second half en route to 27 points four rebounds, four assists, 11-16 field goals, and 0-4 3-pointers in his team's 92-89 win against Boo Williams in the semi-finals and played a key role with 17 points, six rebounds, six assists, 6-14 field goal, and 1-3 3-pointes in his team's 87-81 stunning upset against the Texas Titans in the first round of the playoffs.  Green only averaged 15.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, and 2.8 apg in pool play, but he didn't have to put up big numbers due to the fact that he had a great supporting cast, which also included 6'4 Jr Devin Askew from Santa Ana (Mater Dei) CA, 6'4 Nimari Barnett from Napa (Prolific Prep) CA, and 6'7 Addison Patterson from Scottsdale (Bella Vista Prep) AZ.  As a matter of fact, Green played so well and was so good in the clutch that he will likely move up to #3, right behind 6'7 Cade Cunningham from Montverde (Academy) FL and 7'0 Evan Mobley from Temecula (Rancho Christian) CA, when he update our Ranking of the Top Players Nationally in the Class of 2020 at the conclusion of the summer.

Getting back to Dante, he provided Mokan Elite with the strong physical athletic presence that it needed in the post and he was as good as he was bad when we saw him a year ago at places like the Pangos All-American Camp and the NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp and earlier this spring in the NIKE EYBL's Atlanta Session.  And the big difference is confidence and maturity, as we're talking about somebody who averaged 18.0 ppg and 13.5 rpg, and 1.8 bpg in pool play, was a major match-up problem when his team knocked off the New York Renaissance 81-70 in the quarterfinals, and also checked in with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 8-14 field goals in his team's 86-77 win in the semi-finals against the Houston Hoops.  Dante also has the quickness and footwork necessary to be a great rebounder/shot blocker/defender/rim protector, but he also knows how to compete, runs the court extremely well for somebody his size, and is good enough right now to be in the equation when we start talking about the top players nationally in the Class of 2020.

But, before you etch Dante's name into stone as the #4 ranked player in the class, behind the Cunningham, Mobley, and Green, it also is important to know that there is talk about Dante reclassifying up a year in class and enrolling this fall at the University of Kentucky.  And, if that happens, that would be enough to move the Wildcats' recruiting class, which also already includes 6'7 Kahlil Whitney from Roselle (Catholic) NJ, 6'2 Tyrese Maxey from Garland (South Garland) TX, 6'8 Keion Brooks from La Porte (La Lumiere School) IN, 6'6 Johnny Juzang from North Hollywood (Harvard-Westlake) CA, and 6'6 Dontaie Allen from Falmouth (Pendleton County) KY, up from #5 to #2 in our Final Ranking of the Top Recruiting Classes for the Class of 2019.  However, even more  important, Dante is good enough right now to walk in and be exactly what the doctor ordered to solved Kentucky's immediate need for a quality big man in the post.

Getting back to the the business at hand, we also think it is important to point out that ranking Green #1 and Dante #2 on our list of the Top Players Based Primarily On Performance at the 2019 NIKE EYBL FINALS AT THE PEACH JAM is no knock on Cunningham, who averaged 24.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg, and 6.0 apg in pool play and was so good during the course of the week that he is now the consensus #1-ranked player nationally in the Class of 2020.  He also would have been the #1-ranked player on this list if he had stepped up and gotten his team over the hump in the above mentioned upset by Team Whynot in the first round of the playoffs.  Cunningham only had six points and was only 2-8 from the field in that game, but his 11 rebounds and 10 assists are a testament to how he can affect that game in so many different ways.  We would like him to develop more of an outside shooter's mentality, but he also has a great feel for the game, is versatile enough to play anywhere on the court, and, at times, is almost too unselfish for his own good.  As for which one we like better, right now the nod goes to Cunningham, but Mobley has more upside and potential and, as a result, we reserve the right to change out mind.

The final two spots in the top five of our Ranking of Top Players Based Primarily On Performance at the 2019 NIKE EYBL FINALS AT THE PEACH JAM go to 6'10 Jr Paolo Banchero from Seattle (O'Dea) WA and 6'8 Jr Jonathan Kuminga from Centereach (Our Savior New American) NY.  And they were both spectacular in their own right, as the former finished ranked #2 in scoring 25.2 ppg and also was one of the leading rebounders in pool play with 11.2 rpg, which is especially noteworthy in light of the fact that one of our biggest criticisms has been that he is too much of an outside/inside guy, doesn't take advantage of his size, and doesn't get enough done the boards.  On the other hand, he might be too smooth for his own good and he has excellent ball handling and passing skills for somebody his size, makes great decisions with the ball in the ball in the open court, has a soft touch on his jump shot, and is capable of scoring in variety ways.   The latter finished ranked #2 in scoring with 27.4 ppg and was the catalyst in his team's shocking 88-61 upset on Thursday against Phenom University in pool play.

