Thoughts on Jahmyl Telfort, Baylor Scheierman, and Trey Alexander
February 3rd, 2024
By Alan Lu
Yesterday, I took the time to watch Butler play against Creighton in what turned out to be an extremely competitive, Big East basketball game. Butler has a couple of unheralded forwards that could project into 3 and D roles in the NBA in Jahmyl Telfort and Pierre Brooks, and Telfort went on to have a fantastic game against Creighton. Creighton has a trio of solid prospects in Baylor Scheierman, Trey Alexander, and Ryan Kalkbrenner, and all three of them also played well. This game went back and forth, but Butler was able to hang out to pull off a surprising upset win over Creighton. Here are my thoughts on how Telfort, Scheierman, and other various prospects fared, as well as how they may stack up as prospects for the NBA.
Butler’s 6-7 senior forward, Jahmyl Telfort scored 26 points, made 2 three-pointers, and dished out 4 assists to lead his team to a surprising road win over Creighton. (Photo: Rebecca S. Gratz/Associated Press, via WISH-TV)
Butler’s 6-7 senior forward, Jahmyl Telfort put forth a fantastic performance to help lead his team to a surprising win over Creighton. He is a strong, skilled player that thrived as a shooter and scorer on the floor, and he helped put his team in a better spot to vie for an NCAA Tournament bid when March rolls around.
Telfort shot the ball really well, as he did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball to help get his team the victory. Telfort did a very good job of scoring off the dribble as well as out of the post. He would score on floaters, and he has good strength, body control, and finishing ability that would allow him to consistently score in traffic. He also thrived as a post-up player, as he was able to use a strong drop step move to score on a jump hook, and he often would score on smooth, turnaround, fadeaway jumpers to display his scoring touch.
Plus, he also shot the ball well from the outside. He showed good footwork and shooting touch to consistently score from the mid-range, and Telfort also was able to make a couple of open, spot-up threes off the catch to show his shooting range.
Also, Telfort showed off solid playmaking skills in this game. He is a good passer that sees the floor well, and he would pass out of the high post to find cutters to notch assists. He passes the ball well out of the post, and he can make an assortment of passes to consistently get his teammates the basketball.
Though he didn’t get many rebounds in this game, he was able to get a pair of defensive boards when he was on the floor. He also played satisfactory defense. Telfort showed a willingness to play passing lanes to help his team force turnovers. He also contested a mid-range shot to force a miss. He doesn’t have elite lateral quickness, but he did a good job of being in position to help his team make plays defensively.
In summary, Jahmyl Telfort is a strong, skilled forward that put forth an impressive performance to help lead his team to a surprising win over Creighton. He is an above average athlete that showed off a terrific scoring touch, especially from the mid-range and post, and he also thrived as a shooter and shot-creator in this game. He’s also an underrated passer that would make timely, pinpoint passes to get assists. He played really well in this game, and he is an underrated prospect that could end up being a solid role player in the NBA.
Creighton’s 6-7 senior swingman, Baylor Scheierman scored 26 points and had 11 rebounds in his team’s loss to Butler. (Photo: Steven Branscombe/USA Today Sports, via Marietta Daily Journal)
Baylor Scheierman had a strong showing in his team’s loss to Butler. He is an athletic, skilled swingman that excelled as a scorer on the floor, and he threw down a couple of surprising, highlight reel-worthy dunks in this game. He seems to have a lot more athleticism than given credit for, and showed very good strength and terrific ups, as he was able to throw down a tremendous jam in traffic while getting fouled once. Unfortunately, he was rather streaky with his outside shot, but he still played well overall.
Scheierman showed a solid ability to score off the dribble. He is a crafty player that has good strength, balance, and body control, and he would use crafty hesitation moves to score and get free throws. He did a very good job of finishing plays in traffic. He tended to prefer driving to his left, and he really excelled when he would do so.
(Source: Twitter/@CBBonFOX via Fox College Hoops)
He also was able to score on a couple of thunderous dunks on aggressive drives in transition, including one where he dunked on an opponent while getting fouled once. He also excelled at scoring on quick cuts to the hoop. He also managed to draw free throws after going up for a shot shortly after grabbing an offensive rebound.
He also showed off some shooting skills from beyond the arc. Scheierman was able to run off a ball screen to make a quick, open three early on. He also was able to make another quick, open three-pointer. However, he was streaky with his three-point shot, and he missed his fair share of his threes late in this game.
