The third qualifier of the Adidas Next Generation Tournament took place between the 1st and 3rd of April in Varese. Again, Marko Turk and Igor Chytrzynski got you covered on standouts from the event with a few takes. Enjoy.
Neoklis Avdalas (G | 196 cm | ‘06) ~ Panathinaikos
9.5 pts, FG2-31.3%, FG3-22.1%, FT-71.4%, 4.5 reb, 2.2 ast, 1.8 st, 3.2 to, 0.8 blck
Even though Neoklis Avdalas was one of the youngest players at the tournament in Varese he was able to compete with one or two years older opponents. His stats weren’t that amazing but he definitely showed flashes of his potential and talent and proved that Panathinaikos has a diamond in their team that can be counted on in the future. He was playing a lot with the ball and creating for himself or others. It stood out how fluid he is with the ball and how quick he can read the floor and make good decisions. He didn’t have much problems with creating advantages and looked confident in 1vs1 plays. The shots weren’t falling in with the percentages someone would expect but he is young and I’m sure that the percentages over the years will get better when he matures. A player with high offensive potential and good tools for a versatile defender and I believe we will hear his name often in the next years.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Aday Mara (C | 218 cm | ‘05) ~ Casademont Zaragoza
7.5 pts, FG2-48.6%, FG3-0%, FT-33.3%, 6.2 reb, 1.8 ast, 0 st, 2.8 to, 3 blck
If we look at Aday’s last year’s performance compared to this one’s, one could say he had a rather disappointing showing on this occasion. Although, he looked like he added a few pounds to his frame and felt a touch more confident with his body. He still struggled with physicality, complained about contact and hasn’t improved much his stamina. At times he looked like a deer in the headlights, had a hard time trying to get into a balanced position, too often got dislodged and was forced to move his pivot foot. Was lucky because he got away with travelling quite a few times. With all that out the way it is needless to say that Aday has a rare blend of size with mobility and is a very intriguing prospect. He operates at heights not many players are capable of. Alters a lot of shots inside, can see over the top of the defenses and was able to thread the needle from the top of the key, showing impressive vision and delivering some very neat passes. Could be a bit more careful though. Was able to get some easy buckets inside, mainly thanks to good positioning, simple catch and finish situations, but expected more from him trying to create for himself. Again, limited because of physical shortcomings.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Ruben Prey (C | 212 cm | ‘05) ~ Joventut Badalona
15.0 pts, FG2-60.6%, FG3-25.0%, FT-61.5%, 5.5 reb, 0.8 ast, 2.3 st, 2.5 to, 1.3 blck
Not many players with that size are able to move like Ruben. He runs the floor like a gazelle and all his moves look fluid. He outran other bigs often and managed to finish with dunks in transition. His footwork is second to none and that enables him to find good positions in the paint and also to offer some switchability potential in defense. Ruben showed that he can play inside and outside at this tournament. He made a few shots from distance out of pick & pop sets even though his release isn’t the most fluid but I think over time he will become a reliable stretch option. Closer to the rim he has a soft touch but lacks the strength in upper body to finish through contact better, especially against stronger and bigger guys. Solid defender, showing good instincts but again lacking the strength to compete with them and hold the stance to be a better interior defender.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Jordi Rodriguez (G | 199 cm | ‘04) ~ Joventut Badalona
15.8 pts, FG2-33.3%, FG3-44.1%, FT-57.1%, 2.0 reb, 2.5 ast, 2.3 st, 2.5 to, 0.0 blck
Jordi was one of the most fun players to watch at the tournament. He is not a player that will impress you with highlight dunks but his playing style is full of flair, confidence and attractive plays. He let the balls fly from deep range and made a few tough step backs and shots over the defenders – Rudy Fernandez/Sergio Llull style. He was probably the best shooter at the tournament and his shooting is definitely his main calling card so far but he can offer much more than just shooting. He made quite a few advanced passes out of pick & rolls where he found the rolling big man. Also very fluid in transition where he can do a lot of damage as a scorer or passer. Has room for growth as a driver and finisher at the rim and he should try to bring the ball closer more often and not just attempt shots from distance. However his talent is obvious and if he makes a few improvements in the driving part of his game, he could become a player for the highest level in Europe.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Dwayne Aristode (SF | 195 cm | ‘06) ~ Joventut Badalona
7.2 pts, FG2-100.0%, FG3-26.7%, FT-68.2%, 6.0 reb, 0.5 ast, 1.0 st, 1.5 to, 1.0 blck
The third player from Joventut Badalona that caught my attention at this tournament is 2006 born Dutch wing Dwayne Aristode. I could imagine that he hasn’t completely grown into his body yet and that he could still grow for a few inches and of course add more muscle mass to his frame. His role in the team wasn’t that big and he played mostly off the ball but he made correct reads when to shoot or attack the closeouts and showed some scoring versatility. He has great athletic tools and is explosive vertically and horizontally and uses his athleticism very well in defense. He played very well on that side of the floor and showed that he is able to defend multiple positions and that he can compete with older players already. Hasn’t played much above the rim during the matches but on warmups he has shown that he has the bounce to rock the rim. Definitely an intriguing player that has the potential for a very good two way wing in the future.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Noah Penda (F | 199 cm | ‘05) ~ INSEP Paris
9.5 pts, FG2-60.3%, FG3-13.3%, FT-47.4%, 7.5 reb, 1.5 ast, 3 st, 1.5 to, 0.2 blck
