Basketball showcase on tap this weekend

By Chris Duderstadt     Jul 22, 2015

Some of the best high school boys basketball players in the nation will be in Lawrence today through Sunday for the 810 Varsity Sports-Sunflower Showcase at Sports Pavilion Lawrence.

Seventy-nine teams will be on hand for four action-packed days of hoops on the eight courts of the new facility at Rock Chalk Park.

“It’s the best facility of its kind in the Midwest,” co-tournament director and Kansas University alumnus Chad Rader said. “The staff is great and accommodating. The community is very supportive.”

Several players from the Lawrence and Kansas City areas will be competing, along with a few players who have drawn interest from Kansas University.

Both Free State and Lawrence High will be represented with FSHS’ Shannon Cordes and Cameron Clark playing for Team KC Elite Jackson (16-and-under) and LHS’ Noah Butler, Brett Chapple, Jackson Hoy, Trey Quartlebaum and Jacob Rajewski all suiting up for the Kansas Cagers (15-and-under).

Other area players include: Veritas Christian’s Mark Weinhold (Warrior Hoops 17-and-under), De Soto’s Luke Hammontree (Warrior Hoops 17-and-under), Tonganoxie’s Mac Thompson (Pumas White 15-and-under), Mill Valley’s Cooper Kaifes (Pumas Blue 15-and-under) and Ottawa’s Krys Johnson (Team KC 15-and-under).

With the showcase being scheduled near the end of the AAU season, Rader said some of the top preps teams and players both locally and nationally opted not to compete, but he indicated that there will still be plenty of talent on the hardwood.

“We have many, many Division I-offered kids from the East and the South and the Central Midwest,” Rader said. “As a KU fan, and that’s what everyone in town obviously probably is, there might not be the number of KU-offered at this minute, but you never know.”

While there will not be any players at the tournament who have received offers from the Jayhawks, there are three players as of now that are on KU’s radar.

Alex Reese, a 6-foot 9-inch 225-pound power forward from Pelham High School (Alabama), will play down low for SE Elite Alabama (17-and-under).

According to Rivals, who rank Reese as the No. 49 overall player in the Class of 2017, the versatile post player has received offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Murray State, Alabama-Birmingham and Vanderbilt. Reese’s play this summer has caught the eyes of coaches nationwide.

“Kansas, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Kansas State, Georgia, UAB, Florida, Nevada, Mississippi State and Texas reached out on the 15th,” Reese told Garrett Tucker’s HoopSeen.com on June 30. “I hear from UAB the most.”

Rodney Miller, a 6-foot 11-inch 245-pound center out of Oak Hill Academy (Virginia), will be the primary presence in the post for the New York Lightning (17-and-under). Miller is ranked No. 93 by Rivals out of the Class of 2016, and has received offers from Florida, Georgia Tech, Miami, Tulsa, Virginia and Wake Forest. The big man has also heard from KU, Duke, Indiana, Memphis, Notre Dame, Rhode Island, St. John’s, Stanford, Tennessee and UCLA.

Wyatt Wilkes, a 6-foot 8-inch 205-pound small forward from Winter Park High School (Florida), will suit up for SE Elite Florida (16-and-under). Wilkes is unranked in the Class of 2017 by Rivals, but has offers from Clemson, Rice, UAB, Central Florida and Virginia Tech. He has also garnered interest from KU, Alabama, Davidson, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Purdue, Stanford, TCU, Tennessee, Stanford and Virginia.

The Sunflower Showcase was previously hosted in Shawnee’s Okun Fieldhouse, but Rader believes that Sports Pavilion Lawrence will be an ideal location for years to come.

“After one high-level event in the new pavilion, word will spread fast about this facility,” Rader said. “In fact, we’ve had a great number of Nike and other national level teams who can’t play this year due to prior commitments, but already marking their 2016 calendar for Lawrence.”

The showcase will begin with pool play at 2 p.m. today for the 14-, 15- and 16-and-under divisions. Action for the 17-and-under division will start at 3:15 p.m. Admission for each day of the showcase is $10.