Plus, he also showcased adequate playmaking skills. Scheierman is an unselfish player that can make drive and kick passes to find open shooters, and he would get them the basketball to set up scores for them. On the downside, he did commit a couple of turnovers. There was one play where he was called for traveling on a drive to the hoop, and he would sometimes struggle with his footwork when he would look to create his own shot.
Also, Scheierman did a terrific job of rebounding the basketball. He showed a knack for hauling in defensive boards, and he also was able to grab an offensive rebound off his own miss due to possessing a solid motor. He also played decent defense in this game. He would contest shots to force misses, as he would use his length to do so, and he also has the strength to hold his ground and defend in the post. On the downside, there was one time where he was too aggressive in contesting a shot off the dribble once, which led him to commit a foul that time.
In general, Baylor Scheierman played very well in his team’s loss to Butler. He is a skilled offensive player that is a three-level scorer on the floor, and he also passed the ball well when he was on the court. He also showed off much more athleticism than previously thought, and he was able to throw down a couple of very impressive dunks on the break. He is a very skilled swingman, and he would be a very good find for an NBA team, especially if he’s available to be selected in the late first to the second round range in the 2024 draft.
Trey Alexander also played well in his team’s tough loss to Butler. He is an athletic, skilled combo guard that thrived as a shooter and scorer on the floor, and he showed the ability to run the point when he was on the floor.
He did a very good job of knocking down dribble, mid-range jumpers. Alexander moves well off the ball, and he showed good footwork and a solid pull-up game to consistently make shots in that range. He also did a good job of scoring on strong drives to the hoop. Alexander was able to run off ball screens to make a couple of quick, open three-pointers in an impressive fashion, and he showed that he moves well off the ball on offense. However, he was quite streaky with his three-point shot, and he also missed his fair share of threes.
Also, he displayed adequate playmaking skills in this game. Alexander showed off some solid passing skills early on, and he showed the ability to make passes off the dribble and find teammates on the move to set up scores for them. He did a good job of finding them in stride, and he would make timely passes to get them the ball. However, sometimes he would tend to over-dribble, which would lead him to commit turnovers.
He also did a very good job of rebounding the basketball. Defensively, he looked to be about average at best. He was able to get some stops when defending off the dribble, and he would look to contest outside shots to force some misses. However, his lack of size made it difficult to contest jumpers, especially when guarding taller players, as they would shoot over him to score on him. He also overplayed his opponent when defending out on the perimeter and ended up getting beat on a cut to allow a score another time. He also was caught ball watching and was late to rotate back to his man, which led him to allow an open three-point basket another time.
Overall, Trey Alexander put forth a solid showing in his team’s loss to Butler. He is an athletic, skilled bucket getter that showed that he is a three-level scorer, and he also showed off some point guard skills in this game. However, he will need to take better care of the basketball, and he will need to improve his defense. Still, he played well overall, and he would likely be a solid value pick for an NBA team in the late first to the second round range of the 2024 draft.
Creighton’s 7-1 senior center, Ryan Kalkbrenner also had a solid showing in his team’s surprising loss to Butler. He is a very tall, mobile center that is at his best when making plays to help shore up his team’s interior, but he also showed off some surprising shooting skills to help his team on offense.
Kalkbrenner did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball. He showed a knack for catching lobs off of rolls to score around the basket. He also was able to score on a floater off of a short roll. He also excelled at scoring out of the post. He showed that he can score on strong drop step moves, and he would use his size and strength to draw fouls to get to the free throw line. Plus, he also was able to score on a put back. His best score of the night was when he was posting up, but then dribbled back, and made a three-pointer to show off some surprising range in this game.
On the downside, Kalkbrenner was quite turnover prone. On one good play though, he was able to set a solid screen to help free up a three-point shooter to set up a score for him. Early on, he struggled to catch passes as he would fumble passes that were thrown to him, and it led him to clumsily throw an inaccurate pass that got intercepted early on. Another time, he dropped a pass on a roll and ended up stepping out of bounds. He also tended to set moving screens that led him to commit offensive fouls and turnovers. Late in the game, there was one play where he set a dangerous moving screen where he stuck his leg out too far and tripped up an opposing player, which caused that opponent to have to leave the game for a brief time before his opponent re-entered the game.