Kuminga also was a good as he was bad the last time we saw him at the Pangos All-American Camp, where he finished ranked no higher than #37 in camp.  This time around Kuminga finished with 26 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals, 9-17 field goals, 4-8 3-pointers, and 4-7 free throws and he also was clearly the best player on the court, which is saying a lot when one remembers that 6'9 Jalen Johnson from Glendale (Nicolet) WI and 6'10 Jr Patrick Baldwin from Sussex (Hamilton) WI are two of the top five-ranked players nationally in their respective classes and 6'0 R.J. Davis from White Plains (Archbishop Stepinac) NY is being touted as the next great point guard to hail from New York City.  We would like Kuminga to be more of an inside/outside guy, but he does handle the ball pretty well for somebody his size and the rest of his game seems to feed off of whether the outside shot is going to down or not.  And the fact that he has a great combination of size and athleticism and is oozing with upside and potential makes him all the more intriguing.

We also think it was almost too close to call for the #6, #7, #8, and @9 spot on our list among 6'5 Jr Langston Love from Cibolo (Byron P. Steele) TX, 6'0 Jr Kennedy Chandler from Memphis (Briarcrest) TN, 5'10 Jr Zion Harmon from Benton (Marshall County) KY, and 6'1 Sharife Cooper from Powder Springs (McEachern) GA.  However, we decided to go with Love n the final analysis for several reasons.  First, he was the catalyst behind his team getting out of pool play and knocking off the Indy Heat, 96-89, in the first round of the playoffs.  Second, he finished ranked #5 in pool play in scoring with 23/6 ppg,  Third, he also has a great nose for the ball to go along with his excellent speed and quickness, crafty moves to the basket, and ability to score in a variety of ways.  Chandler averaged 13.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, and 6.0 apg and, with his great court savvy, quickness in the open court, and ability to get to the basket, defend, and get his teammates involved, he was the catalyst behind his team's quest for the Championship.  He also has an extremely high basketball IQ and it seems like the bigger the game the better he played, as is evident by the fact that he had 20 points, seven assists, and 6-12 field goals in the semi-finals and 23 points, six rebounds, two steals, 8-17 field goals, and 1-3 3-pointers in the Championship Game.

Harmon also has great court savvy, a high basketball IQ, crafty moves, and excellent speed and quickness with the ball, which he uses to penetrate and dish and pick your pocket at the defensive end.  However, he also tends to be a streaky outside shooter and, when he's on, like he was when he had 26 points, 11 assists, three steals, 10-22 field goals, and 4-9 3-pointers and hit the game winning shot that advanced his team into the final fur, he is like a lethal weapon.  But there other are times when he comes back down to earth, like when he had only 17 points, three assists, five turnovers, 6-15 field goals, and 2-5 3-pointess and missed what would have been the game tying shot in his team's 92-89 loss in the semi-fianls against Team Whynotly.  Cooper more than makes up for his lack of size with his speed and quickness and ability to total light up a scoreboard, as is evident by the fact that  finished ranked first in both scoring and passing in the tournament a year ago with 28.2 ppg and 8.6 apg.  However, this time around his scoring was a little down, as he finished ranked no higher than #5 in pool play with 23.0 ppg, but first once again in passing with 9.8 apg.  He also is a last second shot away from being ranked at least two or three spots higher on this list, as he finished with 31 ,points, 11 assists, 11-21 field goals, and 3-4 3-pointers in his team's loss against Boo Williams in the quarterfinals.

