Thoughts on Game 2 of the 2022 Portsmouth Invitational
April 14th, 2022
By Alan Lu
Yesterday, I also took the time to watch the 2nd game that was played at the 2022 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament between Roger Brown’s Restaurant and K & D Rounds Landscaping, courtesy of PrepSpin+. It was a frenetic, fasted pace game in which both teams scored over 100 points each. Garrison Brooks had a really strong start in the first half, and Charlie Moore thrived as a shot maker throughout the contest. Grant Golden, Jeriah Horne, and Fatts Russell consistently knocked down shots and made plays on both ends of the floor to help Roger Brown’s get the win in this game. Here are my thoughts on how various prospects fared in this match. For those that are interested in the box score of this game, here is the link.
(Photo: TU Athletics, via Rivals)
Tulsa’s senior forward, Jeriah Horne had a strong showing, as he scored 24 points, made 4 threes, and hauled in 11 rebounds to help lead Roger Brown’s Restaurant to get the win in this game. Horne did a great job of knocking down open, spot-up threes off the catch. He also showed a knack for scoring on hustle plays, and he also would draw free throws on strong moves to the hoop. He also excelled at hauling in rebounds, and sometimes he would push the ball up the court off of them afterwards. He was a bit turnover prone though, as he threw a hasty pass that resulted in a turnover, and he also lost the ball when pressured to commit another one.
(Source: Twitter/@PIT_Basketball)
In general, Horne is a skilled, combo forward that thrived as a sharpshooter and rebounder in this game. He is a fairly athletic player that could project well into a 3 and D role in the NBA, and he really helped himself by having a strong showing in this contest.
Jericole Hellems put forth a strong performance to help lead Roger Brown’s Restaurant to a win in this game. He showed off versatile scoring skills, and he also thrived as a facilitator to help his team get the victory. Hellems did a great job of knocking down threes. He showed off a smooth three-point shot, and he excelled at making them off the catch and dribble. He also has good footwork and series of dribble moves that allowed him to score on pull-up threes.
He also did a good job of scoring off the dribble. He would score on strong drives to the goop, and he also made a nice spin move to score on a turnaround, fadeaway mid-range jumper. Hellems also passed the ball very well, and he would throw nice touch passes to find open shooters and teammates on rolls to the rim. He struggled a bit to handle ball pressure though, which led him to commit a couple of traveling violations.
Overall, Jericole Hellems is a fairly athletic, strong swingman that thrived as a sharpshooter, scorer, and facilitator in this game. He played very well, and he is a skilled player that could be an intriguing option for NBA teams in the mid to late second round of the 2022 draft.
Garrison Brooks had a very good showing, as he showed off strong offensive skills to help K &D Rounds Landscaping in this game. It’s clear that he has really worked on his game from an offensive standpoint, which could serve him well in the NBA.
He shot the ball very well, especially from beyond the arc. Brooks made a couple of open trail threes off the catch. He also managed to throw down a thunderous tip slam off of an offensive rebound, and he collected another board and drove in to score on a magnetic jam another time. He also would often draw free throws after getting the ball on fast breaks and on rolls to the rim.
While he was able to make a turnaround jumper in the post, Brooks had trouble scoring out of the post consistently. He also made an open mid-range jumper, but had trouble connecting on mid-range shots consistently as well.
He also showed off adequate playmaking skills. Brooks showed off improved ball-handling skills on the court. He also set a good, firm on-ball screen to allow his teammate to dribble up for an open jump shot to set up a score for him. Plus, he also rebounded the ball well.
In summary, Garrison Brooks looks to be a much-improved player and prospect for the NBA. He looks to be a considerably better shooter, athlete, and player, and it seems that transferring to Mississippi State ended up working well for him, as he was able to broaden his overall game. There are still questions he will need to answer, like if he can consistently guard upper echelon opponents at higher levels, and if he can keep playing as well as he did tonight, but Brooks is an interesting prospect that could be worth considering in the mid to late second round range on draft day.
Charlie Moore also played very well in this game. He is a speedy point guard that showed a knack for scoring the basketball, and he was extremely efficient as a shot maker on offense. Moore showed a knack for scoring on speedy drives, as well as on mid-range jumpers off the dribble. He is a shifty, fleet-footed guard that has great balance and body control to score on a wide array of shots, and he is a fearless player that would take on the contact to score and draw free throws.