Also, Kalkbrenner did a decent job of rebounding the basketball, and he especially was active at crashing the offensive glass to get offensive rebounds. He also played adequate defense in this game. Defensively, Kalkbrenner was at his best when he would be defending in the paint. He would rotate to block shots off of drives to help his team protect the paint. He also would contest mid-range jumpers as well as shots in the paint to get stops for his team. However, he struggled much more when he would have to defend out on the perimeter. He would often sag when his team would defend pick and rolls, which would lead his teammates to have to fight through hard screens, and they would often give up open jumpers to allow scores. Other times, he would be caught ball watching and over-help in the paint, which would lead his team to give up open jump shots.
Overall, Ryan Kalkbrenner played well in his team’s loss to Butler. He is a strong, mobile center that showed off an emerging jump shot to go along with having solid interior skills. However, he will need to improve his screen setting skills in a way that doesn’t get other players hurt in games, and he will need to improve his perimeter defense. Right now, he is a second round prospect, and he could project to be a backup center in the NBA.
Butler’s 6-1 senior point guard, DJ Davis had a solid showing in his team’s win over Creighton. He is an agile, skilled playmaker that turned in a strong all-op once, but he also=around performance to help his team get the victory, and he especially thrived as a shooter from long distances. He showed a knack for making threes, as he showed a nice ability to go to his left to knocked own pull-up threes, and he also ran quickly off a ball screen to make a three another time. He also thrived at scoring on hustle plays, as he showed that he can score off of cuts and on drives in transition. He also did a decent job of scoring off the dribble, but sometimes he would take tough shots that would lead to misses.
Davis showed off satisfactory playmaking skills in this game. He did a good job of passing the basketball, and he showed that he can make crisp passes off the dribble and on the break to set up scores for his teammates. However, he did drop a pass in the backcourt that went out of bounds late in this game that led to a turnover.
He also was able to chip in to get a few defensive boards. He also played satisfactory defense in this game. Davis was able to run in to intercept a pass to get a steal. On one play though, he was able to rotate to a drive, but he got outmuscled when defending on the drive, and it led him to commit a foul and allow a score that time. Overall, Davis quietly played very well, and he is a crafty, skilled point guard that consistently made good plays on the floor, and he showed that he may have what it takes to make it to the NBA someday.
Creighton’s 6-1 senior point guard, Steven Ashworth also played very well in his team’s surprising loss to Butler. He is an agile, skilled, crafty playmaker that thrived as a shooter, scorer, and facilitator when he was on the floor.
He showed a knack for making threes to provide floor spacing skills for his team. He was able to dribble off a screen to make a three, and he also ran off a ball screen to make a dribble handoff three another time. Ashworth showed a good ability to make movement threes, and he showed that he can comfortably make three-pointers both off the catch and dribble.
He also did a good job of scoring off the dribble. He is a crafty player that can change speeds to consistently score, and he showed a good scoring touch to do so. He also has fairly solid foot speed, which enabled him to draw free throws on a quick drive on the break.
He also passed the ball well. Ashworth did a good job of finding teammates on the move to set up scoring chances for them, and he was able to throw an accurate lob pass to notch an early assist. He knew when to push the pace, and he would throw long, pinpoint passes to get his teammates the basketball.
He also was able to chip in to get a few defensive boards in this game. Defensively, he struggled in this game. On one good play, he was able to contest a mid-range shot to force a miss. However, he would end up getting beat on cuts and misdirection plays that would lead his team to give up scores around the basket. He also had some trouble fighting through screens, which led him to commit a foul once.
Overall, Steven Ashworth played very well in his team’s tough loss to Butler. He is a crafty, skilled playmaker that consistently thrived at making plays on offense, and he could project to be a reliable backup point guard at the NBA level.
Butler’s 6-6 junior forward, Pierre Brooks had his ups and downs in his team’s win over Creighton. He did a good job of making his threes and he also showed that he can score on hustle plays, but he struggled to consistently score off the dribble, and he didn’t shoot well overall. Still, he was able to help get a key stop down the stretch, and he showed some interesting skills at various moments in this game.
