I thought I might as well create a new thread so we can keep track of Javon's senior year at Whitney Young High School.
https://twitter.com/NBCSPreps/status/936838651597619202
https://twitter.com/NBCSPreps/status/937000974392156161
A Whitney Young vs Vashon (St. Louis) showdown tonight at the Chicago Elite Classic event tonight.
I'd like to point out Javon Freeman (Valpo commit) is going up against Mario Mckinney (consensus Top 100 recruit) who Valpo is reportedly showing interest in.
https://twitter.com/camronsmith/status/937143394618441731
https://twitter.com/TheSchiffMan/status/909808326598385665
https://twitter.com/ARHoopScoop/status/910310039457591296
But Javon is looking good tonight!
https://twitter.com/joehoopsreport/status/937138791298592768
https://twitter.com/NBCSPreps/status/937100994776887296
https://twitter.com/TheCubeDotCom/status/937137265020686336
https://twitter.com/TheCubeDotCom/status/937139125806944256
https://twitter.com/TheCubeDotCom/status/937140649584885761
https://twitter.com/joehoopsreport/status/937156989943238656
https://twitter.com/okonscoutnews/status/937158012552339456
Oh my word, look at this!
https://www.twitter.com/TheCubeDotCom/status/937156991134380032/video/1
https://www.twitter.com/Givemeliberty30/status/937170803313053697
Quote from: wh on December 03, 2017, 06:32:21 AM
Oh my word, look at this!
https://www.twitter.com/TheCubeDotCom/status/937156991134380032/video/1
Honestly I'm more intrigued by the refs wearing yellow and that the game was held at UIC, virtually a home game for near by WYMHS and on recruiter McClain's court.
Let's let Javon be Javon when he gets to Valpo!
Quote from: bbtds on December 03, 2017, 11:45:10 AM
the game was held at UIC, virtually a home game for near by WYMHS and on recruiter McClain's court.
I wonder how the NCAA is allowing this. I thought there was a NCAA rule against this, because it gave teams an advantage in recruiting. Valpo use to host a High School showcase or tournament of something but could no longer do it because of the NCAA rule. I remember someone mentioning Tommy Kurth played in the tournament.
-If a recruit watches McClain's coaching abilities, that should counteract this recruiting advantage ;D
-I think there will be high expectation's for Javon coming into his freshman season but he won't depended on to be the leading scorer or anything next season, which should take off some of the pressure. He'll be surrounded by a lot of veteran talent. One of the things that really excites me about Javon's game is that he's not a one trick pony. He has the opportunity to become a very strong defender, which is great to hear because Valpo will miss Tevonn and Max's strong perimeter defense next season.
Javon is a humble kid. Link to an interview. Valpo comes up a few times in the interview.
https://twitter.com/PrepCircuit/status/937848504399073281
https://twitter.com/312Hoops/status/935601599845629953
Quote from: VU2014 on December 04, 2017, 07:38:39 PM
Javon is a humble kid. Link to an interview. Valpo comes up a few times in the interview.
https://twitter.com/PrepCircuit/status/937848504399073281
Didn't really like that fact that this guy implied that people thought Javon was too good for Valpo.
Quote from: FWalum on December 06, 2017, 04:26:36 PM
Didn't really like that fact that this guy implied that people thought Javon was too good for Valpo.
I noticed that to. It was nice to see Javon shrugging it off right away.
If you look at how bad UIC has underachieved yet this far and how we are 8-0 I'd like to think Javon isn't regretting his college choice.
McClain, good recruiter...bad in game coach. Plus he has his uncle giving him guidance as well. And if you don't think Marcus status, even so many years ago, doesn't resonate with his nephew, you're terribly mistaken. Plus Marcus, via Twitter, was a fan of his signing. Not only that, he's a NLI signee so for him to change direction will cause him to lose a year. He is totally a Valpo kid.
