Providence Elite Camp - Event Recap

By Paul Lazdowski | Saturday, August 10th, 2013

PROVIDENCE – On Saturday afternoon, Providence College hosted its annual elite camp at Alumni Hall.

Highlighted by the Friars’ four players who have been offered from the class of 2014 – Paschal Chukwu (Fairfield Prep), Abdul-Malik Abu (Kimball Union Academy), Kaleb Joseph (Cushing Academy) and Jared Terrell (Brewster Academy) – the event involved dynamic stretching, warm-up and agility exercises, individual skills development sessions broken out by position, instruction and execution of offensive plays, and scrimmages.

Particularly intriguing was watching Chukwu, Abu, Joseph and Terrell play alongside each other in the scrimmages. Undoubtedly, it had onlookers, including family, AAU/high school coaches and Friars fans, envisioning what could be a potentially daunting lineup for future Big East opponents.  

Of the 60-plus attendees, below are the players who stood out for their performances:

Abdul-Malik Abu, Kimball Union Academy (2014) – Abu delivered some of the afternoon’s most impressive dunks. His explosive first step and high-flying antics were on full display. The 6-foot-8 forward has added a solid array of face-up offensive moves since the conclusion of his junior season, an arsenal which will serve him well at the next level.

Paschal Chukwu, Fairfield Prep (2014) – Defensively, Chukwu showed why he will have an immediate impact in college. The seven-footer understands angles and how to disrupt the offensive of those he guards. In addition, he has the quickness to rotate crisply, help out teammates and anchor a defense. He collected a handful of blocks and regularly cleaned the defensive glass. Though he’s still raw offensively, his good hands make him an easy target for catch and finishes.

Kaleb Joseph, Cushing Academy (2014) – Joseph was his usual spectacular self in the open court. He finished off one fast break with a highlight reel tomahawk dunk. He also made a couple nice passes over-the-top to backcourt mate Jared Terrell for easy transition buckets, and found Donovan Mitchell underneath with a beautiful no-look pass for an uncontested layup. In addition, Joseph showcased his off-the-dribble midrange jumper after unleashing a knee-buckling crossover.

Donovan Mitchell, Canterbury School (2015) – Using his strong frame and athleticism, Mitchell repeatedly attacked the rim. During fast break drills, he showcased some nifty footwork to evade defenders and finish in the paint. At 6-foot-3, Mitchell is already a polished wing scorer. When he was thrown onto the court alongside Abu, Chukwu, Joseph and Jared Terrell, he also fit in seamlessly. He provided the foursome with another offensive dimension: a punishing wing player who can get out in transition and finish after contact or create his own shot off-the-dribble.

Jared Terrell, Brewster Academy (2014) – The shooting guard knocked down a pair of corner three-pointers and a couple midrange jumpers. He added a few transition layups and dunks off feeds from Joseph. He seemed at ease when paired with Joseph, reinforcing what could be the Friars’ backcourt of the future.
Others who impressed:

Jalen Adams, Cushing Academy (2015) – Playing point guard during scrimmages, Adams showed a nice balance between penetrating to create his own shot or kicking it out to unmarked teammates for open looks. His imaginative style of play made him one of the more entertaining players to watch.

Terrell Brown, St. Andrew’s (2016) – At 6-foot-8, it appears Brown still has a few more inches left to grow. However, his skill set is already one that intrigues, especially given his length. A couple possessions after rejecting an opponent inside on defense, he took a cross-court pass on offense and swished a three-pointer from the right elbow. He also has a knack for making almost everything he does look effortless.

Aaron Falzon, Northfield Mount-Hermon (2015) – At 6-foot-8, Falzon remains much more of a perimeter player. Yet, his seemingly limitless range kept him in the crosshairs of nearly every defense he faced. As a stretch-the-floor forward, Falzon is headed to the perfect situation at NMH where he will be featured alongside a bevy of big men.

Johnny Joseph, Tilton School (2015) – Joseph’s knack for penetrating and finding open teammates once the defense sags is a regularly sight. More recently, however, the 5-foot-9 point guard has added an improved perimeter jump shot. The pressure Joseph puts on defenses was on full display Saturday: drop too far off Joseph defensively and he’ll rise up and knock down the perimeter jumper.  

Dupree McBrayer, Trinity International School (2015) – A relative unknown to those outside New York, the 6-foot-3 Springfield Gardens native is a long lefty with a herky-jerky style. McBrayer connected on a couple deep three-pointers and also showed ability – despite his wiry frame – to get into the lane and finish after contact.

Jeremy Miller, New Hampton (2015) – This 6-foot-9 player continues to look more and more comfortable on the court. His solid hands and good footwork were on display with a couple nicely converted catch and finishes. He appears to have added some bulk to his frame over the summer, and looks poised to increase his recruiting stature with a strong junior season at New Hampton.

Tomas Murphy, Prout School (2017) – Murphy was one of the quicker studies when it came to picking up new offensive plays. At a couple points, he could be seen instructing teammates as to where the ball needed to go and/or where they should cut. His understanding of the game already far exceeds his age, perhaps a reflection of the backyard matchups he’s had with his brothers, Alex and Erik, who watched their youngest brother from the stands on Saturday.

Eric Paschall, St. Thomas More (2014) – Appearing taller than his listed 6-foot-6 frame would indicate, the Fordham University commit was a force. His quickness and bounce allowed him to explode past defenders and challenge big men at the rim. With most of his damage done via penetration, he appeared comfortable facing up and taking his man off-the-dribble. Adding a consistent outside shot will make Paschall an even more daunting matchup for Rams opponents.  

Josh Sharma, Northfield Mount-Hermon (2015) – The seven-footer threw down a couple devastating dunks during fast break drills, exhibiting high-level agility and aggression.  He also did a nice job banging down low during the scrimmages when he was a factor on the defensive glass. Sharma is another big man who appears to be growing into his body and grasping how best to play to his strengths of size and quickness.

Below are some of the highlights of the day care of Ballas TV: