Spiece Run-N-Slam: Jerome Hunter and Gabe Brown go head-to-head
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Spiece Run-N-Slam kicked off on Friday evening as some of the very best shoe sponsored and non-affiliated teams hit the floor in Fort Wayne, Ind. In a back and forth affair between The Family and Ohio NOVA, Gabe Brown and Jerome Hunter displayed just how talented they really are and why they’re expected to become high-major priority prospects this summer.
Recruitment: Michigan, Xavier, Ohio State, Pitt, Purdue and many others.
His day: Despite Hunter’s team going down in defeat, the 6-foot-7 small forward was phenomenal from tip to buzzer. He displayed some Otto Porter to his game as he made shots out to 20-feet, created off of straight line drives to the basket and showed the wherewithal in playmaking for his teammates whenever the time permitted.
Quote: “It is a lot of schools that I am talking to right now, schools that I can’t even name. Some of them have been getting involved more recently.”
Prediction: The recruitment process is still just heating up for Hunter, someone that looked the part of a top-30 prospect on Friday evening, as Michigan, Xavier, Ohio State and Pitt have done the most work with him to date.
Recruitment: MAC and Horizon League offers with Michigan, Michigan State and Xavier interest.
His day: Holding a bevy of mid-major scholarship offers, Gabe Brown went bonkers to end the day in Fort Wayne as he made six 3-point jumpers, attempted a few highlight reel dunks in the lane and also the willingness to dig in on the defensive end. If he had the same outing last weekend in front of the throng of college coaches, Brown would be a high-major commodity.
Quote: “I have been hearing from a lot of schools like Michigan, MSU, Kentucky, Xavier, Big East and Big Ten schools. I have 10 Division I offers but all from MAC and Horizon League schools.”
Prediction: Brown remains a mid-major recruit for now, though he has been on campus at Xavier, Michigan State and a few others from the highest realm. It is anyone’s guess where he might land but the safest prediction is that the 6-foot-5 wing will receive a bevy of high-major offers in the coming weeks.
Recruitment: Michigan State, Xavier, Purdue, Butler and several others
His day: In a matchup with top-50 junior Pete Nance, Bingham came out the winner of the Midwest battle as he brought the energy to both ends of the floor. He made shots out to beyond the arc, sat down and defended the basketball and even finished at the basket on alley-oop passes thrown his way. His potential is through the roof.
Quote (offer that caught his eye): “Washington. It is a Pac-12 school, it is far away and I didn’t even know they would be watching me. It was surprising to me. He (coach Mike Hopkins) texts me almost every other day.”
Prediction: Bingham has slowly developed into one of the top spring breakout prospects as he entered the month of April with zero high-major offers and now holds ones from the top Midwest programs; expect for the top Big Ten and Big East schools to do their best to lock down the local talent out of Grand Rapids, Mich.
Recruitment: Michigan, Northwestern and Ohio State
His day: Nance failed to score a point until the middle portion of the second half of his outing. However, scoring the basketball is not what Nance will ever be known for but rather his unique ability to create for others off of the high ball screen and also facilitate for his team in the half-court setting, two things he still did well in his team’s defeat.
Quote: “I just want a place that I am around good people, where I can get a good education and where I would want to spend four years of my life.”
Prediction: Pretty much set on a final three of Michigan, Northwestern and Ohio State, Michigan seems to be in a good spot with Nance but after the decommitment of Darius Bazley from OSU, the Buckeyes have ramped up their attention with the super talented junior, the younger brother of Los Angeles Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr.
Recruitment: Purdue, Butler, Ohio State, Miami (Ohio), Xavier, Michigan and a few others.
His day: In a blow-out win to kick off the event, Jackson-Davis led his Team Teague 2019 team on the scoreboard as he finished at the basket, showed off quality passing skills out of the high post and the ability to rebound the ball within traffic. Jackson-Davis has the potential to grow to 7-feet tall, which, if he does, would only better his standing within the recruiting world.
Quote: "Purdue is probably number one on my list right now. They were the first high-major offer. I would say that helps. They were just the first one to believe in me.”
Prediction: Purdue looks to be in the best spot with the up and coming forward out of Indiana, a type of forward that can play in various lineups thanks to his size, deceptive foot speed and production from 15-feet and in.