Empire State Takeover Boys Exposure Event Recap

On Sunday, a small but talented group of 18 seniors and 6 juniors took the court at Union College, showing what they could bring a college program in front of coaches from Le Moyne, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Purchase, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Cobleskill, Union, Clarkson, Hartwick, Keuka, and Ulster CC in a series of games and drills. Here is what they - and I - saw.

Carmello (#5) in the play with Devin Boyle as Anthony DeBonis extends for a layup

Will Carmello (Bishop Gibbons '16, 6'0" G) - Will's strength on Sunday was the perimeter J. He made the defense pay numerous times for giving him space by knocking down the three. Gravitated toward the corner 3, which he hit with consistency. Not the most athletic there, but made up for it with brains defensively.

Bergh attacking the rim with Mike Wine (left) and Colden George (right) defending

Kory Bergh (Amsterdam '16, 5'10" G) - One of the premier guards out of his class in the area for a couple years now, he took a big step in showing that it was his time on Sunday. Kory had it all going, and with scorers around him, he was able to take the role of pass-first point guard that could score when the time was right - which is what he does best. Short, but strong and unafraid of contact. Actually seeks it out at times. One of the best (maybe the best) passer there, good handle and a knockdown shooter. Will be a great pickup for a program.

Diamond pulling up for an open 3 during a late scrimmage

Ben Diamond (Shaker '16, 5'8" G) - If Kory is thunder, Ben is lightning. Very crafty, slippery guard that uses a combo of slick moves and intelligence to make up for the clear size disadvantage. Uses change of speed better than most and can finish in a variety of ways. Scrappy at both ends. He'll go under the radar because of size, but could really help a team with an uptempo system.

Boyle pulling up for one of his many threes on the day with Colden George defending

Devin Boyle (Johnstown '16, 6'1" G) - Devin has exploded onto the Capital District scene over the last few months. Barely mentioned up until somewhat recently, he followed up a great summer league showing with a great one Sunday. Crafty with the handle and can do well setting others or himself up. One of the best shooters in the building - either off the catch, off the dribble, or off the screen. Was flying under the radar, but that's changing.

Mullins beating Darius Wicks (left) and Anthony DeBonis up the court for an easy 2

Mark Mullins (Chenango Valley '16, 6'3" G) - Talented all-around athlete from the Binghamton area. He had stretches of very strong play Sunday. Mark is a systemless kid - he can find his stride in any style of play, offensively or defensively. Capable shooter who can also put it on the floor or take smaller matchups down low. Long & can defend multiple positions. One of the hotter D3 prospects in upstate NY.

Close-up of a Champagne jumper in early session fast-break drills

Tyler Champagne (Mt. Anthony Union (VT) '16, 6'4" G) - Can't miss wing from the Bennington, VT area. At 6'4" with long arms and a high release, he can get his jumper up over defenders without them being able to alter it. One of the smoothest offensive players here - along with the perimeter J, he can put it on the floor to pull up for a mid-range J, use a floater, or get all the way to the rim. Another one who could fit in either a man-to-man or zone defensive scheme with his physical tools. Also an honorable mention pick in the EST summer league.

Evans with the blow-by against a defending Caleb Lapinel

Andrew Evans (Niskayuna '16, 6'3" G) - Perhaps one of the more underrated seniors in the Capital District. Showed a variety of tools Sunday and can score many different ways. Gets after it and plays with a little bit of an edge. Another good shooter with range well beyond the arc. Could fill either guard role at the next level. Good high-academic fit.

Lapinel attacking the rim with Anthony DeBonis on defense

Caleb Lapinel (Jefferson '16, 5'11" G) - Scrappy guard that has shown marked improvement over the last couple months. Despite his size, he was one of the best rebounding guards there - got to the right spot and wasn't afraid of contact. Works for everything he gets on the court. Does a good job pushing tempo and finishing around defenders.

Higgins with one of his many threes on the day

Matt Higgins (South Glens Falls '16, 6'3" G) - It felt like Matt couldn't miss Sunday. Perhaps the most well-rounded wing there, Higgins doesn't really have a weakness. He can shoot the 3 (hit about 15 in 3 games), loves the mid-range game, can get to the rim and finish above it, can handle and set others up, and is a lockdown defender when he's in it. Continuing to fill out and get better - bunch of D3 schools going after him.

George with the open mid-range J in fast-break drills

Colden George (Attica '16, 6'2" G) - Stat-stuffing combo guard. Decent scorer, especially in the open court. His athleticism and length makes him a solid rebounder coming from the backcourt and he can get to the rim with sheer speed off the dribble. Willing to make the extra pass and good at setting others up. Got after it on defense and didn't give up on the play if he got beat.

Ty'Jon Gilmore (Watervliet '16, 6'1" G) - A nagging foot injury got the better of Gilmore midway through the day, taking away perhaps the most talented guard in the building. Very strong & physical PG that loves contact and lives at the line, but also has consistent range out to 25'. Could also gladly fill the role of a pass-first point guard and has the maturity & IQ of a college senior on the court, not a high school senior. No offers yet, but receiving some serious interest from scholarship schools - both Division I and Division II.

More fast-break drill action - Bryant finishing above the rim in the 2 on 1 break

Rayquan Bryant (Newburgh '16, 6'3" G) - Athletic wing that finished above the rim as well as anyone in a Takeover jersey Sunday. Does a good job getting a step on defenders and initiating contact going to the rim. Would live at the free throw line in games that were called a little tighter. Quickness and length allow him to defend multiple positions with ease. Plays with a chip on his shoulder and gets after it on both ends.