SUNFLOWER SHOWCASE SCHEDULE

17-and-under

Thursday

3:15 pm, Court 3: Mercury Elite vs New York Lightning

3:15 pm, Court 7: KC And One vs KC Running Rebels

4:30 pm, Court 4: Kansas All-Stars vs Pumas Blue

4:30 pm, Court 6: Pure Prep vs Top City KC

4:30 pm, Court 7: Team pFab vs Iowa Dynasty

5:45 pm, Court 3: Colorado Shining Stars vs Mercury Elite Fano

5:45 pm, Court 4: Pumas White vs IBTB

545 pm, Court 7: Warriors Hoops vs Iowa Fire

7 pm, Court 3: SE Elite Alabama vs Team Eleate

7 pm, Court 4: Southern Stampede vs SE Elite 16s

7 pm, Court 5: SW Illinois Jets vs Wisconsin Academy

7 pm, Court 7: KC Running Rebels vs Oklahoma Attack

8:15 pm, Court 3: Pumas vs New York Lightning

8:15 pm, Court 4: SE Elite FL vs Team Illinois

8:15 pm, Court 6: KC And One vs SW Iowa Select

9:30 pm, Court 2: Team McDyess vs Quad City Elite

9:30 pm, Court 3: Texas Force vs Iowa Fire

Friday

9 am, Court 2: Top City KC vs Mercury Elite Fano

9 am, Court 3: Pure Prep vs Colorado Shining Stars

9 am, Court 5: Pumas Blue vs Team pFab

9 am, Court 6: Iowa Dynasty vs Kansas All-Stars

10:15 am, Court 3: Southern Stampede vs SE Elite FL

10:15 am, Court 5: Illinois Rise vs Warriors

11:30 am, Court 3: Wisconsin Academy vs SE Elite Alabama

11:30 am, Court 4: Mercury Elite vs Team Eleate

11:30 am, Court 5: Quad City Elite vs Pumas White

11:30 am, Court 7: Team McDyess vs IBTB

11:30 am, Court 8: KC And One vs Oklahoma Attack

12:45 pm, Court 3: Nebraska Select Ahrens vs Pumas

12:45 pm, Court 7: KC Running Rebels vs SW Iowa Select

2 pm, Court 3: SW Illinois Jets vs Athletes First

2 pm, Court 4: Kansas All-Stars vs Team pFab

2 pm, Court 7: Warriors vs Texas Force

2 pm, Court 8: Pure Prep vs Mercury Elite Fano

3:15 pm, Court 3: Team Illinois vs SE Elite 16s

4:30 pm, Court 4: Quad City Elite vs IBTB

4:30 pm, Court 5: Top City KC vs Colorado Shining Stars

4:30 pm, Court 7: Nebraska Select Hord vs Iowa Fire

5:45 pm, Court 3: SE Elite Florida vs Nebraska Select

5:45 pm, Court 4: Mercury Elite vs Wisconsin Academy

5:45 pm, Court 5: Iowa Dynasty vs Pumas Blue

7 pm, Court 3: SE Elite Alabama vs New York Lightning

7 pm, Court 4: Team Eleate vs SW Illinois Jets

7 pm, Court 5: Team McDyess vs Pumas White

8:15 pm, Court 3: Southern Stampede vs Athlete’s First

8:15 pm, Court 4: Pumas vs SE Elite 16s

8:15 pm, Court 5: Illinois Rise vs Iowa Fire

9:30 pm, Court 3: Nebraska Select Ahrens vs Team Illinois

9:30 pm, Court 5: Oklahoma Attack vs SW Iowa Select

9:30 pm, Court 6: Nebraska Select Hord vs Texas Force

Saturday (Platinum, Gold, Silver Tournaments TBA after conclusion of pool play)

11:30 am, Court 3: SE Elite Alabama vs Athlete’s First

2 pm, Court 3: SE Elite FL vs New York Lightning

7 pm, Court 3: SE Elite Alabama vs Southern Stampede

8:15 pm, Court 3: New York Lightning vs Athletes First

Sunday

10 am, Court 3: Southern Stampede vs New York Lightning

10 am, Court 4: TBD vs SE Alabama

11:15 am, Court 3: Athlete’s First vs SE Elite FL

TBA – Platinum, Gold, Silver final, third-place games

16-and-under

Thursday

2 pm, Court 5: Up Tempo vs Colorado Shining Stars

3:15 pm, Court 5: Colorado Shining Stars Black vs NL Elite White

4:30 pm , Court 3: SW Illinois Jets vs Illinois Stars

4:30 pm, Court 5: SW Iowa Select vs NL Elite Blue

5:45 pm, Court 6: Iowa Dynasty vs Up Tempo

8:15 pm, Court 2: Memphis Disciples vs Colorado Shining Stars Black (not

for pool play)

