Best Buy Classic Day 1

By Bryan Kriss - bryankriss@hardwoodelite.com

Day one of the Best Buy Classic in Bloomington, MN is over and there were a number of good teams in attendance. The day got off to a good start when Carnell Sheppard of MN Pump N Run hit a buzzer beater to defeat Double Pump Elite and the good games continued on for the rest of the day. Here were some of the standouts:

Shaquille Cleare (Houston Defenders) - Cleare played very well on day one. He's a load in the paint, has soft hands, and when he gets the ball down low you can pretty much count on a bucket. He has a good hook shot and can consistently finish through contact. He once again displayed good explosiveness for a guy his size while putting down a nice alley oop in their first game.

Andrew Harrison (Houston Defenders) - Andrew Harrison is a phenomenal talent and is making us more and more of a believer that he may be the top player in his class.

Kevin Ferrell (Indiana Elite) - Defenders often had to resort to grabbing and hand checking Ferrell as his quickness and ball handling was just too much for them to stay in front of him. Like usual, he got to where he wanted to be on the court and hit jumpers when he got enough room.

Reid Travis (MN Pump N Run 15s) - Reid Travis is an impressive combo forward who basically dominated the game against Triple Threat. While he did most of his scoring underneath the basket, it's likely that his future is at the small forward position. Travis can handle the ball well for his size and looks to be a solid three point shooter as well. He also has solid vision and can pass the ball well for his age and position.

Nigel Williams-Goss (Double Pump Elite) - Williams-Goss doesn't blow you away with explosive athleticism, but he is a steady point guard with good size and does a good job of scoring when needed.

Kaleb Tarczewski (New England Playaz) - Tarczewski had a little bit of trouble finishing through contact when we saw him play (to his credit he was getting hacked most of the time), but he had it going on with his right hook and was doing a good job of finishing over defenders.

Wally Ellenson (MN Pump N Run) - Ellenson has a great combination of size and athleticism on the wing and he knocked down some jumpers today. If he can continue to shoot well from outside on a regular basis it wouldn't be surprising to see him get some high major offers.

Justise Winslow (Houston Select 16s) - Winslow is a big, athletic, and versatile wing player. He has good vision and is a very good passer. He also showed range on his jumper as he knocked down a few three pointers when we were in attendance.