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Cactus Classic Top Performers

This past weekend, 32 of the nation’s premiere AAU programs participated in the 3rd Annual Cactus Classic in Tucson, AZ, and the invitation-only event that is sponsored by NBA stars Damon Stoudamire and Gilbert Arenas, turned out to be one of the most competitive tournaments of the year.

HoopsReport.com’s West-Coast Scout, Justin Lee, who also owns and operates the Arizona Hoop Scoop Magazine was on hand for all the action and sent us this report covering the event’s top performers.

2008 Arizona Cactus Classic Top Performers

Abdul Gaddy (6’3, PG, 2009, Northwest Panthers, Arizona commit)- Gaddy was as smooth as the other side of the pillow all weekend long. His first matchup against one of the top rated point guards in all the land, John Wall, went in his favor as he finished with 22 points, 5 assists and a steal in the big-time showdown. He would clock in another top notch performance against Team Odom in the elite 8 game, dropping 22 points to go with 6 assists. Even more impressive is the fact that he shot 67% from the field. He might have the best shot selection in the country, second to none, and always seems to find his way out of a tough situation. He shot 54% from the field overall, averaging 19 points and 5 assists per game. It was a great weekend for the Arizona commit.

Avery Bradley (6-foot-3, SG, 2009, Northwest Panthers)- Bradley is about as explosive as it gets. With incredible athleticism and an aggressive in-your-face attitude, he has put himself in elite company. His ability to get to the rack and finish strong has allowed him the opportunity to almost pick and choose what high major program he wants to be apart of. He has stated that he wants to stay in the Pac-10 and really likes Oregon and UCLA. Over the weekend Bradley finished 2nd overall in the tournament in scoring, averaging nearly 25 points per game, including back-to-back 30+ point performances against Pump N’ Run Elite and Team Odom in bracket play, as he shot 55% from the field. In addition, he would head the steals department, averaging 3 per game. While his shot was not as dead-on as it usually is, he found a way to put the ball in the bucket when it counted. Look for his ranking to soar during the summer.

John Wall (6-foot-4, PG, 2009, D-One Sports)-Wall showed-off over the weekend, proving why he is regarded as the top guard in the nation and possibly the top player in the nation. His ability to get to the rack and finish or find the open man for easy lay-ups is impeccable. With his explosiveness and ability to push the ball up the floor so fast, he is arguably the hardest player in the nation to guard. While he does not seem to go to his right hand all too well, he is almost unstoppable when his mind is made up. His outside shot was not too impressive either, but then again, why take them when you get to the rack as easy as he does. His weekend got cut short after a loss to Pump N’ Run Power in the first round of bracket play. Nonetheless, he would end the tournament 4th in scoring averaging 21.3 points per contest to go with 7.3 assists and 5.3 boards per game while shooting close to 55% from the field.

Peyton Siva (5-foot-11, PG, 2009, Seattle Rotary Select)-Siva, at times over the weekend, was as unstoppable on the offensive end as they come. With a variety of ways to put the ball in the basket, Siva has propelled himself as being one of the top scoring guards in the nation. He finished 5th in scoring in a loaded playing field, averaging 20.6 points, including a 35 point performance in his first game against Inland. In addition, he shot 53.7% from the field and 40.6% from beyond the arch. He is rumored to really like Louisville.

Johnnie Lacy (5-foot-11, Guard, 2009, Wisconsin Playground)- Lacy came out proving why he was so heavily regarded as a top guard in the ’09 class. His ability to penetrate and leave a defender behind off the dribble makes him a threat any-and-every time he has the ball in his hands. While his outside shot was a bit on the streaky side, he got some to fall as he averaged 18.7 points per contest to go with nearly 3 assists per game. His best game was his first as he dropped 25 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals on the Las Vegas Prospects. He would lead his team to the Final 4 game before being put out by the eventual champions of the tournament, Houston Hoops.

Jordan Hamilton (6-foot-7, Wing, 2009, Team Odom)-Hamilton’s length and ability to penetrate with reckless abandonment on any defender you put in front of him makes him the high major, elite prospect that he is. In addition, his mid range game is automatic at times. While he could use a better 3-ball look, he is able to score so easily at such a high level that it is almost hard saying he needs any work on the offensive end. The pleasure this past weekend was seeing him put forth some effort on the defensive end, contesting shots and gambling a bit for the steal. He was undoubtedly one of the top performers of the talent filled tournament. He would average 18.3 points per contest while shooting 51.9% from the field. He was the catalyst for his team as they knocked off some of the top programs in the nation this past weekend.