He also showed off decent playmaking skills. He is a quick guard that can consistently get into the lane to get the ball to his teammates, and he will make the extra pass to find the open man. On the downside, sometimes he would throw hasty passes that would get intercepted, and he also threw a pass too hard that ended up being dropped by his teammate another time.
Overall, I was impressed by Moore’s raw speed and shot-making abilities in this game. He was a bit too turnover prone at times, especially in the second half, but his shooting, scoring, and athleticism really shone through in this game, and I think he has the skills to develop into being a backup point guard in the NBA.
Fatts Russell also had a strong showing in this game. He is a very athletic playmaker that thrived as a shooter and scorer to help Roger Brown’s Restaurant get the win in this match. Russell showed a knack for scoring on speedy drives to the hoop, and he showed a very good first step as well as the body control to score and get free throws. He also would knock down smooth threes, as he can do so off the catch and dribble. Plus, he also managed to score on a backdoor cut another time.
He also showed off satisfactory playmaking skills in this game. Russell did a very good job of passing the basketball, and he was able to make an assortment of passes to rack up assists. He was able to throw timely passes as well as very long passes accurately to set up scores for his teammates, and he also passed well off the dribble. Sometimes though, he would struggle to handle the ball when pressured, which would lead to a couple of ball-handling turnovers.
Overall, Fatts Russell played very well, and he excelled as an offensive player in this game. He has sometimes struggled with shooting slumps and shot selection issues over the years, but he is a speedy point guard that can score, distribute the basketball, and make shots in bunches. He had a strong game tonight, and he is an intriguing prospect that may have the skills to make his way to an NBA roster someday.
Grant Golden had a strong showing to help Roger Brown’s Restaurant get the win in this game. He had a very good, all-around game, and he consistently made plays throughout this contest. Golden did a great job of scoring on rolls to the rim. He showed a knack for setting screens and getting passes on the move from his point guards to score around the basket. He also received the ball on a short roll, and managed to score on a mid-range floater. He also was able to score another time at the rim. Plus, he also shot the ball very well, and Golden thrived at making open, spot-up threes off the catch. He even made a bank three off the glass in this game.
Plus, he also showed off satisfactory playmaking skills. Golden is an unselfish player that sees the floor well, and he would find his teammates on the move and pass off the dribble and out of the post to notch assists. He also set an on-ball screen to help get his teammate an open jump shot. However, sometimes he would try to force tough passes that his teammates may not be ready to catch or get to. On a couple of occasions, he ended up throwing inaccurate, low passes that would lead to turnovers.
He also did a decent job of rebounding the basketball. In this game, Golden would leap up to get defensive boards, and he would usually push the ball up the court to create early offense and transition scoring opportunities. He also played decent defense in this game. Golden would actively contest shots to force misses. On the other hand, there was one play where he sagged a bit too far when defending in a drop coverage, which allowed his opponent to score on a mid-range shot.
Overall, Grant Golden played very well, and he shot the ball very well, and he also thrived as a playmaker in this game. He is a uniquely skilled player that can shoot and pass the basketball, and he seems to be one of the best passing big men in college basketball. He doesn’t possess overwhelming athleticism and he will have to show he can guard upper echelon opponents on a consistent basis, but his offensive skills and feel for the game could enable him to make his way into the NBA someday, or at least carve out a lengthy playing career in professional basketball.
Tyrese Martin played very well for Roger Brown’s Restaurant in this game. He did a terrific job of knocking down threes and passing the basketball. He would often make corner threes, and he also was able to pull up to knock down a three-pointer another time. He also tended to make good passes, as he would find the open man to notch assists. Plus, he also did a terrific job of rebounding the basketball. Overall, Tyrese Martin thrived at making plays in this game, and he is a strong, mobile swingman that could project well into a 3 and D role in the NBA.
Abu Kigab thrived as an offensive player, primarily as a three-point shooter for K & D Rounds Landscaping in this game. He showed a knack for making open threes, particularly corner threes off the catch. He also utilized a drop step to score in the post, and he took advantage of going up against a smaller defender that time. Plus, he also passed well off the dribble and out of the post to get the ball to open teammates. Kigab is an athletic, skilled forward that shot the ball very well, and he could project well into a 3 and D role in the NBA.
Tommy Kuhse also played very well for Roger Brown’s Restaurant in this game. He seemed to make smart plays throughout this contest. He shot the ball well, and he thrived at making plays at the point. He showed a knack for making threes and pull-up, mid-range jumpers, and he particularly thrived at making spot-up threes and floaters off the dribble.
