Assessing Chris Silva and Terance Mann on Day 2 of the Portsmouth Invitational

April 19, 2019

I also took the time to watch the Portsmouth Partnership take on Mike Duman Auto Sales on Day 2 of the 2019 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. Unlike the previous game, it was a defensive battle as neither team shot the ball well, and the two teams combined to have the lowest combined number of points in any game so far in this year’s tournament. Various players made some solid plays at different parts of this contest, but the standout performers appeared to be Chris Silva, Terance Mann, Jarrell Brantley, and Dererk Pardon in this game. Here are my thoughts on they fared on this day. Also, for those that are interested in the box score of this match, the link can be found here.

South Carolina’s senior big man, Chris Silva had a solid showing in this contest, as he made some energetic plays to get scores around the basket on offense, and he also played very good defense to help get the Portsmouth Partnership a win over Mike Duman Auto Sales. Silva did a very good job of running the floor to score on dunks in transition, and one highlight came in the second half where he caught a lob pass from his teammate to score on an alley-oop dunk on the break. He also can score as the roll man, but Silva struggled to knock down jumpers on offense.

He also rebounded the ball well, and he played terrific defense in this game. Silva managed to block a plethora of shots, and he would tend to rotate to swat shots ferociously off of drives, as he would actively contest shots in the paint to force a wealth of misses. Overall, Silva is an athletic, high-motor player that could project to be a solid rim protector at the next level, and he may have the skills to excel as a role player in the NBA.

6-6 Florida State senior swingman, Terance Mann played well for Mike Duman Auto Sales in his team’s loss to the Portsmouth Partnership, and he had a transformational first half due to possessing tremendous playmaking skills, as well as solid defensive skills, and a solid ability to score on strong drives to the basket. Mann has very good court vision, as he made a slew of long, accurate passes to set up scores for his teammates. He is a very good passer that passes well on the break, and he throws crisp, accurate interior passes, as he can throw lobs and outlet passes to notch assists.

Also, he showed an adequate ability to score on quick drives to the basket, as he was able to score on an acrobatic layup while getting an extra free throw due to possessing good body control, and Mann also managed to score on a quick drive on a fast break drive. Plus, he also ran the floor to score on a one-handed, alley-oop dunk in transition another time. However, he had trouble knocking down jumpers, as he would tend to throw up air-balls when hoisting up three-point shots from beyond the arc.

He also rebounded the ball very well, as he would run in to collect boards on both ends of the floor due to possessing good athleticism, motor, and instincts to do so. Mann played decent defense, as he was able to jump a pass to get a steal once, but on another play, he was late to get back to his man, and he ended up fouling him on a drive in transition that led his team to allow a score and an extra free throw that time.

Overall, Terance Mann is a versatile player that can play a variety of positions, and he can comfortably run the point, which can prove to be a sizable advantage at the next level, and he could be a good find for an NBA team in the second round range of the upcoming draft. He has tremendous court vision, and his ability to distribute the ball and defend could allow him to thrive as a role player in the NBA.

Charleston’s 6-7 senior forward, Jarrell Brantley played well, as his ability to score and defend was vital in helping the Portsmouth Partnership get the victory in this game. He is a strong, physical player that excelled at scoring off of drives and in the post. He also is an active help defender, as he managed to intercept a pass to get a steal, and he also blocked a shot off of a drive another time. On the other hand, he had trouble knocking down threes consistently. He also did not grab many rebounds, nor seemed to be much of a playmaker on the floor. In summary though, Brantley scored the ball efficiently, and he has very good strength that allows him to excel as a scorer, but he will likely need to improve his jump shot. Still, he may be a borderline second round candidate, as his ability to attack the basket could enable him to compete for a roster spot in the NBA.

Northwestern’s 6-8 senior forward, Dererk Pardon played well, as he excelled as a low post scorer and as an inside scorer around the basket, as he was able to keep Mike Duman Auto Sales in the game for most of the way. He can use quick spin moves when looking to score down low, as he was able to score on a powerful dunk, as well as on a turnaround jump hook. He also does a good job of drawing fouls upon his defenders when operating on the block. Plus, he also would tend to score off of put backs, and he also made a long two from the corner another time.

Overall, Pardon did a very good job of scoring efficiently, and while his scores did not look to be very spectacular, Pardon excelled as an inside scorer, and he is an above average athlete that possesses a solid scoring touch around the basket. He may need to improve his jump shot and face-up game to be able to adjust to playing at the next level, but Pardon’s ability to score around the basket combined with his solid play in this game could enable him to make an NBA team’s summer league roster.

Campbell’s Chris Clemons had his ups and downs in this game, but he made some good plays to help the Portsmouth Partnership get a win. He struggled to make threes consistently, and he had trouble finding his range for most of this game. He did do a good job of scoring on speedy drives to the basket, as he was able to score on a high-flying dunk in traffic, and he also can score in transition. On one play, he ran the floor and caught a lob pass to score on an alley-oop dunk on the break. Plus, he is a high motor player that will look to crash the glass, and Clemons was able to score on a tip-in. As a playmaker, he looked to be fairly average. He can throw solid passes off the dribble when he plays under control, but sometimes he would commit ball-handling turnovers due to playing too recklessly on occasion, and other times, he would not look to get his teammates involved enough on offense.

