Hoop Group will be providing daily online coverage of Elite camps in the form of “live blogs,” recognizing outstanding achievements at camp, and keeping you informed of all the latest Hoop Group Elite happenings.
In these live blogs, Hoop Group staff will note camp standouts, spectacular plays, college coaches in attendance, and more. While the bulk of updates will be text entries from HoopGroup.com writers, keep an eye out for video highlights and interviews, quotes from players, exclusive photos, Twitter updates, and more.
Elite Camp Session 2 Full Schedule
9:01 PM– Coaches remain in the gym, as we move into the final games of the night. On Court 1 in the Bollman Center, guard Marcus James from John Carroll HS (Md.) just chased down a player in transition and pinned his shot against the backboard. He grabbed his own rebound and led the fastbreak in the other direction. James is using what coaches have taught, that even though a play might seem over, hustle can make up for any advantage. –@DanielJMartin_
8:01 PM – What’s sure to enter his future highlight-reel, Isaiah Whitehead (Lincoln HS/Brooklyn, NY) just earned himself the title of “Dunk of the Day“. Whitehead drove baseline, elevated, cocked back the rock, and flushed a one-handed dunk on the other team’s help defender! Needless to say the Bollman Center exploded with cheers. Be sure to keep checking our YouTube channel to see this outstanding slam in one of our exclusive mixtapes. - @Craigs_Lists
6:56 PM – 2014 big man Christopher Wright (St. Peter’s HS/Jersey City, NJ) is a player to watch out for. He seems to be running under the radar but his 6’9 frame and intense game play should change this. He can bang with the best of them in the paint and is one of those glue guys every team needs. Most players are here to showcase themselves, but consistantly Wright could be seen cheering on his teammates and breaking huddles with waves of clapping. With Elite II’s All-Star games being tomorrow, who else will step up to earn themselves a possible spot on one of these exclusive teams? - @Craigs_Lists
6:22 PM – A bad habit I have noticed among players is that many try to tap the backboard instead of making the layup. This is a bad habit because it is very difficult to try to do two things at once while on the basketball court. There have been too many missed layups this week and one big reason is this bad habit. So please campers, try to be nice to the backboards and in return your basketball will go in the hoop. — @lucashapiro
5:29 PM – Rodney Williams (Cherry Hill West/Chery Hill, NJ) has been impressive all week long. He is an undersized guard who finds a way to score whenever his team needs him. What separates Williams from other point guards at camp is his ability to get in the lane, hang in the air, and get the ball to the square quickly so that the trees in the paint don’t block it. He may not pass the look test, but Williams can play. — @lucashapiro
4:00 PM - There are some really talented players in the NCAA division of camp this week. There have been 4 games today all within 5 points of each other and the heat doesn’t seem to phase these young guys. We’ll be getting a write up on some of the future’s brightest stars. — @DaveKrupinski
3:00 PM – The gyms are packed with college coaches from every level with over 200 schools currently present at camp. It’s great to see schools from all over the country here like Oregon and Oklahoma. We’ll be posting a full list of who’s watching later tonight on the website. — @DaveKrupinski
2:00 PM – Seth Greenberg, former Virginia Tech head coach, is speaking to the campers right now. Greenberg told everyone that he is going to keep it real because he is not trying to recruit players anymore. Here are some tips from Greenberg on being a winning player:
- Be comfortable in your own skin. You are not going to be Rajon Rondo or LeBron because they have freakish physical gifts. You must play to your strengths. What makes you different?
- College coaches are looking for a guy that will give his body up. They are looking at your attitude. They are looking at how you interact with your coach. It’s more than just about making shots.
- Point guards must be able to keep other guards out of the lane. Nobody wants a point guard who cannot stop players from getting in the lane. Know your other players so you can get them the ball in their favorite spots.
- If you aren’t a good shooter, become a good cutter. It is extremely easier to get an open shot if you are a good cutter.
- The best way for wing players to score is to run. A lot of guys stop once they get to the other end, but they must continue to run. In college, wings must have a middle game because they cannot get to the rim every time. A middle game consists of runners, step-backs, and other mid-range moves. .
- Big men must have a go-to move and a counter move. That is about it. They must screen with a wide base and always sprint. The Miami Heat’s big men ran the floor extremely well and set great ball screens. That allowed their guards to get have a lot of space. This made it easier for them to do what they do best.
12:30 PM – More and more college coaches are filtering in the gym lining the walls with their roster sheets and ipads. Had a chance to have Adam Finkelstein speak about his thoughts on camp and what he’s thinks camps like this can do for a player and what he personally looks for in evaluating for ESPN. Be sure to look at Hoop Group’s YouTube channelfor the video later today. – @DaveKrupinski
11: 50 PM – Summer hooping and the livin’s easy! We got games going on 13 different courts and the recruiting coaches at attention at all of them. Coaches come from high and low to see the talent available at Elite II camp. Just to name a few of the schools represented here: Temple, WVU, Indiana, Rutgers, Villanova, Seton Hall, URI, Virginia Tech, Upenn, Sienna, St. Joe’s, and St. Bonaventure. The list just keeps growing… – @Craigs_Lists
10:05 PM – Today’s games have started and Christopher Warren (Berks Catholic/Reading, PA) of Team 2 made an instant impression by rebounding the ball with his right hand and then switched it to his left, mid-air, for the quick two points. Elite I standout Chris Shields (Hedgesville HS/Hedgesville, WV) has continued his success with the risen talent here at Elite II. If you’re a visiting coach and haven’t heard of him yet, do yourself a favor and check this long 6’7 wing out on Team 10. Shields plays very well off the ball, holds his own on the boards, and can finish convincingly from anywhere within the three point line. – @Craigs_Lists
9:25 AM – Looking for the proper way to do a jab step? If you have the time today, take a look at Chris Tan (Century HS/Sykesville, MD) who is wearing the number 451 on Team 62. Tan doesn’t overstep on it; he maintains perfect balance. He has a quick burst of speed and during that time he looks at his defenders feet to determine where he will go on the court. –@lucashapiro
9:00 AM - There is certainly a buzz around the gym as everyone prepares for the first full day of the Division I live period. The anticipation may have been too much to sleep through for some players, as there were a handful of players both on the Bollman and Recreation Center courts as early as 6:50am. In Early Bird Workouts, rising sophomore Maceio Teague (The Summit Country Day/Cincinnati, OH) said that he chose to spend the live period at Hoop Group Elite because of all the extra opportunities available to improve off the court. “At other camps all we did was play games all day long, and after a while it was just too much,” he said. “Here, I love that we get a chance to work on our skill set and knowledge of the game.” — @Ashley_OnSports
Below are links to all of our contributor’s Twitter accounts. Be sure to follow them, as well as @TheHoopGroup for all of the latest information as the day continues.
- Dan Martin (@DanielJMartin_)
- Lucas Shapiro (@lucashapiro)
- Ashley Biddle (@Ashley_OnSports)
- Craig Manfra (@Craigs_Lists)
- Peter Febbraro (@PFebbraro)
- Edgar Walker (@Edgar_Walker)
- Dave Krupinski (@DaveKrupinski)
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