Quote from: ValpoDad89 on December 06, 2017, 07:32:47 PM
If you look at how bad UIC has underachieved yet this far and how we are 8-0 I'd like to think Javon isn't regretting his college choice.
McClain, good recruiter...bad in game coach. Plus he has his uncle giving him guidance as well. And if you don't think Marcus status, even so many years ago, doesn't resonate with his nephew, you're terribly mistaken. Plus Marcus, via Twitter, was a fan of his signing. Not only that, he's a NLI signee so for him to change direction will cause him to lose a year. He is totally a Valpo kid.
I hope Javon stays focused on maturity on and off the court. Though I don't know any coach that holds disgruntled recruits to the NLI. It's bad press, most times I've seen a release which means he's not bound to the previous agreement.
Goodie, true that but it's also rare a recruit backs out of NLI without a coaching change. My take is we have nothing to worry about. I think he is fine and safe with his commitment and everything I've heard about this young man is he wants to prove his detractors wrong. What better place than that sleeping giant nestled in the crescent of NW Indiana. Look at want happened to Alec Peters when he committed and didn't waiver. Valpo is a special place and I get more convinced of that every time I step on campus.
https://twitter.com/AintuJavon/status/938621439443382272
https://twitter.com/michaelsobrien/status/941366821915189253
He is killin' everybody. Will he be the next great Crusader?
Quote from: M on December 17, 2017, 08:52:16 PM
He is killin' everybody. Will he be the next great Crusader?
Let Javon be Javon, an excellent person!
It's going to be tough to beat Ayo and THT but Javon is definitely right up there in the conversation for Illinois Mr. Basketball.
https://twitter.com/marsreel/status/949029929160716289
I am excited for him to arrive, but also worried that he comes to his senses and goes P5...
Quote from: valpotx on January 05, 2018, 12:13:25 AM
I am excited for him to arrive, but also worried that he comes to his senses and goes P5...
I think he already did come to his senses and realized that he could be THE guy at Valpo versus one of the guys at a P5. He has had plenty of smart, experienced folks around him. At some point I remember him saying something about being able to start right away at Valpo.
Quote from: vu72 on January 05, 2018, 07:53:12 AM
Quote from: valpotx on January 05, 2018, 12:13:25 AM
I am excited for him to arrive, but also worried that he comes to his senses and goes P5...
I think he already did come to his senses and realized that he could be THE guy at Valpo versus one of the guys at a P5. He has had plenty of smart, experienced folks around him. At some point I remember him saying something about being able to start right away at Valpo.
He seems pretty firmly committed to Valpo. His family has been tweeting about and following the team this season. Also helps that Coach Dildy is family friends with Javon's family. But it is in the back of my head that another big time P5 will swoop in at the last minute but he definitely has a great support system around him and they know he definitely has the chance to be the guy here and be the focal point of our team. He's definitely going to be starting next year at the 2 guard.
Quote from: valpotx on January 05, 2018, 12:13:25 AM
I am excited for him to arrive, but also worried that he comes to his senses and goes P5...
Right now I don't think you have anything to be concerned about. Maybe later if he's performing at a very high level individually and Valpo isn't getting to where he wants to go as a team you'll see a Michigan State or similar team swoop in and try to get him away, but he's coming to Valpo next year, and the Crusaders should actually be better for the difficulties encountered this year with all the experience the young guys are getting. Just an outsider's opinion.
A couple of wins for us will help ease the tension we are experiencing. Remember the saying, "patience is a virtue".
Quote from: valpo64 on January 05, 2018, 10:35:49 AM
A couple of wins for us will help ease the tension we are experiencing. Remember the saying, "patience is a virtue".
Ease tensions of everyone.
https://twitter.com/JonathanJames23/status/951302857537609730
Quote from: VU2014 on January 11, 2018, 08:58:37 AM
https://twitter.com/JonathanJames23/status/951302857537609730
The only thing I can think is the coach of the red team must have a sick sense of humor to have his slow, possibly-coordinated-possibly-not white player mechanically dribbling the ball 1-on-1 against Javon. Talk about taking candy from a baby. lol.