We also give 7'1 Mark Williams from Norfolk (Academy) VA the nod over 6'9 Greg Brown from Austin (Vandegrift) TX for the #10 spot on our list, because he was so productive and so efficient in terms of both scoring and rebounding in the post.  Williams does need to get bigger and stronger physically and his game is more finesse that power, but 23 points, nine rebounds, two blocked shots, and 9-12 field goals versus AOT in the quarterfinals and 24 points, 15 rebounds, three blocked shots, and 10-13 field goals against Team Why in the semi-finals really illustrates the point.  Brown checks in at #7 on the list of the top scorers with 21.6 ppg and, although he has the versatility, athleticism, and skills necessary to play both inside and outside, he's more of a four/three than a three four right now, as is evident by the fact that he also averaged 7.6 rpg and was only 2-7 from behind the arc in five games of pool play.  He also was the perfect complement to Cunningham on a team that went 5-0 in pool play and was the heavy favorite to go all the way in the playoffs prior to being eliminated in the quarterfinals by Team Whynot.

We also think you can pretty much shake up 6'4 Jr Devin Askew from Santa Ana (Mater Dei) CA, 6'0 R.J. Davis from White Plains (Archbishop Stepanic) NY, 6'5 Patrick Christopher from Lakewood (Mayfair) CA, and 6'3 Cameron Thomas from Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA, who are the next four guys on our list in the #12, #13, #14, and #15 spots, pretty much any way you want.  Askew averaged 16.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 6.0 apg, and 2.0 spg, but it's his quickness, athleticism, versatility, competitive edge, and ability to make big shots and score in variety of ways that makes him one of the top five players nationally in the Class of 2021 and the perfect backcourt mate along with Green on a team that was a last second shot away from winning the whole thing.  Davis is another guy who lacks size, but more than makes up for it with his speed and quickness, competitive edge, nose for the ball, and ability to create for both himself and his teammates.  He also is able to score in a variety of ways and he had 21.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 4.2 apg, and 2.0 spg in pool play, which illustrates even further why he is being touted by many as the best point guard prospect to come out of New York City in a long time.

Christopher has a tendency to try and do too much at times and he can be a streaky outside shooter.  However, he does have a great combination of strength and athleticism, is a match-up problem when he attacks the basket, and was the 10th leading scorer in pool play with 20.8 ppg.  He also plays with a competitive edge and arguably was the best player on a Vegas Elite team that featured a plethora of outstanding talent out on the perimeter with the likes of 6'3 Jr Jaden Hardy from Henderson (Coronado) NV, 6'0 Jr Zaon Collins from Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman) NV, and 6'3 Noah Taitz from Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman) NV.  Thomas led the tournament in scoring with 29.2 ppg, but the outside shot wasn't falling like it usually does (he was only 13-42 from behind the arc) and, as a result, this time around he did most of his damage slashing to the basket and off transition.  And quite honestly he was no better than the third best on his team, behind Harmon, who did a great job of running the show, and Williams, who was virtually unstoppable with his quickness and mobility around the basket.

We also thought the NIKE EYBL Finals at the Peach Jam had plenty of depth, as is evident by the fact that guys like 6'11 Jr Moussa Cisse from Middle Village (Christ the King) NY, 6'9 Jalen Johnson from Glendale (Nicolet) WI, 6'8 Scottie Barnes from Ft. Lauderdale (University School) FL, 6'3 D.J. Steward from Chicago (Whitney Young) IL, and 6'7 Brandon Boston from Norcross (H.S.) GA, are ranked no higher than in the 16-20 range based primarily on their performance in this event.  Cisse only averaged 11.4 ppg, but 64-109 (58.7%) field goals, 11.0 rpg, and 3.9 bpg is a testament to just how dominant he is the post.  He also is extremely athletic, has soft touch around the basket, and still has plenty of untapped upside and potential.  We would like him to extend his shooting range a little bit and become a better free throw shooter (he was only 20-44 from the foul line), but he now must be in the discussion when we start talking about the top five-ranked players nationally in the Class of 2021.  Johnson averaged 17.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 5.0 apg, and 1.4 spg and shot 30-65 from the field, 4-18 from behind the arc, and 24-39 from the free throw line.  However, he was still subpar by his usual standards.  Remember, we're talking about a top five-ranked player nationally in the Class of 2020 and he was the go-to-guy on a team that finished second in the last year's 16-Under  Division.

