Analyzing Day 1 of the 2023 Portsmouth Invitational

April 13^th, 2023

There were two games that were played yesterday on Day 1 of the 2023 Portsmouth Invitational.
(Photo: Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

Yesterday, I watched two late games that were played on Day 1 of the 2023 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, with thanks to PrepSpin.com. Clemson’s 6-8 forward, Hunter Tyson and Liberty’s guard, Darius McGhee were the standout performers in the first game as they helped lead Mike Duman Auto Sales to a win over Portsmouth Sports Club. Tyson is a sharpshooter that did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball, and McGhee is a very quick playmaker that can score smoothly and effortlessly. It was a fast paced, entertaining basketball game. Here are my thoughts on who I feel were the top performers in the first game. Also, for those of you who are looking for the box scores to these games, here is the link to the links.

Game 1: Mike Duman Auto Sales vs. Portsmouth Sports Club

Clemson’s 6-8 senior forward, Hunter Tyson had a tremendous showing on Day 1 of the 2023 Portsmouth Invitational, and he scored 21 points, made 5 threes, and had 7 rebounds to help Mike Duman Auto Sales get the win.
(Photo: Ashleigh Snyder/The Tiger)

Clemson’s 6-8 senior forward, Hunter Tyson had a tremendous showing to lead Mike Duman Auto Sales to a win in this game. He is an agile, skilled sharpshooting forward that did a tremendous job of shooting and scoring the basketball, and he had a strong, all-around game.

Tyson was excellent at making a barrage of threes to provide floor spacing for his team on offense. He showed a knack for making deep threes off the catch, he was able to make pick and pop threes, and he also used was able to pull up to make another three later on.

He also was able to run quickly off of a curl to make a mid-range jumper off the catch. Tyson also used a crafty pump fake to draw free throws on a baseline drive. He’s not super fast off the dribble, but he was effective in getting to where he needed to go on the floor. He didn’t quite shoot as well on dribble, mid-range jumpers, but he shot the ball really well overall. In addition to being a very good shooter, Tyson has very good size that enables him to shoot over the top of defenders, he moves very well off the ball that can enable him to get open, and he also has a quick release that enables him to easily get his shot off, all of which helped enable him to shoot really well in this game.

Also, Tyson passed and handled the ball well. He is an unselfish player that would look to find the open man, and he also was able to make a drive and kick pass to set up a score for a teammate. Plus, he also showed a satisfactory ability to rebound the basketball. Plus, he also played very good defense. Tyson would intercept passes to get steals. He also showed a knack for contesting shots both out on the perimeter and around the basket to force misses. He would consistently be in good defensive position and contest shots, and he is a well-schooled defender that helped his team get plenty of stops.

In general, Tyson had a superb showing in his team’s win over Portsmouth Sports Club. He is a terrific shooter that played a great all-around game, and he is an agile, skilled sharpshooter that may have played his way into getting selected by an NBA team in the first two rounds of the 2023 draft.

Liberty’s Darius McGee scored 22 points, made 5 threes, and had 5 assists and 5 rebounds to help lead Mike Duman Auto Sales to get the win yesterday.
(Photo: Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

Liberty’s senior guard, Darius McGhee also played very well to help Mike Duman Auto Sales get the win over Portsmouth Sports Club. He is an agile, skilled guard that did a terrific job of making plays on offense to help his team get the victory, and he did a terrific job of shooting and scoring the basketball in this game.

McGhee did a great job of knocking down jumpers, especially from downtown. He showed a knack for making pull-up threes, and he would knock down outside shots effortlessly in this game. He also can score on speedy drives to the hoop, but sometimes he would miss on quick layups at times.

He also showed off satisfactory playmaking skills. McGhee did a good job of passing the basketball, and he showed that he can find teammates on the move to set up scoring chances for them. He also didn’t turn the ball over very often.

Plus, he also rebounded the ball well. McGhee played also very good defense. He is a surprisingly good shot blocker, and he was able to rotate to block a couple of drives, as he would swat them to his team to get defensive stops.

In summary, Darius McGhee put forth a superb performance to help lead his team to get the victory. He did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball, and he also showed that he can comfortably run the point in front of NBA scouts and teams. He played very well, and he may have played his way into the second round conversation of the 2023 draft.

UCLA’s senior point guard, Tyger Campbell had a very good showing to help the Portsmouth Sports Club in this game. He is a speedy, skilled point guard that thrived at making plays on offense to help his team when he was on the floor.