He must love dunks even more then I do!
Quote from: wh on January 11, 2018, 02:16:33 PM
Quote from: VU2014 on January 11, 2018, 08:58:37 AM
https://twitter.com/JonathanJames23/status/951302857537609730
The only thing I can think is the coach of the red team must have a sick sense of humor to have his slow, possibly-coordinated-possibly-not white player mechanically dribbling the ball 1-on-1 against Javon. Talk about taking candy from a baby. lol.
This can't be a game can it? Looks like a Phys Ed class or maybe the pre-season scrimage.
Look at the score! Wasn't much of a game.
Looks like Whitney Young Women's b-ball team was in NYC this past weekend. See players boarding my flight back to ORD.
Anyone know if the men's team was in NYC too?
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on January 15, 2018, 06:53:21 PM
Looks like Whitney Young Women's b-ball team was in NYC this past weekend. See players boarding my flight back to ORD.
Anyone know if the men's team was in NYC too?
They weren't in NYC. They play at home Wednesday. They did play in Memphis and lost on the 6th.
QuoteThis can't be a game can it? Looks like a Phys Ed class or maybe the pre-season scrimage.
Yes, that's a game. Whitney Young's gym is designed kinda weird (I've been there for a volleyball tourney). The bleachers go up pretty high on the sides (i.e., the person filming this is up pretty high on the bleachers on the one side), but there are two courts in between the two sides, I'd imagine to maximize the space (you can see the other bleachers pushed back behind the curtain. Most h.s. games in the city don't draw that well, since they usually tip at 4 or 5 p.m. My guess is that they only use the opposite side bleachers when they need them ("big" games in the city are often moved to a larger neutral site like Chicago State, UIC, or DePaul's on-campus gym).
https://twitter.com/BallBoysChi/status/953815002380615680
Nice!
https://twitter.com/joehoopsreport/status/954860396053237766
https://twitter.com/ILLBALLERZ/status/954756911018242048
Sounds like Javon has been playing on a bad ankle.
https://twitter.com/Givemeliberty30/status/954894119280762880
https://twitter.com/crudfish44/status/955529970289467392
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=31&v=MQefpbYHn3k
Quote from: VU2014 on January 22, 2018, 02:07:38 PM
https://twitter.com/crudfish44/status/955529970289467392
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=31&v=MQefpbYHn3k
It appears he has a mid-range game!!! Hallelujah
I should let this go, but wow he needs his wheaties!
It sounds like Javon and Whitney Young are playing games in California right now
https://twitter.com/Givemeliberty30/status/959943672233185280
Has he de-committed yet? Watching this crap show can't make you feel good about the team you are joining.
He. Has. Signed. An. LOI.
Can we stop trying to run our recruits off on our own board? Jesus.
Right?! Welcome these young men with open arms. They're a huge part of our future.
I think all parties involved know this season hasn't gone the way wanted hut we're also missing one of the key cogs in Joe and Javon knows he's a HUGE part of our future. We're young and I do see signs of growth in our team even though it might not be happening as fast as we'd like. Tonight ver well could have been a win if the whistle didn't go against us so much at key moments and if we made a few more FTs.
Quote from: bigmosmithfan1 on February 03, 2018, 10:43:10 PM
He. Has. Signed. An. LOI.
Can we stop trying to run our recruits off on our own board? Jesus.
Do you truly think that he reads this board? I remember when I was playing, we heard about a Valpo Fan Forum, and thought it was a joke, but never really checked into it. Granted, it was during a time when forums were just becoming more popular, but we still thought it silly that adults were talking about our teams in such a way. Now, I happen to post the most, which college me would die of embarrassment to know :).
Quote from: valpotx on February 03, 2018, 11:57:10 PM
Quote from: bigmosmithfan1 on February 03, 2018, 10:43:10 PM
He. Has. Signed. An. LOI.