Noah stands at 6’6, has a stocky body and a surprisingly good athletic ability. He can positively affect the game in so many ways and in one regard, he is in a class of his own. Noah doesn’t just stand around, plays with effort, he likes to get his hands dirty, especially on the offensive glass. He can move some bodies around when he has to, but can also navigate around other players. Has solid pop off two legs, reads the ball very well off the rim and has impressive timing on his cuts. In around 22 minutes per game, he averaged 3.5 offensive rebounds, but statistics don’t tell a full story. His teammates often benefited from the havoc he has wreaked in the paint on his pursues. Noah can also make good use of the lane if an opportunity presents itself. He is not afraid to drive/finish with either hand and is able to keep good balance while spinning away from defenders to make space. Unselfish. Defensively he keeps his hands active, patrols the passing lanes and puts in work, but is not the quickest laterally. Also has moments where he finds himself out of position, but can usually recover from bad spots. When it comes to his shot, numbers don’t impress.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Melvin Ajinca (F | 201 cm | ‘04) ~ INSEP Paris
10.5 pts, FG2-42.3%, FG3-32.7%, FT-80%, 5.2 reb, 1.5 ast, 2.8 st, 0.2 to, 0.5 blck
Melvin is tough as nails, has a compact body that already looks ready for a jump up and should have a smooth transition. He is a pesky defender with an aggressive disposition. Looks to enjoy taking on a defensive challenge and exerting pressure on ballhandlers or the best players on the opposing team. His hands are everywhere, deflects, steals and disrupts everything he can. He can slide his feet well, thanks to great effort can even recover from initial bad angles, but sometimes leaves his feet too early and bites on fakes. Always in line to help. Can make a difference on the glass on both ends thanks to his athletic ability. Offensively, he had a bit of a hard time creating for himself, his right-hand needs work and could make better decisions in the future. He likes an outside shot and I can see him becoming a more reliable shooter, but could improve speed on his release. Seems to be slightly better from the spot, but can also sometimes knock down some shots off the dribble and punish defenders going under screens. Could be a provider of 3&D services in the future.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Rayan Rupert (G | 197 cm | ‘04) ~ INSEP Paris
12.5 pts, FG2-45%, FG3-21.1%, FT-54.5%, 2.8 reb, 3.5 ast, 4 st, 1 to, 0.8 blck
It came as a shock to many that Rayan wasn’t selected to the All-Star Five when he led his team in points, assists and steals. Despite, it was a good showing for him and for sure he left lengthy paragraphs in many scouting notebooks. The first thing that stands out about Rayan is his impressive physical profile. Nice shoulders, arms that seemingly never end, bit lanky at moment but with a lot of room to add extra muscle. Due to a lack of a better playmaker on the team, he was the main instigator and had to take over the reins. Had some good moments and he is able to distribute the ball fairly well, but he wasn’t able to exploit all the options and wasn’t making the best decisions. Not his role going forward. He is more of a secondary playmaker/support guard in my eyes. He can spot some and take advantage of defensive mistakes, but his offensive game needs to be refined. Hands where shaking under pressure and in the fast pace. Really struggled from behind the arc. Defensively he could be sliding a bit more rather than hopping, but he stays active, is able to get stops regularly and makes very good use of those arms, causing a lot of damage in the passing lanes and picking pockets.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Zacharie Perrin (C | 207 cm | ‘04) ~ Next Generation Team Varese
17.7 pts, FG2-62.4%, FG3-17.6%, FT-42.6%, 10.7 reb, 1.3 ast, 0.7 st, 2.7 to, 0.7 blck
The MVP of the tournament in Varese. He was just too strong and too dominant for most of the other players that played on his position. A player very mobile for his size with tremendous court awareness and was offering himself at the dunker spot or running pick & rolls all tournament long. His hands are very good and he was able to catch most of the passes and didn’t have much trouble finishing plays when he was close to the rim. He tried some shots from distance too but wasn’t very efficient and he hasn’t completely bought me yet as a stretch option. Runs the floor well for his size and scored a lot of points in transition. Zacharie is a dominant rebounder on both ends and has the determination to go for every ball. He brings energy to the floor and makes the game winning plays and there is a lot to like in his playing style. I would say that shooting from distance will be the swing skill that will determine his ceiling but even if he doesn’t bring the shooting numbers to a great level, he still has the tools and skill set for the top level in Europe.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Jacob Ensminger (G | 205 cm | ‘04) ~ Next Generation Team Varese
5.3 pts, FG2-42.5%, FG3-25.9%, FT-0%, 12.3 reb, 4 ast, 1.7 st, 3.7 to, 0.3 blck
As the son of one of the most esteemed Americans to ever play in the German BBL, Jacob has a great background. His tournament was cut short, due to playoffs in the German 3rd division, but nonetheless, he was able to leave his mark in the three games he has played. Standing at 6’8, has a nice size and can still bulk up in my eyes. Jacob, maybe is not the first option when it comes to scoring, but has other things he can offer to support his team. Understands the game well and knows how to position himself on both ends of the floor. Done a tremendous job on the glass, leading the whole tournament with 12.3 boards per game and also led his team with 4 assists per game. Ignited fastbreaks quickly after missed attempts. Kept his head up in the open court, shared the ball effectively with his teammates, making a big difference in the early offense. Was also able to explore some options off the PnR and probe defense for weaknesses. Could be a bit more careful with his execution though. Defensively, can do a decent job and switch onto other positions with some success, but could work on his PnR defense. Shot is still a work in progress.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