But this time around Phenom University not only lost twice in pool play, but seemed to lack the same chemistry that it had a year ago and last spring and they got totally annihilated in the second half on the second day of action against the New York Renaissance.  Barnes averaged 20.0 ppg and to the surprise of many, including Donnie Wilkie, who is the tournament director for the City of Palms Classic, he also knocked down 4-8 of treys.  If you will recall, Barnes is like a point/forward with his excellent ball handling and passing skills, ability to get more than his share of rebounds, and versatility and athleticism that allows him to play pretty much anywhere on the floor.  However, a good outside shooter he is not.  Steward is a high-energy versatile and very athletic 2-guard who can both shoot and slash and he simply picked up where he left off earlier in the spring and summer, as this time around he finished with 20.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, and 4.4 apg, and 1.2 spg. Boston appears to have toned it down with regard to his outside shooting (he was 3-13 from behind the arc), but he still managed to average 20.8 ppg and he also has great length and athleticism and is exceptional rebounder when one considers his lack of size and the position that he plays.  Boston also has good ball handling skills, the versatility necessary to play multiple position, and the talent necessary to be a near lock for next year's McDonald's All-American Game.

And, when we dig a little deeper, we find that 6'6 Earl Timberlake from Hyattsville (DeMatha) MD, 6'4 Adam Miller from Chicago (Morgan Park) IL, 6'4 Nimari Burnett from Napa (Prolific Prep) CA, 6'3 Jr Jaden Hardy from Henderson (Coronado) NV,  6'2 Jamal Mashburn from Wolfeboro (Brewster Academy) NH, 6'9 Richard Springs from Granby (MacDuffie School) MA, 6'7 Addison Patterson from Scottsdale (Bella Vista Prep) AZ, 7'1 Hunter Dickinson from Hyattsville (DeMatha) MD, 6'9 Lance Ware from Camden (H.S.) NJ, and 6'7 Terrence Williams from Washington (Gonzaga) DC, all played well enough to fall into the 21-30 range,. Timberlake put up impressive numbers to the tune of 19.6 ppg, plus he has the versatility and athleticism necessary to play multiple positions and he gets extra credit for not only being a defensive stopper, but also being able to shut down both bigger and smaller guys.  Normally Miller is a better outside shooter than his 7-40 treys would indicate, but this athletic 2-guard was able to find his way to the basket route to 18.4 ppg and he also shoed that he has the versatility necessary to defend multiple positions.  Burnett has a good combination of speed, quickness, and athleticism, he knows how to compete, and, whether it be attacking basket or knocking down the outside shot, this guy can score in bunches.  And he was especially effective in the Championship Game, as his 22 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, 9-11 field goals, and 2-3 3-pointers would a test.  Hardy is another guy with big time athleticism and the ability to light up a scoreboard.  However, he also tends to be a feast or famine guy and, with a 16.4 ppg scoring average in pool play, it's pretty clear that he fell short of living up to his press clippings.

Mashburn finished ranked #9 in scoring with 20.6 ppg and nobody questions his ability to attack the basket and knock down the outside shot, as is evident by his 15-32 3-point shooting in this event.  However, he's more of a Scoring combo guard than a true facilitator and, as a result, it will be important for him to pick the right school at the next level.  Springs will need to get a lot bigger and stronger physically, but he averaged 12.8 ppg and 13.4 rpg, which simply reinforces the fact that he was one of the best rebounders that we saw all week and, as a result, he projects as an athletic 4-man all the way.  Patterson was kind of the forgotten man on Team Whynot in both the semi-finals and the Championship Game.  But this versatile athletic wing who rebounds well for his size and position and has a soft touch on his outside side and knack for getting to the rim, did averaged 11.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg, and 3.2 apg and he helped save the day with 26 points, 9-16 field goals, 3-6 3-pointers, and 5-7 free throws in the semi-finals against the Texas Titans.  Dickinson kind of got lost in the shuffle this time without the great supporting cast that he had a year ago on the road to the Championship.  However, he did averaged 13.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, and 2.2 bpg and it is difficult not like his skills and ability to score, rebound, and pass in and out of the post.  Ware is a high energy athletic 4-man who is very efficient and he showed that he knows how to score and rebound to the tune of 14.4 ppg and 6.4 rpg.  Williams doesn't pass the look test with his tweener size and frame, which lacks quickness and finesse.  However, he is a lot more versatile and mobile than one might expect, he averaged 16.3 ppg and 4.8 rpg, and he sure knows how to get results with his aggressiveness around the basket and ability to in a variety of different ways.