Can we stop trying to run our recruits off on our own board? Jesus.
Do you truly think that he reads this board? I remember when I was playing, we heard about a Valpo Fan Forum, and thought it was a joke, but never really checked into it. Granted, it was during a time when forums were just becoming more popular, but we still thought it silly that adults were talking about our teams in such a way. Now, I happen to post the most, which college me would die of embarrassment to know :).
Haha, how true!
A great dunk by Javon!
https://twitter.com/Givemeliberty30/status/960167969966952449
https://twitter.com/1550sports/status/960689856690110465
https://twitter.com/MidMajorScouts/status/961297715559911425
Huge test tomorrow night for Javon and Whitney Young as they face No.1 ranked, in Illinois, and No. 11 Nationally ranked Simeon. A strong performance by Javon could be key to his chances for Mr. Basketball.
Quote from: vu72 on February 15, 2018, 10:53:45 AM
Huge test tomorrow night for Javon and Whitney Young as they face No.1 ranked, in Illinois, and No. 11 Nationally ranked Simeon. A strong performance by Javon could be key to his chances for Mr. Basketball.
It should be a good one. Whitney Young took down Morgan Park which has a senior 5 star recruit on it a few days ago. Javon had 19 points and 9 rebs if I remember. WY is a really talented team. Simeon is stacked as usual. They have quite a few D1 players on their roster including Talen Horton Tucker who who committed to Iowa State and is a Top 50 recruit, Drake commit Messiah Jones (3-star), and Mizzou commit Xavier Pinson who VU was showing interest in. It should be a great test.
The Morgan Park kid will probably be Mr Basketball in Illinois. Ayo Dosunmu or something like that. Real nice win!
Quote from: M on February 15, 2018, 07:04:02 PM
The Morgan Park kid will probably be Mr Basketball in Illinois. Ayo Dosunmu or something like that. Real nice win!
What win? Javon? How did he do?
Freeman had 19pts and 9 boards I think I saw in the win for WY.
A few highlights from Javon's last game.
https://twitter.com/WEGOTNEXTHOOPS1/status/964311661506187264
I'd really like to put my blinders on and think he will be a monster out of the gate. Most concerned with him playing through the very physical play / contact of the MVC.
Any guards of his stature exist in the new conference? Ones that contribute on a regular basis? We might need a few years of acclimatization to college in order to see him overcome these obstacles.
Wiry guard can succeed in the MVC and at any most level if they have the talent. Jordan Barnes is 6 foot and no more the 150lbs. and he may be 1st team all mvc. Javon could stand to gain some muscle which I'm sure Derek Bol will help him with that. It appears he's pretty good at finishing through contact when he drives to the hoop. I don't want to put too many expectations on him next season but I'm really looking forward to seeing him play in a Crusader uniform. I think he's going to get big minutes next season at the the glaring hole at the 2 with Tevonn and Max graduating. I could see Daniel Sackey eventually playing big minutes at the 1 (if he's ready) and then sliding Bakari to the 2 at times.
The next few years could be alot of fun!
Simeon 64 Whitney Young 53
Javon Freeman led WY with 18 points.
2017-18: Rebuild
2018-2019: Reload
2019-2020: Reclaim
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on February 17, 2018, 03:29:46 PM
2017-18: Rebuild
2018-2019: Reload
2019-2020: Reclaim
Exactly!!!
Nice that Javon got to see a good win in the ARC last night!
https://twitter.com/michaelsobrien/status/966014449000898561
So can someone with a little more knowledge of the Valley than I fill me in on where JFL ranks as far as incoming freshman to the conference?
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on February 20, 2018, 10:59:03 PM
So can someone with a little more knowledge of the Valley than I fill me in on where JFL ranks as far as incoming freshman to the conference?