Joe Burton (6-foot-8, Center, 2009, Compton Magic)-Though he missed his team’s first game on Friday night, he showed up in timely fashion as him and Roberto Nelson were probably the best 1-2 punch in the whole tournament. Burton’s ability to score with ease on the low block, his intuition of where defenders are closing in at and always seeming to make the right pass or decision separates him from a lot of the top post players. In addition, he has tremendous footwork and is strong as an ox. Burton is about as good as it gets down low. He would average 18 points per game while shooting an impressive 62.8% from the field. He would lead the tournament field in rebounds with close to 10 per game. It was a great performance for the skilled big fella.

Roberto Nelson (6-foot-4, SG, 2009, Compton Magic)-Nelson was a one man scoring machine over the weekend. His ability to penetrate off the dribble and his athleticism and strength to finish at the rim, regardless of traffic, make him one of the elite scorers in the country. A great motor and enthusiasm in a game make him a flat out warrior. In addition, he can knock down the 3 with consistency and possesses a nice pull up off the dribble. He led the whole tournament in scoring, averaging 25.1 points per game to go with nearly 3 assists. In addition, he would shoot an unbelievable 62.9% from the field and 54.8% from behind the 3-point line. He was arguably the most impressive talent over the weekend. He would lead his Compton Magic squad to the championship game. Despite late game heroics by Nelson, his team would fall short to a hot Houston Hoops team.

Tommy Mason-Griffin (5-foot-10, PG, 2009, Houston Hoops)-the LSU de-commit certainly put it down over the weekend, earning MVP honors and leading his Houston Hoops team to a championship. He uses his advantage of his stout build and being low to the ground so well, as he possesses an impressive handle, an ability to rock a defender to sleep and a nice pull up to make him pay the price. His elevated shot was falling this past weekend and he also showed off his ability to penetrate on just about any guard you put in front of him. In addition, he plays the game with tremendous heart and instinct. He would average 14.9 points to go with 4 assists and 3 rebounds per game. He shot close to 50% from both the field and from behind the 3-point line. Whatever school locks him in will have a winner on their roster.

Elijah Johnson (6-foot-2, PG, 2009, Pump N’ Run Elite)-Johnson is a flat out freak of an athlete that finds so many acrobatic ways to score in the lane. A combination of speed and strength make him a loaded weapon with the ball in his hands as he finishes well above the rim. His highlights came in transition, where he is an entertainment show. While he does not shoot too much from the outside, he remains an elite prospect because of his strengths in abilities. While he only averaged nearly 12 points per game on a loaded Pump N’ Run Elite squad, the fact that he shot 69.4% from the field should speak volumes about his shot selection. He is a prime-time talent.

OTHER TOP PERFORMERS: Victor Rudd (2D1 Basketball Academy), James Boyd (2D1 Basketball Academy), Givon Crump (Arizona Magic Elite), George Matthews (Arizona Magic Elite), E.J Singler (Team Jones), Brandon Davies (Utah Pump N’ Run), Ryan Kelly (D-One Sports), Tyler Honeycutt (Pump N’ Run Elite), Anthony Marshall (Las Vegas Prospects), Austin Morgan (Las Vegas Prospects), Jamil Wilson (Wisconsin Playground), Doron Lamb (New York Gauchos),Mike Moser (I-5 Elite), Keith Appling (R.E.A.C.H Legends), Tony Freeland (I-Can All-Stars), Renardo Sidney (LA Dream Team), Kawad Leonard (LA Dream Team), Solomon Hill (California Supreme), Gary Franklin (California Supreme), Anthony Wroten (Seattle Rotary Select), Josh Smith (Seattle Rotary Select), John Henson (Franchize Allstars), Jordan Mays (Pump N’ Run Power), Hector Herold (Pump N’ Run Power), Stephon Heard (Belmont Shore), Thurman Woods (Belmont Shore), Mike Sneak (Inland), Niyi Harrison (Bay Area Hoosiers), Augustine Rubit (Houston Hoops), Marshawn Powell (Boo Williams), and Kendall Marshall (Boo Williams).

This article is associated with the following player(s):
Appling, Keith
Bradley, Avery
Burton, Joe
Crump, Givon
Franklin, Gary
Gaddy, Abdul
Hamilton, Jordan
Henson, John
Hill, Solomon
Honeycutt, Tyler
Johnson, Elijah
Kelly, Ryan
Lacy, Johnny
Lamb, Doron
Marshall, Anthony
Marshall, Kendall
Mason-Griffin, Tommy
Nelson, Roberto
Powell, Marshawn
Rudd, Victor
Sidney, Renardo
Siva, Peyton
Wall, John
Wilson, Jamil
Wroten, Tony

POSTED: 5-14-2008

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