8:15 pm, Court 7: NEYSB vs NL Elite White

9:30 pm, Court 4: SW Iowa Select vs Quad City Elite

9:30 pm, Court 5: KC Basketball Club vs Illinois Stars

9:30 pm, Court 6: Team Illinois vs Colorado Shining Stars

9:30 pm, Court 7: MN Suns vs NL Elite Blue

Friday

10:15 am, Court 2: Team Illinois vs Iowa Dynasty

10:15 am, Court 8: MN Suns vs SW Iowa Select

11:30 am, Court 2: Quad City Elite vs NL Elite Blue

11:30 am, Court 6: Missouri Gym Rats vs Memphis Disciples

12:45 pm, Court 4: Illinois Stars vs Athletes First

2 pm, Court 2: NEYSB vs Colorado Shining Stars Black

2 pm, Court 6: NL Elite White vs Nebraska Select Hitchcock

3:15 pm, Court 2: Quad City Elite vs MN Suns

3:15 pm, Court 8: SW Illinois Jets vs KC Basketball Club

4:30 pm, Court 2: Up Tempo vs Team Illinois

4:30 pm, Court 3: Colorado Shining Stars vs Iowa Dynasty

4:30 pm, Court 6: Memphis Disciples vs Nebraska Select Danielsson

5:45 pm, Court 6: Missouri Gym Rats vs SW Illinois Jets (not for pool play)

8:15 pm, Court 6: Athletes First vs KC Basketball Club

8:15 pm, Court 7: Colorado Shining Black vs Nebraska Select Hitchcock

Saturday (Tournament TBA after conclusion of pool play)

9 am, Court 3: Missouri Gym Rats vs Nebraska Select Danielsson

9 am, Court 4: Nebraska Select Hitchcock vs NEYSB

Sunday

TBA – Tournament concludes

15-and-under

Thursday

2 pm, Court 4: KC Basketball Club vs Iowa Dynasty (not for pool play)

2 pm, Court 6: Hoop Squad vs KC Running Rebels

3:15 pm, Court 4: Kansas Cagers vs Pumas White

3:15 pm, Court 2: Kansas All-Stars vs Hoop Squad Elite

5:45 pm, Court 6: D1 Minnesota vs Pumas Blue

7 pm, Court 2: Team Legacy All-Stars vs Quad City Elite

7 pm, Court 6: Hoop Squad vs Kansas Cagers (not for pool play)

7 pm, Court 8: KC Running Rebels vs Pumas White (not for pool play)

8:15 pm, Court 5: Team KC vs SW Illinois Jets

8:15 pm, Court 8: Iowa Fire vs QC Raiders

9:30 pm, Court 8: Missouri Rain Makers vs Champaign Wolverines

Friday

9 am, Court 4: SW Illinois Jets vs Team Legacy All-Stars

9 am, Court 8: Iowa Dynasty vs Champaign Wolverines

10:15 am, Court 4: Athletes First vs Pumas Blue

10:15 am, Court 6: Illinois Rise vs D1 Minnesota

10:15 am, Court 7: Missouri Rain Makers vs Kansas Cagers (not for pool play)

12:45 pm, Court 2: QC Raiders vs Kansas All-Stars

12:45 pm, Court 5: Nebraska Select Sullivan vs Pumas White

12:45 pm, Court 6: Quad City Elite vs Team KC

12:45 pm, Court 8: Hoop Squad Elite vs Iowa Fire

2 pm, Court 5: Pumas Blue vs Illinois Rise

3:15 pm, Court 5: D1 Minnesota vs Athletes First

3:15 pm, Court 6: KC Running Rebels vs Nebraska Select Herzberg

3:15 pm, Court 7: Missouri Rain Makers vs Iowa Dynasty

4:30 pm, Court 8: QC Raiders vs Hoop Squad Elite

5:45 pm, Court 2: Team Legacy All-Stars vs Team KC

5:45 pm, Court 7: Champaign Wolverines vs Pumas White (not for pool play)

5:45 pm, Court 8: Quad City Elite vs SW Illinois Jets

7 pm, Court 6: Athletes First vs Illinois Rise

7 pm, Court 7: Kansas Cagers vs Nebraska Select Sullivan

7 pm, Court 8: Iowa Fire vs Kansas All-Stars

8:15 pm, Court 8: Nebraska Select Herzberg vs Hoop Squad

Saturday and Sunday

TBA – Tournament

14-and-under

Thursday

2 pm, Court 3: Kansas Hoggs vs Pumas

Friday

9 am, Court 7: Kansas Hoggs vs Athletes First

3:15 pm, Court 4: Pumas vs Nebraska Select

7 pm , Court 2: Nebraska Bison vs Athletes First

9:3 pm, Court 4: Nebraska Bison vs Nebraska Select

Saturday

10:15 am, Court 7: Nebraska Select vs Athletes First

10:15 am, Court 8: Kansas Hoggs vs Nebraska Bison

2 pm, Court 8: Pumas vs Nebraska Bison

4:30 pm, Court 7: Kansas Hoggs vs Nebraska Select

7 pm, Court 7: Athletes First vs Pumas

Sunday

10 am, Court 5: Team 1 vs Team 2 (title)

10 am, Court 6: Team 3 vs Team 4 (third)

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