Verbal commits ranks our class the best (so far) https://www.verbalcommits.com/conferences/missouri-valley
Individually, the highest ranked player is probably 4 Star AJ Green, ranked #2 in Iowa and signed by UNI. It is hard to evaluate other players other than their rank in individual states. Javon is ranked #5 in Illinois, Drake has signed Messiah Jones, ranked #15 in Illinois, Loyola has signed Franklin Agunanne, ranked # 7 in Indiana. I probably missed a few players but it looks like Javon would easily be in the top 5 in the conference, maybe higher.
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on February 20, 2018, 10:59:03 PM
So can someone with a little more knowledge of the Valley than I fill me in on where JFL ranks as far as incoming freshman to the conference?
He's one of the better freshman coming but there are a ton of very talented freshman coming into the Valley next season.
It can't be emphasized enough that the Coaches need to keep the pedal to the metal and stack strong recruiting classes.
Valpo:-Javon Freeman
-Daniel Sackey
UNI-AJ Green (a stud 4-star PG who is also the son of UNI's associate head coach)
Indiana State:-Cooper Neese RS FR (former Butler commit)
-Deavion Washington (former Valpo recruit. He's going to be a stud offensive player in the MVC one day)
MSU:-Jared Ridder RS FR (another really talented kid. He's a former Xavier commit)
Illinois State:- Dan Muller always recruits at a really high level.
Loyola:-Landed a huge commitment from La Lumiere product Franklin Agunanne who is ranked as a 4 star by espn
SIU:-landed a commit from one of the best players in Illinois in Darius Beane (assistant coaches son)
-Sam Shafer is a really underrated commit. He's a deadeye 3 point shooter. He's going to be a good player one day.
Bradley:-I have no clue about their class but Wardle always recruits well.
Drake:They have 6 freshman in their class. I know Kendle Moore and Messiah Jones are pretty good recruits from Illinois but no clue about the other 4.
Evansville:I have absolutely no clue about their class. But Marty has a knack for finding studs like Dru Smith and Ryan Taylor but it hasn't translated to success the last few years.
Quote from: VU2014 on February 21, 2018, 10:11:30 AMIllinois State:- Dan Muller always recruits at a really high level.
The Redbirds didn't have any seniors on their roster this year...so he can afford to be picky..."Finding an appropriate place for a current roster player while he gets ready to sign someone."
https://twitter.com/michaelsobrien/status/967094032659869696
https://www.suntimeshighschoolsports.com/2018/02/23/sun-times-all-city-basketball-team/
https://twitter.com/joehoopsreport/status/971573948818362368
https://twitter.com/michaelsobrien/status/971574213319512064
https://twitter.com/michaelsobrien/status/971573113250107392
https://twitter.com/michaelsobrien/status/971573113250107392
https://twitter.com/michaelsobrien/status/971560683434381312
https://twitter.com/michaelsobrien/status/971589564858060801
High-flying Javon Freeman steps up in the fourth quarter to lead Young past Lincoln Park
Michael O'Brien
mobrien@suntimes.com | @michaelsobrien
March 7 9:29 p.m.
https://www.suntimeshighschoolsports.com/2018/03/07/young-lincoln-park-basketball/
Over/Under - JFL averaging 8 points per game his freshman year?
Quote from: SanityLost17 on March 08, 2018, 07:21:51 AM
Over/Under - JFL averaging 8 points per game his freshman year?
Easy over. Tevonn averaged 10.3 his freshman year.
QuoteYoung, the defending Class 4A state champions, will face Curie in the sectional title game on Friday. The Condors have a significant size advantage.
Would love to watch this game. In the Fort Wayne area every game of this type is streamed, does anyone from the Chicago area know if this game will be available for viewing?
Javon is looking more and more like he's going to be a special player. Can't wait to see him in a Valpo uniform.
Quote from: SanityLost17 on March 08, 2018, 07:21:51 AM
Over/Under - JFL averaging 8 points per game his freshman year?