We also don't want to forget about guys like 6'7 Jr Terrence Clarke from Wolfeboro (Brewster Academy) NH, 6'0 Jr Zaon Collins from Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman) NV. 6'3 Hassan Diarra from Putnam (Science) CT, 6'0 Nijel Pack from Indianapolis (Lawrence Central) IN, 6'3 Noah Taitz from Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman) NV, 6'6 Darius Maddox from Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA, 6'0 Jalen Terry from Beecher (Mt. Morris) MI, 6'10 Jr Patrick Baldwin from Sussex (Hamilton) WI, 6'6 Chris Moore from West Memphis (H.S.) AR, and 6'11 Isaiah Todd from Raleigh (Trinity Academy) NC.  Clark was a consensus top five-ranked player nationally in his class, along with the above mentioned Baldwin, 6'10 Jr Paolo Banchero from Seattle (O'Dea) WA, 6'8 Jr Jonathan Kuminga from Centereach (Our Savior New American) NY, and 6'3 Soph Devin Askew from Santa Ana (Mater Dei) CA.  But he also should win the award for being the biggest enigma of the summer after turning in a stellar performance at the Pangos All-American Camp, where he finished ranked #2 overall in camp, and then totally laying an egg at the NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp.  This time around he showed some flashes, but also only averaged 14.2 ppg and 3.4 rpg and, sot a miserable 26-76 from the field and was only 1-22 behind the arc.

Collins never seems to put up impressive numbers in the scoring department, but he is the consummate point guard who always makes everybody around him better.  And this time was no exception, as he averaged only 9.0 ppg, but also averaged 7.0 apg and 1.5 spg.  Diarra is a slashing athletic 2-guard who finished with 16.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.6 apg, and 1.4 spg and provided Masburn with the perfect complement in the backcourt with his ability to get out and go in transition, attack the basket, and finish at the rim.  Pack was one of the best pure point guards that we saw all week and he not only averaged 8.8 apg, but he also led his team in scoring with 19.0 ppg and was the catalyst behind their 40 start in pool play.  He also has excellent speed and quickness, crafty moves to the basket, and knack for being able to find the open man.  We do have some questions about his lack of size and he does not have an outside shooter's mentality.  However, we do think he's an excellent catch for Kansas State and he is a legitimate top 100 senior nationally.  Taitz is another guy who will need to get meaner and tougher and a point guard he is not.  However, he does provide the perfect complement to Collins and all of the other guys that Vegas Elite has out on the perimeter due to the fact that he is one of the best pure shooters nationally in the Class of 2020.  And the fact he's also a great kind and an outstanding student are just added bonuses.

Maddox provided the perfect one-two punch, along with Timberlake, on Team Durant, as is evident by the fact that he averaged 20.0 ppg and, in the process, made a lining using his explosive to blow past would-be defenders and attack the basket.  Terry has great speed and quickness to go along with his excellent ball handling and passing skills, competitive edge, knack for getting to the rim, and the ability to lock his man up defensively. Baldwin averaged 13.0 ppg and 3.8 rpg and he shot 23-66 from the field, 9-36 from behind the arc, and 11-13 from the four line, which means this might be one to just throw out when we start talking about where he belongs in our ranking of the top players nationally in the Class of 2021.  On the other hand, we're also starting to wonder if Baldwin is too nice a kind and does not have the takeover mentality necessary to live up to all of the early hype and expectations.  Moore is another guy without a true position, but he led the way for Woodz Elite with 11.4 ppg and 9.6 rpg and we sure do like his speed, quickness, and athleticism and ability to attack the basket and rebound for somebody his size.  Todd's 16.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, and 2.0 bpg numbers are respectable enough and he does have great length and athleticism, excellent skills, and is oozing with upside and potential.  Unfortunately he also is not a tough customer, spends entirely too much time out on the perimeter, and he is one of those guys who has been ranked among the top players nationally in the Class of 2020 dating all the way back to his middle school days.  Enough said!

