This week, the adidas Uprising All-American camp was held at LIU-Post in Brookville, N.Y., with 100 of the nation's top high school basketball prospects taking part in the competition. Among those in attendance, were three Colorado preps, headlined by four-star power forward, De'Ron Davis.
Davis Battles Through Injuries
De'Ron Davis has been one of the most heavily recruited preps in Colorado history, garnering offers from several of the nation's top programs, and interest from even more. He's also been a mainstay in the adidas circuit.
Over the course of the week, Davis was effective with the ball in his hands, and averaged eight points per game. However, his effectiveness was limited due to what appeared to be tightness in his hips, hamstrings, and perhaps even some lingering foot pain.
Still, Davis showed off his trademark jump hook, soft touch around the rim (and out to 18-feet), while reminding everyone that he is one of the two or three best passing big men in the country.
However, we also saw why he's dropped in some recent rankings. He is stiff in the open court, and doesn't have the athleticism to really be a "motor" big man, creating extra possessions simply by being around the ball at all times. He has great timing with his shot blocking, which makes up for his lack of explosiveness, and he understands how the game needs to be played for someone who isn't a pogo stick.
Colorado is still firmly in his top three from what I was told by several sources, a trio that many believe to also include Indiana and UConn. Davis has great relationships with all three head coaches, but one source did say that the Huskies might be a dark horse in this recruitment.
Editorial Note: From what I gather, not many coaches seem to have a good grasp about where Davis is leaning. Some think Indiana, others Colorado. There were several coaches who did express the thought that UConn, particularly head coach Kevin Ollie, have made huge strides within Davis' camp and could be a true contender. I also get the feeling that if Davis were to commit tomorrow, it would be to either IU or UConn. However, if this process drags out through the season and into the later signing period, I'd go with CU for him.
Lottie Introduces Himself to the Nation
Outside of the most plugged-in enthusiasts, not many Colorado fans are familiar with Cherokee Trail point guard Jaizec Lottie. However, that will soon change, as the Buffs are actively recruiting him.
Lottie is hearing the most from all of the regional programs--schools like CU, Denver, Air Force (who have offered), and Portland. While he does have a dream school, Ohio State, he said that he maintains high interest in the Buffs, as he's close with Dom Collier.
"I'm definitely going to be picking his brain to see how he likes it up there," Lottie said. "I definitely have interest in them."
Like Josh Perkins and Collier before him, Lottie has taken it upon himself to prove, on a national stage, that CO players belong. Using his developed understanding of pace, passing angles, and defensive positioning, Lottie was able to hold his own against some of the top guards in the country. He has a comfortable handle, and can get to the rim efficiently, but he struggles to finish against shot blockers, and isn't yet a reliable shooter from deep. Additionally, he didn't flash off the kind of bouncy athleticism that would have college recruiters drooling. Still, I expect him to start getting a bit more love with his performance of the course of the week, as he certainly performed admirably.
Editorial Note: Right now, I'd project Lottie has more of a mid-major type of recruit, but certainly a good one. The more confidence he gains, the better he will be, because he showed off a very mature game, with some tools to be a very good player. If multiple opportunities arise, I got the feeling that he'd rather head out of state for college, but that is obviously only a personal opinion.
Davis Battles Through Injuries
De'Ron Davis has been one of the most heavily recruited preps in Colorado history, garnering offers from several of the nation's top programs, and interest from even more. He's also been a mainstay in the adidas circuit.
Over the course of the week, Davis was effective with the ball in his hands, and averaged eight points per game. However, his effectiveness was limited due to what appeared to be tightness in his hips, hamstrings, and perhaps even some lingering foot pain.
Still, Davis showed off his trademark jump hook, soft touch around the rim (and out to 18-feet), while reminding everyone that he is one of the two or three best passing big men in the country.
However, we also saw why he's dropped in some recent rankings. He is stiff in the open court, and doesn't have the athleticism to really be a "motor" big man, creating extra possessions simply by being around the ball at all times. He has great timing with his shot blocking, which makes up for his lack of explosiveness, and he understands how the game needs to be played for someone who isn't a pogo stick.
Colorado is still firmly in his top three from what I was told by several sources, a trio that many believe to also include Indiana and UConn. Davis has great relationships with all three head coaches, but one source did say that the Huskies might be a dark horse in this recruitment.
Editorial Note: From what I gather, not many coaches seem to have a good grasp about where Davis is leaning. Some think Indiana, others Colorado. There were several coaches who did express the thought that UConn, particularly head coach Kevin Ollie, have made huge strides within Davis' camp and could be a true contender. I also get the feeling that if Davis were to commit tomorrow, it would be to either IU or UConn. However, if this process drags out through the season and into the later signing period, I'd go with CU for him.
Lottie Introduces Himself to the Nation
Outside of the most plugged-in enthusiasts, not many Colorado fans are familiar with Cherokee Trail point guard Jaizec Lottie. However, that will soon change, as the Buffs are actively recruiting him.
Lottie is hearing the most from all of the regional programs--schools like CU, Denver, Air Force (who have offered), and Portland. While he does have a dream school, Ohio State, he said that he maintains high interest in the Buffs, as he's close with Dom Collier.
"I'm definitely going to be picking his brain to see how he likes it up there," Lottie said. "I definitely have interest in them."
Like Josh Perkins and Collier before him, Lottie has taken it upon himself to prove, on a national stage, that CO players belong. Using his developed understanding of pace, passing angles, and defensive positioning, Lottie was able to hold his own against some of the top guards in the country. He has a comfortable handle, and can get to the rim efficiently, but he struggles to finish against shot blockers, and isn't yet a reliable shooter from deep. Additionally, he didn't flash off the kind of bouncy athleticism that would have college recruiters drooling. Still, I expect him to start getting a bit more love with his performance of the course of the week, as he certainly performed admirably.
Editorial Note: Right now, I'd project Lottie has more of a mid-major type of recruit, but certainly a good one. The more confidence he gains, the better he will be, because he showed off a very mature game, with some tools to be a very good player. If multiple opportunities arise, I got the feeling that he'd rather head out of state for college, but that is obviously only a personal opinion.