Too early to tell but it will come down to his defense. If he can defend at a high enough level he should get enough playing time to be able to average 10.3 ppg. I don't think it's a complete slam dunk he'll get 10.3 ppg but I wouldn't rule it out of the realm of possibility.
G Tywhon Pickford (UNI) made the all freshman team and only averaged 9.1 ppg, but UNI offense is a bit different so it's not a perfect comp. G Tyreke Key (ISUb) who also made the all freshman team and only averaged 8.3 ppg. Lucas Williamson averaged 4.8 ppg but was relied upon heavily this season for Loyola. Valley defenses are tough and will try to limit his strength which is slashing to the basket. I keep hearing JFL is going to be a stud, which I have no doubt he will be one day but he needs to work on his jump shot.
Quote from: VU2014 on March 08, 2018, 11:58:06 AMToo early to tell but it will come down his defense. If he can defend at a high enough level he should get enough playing time to be able to average 10.3 ppg. I don't think it's a complete slam dunk he'll get 10.3 ppg but I wouldn't rule it out of the realm of possibility.
Yes, Tevonn started from the get go his freshman year. He was an offensive threat as the numbers show, but he was already an elite defender and that often does not show in the stats. I really was amazed at watching him that first year because his defensive instincts were so good, and of course he is quick enough to stay in front of the shoulder. Javon has considerably more length than Tevonn and also seems to have the required quickness, it will be interesting to see if he has the instincts or can learn them in short fashion.
His defense is definitely the key to getting enough minutes to average that many points. McMillan could've averaged that pretty easy if his defense would've kept him on the floor.
Quote from: M on March 08, 2018, 01:44:59 PM
His defense is definitely the key to getting enough minutes to average that many points. McMillan could've averaged that pretty easy if his defense would've kept him on the floor.
If you take a look at Todd's final interview with Matt, starting at 6:28, you hear him say that Javon has "good Length", is an " extremely explosive athlete" who can "really defend". Other than also saying that Javon could be Mr. Basketball in Illinois, really didn't have much good to say about him. ;D
Quote from: vu72 on March 08, 2018, 02:18:06 PM
Quote from: M on March 08, 2018, 01:44:59 PM
His defense is definitely the key to getting enough minutes to average that many points. McMillan could've averaged that pretty easy if his defense would've kept him on the floor.
If you take a look at Todd's final interview with Matt, starting at 6:28, you hear him say that Javon has "good Length", is an " extremely explosive athlete" who can "really defend". Other than also saying that Javon could be Mr. Basketball in Illinois, really didn't have much good to say about him. ;D
I was wondering why he didn't say anything about the "Winnipeg Jet" Daniel Sackey but I forgot he can't talk publicly about a recruit till they sign their LOI which isn't till May 16.
https://twitter.com/BallisLifeCHI/status/972318113755693057
Quote from: VU2014 on March 09, 2018, 11:21:12 PM
https://twitter.com/BallisLifeCHI/status/972318113755693057
I know they were trailing with 36 seconds to go and won in overtime. I'm guessing the game went really late so no stories made the paper. Would love to see a box score or a write up or something! >:(
If I read the score from the current year, Whitney Young beat Simeon in OT tonight 71-66! Perhaps Javon is moving closer to Mr. Basketball with each win!
Quote from: vu72 on March 13, 2018, 08:49:56 PM
If I read the score from the current year, Whitney Young beat Simeon in OT tonight 71-66! Perhaps Javon is moving closer to Mr. Basketball with each win!