We also want to make mention of guys like 6'0 Marcus Watson from Chicago (Morgan Park) IL,6'9 Jaemyn Brakefield from Huntington (Prep) WV, 6'4 Jr Aminu Mohammed from Springfield (Greenwood Laboratory) MO, 6'4 Devonte Davis from Jacksonville (H.S.) AR, 6'5 Colby Jones from Mountain Brook (H.S.) AL, 6'8 Elijah Taylor from Philadelphia (Imhotep Charter) PA, 6'2 Jr Nolan Hickman from Sammamish (East Side Catholic) WA, 6'0 Jr Bensley Joseph from Ashburnham (Cushing Academy) MA, 6'4 Anthony Hoggard from Huntngton (Prep) WV, and 6'10 Jr Michael Foster from Phoenix (Hillcrest Academy) AZ, all of whom are good enough to fall into the 41-50 range on our list. Watson more than makes up for his lack of size with his speed and quickness and he does a good job of running the show, getting his teammates involved, and being a pest at the defensive end.  He also gets extra credit for being the top assist man in the NIKE EYBL this past spring with 9.1 apg and he averaged 15.2 ppg and 7.4 apg for the Mac Irvin Fire this time around.  Brakefield is another guy with a great combination of length, athleticism, skills, and natural talent and, at times, he can he virtually unstoppable with his moves and quickness to the basket.  And, although he averaged 14.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg, and 2.6 spg for Phenon University, we suspect that he may have messed up this team's chemistry. Remember, sometimes you can have too many chiefs and not enough Indians and Brakefield ended being the second leading scorer and the second leading rebounder on a team that was otherwise already intact from a year ago.

Mohammed gets mentioned because he averaged 17.0 ppg and 8.2 rpg and he provided Zion Harmon, Mark Williams, and Cameron Thomas with the perfect complement out on the perimeter with his ability to both shoot and slash and do a little bit of everything at the 3-spot.   Davis averaged 18.4 ppg and 4.8 rpg and he is equally adept at either guard spot.  He will need to become a better outside shooter, but he has good moves to the basket, is an excellent defender, and knows how to find the open man.  Jones is more of a slasher than a shooter, but he has good speed and quickness, an excellent nose for the ball, and the versatility and athleticism necessary to able to play multiple positions.  He also put up impressive numbers to the tune of 25 points, 14 rebounds, and 11-19 field goals when he led Alabama Fusion to an impressive 77-71 win against Seattle Rotary on the second day of action.  Taylor is another guy without a true position, but we liked his toughness and blue collar work ethic around the basket and he led Team Final in both scoring and rebounding with 13.2 ppg and 8.0 rpg.  Hickman is still somewhat of a sleeper nationally, but he impressed us with his speed and quickness with the ball, ability to get his teammates involved, and the fact that he can both shoot and slash.  And he did so this time around to the tune of 18.0 ppg, 5.2 apg, and 1.2 spg.

Joseph is a great sleeper for the top 50-100 range nationally in the Class of 2021.  We're talking about somebody with excellent speed and quickness with the ball, is good defensively, and knows how to compete and get his teammates involved.  He also more than held his own with 25 points, nine assists, 7-15 field goals, 1-5 3-pointers, and 10-11 field goals in a head-to-head match on the second day action against Zion Harmon.  Also noteworthy is the fact that Expressions Elite won the game 91-81 and Harmon had only 10  points, five rebounds, six assists, 3-14 field goals, 0-6 3-pointers, and 4-4 free throws in a losing effort.  Hoggard is a strong physical combo guard who knows how to compete and is a tough match-up when he decides to bully his way to the basket.  And last, not least, is Foster, who has revealed himself as one of the most hyped players in the history of the game.  If you will recall, he was a consensus top five-ranked player nationally in his class a year ago.  But now it is pretty clear that he has no concept of how to play the game, as is evident by the fact that he negates his size by spending most of his time out on the perimeter.  And his stats, which include 12.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 21-58 field goals, 3-16 3-pointers, and 17-33 free throws, are pathetic, especially when remembers that we're talking about somebody with the size, strength, and athleticism necessary to be a monster in the post.  On the other hand, he is transferring from Milwaukee (Washington) WI to Phoenix (Hillcrest Prep) AZ and miracles do happen..

THE HOOP SCOOP's EXCLUSIVE RANKING OF THE TOP PLAYER BASED PRIMARILY ON PERFORMANCE THE NIKE EYBL FINALS AT THE PEACH JAM