Campbell did a very good job of scoring on speedy drives and on spot-up threes off the catch. He also showcased great playmaking skills. He passed and handled the ball very well, and he is a fleet-footed guard that would throw pinpoint passes to find teammates on the move to rack up assists. He can throw accurate lobs and no-look passes, and he was able to get assists at will. He also was able to get a few rebounds to chip in on the glass. On defense, he looked to be fairly average. He was able to get a steal, but he also committed a bad foul on a three-point shooter that led his team to give up the basket and an extra free throw that time.

Overall, Tyger Campbell played very well in this game, and he scored 18 points and had 10 assists in his team’s loss to Mike Duman Auto Sales. He especially played well and found a very good rhythm going when paired with his teammate Pete Nance on the court. Campbell has had a solid collegiate career, and he could project to be a solid backup point guard in the NBA.

DePaul’s 6-6 senior swingman, Javan Johnson also played well for Mike Duman Auto Sales to help them get the win in this game. He did a very good job of shooting and scoring the basketball. Johnson excelled as a three-point shooter, and he showed that he can knock down long-range shots both off the catch and dribble. He also thrived at scoring on fast breaks, and he was able to score on a powerful dunk on a drive in transition. He also managed to score off of a curl cut. He struggled a bit more to score on half-court drives, as he had trouble scoring in traffic at times.

He also showcased fairly average playmaking skills. He was able to throw an interior pass to a roll man to get an assist, but sometimes he would be careless with the ball in his hands, which led him to commit a couple of turnovers. He also was able to get a few rebounds to help chip in on the glass. He also played satisfactory defense, and he was able to intercept a pass to get a steal once.

Overall, Javan Johnson had a solid showing to help Mike Duman Auto Sales get the win over Portsmouth Sports Club. He is an athletic, skilled swingman that did a very good job of making shots and defended well, and he could project into a 3 and D role in the NBA.

North Carolina’s 6-11 senior forward, Pete Nance also played very well for Portsmouth Sports Club in this game. After having a terrific season last year for Northwestern, he turned in a disappointing senior season at North Carolina this year, but he’s managed to put that past him, as he put his full skills on display in this game.

Nance did a good job of shooting and scoring the basketball. He was very effective at making open threes off of pick and pop plays, and his great size combined with his spot-up shooting skills enabled him to thrive in catch-and-shoot situations. He also excelled at scoring on hustle plays, off of rolls and on fast breaks. He thrived as the roll man, and he was able to catch a lob to score on an alley-oop dunk. Nance also ran the floor to score on a jam another time. He struggled more to score in one-on-one situations when he had to create his own shot to score, but he was much more effective at scoring either on catch-and-shoot or catch-and-finish plays.

He didn’t seem to make any noteworthy passes, but he generally took good care of the basketball. Nance also showed some ball-handling skills by bringing the ball up off of a defensive rebound once. He did commit one notable turnover, where he drove into a trap and threw a ball away that sailed out of bounds.

Also, Nance rebounded and defended very well. He would block shots when defending opponents off of drives and swat them to teammates. When defending in the post, he used his length and positioning to force an opposing ball handler to commit a turnover.

Overall, Pete Nance had a strong showing in this game, and he is an agile, skilled sharpshooting forward that thrived at making plays on both ends of the floor. As for his season struggles with the Tar Heels this year, it’s entirely possible that maybe he didn’t mesh well with North Carolina’s team, as they had two score-first guards that did most of the ball-handling, so perhaps Nance didn’t get as many open, catch-and-shoot opportunities that he was able to get at Northwestern. Another possibility is that maybe he just had a down season at North Carolina this year. Whatever the case, it looks like Nance regained his shooting touch, and he’s off to a very good start at Portsmouth, which are definitely good signs for NBA scouts and teams. He’ll need to keep shooting the ball well, and there’s hope that maybe he may have played his way back into the second round conversation for the 2023 draft.

Chattanooga’s senior center, Jake Stephens had a solid showing for the Portsmouth Sports Club in this game. After getting off to a slow start, he quietly played very well in the second half, and he is a strong, physical big man that can knock down threes and score in the low post on offense. He was quite effective at scoring in transition, and he also was able to utilize a strong drop step move to score in the post. He also made an open, spot-up three off the catch. He’s not especially fast or quick, but he is a strong, bruising center that can punish opponents inside when he posts up on the block, and he’s a skilled enough passer to find open shooters in case if defenders collapse on him.