Brooks shot the ball well from beyond the arc. He was able to run off a ball screen to make a quick three-pointer. He also made a deep three from way out another time. He also showed a knack for scoring on hustle plays. He was able to draw free throws on a tip shot off of an offensive rebound, and he was able to score on cuts to the hoop. Also, he showed that he can score on strong, right-handed drives to the hoop, especially if he gets a running start to get the ball. However, he’s not particularly quick, so he would often struggle to finish in traffic, and he also had his shot blocked once.
He also showed off decent playmaking skills. Brooks is an unselfish player that will make the extra pass, and he was able to throw an accurate bounce pass to find a cutter to notch an assist. Also, he did an adequate job of rebounding the basketball, and he was able to haul in multiple boards on both ends of the floor.
Defensively, he looked to be fairly average overall in this game. He did make one really good, key defensive stop late in the game, as he stayed in front of an opposing ball handler and defended wide to cut off penetration, and his ability to move his feet and keep his opponent in front of him helped enable him to force a ball-handling turnover in a crucial moment of the game. However, he would sometimes be slow to rotate to defend shooters off of screens, and he would sometimes take bad angles when defending screens, which would lead his team to give up open three-point baskets. On another play, he was too aggressive in contesting a shot off the dribble, which led him to commit a foul that time.
Overall, Brooks didn’t have his best game, but he had some very good moments that displayed his potential as a prospect for the NBA. While he doesn’t possess elite physical tools, he is a strong, mobile forward that projects well into a 3 and D role at the NBA level, and he could end up being a reliable role player in the association if he continues to work hard to hone his overall skills.
Butler’s 6-4 freshman guard, Finley Bizjack played very well, and he had a pivotal role in helping his team pull off a stunning, upset victory over Creighton. He is a sharpshooter that had a very good all-around showing, and he especially shot the ball well. He showed a knack for making threes, as he was able to do so both off the catch and dribble, and he also was able to make a very deep, buzzer-beating three before the first half came to a close.
He also did a decent job of scoring off the dribble, and he has a fairly solid first step that allowed him to score around the basket once. Also, Bizjack is an unselfish player that was able to net a pair of assists, and he also made a nice hustle play to deflect a pass out of bounds when he was on the defensive end. Overall, Bizjack played very well, and he is a high-motor, energetic combo guard whose sharpshooting prowess and ability to make team plays could enable him to make his way to the NBA someday.
Butler’s 7-1 senior center, Andre Screen had an adequate showing in his team’s win over Creighton. He instantly made an impact when he came off the bench to make plays on both ends of the floor, and he is an athletic, mobile center that can make plays to help his team shore up their interior. He didn’t shoot the ball as well as hoped as the game progressed, but he seemed to make enough plays to suggest that he might have some potential as a prospect for the NBA.
Screen was able to score on a quick cut to the hoop, as he was able to finish the play over a smaller player. He also managed to use a nice spin move to score on a powerful dunk after getting the ball in the post. Unfortunately, Screen didn’t play quite as well in the post as hoped on offense, and he tended to miss on contested jump hooks when he would look to score from the block.
On one play, he was able to set a hard screen, which helped draw a foul on an opponent. In this game, he was able to get his fair share of rebounds, as he was able to snag boards on both ends of the floor. He also defended well. On one play, Screen blocked a shot hard off of a roll to himself to help his team get a stop and the defensive board that time.
Overall, Andre Screen had a pedestrian box score stat line, but he seemed to have a bigger impact on the game than the box score would indicate. He is a strong, athletic center that excelled at making hustle plays, and he showed the potential to thrive as an interior player at higher levels. He will need to expand upon his game offensively, but he may be an underrated prospect that may have have what it takes to make it to the NBA someday.
Butler’s 6-11 freshman big man, Boden Kapke also played well in his team’s win over Creighton. He is a skilled, sharpshooting big man that excelled from an offensive standpoint. He has a very good shooting touch, and he was able to make a pair of open three-pointers off the catch. He also made clutch free throws in crunch time. Also, Kapke was able to chip in to get his fair share of boards in this game. On the downside, he would get outmuscled when defending in the post, which would lead him to be foul prone. Overall, Kapke is a skilled stretch big that can shoot and score the basketball, and while he may only be an average athlete, he is a skilled offensive player whose jump shot could enable him to make it to the NBA sometime down the road.
All in all, those are my thoughts on how Telfort, Scheierman, and other various prospects fared in this game. Thanks for reading.