1. 6'6 Jalen Green from Napa (Prolific Prep) CA (Team Whynot)
2. 7'0 N'Faly Dante from Bel Aire (Sunrise Christian) KS (Mokan Elite)
3. 6'7 Cade Cunningham from Montverde (Academy) FL (Texas Titans)
4. 6'10 Jr Paolo Banchero from Seattle (O'Dea) WA (Seattle Rotary)
5. 6'8 Jr Jonathan Kuminga from Centereach (Our Savior New American) NY (New York Renaissance)
6. 6'5 Jr Langston Love from Cibolo (Byron P. Steele) TX (Houston Hoops)
7. 6'0 Jr Kennedy Chandler from Memphis (Briarcrest) TN (Mokan Elite)
8. 5'10 Jr Zion Harmon from Benton (Marshall County) KY (Boo Williams)
9. 6'1 Sharife Cooper from Powder Springs (McEachern) GA (A.O.T.)
10. 7'1 Mark Williams from Norfolk (Academy) VA (Boo Williams)
11. 6'9 Greg Brown from Austin (Vandegrift) TX (Texas Titans)
12. 6'4 Jr Devin Askew from Santa Ana (Mater Dei) CA (Team Whynot)
13. 6'0 R.J. Davis from White Plains (Archbishop Stepanic) NY (New York Renaissance)
14. 6'5 Patrick Christopher from Lakewood (Mayfair) CA (Vegas Elite)
15. 6'3 Cameron Thomas from Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA (Boo Williams)
16. 16. 6'11 Jr Moussa Cisse from Middle Village (Christ the King) NY (Expressions Elite)
17. 6'9 Jalen Johnson from Glendale (Nicolet) WI (Phenom University)
18. 6'8 Scottie Barnes from Ft. Lauderdale (University School) FL (Nightrydas Elite)
19. 6'3 D.J. Steward from Chicago (Whitney Young) IL (Mean Streets)
20. 6'7 Brandon Boston from Norcross (H.S.) GA (A.O.T.)
21. 6'6 Earl Timberlake from Hyattsville (DeMatha) MD (Team Durant)
22. 6'4 Adam Miller from Chicago (Morgan Park) IL (Mac Irvin Fire)
23. 6'4 Nimari Burnett from Napa (Prolific Prep) CA (Team Whynot)
24. 6'3 Jr Jaden Hardy from Henderson (Coronado) NV (Vegas Elite)
25. 6'2 Jamal Mashburn from Wolfeboro (Brewster Academy) NH (PSA Cardinals)
26. 6'9 Richard Springs from Granby (MacDuffie School) MA (PSA Cardinals)
27. 6'7 Addison Patterson from Scottsdale (Bella Vista Prep) AZ (Team Whynot)
28. 7'1 Hunter Dickinson from Hyattsville (DeMatha) MD (Team Takeover)
29. 6'9 Lance Ware from Camden (H.S.) NJ (New York (Renaissance)
30. 6'7 Terrence Williams from Washington (Gonzaga) DC (Team Takeover)
31. 6'7 Jr Terrence Clarke from Wolfeboro (Brewster Academy) NH (Expressions Elite)
32. 6'0 Jr Zaon Collins from Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman) NV (Vegas Elite)
33. 6'3 Hassan Diarra from Putnam (Science) CT (PSA Cardinals)
34. 6'0 Nijel Pack from Indianapolis (Lawrence Central) IN (Indy Heat)
35. 6'3 Noah Taitz from Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman) NV (Vegas Elite)
36. 6'6 Darius Maddox from Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA (Team Durant)
37. 6'0 Jalen Terry from Beecher (Mt. Morris) MI (The Family)
38. 6'10 Jr Patrick Baldwin from Sussex (Hamilton) WI (Phenom University)
39. 6'6 Chris Moore from West Memphis (H.S.) AR (Woodz Elite)
40. 6'11 Isaiah Todd from Raleigh (Trinity Academy) NC (Nightrydas Elite)
41. 6'0 Marcus Watson from Chicago (Morgan Park) IL (Mac Irvin Fire)
42. 6'9 Jaemyn Brakefield from Huntington (Prep) WV (Phenom University)
43. 6'4 Jr Aminu Mohammed from Springfield (Greenwood Laboratory) MO (Boo Williams)
44. 6'4 Devonte Davis from Jacksonville (H.S.) AR (Woodz Elite)
45. 45. 6'5 Colby Jones from Mountain Brook (H.S.) AL (Alabama Fusion)
46. 6'8 Elijah Taylor from Philadelphia (Imhotep Charter) PA (Team Final)
47. 6'2 Jr Nolan Hickman from Sammamish (East Side Catholic) WA (Seattle Rotary)
48. 6'0 Jr Bensley Joseph from Ashburnham (Cushing Academy) MA (Expressions Elite)
49. 6'4 Anthony Hoggard from Huntington (Prep) WV (PSA Cardinals)
50. 6'10 Jr Michael Foster from Phoenix (Hillcrest Prp) AZ (Mac Irvin Fire)