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Southwest Prep Classic presented by Courtyard by Marriott

The Inaugural Southwest Prep Classic was a very solid event that was extremely well organized and played great music. Event organizer Marc Beasely did a great job once again by bringing in top prep schools such as South Kent School who was led by JJ Moore 6’7 (W) and Russell Smith the 6’2 scoring (PG), Westwind Prep Academy who was led by Brandon Tuggle the 6’5 athletic (PG) and Tony Snell the 6’8 jumping jack (W), IMPACT Academy who were led by Deron Williams the 5’11 all-purpose (PG) and the Arizona Legends (a team filled with players that have already played at the college and or professional level) were led by 6’5 POWER (G/F) Ira Brown who was a standout player at Gonzaga. While observing this event it was clear to see the major differences between regular H.S. basketball and Prep School basketball. For starters, Prep School teams/players seem to know how to play situational basketball meaning, in certain situations there is a certain way that players and teams need to know what to do and how to perform as were regular H.S. teams usually play one way and one way only FULL SPEED AHEAD. And the skill level is much higher which I’m sure is a part of the reason why those players/teams know how to play situational basketball. Having said all of that, let’s get to the action.

Friday, January 29th
6pm –Arizona Legends vs. South Kent

Game summary: JJ Moore dominated the 1st half by literally scoring from all angels of the court; Russell Smith added some scoring by getting to the basket early and often. Ira Brown was the Arizona Legend’s answer for JJ Moore, Brown had a furious throw down in traffic with 1:59 in the half. Arizona Legend’s Damien Newsom and Terrence Anderson both performed very well to help keep their squad sustain a 47-42 lead going into the half. In the second half Russell Smith, JJ Moore and Danny Lawhorn fought hard to keep South Kent in the game but in the end experience proved to be the deciding factor along with Ira Brown, the Arizona Legends went to get a 106-95 win. Ira Brown had a team high 26 pts 14 rebounds and Dave Cuen scored 16 pts and grabbed 8 rebounds. South Kent’s Russell Smith scored a game high 31 pts and JJ Moore (who had 18 pts in the first half) scored just 7 pts in the second half, ended up with 25 pts and 6 rebounds. “Transitional defense is what hurt us” said South Kent’s Coach Kelvin Jefferson “We gave up too many lay ups and too many free throws, that’s where we lost the game”.

Friday January 29th

Westwind Prep vs IMPACT Academy

Game summary: This game was another high scoring affair that involved to evenly matched teams. Throughout the 1st half the game was tight, Westwind Prep’s 6’5 multi skilled Brandon Tuggle asserted himself into the role of Jamal Franklin who went to San Diego State a little earlier than expected. Tony Snell the 6’8 slashing, very athletic (W) played well as expected by using one if his new found weapon’s handling the ball out on the perimeter which is what allows Tony to get to the basket in a half court set. IMPACT’S Gary Johnson and Deron Williams had big 1st halves Johnson had 13 pts and Williams had 10 pts which seemed to keep IMPACT in the thick of things going into the half with a one point 49-48 lead. The second half started just like the first until 7:10 left in the game when Tony Snell hit back to back 3’s and Freddy Wilson steal who outlet the ball to a streaking Barndon Tuggle who flushed it down to give Westwind Prep a commanding 89-72 lead and from that point on Westwind Prep did not look back as they cruised to a 100-81 victory. Brandon Tuggle had a game high 26 pts 7 rebs, Tony Snell also had a big game pouring in 21 pts and 10 rebs.IMPACT’S Gary Johnson scored a team high 23 pts and grabbed 7 rebs and Kelvin Smith contributed 18 pts and 4 rebs.

Saturday, January 30
1:30p – IMPACT Academy vs Arizona Legends

Game summary: The Arizona Legends came out fast and hard as they jumped out to a big early lead behind Adam Arreola’s 21 first half points and Ira Brown’s 12 first half points the Legends went into the half with a 82-69 lead. Kelvin Smith led IMPACT with 9 first half points. Just like the first half, the Arizona Legends kept on rolling led by Eric Cuen’s 12 second half points and Danny Giange’s 9 second half points the Legends went on to a 120-71 victory. Adam Arreola led all scorers with 29 pts and 11 rebounds, Deron Williams led IMPACT Academy with 25 pts, Williams scored all of his 25 pts in the second half.

