IndyBall.com Shootout 17U Saturday Recap

In what was a loaded day of AAU action, I got the chance to see 17U, 16U, and 15U action today. The majority of my day was spent watching the Indiana Elite teams. I also saw a few Spiece teams play today. Tomorrow I will get the chance to see the Eric Gordon All-Stars play. Several players were attending the Adidas Nation event and will be reuniting with their teams in the future.

Indiana Elite 17U

2011 Guard Matt Carlino- Carlino had an up and down day today, showing off great range on his jump shot but also committing small mental mistakes and turnovers. Carlino hit four 3-pointers in the first half of a game, and also showed the ability to slash and finish at the rim with the ball in his hands. Unfortunately Carlino also showed the tendency to get a bit too flashy, trying to throw passes behind his back and between his legs, leading to turnovers. Matt displayed nice athleticism, throwing down a one handed dunk in the lane, and hitting another off the back of the rim. The key for Carlino is to play within the game and not force any flashy passes or plays.

2011 Forward/Center Cody Zeller- Zeller had a game that mirrored his high school season. He made fluid and smart moves in the post, showing nice touch but struggled at times to finish through fouls. His active hands allowed him to get several tip ins and pull down challenged rebounds on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Zeller is one of the best free-throw shooting big men I can recall in recent history, shooting 6-7 from the charity stripe in his first game. If Zeller is struggling with his jump shot, the key for him is to get the ball in the post and score. All in all he had a good showing today, and I will be intrigued to see how he does this summer.

2011 Guard Jeremiah Davis- Davis did not have the best showing today, as he struggled to find his jumper. Davis does a nice job of breaking down his man off the dribble, but at times can hold onto the ball too long. He does a good job at getting into the lane, and if he concentrates on attacking the basket and finding his teammates instead of falling in love with the jump shot, he should be fine.

2011 Forward Austin Etherington- Etherington showed a little bit of everything today, playing well on both sides of the ball. In the first half of the morning game he struggled with his jumper but passed the ball well and took his man off the dribble for an impressive 2-hand dunk. In the second half he found his range, knocking down two 3-pointers. In his second game of the day he hit several mid-range jumpers and 3-pointers.

2011 Forward Vinny Zollo- This former Kentucky commitment impressed me in his first game. He was the most active player on the floor, pulling down 9 rebounds and using offensive rebounds to score second chance points. Zollo ran the floor very well and was the recipient of some good passes into the paint. He also buried a mid-range jumper and a 3-pointe. The one weakness to his game was that he struggled to finish some plays after contact, but still maintained aggressiveness. Zollo is a player I will be continually watching as the summer rolls on.

2011 Center Cheir Ajou- Ajou is a project in the true sense of the word, but is making strides as a player. A legitimate 7 footer, Ajou blocked multiple shots each game, and pulled down most rebounds in his vicinity. He hit a nice 15-16 foot jumper and a hook shot in his first game. When he got to the line Ajou knocked down both free throws, showing a nice stroke for a big man. Ajou needs to time his jumps a little better when rebounding and blocking, but certainly has the potential to be a difference maker on both ends of the floor.