Gregory letting it fly after getting himself some space

Josh Gregory (Whitesboro '16, 6'4" G/F) - Young senior (still 16) that is not only growing into his body, but still growing. Can shoot the lights out when he gets it going. He was streaky Sunday, but still one of the better shooters there even on an off day for him. Uses the ability to knock it down to set up other aspects of his game. Bigger than most guards and has the ability to post up smaller matchups. Also willing to make the extra pass. Plays with a chip on his shoulder. Good Division 3 prospect now, but a post-grad year could bump him up into D2 waters.

DeBonis up high with the finish during Sunday's final scrimmage

Anthony DeBonis (Troy '16, 6'6" F) - Lanky, athletic lefty that does just about everything you could look for from the 4 spot. He can finish at and above the rim, is a very good rebounder on both ends, and his mid-range jumper & face-up game have improved drastically. Great shot blocker coming from the weak side in help position. He runs the court better than most bigs and knows what to do with it when he gets it. Underrated post on a Troy team that has been very guard-dependent the last couple years - he'll make a program happy for the next few years.

Schultz defending against a tough attempt from Anthony DeBonis

Ian Schultz (Albany CBA '16, 6'5" F) - His game translates very well to a stretch 4 at the next level. Can step out and knock down the jumper consistently out to beyond the 3 point line. Uses that to open up other aspects of his perimeter game, which is deceptively strong. Works well in the post, uses the jump hook effectively. Tough kid and very good rebounder. Does all of the little things that teams are looking for.

Perry (#49) going up on defense against Andrew Sischo

Nick Perry (Attica '16, 6'4" F) - A little undersized for the post position at the next level, but makes up for that with brute strength. Battled everyone well in the blocks on both ends. Didn't see the ball as much as the other bigs Sunday, but did well when he got it. Much of his success came off work on the offensive boards. Outworks his matchup most of the time.

Skaine going up with the left hand with Mike Wine battling down low on defense

Alex Skaine (Saratoga Springs '16, 6'4" G/F) - Tough, gritty tweener with budding guard skills. Has played primarily down low to this point and has the post skills to go with it - great footwork, strong go-to move and counter move on each block, and has toughness. His jumper has improved quite a bit out to 18', along with his ballhandling ability. He can be successful in a half-court or uptempo style, and he can defend multiple positions. Quickness and length also makes him a very good pick & roll defender. Interest has been blossoming for him.

A rare 6'8" true big man that runs the floor - easy 2 for Sischo because of it here

Andrew Sischo (Guilderland '16, 6'9" F) - Physically dominant on both ends. Strong in the post, has a variety of moves in the post and can finish with power or finesse. Great touch - but can also dunk in traffic. He can also step out and knock down the mid-range and perimeter J with consistency. SERIOUS improvement over the last year. At the point where one defender just won't do against him. EST summer league MVP with another solid performance Sunday.

Fancher setting up a teammate off penetration in early fast-break drills

Colby Fancher (Stamford '17, 5'11" G) - Good overall performance for one of the few small-schoolers in the building on Sunday. Tough, scrappy PG who is maturing on the court and playing with more control - a big plus in his game. One of the fastest players there, really can wreak havoc in the open court. Had a couple beautiful passes once he got into the lane. Utilized the floater a few teams to get it over taller defenders. Ball-hawking defender who gets more than his share of steals.

Good battle here with Anderson defending on the play against Matt Higgins

Adam Anderson (Saratoga Springs '17, 6'1" G) - From JV player to sought after by every Division III program that sees him in 8 months time, it's been a rapid climb for Anderson with much more to come. Decent size from the point - long arms and sneaky athleticism make him play taller than he is. Capable perimeter jump shooter, game will take off more with improvements there. Great at getting to the rim and uses pull-ups & floaters from 10-15 feet very well. Active defender and has the type of body & quickness to be a lockdown defender against either backcourt position. Expect a breakout year from this up-and-coming junior.

Mike Wine (Guilderland '17, 6'0" G) - Previously underrated point guard who has commanded respect as one of the area's best over the last few months. Mike has the ability to really fill it up, using quickness to get to the rim, utilizing a variety of ways to finish before getting to the rim, and knocking down jumpers from mid-range out to beyond the 3 point line. He can also set others up very well and feasts on pick & roll situations. His quickness & toughness make him stand out in a guard-heavy crowd.

Wicks looking ahead late in Sunday's scrimmaging

Darius Wicks (Saratoga Springs '17, 5'9" G) - Plays the game with a more physical edge than the average point guard. Enjoys contact and invites it on offense, but can knock down the 3 if given room. Takes pride on the defensive end and aims to make ballhandlers uncomfortable. Gets underneath their chin and is a ball hawk going for steals, not afraid to play tough & physical at that end as well. Spent a lot of Sunday shaking out the cobwebs (mid-football season for him), but became much more comfortable as the day went on.

Hawkins cleared for liftoff in the open court

Jalen Hawkins (Utica Proctor '17, 6'3" G) - One of the best athletes in the building and made sure it was known. Great foot speed, lateral quickness, and length. When given a lane, he goes to the rim with the goal of ripping the rim down along with whoever goes up with him. Had a couple near-posters. Capable jump shooter, can knock it down with a little room, and has the ability to be a strong defender when fully invested. Generally prefers finesse to power and uses quickness/length to finish around contact. Great fit as a PG for an uptempo system at the next level.

Parker attacking the rack with Darius Wicks working on D

Dom Parker (Stamford '17, 6'1" G) - Small-schooler, but you wouldn't be able to tell. Size, skill, length, and athleticism were all comparable to the lion's share of combo guards in the building. Became more comfortable through the day and was in attack mode in the later stages. Strongest aspect on this day was his jumper, which defenders had to respect. Blossoming talent - continued on-court work and playing against strong competition will help him make giant strides.