H.O.F. National Invit. - Sunday Recap

Lucas Shapiro | Sunday, July 11th, 2010

The Hall of Fame National Invitational kicked off on Sunday with over 50 Division I programs taking in the action. 

Standout Players

Scott King, Mass Rivals - The summer couldn't be going much better for King as his recruiting stock seems to be rising by the day.  On one play he would slash through the lane and dunk with ease and on another he would be knocking down a corner three pointer. For a player his size, he has excellent form on his shot and is very coordinated. He also displayed some toughness after injuring his ankle and coming back in the game against the Long Island Pythons. If King could add some bulk to his frame, he could have a very good season for the Holderness School next season.

Ethan ODay, Drive 4 Stardom - Despite playing against a tough Grassroots Canada team, O'Day did not back down and scored 22 points. He used his great array of post moves to keep the Grassroots team guessing. Not many players at this stage have an advanced post game. O'Day seemed to have a counter for every move he had whether it was a hook shot or a spin move.

Khem Birch, Xpressions Elite - It is hard to imagine that there is a better shot-blocker in the nation than Birch. Without even looking like he was trying, Birch managed to block five shots in many different ways. He also showed his great upside when he led the fast break on one play and assisted a teammate. Another sign of his potential is Birch's ability to convert at the free throw line. Down the road, Birch has the potential to develop a face up game, which would make him an even tougher match-up than he already is.

Andrew Shaw, MB Nation - Springfield appears to be agreeing with this Maine forward as he has scored 17, 20, 25, and 30 points in his first four games in the birthplace of basketball.  His production has been crucial for an MB Nation team that made a Cinderella type run in the loaded First Eight tournament and came back with two more wins on Sunday.  A super skilled forward with a silky smooth jumper, Shaw's performance was enough to score a scholarship offer from St. Anselm's. 

Other Notable Performers

Ryan Romich, Xpressions Elite - On such a stacked Xpressions team, Romich plays his role well. He is a facilitator who is excellent at setting his teammates up for baskets and he is also a guy who the team looks to when they are struggling to score baskets.

Noah Vonleh, Mass Rivals - At such a young age, not many players are as versatile as Vonleh. He can guard opposing teams’ tallest player and he can also take the ball up the court. Vonleh had an impressive move in which he made his defender fall down and drew contact against the second line of defense to get to the line.

David Madol, Mass Rivals - Madol had an impressive one-handed put-back dunk in his game. He also displayed some guard skills by dribbling against the Long Island Pythons half-court trap.

Gabas Maldunas, Xpressions Elite - Brought great energy off of the bench. Came in and scored many baskets inside and assisted many teammates that were cutting to the basket.

Tevin Falzon, Metro Boston - Falzon is a tough player to box out which is one of the reasons why he grabs many offensive rebounds. He also is very good at setting picks, a rare skill for big men these days.