3:30p – South Kent vs Westwind Prep Academy

Game summary: This game was definitely the game of the day which also featured three really good match ups starting with the PG’s Westwind Prep’s 6’5 multi skilled PG Brandon Tuggle vs South Kent’s lightning quick, scoring PG 6’2 Russell Smith. The second match up features the ultra athletic swingmen Westwind Prep’s 6’8 Tony Snell vs South Kent’s 6’7 multi talented JJ Moore and third is the match up of were the big fellas Westwind Prep’s 6’9 Ludavic Ndaye vs South Kent’s 6’9 work horse Nemanja Durisic. This game was action filled and tight throughout the 1st half. Westwind Prep’s Brandon Tuggle and Tony Snell had HUGE 1st halves, Tuggle scored 20 pts and Snell scored 17 pts while South Kent’s Chris Johnson stepped up with a 14 point first half and JJ Moore added 9 points as Westwind Prep went into the half with a 57-50 lead. The second half started off with Westwind Prep’s Brandon Tuggle stealing an inbounds pass and passing the ball to a streaking Tony Snell who took off from a little inside the free throw line to hammer it home which instantly switched the momentum and the game and Westwind Prep went on to get the 125-115 win over South Kent. The difference in this game wasSouth Kent’s Chris Johnson who scored 14 points in the first half but did not score a single basket in the second half proved to be the crucial. “This was a big win for us” said Westwind Prep’s Tony Snell “Not only can we compete; we can beat Prep schools from anywhere”. Westwind Prep Academy was led by Brandon Tuggle who led all scorers with 35 pts 9 rebs and 6 assist and Tony Snell poured in 34 pts and 12 rebs Freddy Wilson added 17 pts and Ludivic Ndye added 8 pts. South Kent was led by JJ More’s 30 pts 12 rebs, Russell Smith had 18 pts and 6 assist, Ronnie Mack Jr added 15 pts, Chris Johnson had 14 pts and Vernell Blackman had 11 pts.

Sunday, January 31

10a – Impact Academy vs South Kent

Game summary: To start the game, South Kent ran off 11 straight points and cruised throughout the first half. IMPACT’s Kelvin Smith (12 pts) and Jake Lerner (7 pts) had solid first halves while South Kent’s JJ Moore (17 pts) and Russ smith (15 pts) had very big first halves combining for 32 of South Kent’s 78 first half points as South Kent went in to the half with a commanding 78-58 lead. The second half started and ended the same way the first half did with South Kent executing at a high rate and cruising to a 102-70 victory. Russell Smith led all scorers with 20 pts and JJ Moore also had a big game with 19 pts 8 rebounds. IMPACT Academy was led by Kelvin Smith’s 18 pts 6 assist and Deron Williams added 13 pts and 4 assist. “That was a lot better” said South Kent’s Coach Kelvin Jefferson “we got back on transition defense and we played a lot better half court defense”.

Noon – Westwind Prep Academy vs Arizona Legends

Game summary: Arizona Legend’s Terrence Anderson hit jumper to start the game for the AZ Legends, this game was tight throughout the 1st half with the Arizona Legends holding on to a 48-42 at the half. In the 2nd half the Arizona Legends was able to maintain a 6-8 pt lead until 10min to go that’s when Westwind Prep made a run cutting the lead to 2 pts Arizona Legends were forced to call time out. During the time out, the Arizona Legends made key substitutions and after the time out the Arizona Legends immediately boosted their lead from 2 pts-25 pts in just 4 minutes which proved to be the answer to any run that Westwind Prep Academy tried to make as the Arizona Legends went on to a 108-93 victory. Arizona Legend’s Ira Brown led all scorers with 26 pts 16 rebounds and 4 blocks Adam Arreola added 19 pts and 6 rebounds. Westwind Prep was led by the man in the middle Ludovic Ndaye’s 19 pts 12 rebounds and Tyler Reynolds added 17 pts.