Plus, he also passed the ball well, as he would throw crisp, interior passes to find his teammates on the move to notch assists, and Kuhse also would make drive and kick passes to find open shooters. Sometimes though, he would try to do too much, which would lead him to get balls poked away from him that would lead to turnovers. He also defended well. Kuhse was able to intercept a pass to get a steal, and he also contested a mid-range shot to force a miss.
Overall, Kuhse played smart, sound basketball, and he did a very good job of running the point in this game. He seems to be a solid, game-managing point guard, and while he doesn’t possess overwhelming athleticism, he is a smart, competitive point guard that could project well into a backup point guard role in the NBA.
Brandon Horvath also played very well for K & D Rounds Landscaping in this game. Horvath is a skilled, high-motor big man that thrived at making hustle plays, and he also passed the ball well. He would run in to score off of offensive rebounds, and he also managed to score on a tip slam. He also thrived at scoring on rolls to the rim. Plus, he also was able to make a three-point shot to show his shooting skills.
He also was able to find a cutter to notch an assist due to possessing solid court vision, and Horvath passed the ball well. Sometimes though, he would struggle to catch passes, which would lead to turnovers. He also rebounded the ball well in this game.
Overall, Horvath had a solid showing, and he played well in his team’s loss to Roger Brown’s Restaurant. He may not possess overwhelming athleticism, but his motor and skill set could enable him to compete for a roster spot in the NBA next season.
Bryce Hamilton didn’t have a great game overall, but he had some good moments for Roger Brown’s Restaurant in this match. He is a very athletic guard that was able to score on a high-flying dunk on the break. He also managed to score quickly on a baseline drive. On the downside, he didn’t shoot the ball very well, and he really struggled to knock down threes in this game. He was able to make a drive and kick pass to notch an assist, but he also dribbled off his foot to lose the ball to commit a turnover another time.
Overall, Hamilton is a very athletic, energetic combo guard that showed that he can attack the basket to score, but he will need to improve his jump shot. He will have more opportunities to make a more favorable impression in front of NBA teams and scouts, but he was able to have one of the best dunks of the night in the first day of the 2022 Portsmouth Invitational.
So after having seen both of the games, and after clearing up some of the confusion from the first game, here are my 3 stars of the night, on Day 1 of the 2022 Portsmouth Invitational:
The 3 Stars on Day 1 of the 2022 Portsmouth Invitational
- Jeriah Horne, Roger Brown’s Restaurant (24 points, 11 rebounds, made 4 3s in a 107-103 win)
- Jared Rhoden, Norfolk Sports Club (19 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, made 3 3s in a 78-67 win)
- Jericole Hellems, Roger Brown’s Restaurant (17 points, made 3 3s, 5 assists in a 107-103 win)
It was very tough to choose who would be the third star of the day, as there were a lot of good performances to choose from. Garrison Brooks impressed me with his three-point shooting and athleticism, and he threw down some really powerful dunks in this game. Grant Golden showed solid all-around skills, and he stuffed the stat sheet with his ability to make shots, pass the basketball, and he also seemed to show a little bit of point center skills in consistently pushing the ball up the floor off of defensive rebounds. I also felt numerous point guards played well, as Fatts Russell and Charlie Moore were speedy playmakers that excelled at scoring the basketball, and Trevor Hudgins and Tommy Kuhse seemed to make solid plays throughout the game. Also, Tyrese Martin had a solid, understated performance, as he thrived as a shooter, facilitator, and rebounder, and Quenton Jackson made a slew of very athletic plays on both ends of the floor.
But I decided to go with Jericole Hellems as my third star, as he was extremely efficient in knocking down shots, and he was very productive in leading his team to a narrow win in the second game. He scored 17 points on 6 of 8 shooting, made 3 threes, he also passed the ball very well, and he surpassed my expectations as he put forth a strong performance in this game.
It was also fairly tough to choose who would be the top star of the night. Jared Rhoden’s 19 point, 8 rebound performance stood out to me visually as the most memorable, especially in a game where players generally struggled to shoot well, but Jeriah Horne played really well in a very competitive, close game, and was the best player on the winning team there in a match where both teams played well. Therefore, I decided to go with Horne as the first star of the night, although both players did play very well on the first day of this event.
Anyways, those are my thoughts, and thanks for reading.