He also was able to get his fair share of boards to help his team out on the glass. He also played decent defense in this game. Stephens was able to block a put back. When defending in the post, he poked a ball away to a teammate to help his team get a steal. On the other hand, there was one play where he got backed down in the post to allow a score to his opponent.

Overall, Jake Stephens quietly played well in this game, and he especially played well in the second half. He is a strong, skilled center that can score the basketball, but he’ll need to show that he can keep up with quicker, more athletic opponents on a consistent basis, and he’ll need to show that he can consistently guard quicker players out on the perimeter to be able to stay on the floor for longer stretches. In many ways, he reminds me of Minnesota Timberwolves’ second-year center, Luka Garza, and Stephens could end up being a backup center in the NBA.

Providence’s senior forward, Ed Croswell also played well for Mike Duman Auto Sales in this game. He is a strong, mobile forward that mostly thrived as an interior player on offense. He excelled as a finisher around the basket, and he also showed that he can score off the dribble as well as out of the post. He didn’t shoot well from the outside, but his ability to drive to the hoop to score could be an extra dimension to his game on offense.

He also rebounded the ball well. He struggled to handle the ball when pressured and was a bit turnover prone, but Croswell was able to run the floor and throw a good give-and-go pass to notch an assist late in this game. Overall, Croswell will still need to work on his jump shot, especially since he may be a bit undersized to play inside at the NBA level, but his ability to score and rebound the basketball could enable him to compete for a roster spot in the NBA in the future.

Game 2: K&D Rounds Landscaping vs. Portsmouth Partnership

This time around, I also took the time to watch K&D Rounds Landscaping play in the second game against Portsmouth Partnership on Day 1 of the 2023 Portsmouth Invitational, with thanks to PrepSpin.com. K&D Rounds Landscaping was able to get a double-digit win in this game, and they received strong performances from many players, especially from Hunter Maldonado, Sir’Jabari Rice, Kevin Obanor, and Mike Bothwell. Meanwhile, Dayton’s Toumani Camara scored 27 points for Portsmouth Partnership in this game. Here are my thoughts on how the top performers fared in this game.

Wyoming’s Hunter Maldonado had 12 points and 8 assists to lead K&D Rounds Landscaping to get the win in the second game of the 2023 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.
(Photo: Eli Lucero/The Herald Journal via AP, via Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Wyoming’s senior guard, Hunter Maldonado had a terrific showing to help lead K&D Rounds Landscaping to a blowout win over the Portsmouth Partnership. He’s a tall, ball-handling guard that can rack up assists, and he also excelled as a shooter and defender in this game.

He showed off versatile scoring skills in this game. Maldonado showed a knack for scoring on quick, aggressive drives to the hoop, and he showed good balance and body control to finish plays around the basket. He also excelled at making catch-and-shoot threes from beyond the arc.

Plus, he also did a very good job of passing the basketball. Maldonado has very good court vision and he thrived at making passes off the dribble to rack up assists. He also was able to get his fair share of boards to help his team chip in on the glass. He also defended well. He would jump passes to get steals, and he also contested a mid-range jumper to force a miss.

In general, Hunter Maldonado was terrific in this game, and he especially thrived as a shot maker and facilitator to help his team on the court. He’s shown a much improved outside shot, and he is a cerebral playmaker that made very good decisions to help his team on the floor. He is a versatile player that has a high basketball IQ, and he could end up being a solid role player in the NBA.

Dayton’s senior forward, Toumani Camara played very well for the Portsmouth Partnership in his team’s loss to K&D Rounds Landscaping. The Dayton forward had a strong, all-around performance, and he is an athletic, versatile player that managed to score 27 points, make 2 threes, and he also had 8 rebounds in this game.

Camara excelled at making threes in this game, and he showed that he can do so both off the catch and dribble. He would move off the ball to get it, and he was able to score on powerful dunks off of rolls and on fast breaks. He also did a decent job of scoring off the dribble as well as out of the post, and he was able to score on a floater once. However, he would sometimes struggle to score in one-on-one situations, and he had his shot blocked once.

He also passed and rebounded well. Camara also played solid defense. He was active in blocking and contesting shots to help his team protect the paint, and he also contested a three to force a miss another time. Overall, Camara had a strong showing in this game, and he is an athletic, energetic forward that could end up being a second round pick in the 2023 draft.