www.hoopsreport.com’s Southwest Prep Classic top 10 performers

Deron Williams 5’11 (PG) IMPACT Academy
Russell Smith 6’2 (PG) South Kent School
Brandon Tuggle 6’5 (PG) Westwind Prep Academy
Adam Arreola 6’5 (F) Arizona Legends
Ira Brown 6’5 (G/F) Arizona Legends
Damien Newson 6’6 (G) Arizona Legends
JJ Moore 6’7 (W) South Kent School
Tony Snell 6’8 (W) Westwind Prep Academy
Ludovic Ndaye 6’9 (F) Westwind Prep Academy
Nemanja Djurisic 6’9 (F) South Kent School

Southwest Prep Classic top 10 performer’s player evaluations

Deron Williams 5’11 (PG) IMPACT Academy Williams is a good looking prospect, athletic, good body, plays at a high level and is very competitive.

Russell Smith 6’2 (PG) South Kent School Smith showed that he has the ability to get to the basket and score at will, Smith should be a contributor as a freshman next year for Rick Patino and the Louisville Cardinals.

Brandon Tuggle 6’5 (PG) Westwind Prep Academy Brandon has arrived as a high major prospect, at 6’5 with a good handle and very athletic Brandon also showed that he has the ability to not only score at will but he can also lock down on defense.

Adam Arreola 6’5 (F) Arizona Legends Arreola has a “grown man” kind of game, nothing flashy just get’s the job done, Arreola understands game situations very well and knows how and when to score.

Ira Brown 6’5 (G/F) Arizona Legends Brown is a monstrous talent, Brown is a great rebounder, a great finisher, very strong physically and he’s unrealistically athletic.

Damien Newsome 6’6 (G) Arizona Legends Newsome is another one of those “old school” type players who knows how to win, Newsome is very solid, can do all things well, very athletic.

JJ Moore 6’7 (W) South Kent School Moore is an elite prospect who can do it all from hitting the mid/long shot or getting to the rack and finishing with authority Moore can do it, look for Moore to be a major contributor at Pitt next fall.

Tony Snell 6’8 (W/G) Westwind Prep Academy Tony Snell is a high major prospect, very long, very athletic, Snell has added a dimension to his game, running the point, Snell is very athletic and has long arms which is one of the reasons why Snell is a top notch defender. Look for Snell to be a major contributor next fall for Coach Steve Alford and the New Mexico Lobos.

Ludovic Ndaye 6’9 (F) Westwind Prep Academy Ndaye is a very attractive prospect, at 6’9 he can do many things, Ndaye as a very good face up and back to the basket game, before it’s all said and done Ndaye could turn out to be the better of all the prospects mentioned, Cleveland State got a steal.

Nemanja Djurisic 6’9 (F) South Kent School Djurisic is a solid inside player who does nothing fancy he just gets the job done, a very solid mid to high major prospect.

Southwest Prep Classic top 10 scorers (total points after three games)

1. JJ Moore 6’7 (W) South Kent School (74 pts)
2. Tony Snell 6’8 (W) Westwind Prep Academy (70 pts)
3. Russell Smith 6’2 (PG) South Kent School (69 pts)
4. Ira Brown 6’5 (G/F) Arizona Legends (66 pts)
5. Brandon Tuggle 6’5 (PG) Westwind Prep Academy (60 pts)
6. Adam Arreola 6’5 (F) Arizona Legends (58 pts)
7. Kelvyn Smith IMPACT Academy (49 pts)
8. Deron Williams 5’11 (PG) IMPACT Academy (48 pts)
9. Gary Johnson 6’6 (W) IMPACT Academy (37 pts)
10. Ludovic Ndaye 6’9 (F) Westwind Prep Academy (35 pts)

POSTED: 2-1-2010

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