May 10, 2008

Anderson struggles in Waukesha

WAUKESHA, Wis.—Almost a week after giving his verbal commitment to the University of Wisconsin, 2010 hoops prospect Evan Anderson had one of his most frustrating performances on the AAU circuit this summer.

The 6-foot-11, 245-pound center from Eau Claire (WI) North, who is rated by Rivals.com as the No. 5 sophomore is the nation, was plagued by early foul trouble in the Wisconsin Playground Warriors' first contest Saturday afternoon.

Anderson picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter and did not play the remainder of the half. The theme continued when he was whistled for his third just minutes into the second half.

The big man finished with just five points (unofficial) and struggled from the free throw line in limited action.

Much like Anderson, the Warrior squad as a whole got off to a slow start and found themselves down 15-9 in the first quarter before defeating the Wisconsin Force, 74-58, in the first round of 16U pool play.

Shooting guard Kameron Cerroni (Sussex Hamilton) paced the Warriors with 18 points and point guard T.J. Bray led a second-quarter attack in which his team outscored the Force 29-9.

Just hours after the Warriors' 15U team defeated the Wisconsin Blizzard 52-44, Trevor Jorgenson suited up for the 16U team and played valuable minutes in Anderson's absence. The freshman had 20 points in his first contest.

The Warriors' play later this afternoon against HLC to conclude pool play before the tournament begins Sunday.

Individual analysis

Sophomore Marquis Mason was by far the most athletic player in the gym Saturday. The 6-foot-5 wing from Madison East High led his team (Wisconsin Sporting Goods) to an easy win over the Wisconsin Force Gym Rats in their first game of the day.

Mason, who has a scholarship offer from Marquette, is strong and explosive and is getting looks from the Badger football coaching to staff as a wide receiver. Though he did not play football last season, his coach said Saturday that he was leaning toward playing in 2008…

Though Anderson struggled, it was evident just how dominant he can be at times. He rebounds and blocks shots very well and is able to get up and down the floor in the Warriors' up-tempo style. He needs to develop his offensive game, but the big man flushes it down with authority and consistency down low…

Jorgenson really stood out when he played with the 15U ground in his first game. He is physically mature for a 15-year-old and was able to create a ton of space for himself in the post.

The 6-foot-7 forward from LaCrosse Logan has a nice touch from inside 12 feet and did not miss a step when brought aboard to play with the older quad (who was without Chimankinda Kadima of Milwaukee Lutheran) in his second game in less than two hours.

Jorgenson, along with Larry Bradley from Milwaukee Vincent, have to be considered the state's top two prospects in the 2011 class at this point…

(Bradley did not play with the Milwaukee Spartans in Waukesha this weekend)

Cerroni, who already has offers from UW-Milwaukee and UW-Green Bay, is a deadly shooter from the outside, but he needs to improve his ability to get to the basket on a consistent basis. His high basketball IQ evident from the moment he steps on the floor…

Though he doesn't get the attention that Anderson and Cerroni demand, Bray, a 6-foot-3 guard from Waukesha Catholic Memorial, is a pleasure to watch on the 16U team. The lefty shoots and penetrates very effectively and should get some Division I looks as he continues to progress…

Along with Jorgensen, Playground guards Darrell Longstreet (Kenosha Tremper) and Quinten Calloway (Milwaukee Marquette) are intriguing 2011 prospects. Both struggle shooting the ball, but their ball handling and scoring ability set them apart from the rest of the 15U pack.

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