Overall, Chris Clemons is an athletic, speedster that can score the basketball, but he will need to be able to adjust to the NBA three-point line, and he will need to show that he can effectively run the point at the next level. He is an intriguing prospect that could be a potential second round pick this year. Right now, he may be a similar player to former Cleveland Cavaliers’ point guard, Kay Felder, and Clemons will need to be able to shoot and distribute well at the point to increase his odds to succeed in the NBA.

Connecticut’s senior point guard, Jalen Adams had an uneven performance, but he had some good moments when he was on the floor for Mike Duman Auto Sales. He did not shoot the ball well, as he missed all six of his three-point shots, but Adams did a good job of scoring on drives as well as in transition, as he can score on acrobatic layups, and he also threw down a multitude of high-flying dunks on the break.

As a playmaker, he looked to be fairly average. He threw a lob pass to set up a score for a teammate in transition, but sometimes he would commit turnovers due to carelessness. He also played good defense, as he would quickly jump passes to get steals for his team. Overall, Adams is an athletic player that excelled at attacking the basket to garner scores. He will need to improve his jump shot and ability to run the point, but his athleticism and scoring ability could allow him to compete for a roster spot in the NBA.

Buffalo’s C.J. Massinburg played for Portsmouth Partnership, but he did not appear to stand out in any capacity. He was able to score on floaters, as he is a crafty player off the dribble, but he also can struggle to score in traffic. He also had trouble knocking down jumpers, as he was unable to make any of his threes in this game.

As a playmaker, he looked to be perhaps above average. Massinburg was able to throw a lob pass to set up a score in transition, and he is a patient player that will look for the open man, but there was one play where he dribbled around too long, as he lost track of time, leading to a shot clock violation. Overall, Massinburg showed some ability to score off the dribble and run the point, but he did not seem to do any one thing especially well. He’s not an explosive athlete, but Massinburg seemed to have an above average feel for running the point. He probably won’t end up being a starter at the next level, but in a favorable scenario, he could end up being a backup point guard for a team in the NBA.

Wichita State’s 6-8 senior forward, Markis McDuffie had his ups and downs in Portsmouth Partnership’s win over Mike Duman Auto Sales, but he had a stretch run in the second half where he was playing well in this game. He struggled to make shots overall, as he especially struggled to knock down threes or mid-range jumpers consistently, but McDuffie excelled at scoring on hustle plays, as he showed a good ability to score off of offensive rebounds, and he also ran the floor to score on an alley-oop dunk in transition. McDuffie is a good athlete that runs the floor well, and he also showed a decent ability to score off the dribble, as he can draw free throws on aggressive drives to the hoop.

He also passed the ball well, as he would throw solid interior passes, as he was able to throw a nice lob pass to set up an alley-oop dunk for Chris Silva on the break. McDuffie also threw a behind the back pass to an open shooter another time, as he possesses good court vision. Plus, McDuffie also rebounded and defended well. He would often chase down balls to get boards on both ends of the floor, and he also was able to intercept passes to get steals. Overall, Markis McDuffie may not have shot the ball well, but he excelled in all of the other areas of this game, and he may be one of the most athletic players at this event. Right now, he could be a potential second round pick in the upcoming draft. In a favorable scenario, he may perhaps end up thriving as a role player in the NBA.

Iowa State’s Nick Weiler-Babb had some good moments in Portsmouth Partnership’s win over Mike Duman Auto Sales. He managed to get some tough scores off the dribble, as he can do so on half-court drives and in transition. He also passed the ball well, as he throws solid interior passes, and he has good court vision to get assists. Weiler-Babb also played adequate defense, as he can deflect passes, and he also managed to tie up an opponent to force a shot clock violation. On the other hand, he did not make jumpers consistently in this game. Overall, Weiler-Babb is an above average athlete that can play multiple positions, and his ability to pass the basketball could prove to be a sizeable asset at the next level. If he can find a way to make it into the NBA, in a favorable scenario, he could end up being a similar player to Garrett Temple in the association.

Eastern Kentucky’s 6-9 center, Nick Mayo did a good job of making spot-up threes off the catch, as he was able to make one on a pick and pop play, and he also was able to score on a dunk around the basket another time. He was inconsistent in finishing plays around the basket, but he is a fairly mobile big man that can space the floor. While he may be a longshot to be drafted, Mayo may be an intriguing prospect, and in a favorable scenario, he could be a serviceable stretch big in the NBA in a similar mold to current Los Angeles Lakers’ center, Mike Muscala in the league.

Kansas State’s senior guard, Barry Brown was expected to have a good game, but he did not play well overall, as he really struggled with his jump shot against the Portsmouth Partnership. He did make a deep three once and he drew free throws on an aggressive, left-handed drive to the hoop, but Brown often had trouble knocking down jumpers on offense. He did manage to block a mid-range shot, and he managed to apply considerable ball pressure on the defensive end. But in general, Brown just did not shoot the ball well, as he did not have a great game on this day.