Texas’ 6-4 guard, Sir’Jabari Rice played very well to help lead K&D Rounds Landscaping to a win in this game. Rice is a very athletic guard that excelled as a shooter and scorer in this game. He thrived at knocking down outside shots, as he can make threes and mid-ranger jumpers both off the catch and dribble, and he also ran off of a ball screen to make a quick three in this game. He also excelled at scoring on speedy drives to the hoop, and he also managed to score off of a quick cut another time.

He also passed and rebounded the ball well. He also played satisfactory defense, and he was able to get his hands on a pass to help his team get a steal. In summary, Rice had a strong showing, as he played a very good, all-around game to help lead his team to get the victory. He is an athletic, skilled combo guard that can help his team in a variety of ways, and he could end up being a solid role player in the NBA.

Texas Tech’s senior forward, Kevin Obanor also played well for the K&D Rounds Landscaping to help them get the win in this game. He excelled as a shooter, scorer, and rebounder for them. Obanor did a very good job of making spot-up threes from deep, and he also showed that he can deftly make pick-and-pop threes. He also showed a satisfactory ability to score out of the post. Obanor was able to use a very quick spin move to score around the basket. He also managed to score on an acrobatic tip-in off of an offensive rebound. He did have some trouble finishing plays at the rim when he wouldn’t get foul calls, but he generally shot the ball well in this game.

He also did a great job of rebounding the basketball. Obanor also was able to show some passing and ball handling skills by going coast to coast off of a defensive rebound before passing out to an open shooter. However, he tended to be turnover prone, and he would sometimes throw inaccurate passes or get sloppy when handling the basketball, which would lead him to commit turnovers.

Overall, Obanor put forth a very good performance, and he is an agile, high-motor forward that can shoot and rebound the basketball. He shot the ball well in this game, and he could project to be an effective role player in the NBA.

Furman’s senior guard, Mike Bothwell is an agile, skilled combo guard that played very well for K&D Rounds Landscaping. He shot the ball very well, and he really excelled at making corner threes on offense. He also threw a timely interior pass to notch an assist, and he was able to rotate to swipe a ball away to get a steal. Overall, he played very well in this game, and he could end up being a solid backup guard that can provide some shooting and depth at the NBA level.

Memphis’ senior guard, Kendric Davis also had a solid showing for K&D Rounds Landscaping. He excelled as a shooter and scorer in this game. He’s a fleet-footed guard that thrived as a three-point shooter, and he also would score on quick drives to the hoop. He showed good footwork to get to his spots on the floor, and he was able to make a dribble, mid-range jumper from the baseline.

He looked to be fairly average as a playmaker in this game. He can make a variety of passes to get the ball to his teammates on the move to notch assists. However, he was also very turnover prone on offense. He would tend to over-dribble and commit ball handling turnovers, and sometimes he would throw inaccurate passes that would sail out of bounds. Davis also defended well. He was able to intercept a pass to get a steal, and he also rotated to help tie up an opposing ball handler to help his team get another. Overall, Davis played fairly well in this game. He did a good job of making shots and defending, but he’ll need to take better care of the basketball. If he can continue to work hard and hone his game, he could end up being a solid backup point guard in the NBA.

Iowa’s senior forward, Filip Rebraca also played well for K&D Rounds Landscaping. He showed a knack for scoring on hustle plays, as well as out of the post. He would also get the ball on short rolls to score on mid-range floaters. He is an unselfish player that would make the extra pass to keep the ball moving. He also was able to get his fair share of boards. He also defended well, as he got a steal, and was able to successfully draw a charge when defending in the post in this game. Overall, Rebraca had a solid showing in this game, and he is a strong, energetic big man that could end up competing for a roster spot in the NBA.

Arizona State’s senior guard, Desmond Cambridge Jr. played well for Portsmouth Partnership. He did a good job of making outside shots, particularly on spot-up threes and dribble, mid-range jumpers. He also caught a lob pass to score on an athletic, alley-oop dunk on the break.

He also rebounded well. He would also throw accurate interior passes to notch assists. However, Cambridge was also very turnover prone. He would tend to try to be too fancy when handling the ball or looking to score, which would lead him to commit too many ball-handling turnovers. Overall, Cambridge had a decent showing, but he’ll need to take better care of the basketball. If he can continue to improve and hone his game, he could project to be a microwave type of scorer in the NBA someday.

All in all, those are my thoughts on how the top performers fared on Day 1 of the 2023 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. Thanks for reading.