Hidden Gems Stand Out At King James Summer Showcase
By Roy & Harv Schmidt
July 12, 2010
7:00 A.M. CST
While others are obsessed with the big-time atmosphere and watching the same high major prospects over and over again, Illinois Prep Bulls-eye continues to uncover more hidden gems than any other scouting service in Illinois. A venue that was certainly home to a number of under the radar prospects this past weekend was the Waukegan Fieldhouse, which is where games took place in the 17-under division of the King James Summer Showcase. The following is a look at some of the hidden gems who caught our eye.
Deshawn Delaney 6'4 2011 WF Chicago (Carver) D-Rose All Stars
Delaney has not played much on the traveling team circuit prior to this spring. However, make no mistake about it--he has definite D1 ability. Above everything else, Delaney is a high-flying athlete who is a strong finisher and excels in the open court. He also has great instincts around the glass and a good nose for the ball. In addition, Delaney is a solid mid-range scorer, as he can step back and shoot the 10-12' jumper with regularity, which is virtually unheard of in today's day and age. Reggie Rose (Delaney's traveling team coach) said it very well when he referred to Delaney as "an old-school player." We agree and believe that Delaney is a player that college coaches should be watching closely.
Dan Trimble 6'7 2011 WF/2G Geneva (H.S.) Velocity Elite
Any low major D1 program that is in need of a pure shooter should be taking a close look at Trimble. He rang up shots from downtown with regularity at Waukegan (including six trifectas in one game that we watched) and was a major reason why Velocity Eliterolled to a second place finish in the 17-under gold division bracket. If you give him an ounce of room whatsoever it is going to be money. Trimble has outstanding form and quick rotation on his shot and range that extends well beyond the 3-point arc. He also does an outstanding job of moving off of screens and springing himself open. Should Trimble diversify his game even more his stock could skyrocket, but nevertheless we have seen few players in Illinois his size that have his shooting prowess.
Jack Ryan 6'7 2011 WF Glenview (Glenbrook South) Rising Stars Gold
Ryan gets somewhat overshadowed playing on a Rising Stars Gold team that also features a number of other D1 prospects, but there is no question in our mind that he would be an ideal prospect for any school in the Ivy League, Horizon League or program at a comparable level. While we see Ryan primarily as a 3 man, he is also capable of seeing time at the 4 in given situations. That is because although he doesn't have a strong frame, he is hard-nosed, extremely active around the basket and more athletic than he is given credit for. He has also shown the ability to face up and knock down shots along the baseline and from the wing. It is now only a matter of fine-tuning and consistency, but Ryan undoubtedly has considerable up side.
Montero Rice 6'2 2011 2G Calumet City (T.F. North) Illinois Wolverines
Along with Crete-Monee's Greg Mays, Rice is the driving force for the Illinois Wolverines squad. Above everything else, he has tremendous scoring ability. Rice showed that he can fill it up from beyond the 3-point stripe and certainly did so in one game that we watched, drilling four trifectas in the contest. Besides being a strong perimeter shooter, Rice also gets out well on the break and in transition and can also get to the basket. He tends to play in spurts, but the offensive skills are definitely there, which is why he is a guard prospect that college coaches should not sleep on.
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