Tis true, Javon had 16-pts at half. Haven't seen a final box score though. Congrats to Javon!
he made six free throws in a row to ice it! :cheers:
Looks like Whitney Young will play Evanston in the semifinals on Fri. 3/16 at 7:15pm on NBC Sports-Chicago
Javon finished the night with 19 points. That is a huge win. Whitney Young beat Simeon last year also. Almost all of Simeons roster is D1 prospects. They even had the Mr. Illinois on the team Talen Horton Tucker.
https://twitter.com/MarkJKim_/status/973742021629415424
https://twitter.com/MarkJKim_/status/973736050643423232
https://twitter.com/michaelsobrien/status/973745691825770498
https://twitter.com/MarkJKim_/status/973733511671640064
https://twitter.com/CN100Sports/status/973738908348485632
https://twitter.com/CN100Sports/status/973737598928805891
https://twitter.com/0gj0sh/status/973731048721997829
https://twitter.com/michaelsobrien/status/973753386595123200
Young shocks Simeon
Michael O'Brien
mobrien@suntimes.com | @michaelsobrien
March 13 9:48 p.m.
https://www.suntimeshighschoolsports.com/2018/03/13/young-shocks-simeon/
https://twitter.com/AaronBenRose/status/973765182940950528
JFL's uncle Marus Liberty (former NBA player) breaks down his game and hits on the fact that he needs to work on his jump shot but he says he's going to work with him on it in the offseason.
https://twitter.com/ESchmidtChicago/status/973997845895401473
Went to the Supersectional and saw Marcus and caught up. We have a couple mutual friends as we both graduated in 1987 and lived on the Southern Side of Chicago. Needless to say he's proud of his 'phew and very happy he chose Valpo. We will probably see him at a few games next year as well. Valpo May lead the league on former NBA players in the stands!!! Keep it coming Matt!!!
Unsurprisingly Javon earn 1st Team all-state honors at the highest level of Illinois High School Basketball.
https://twitter.com/PSH_HSscout/status/974024577440415744
https://twitter.com/michaelsobrien/status/974436625844498432
While Marcus might not be in Chicago any longer, his nephew will keep him tied here. He has good connections still and while he may not be able to "steer"kids here per se, his endorsement of Valpo will go a long way. The Dildy connection is STRONG and why such a shrewd hire by Matt. Even before Javon committed and had us in his top 5 I felt good about landing him. The CPS is a fraternity and they trust those thst went before and accomplished much. A guy like Marcus played in a Final Four and played in the league. Kids listen.
Plus he loves Valpo and our coaching staff. He played a big part in Javon's recruitment and thinks Javon will do well here.
To put things in perspective Javon is 1st Team, Zion Griffin is a beast and a big body but he was 2nd team and is going to Northwestern. What I can say seeing Javon firsthand (and my judgement skewed) is he is a superior athlete, has a long wingspan and is very active with thst wingspan in the passing lanes which leads to steals. I think skills like this translate nicely to the next level. Quite frankly, expectations tempered, he is a steal for us. He will struggle I'm sure but we as a collective will be happy when his career is done and culminates with multiple NCAA appearances and a degree for him.
Reminder to watch or set your DVR: Javon and his Whitney Young team plays Evanston Township on television tonight in an Illinois state semifinal game. The broadcast is on NBC Sports Chicago channel, locally 37 or 200 (HD) on Comcast.
Thanks for posting this. I was unaware.
This kid is really good. The announcers said he was a steal for Valpo. I agree.
He looks like a high major player.
Javon lived up to his billing in tonight's semi-final, and was the player of the game. He scored 25 points and had 8 rebounds, but he also had a number of steals and great assists—two of which were of the no-look variety. In addition, he had the breakaway monster slam dunk that turned the momentum in the second half. Look forward to seeing him in a Valpo uniform!
OMG! :o This was very high level high school basketball and there was no one on the court close to him. He never took a 3 the entire game. No need. What an athlete!
Javon is a special player. We will enjoy his time in NW Indiana!!!
https://mobile.twitter.com/Givemeliberty30/status/974853047477264384/photo/1
Valpopal, this link is for you!!!
For those in the area who are interested: my Comcast cable guide indicates the Illinois championship game with Javon is scheduled for 7:15 tonight on channels 109 and 201.
Everyone, just stop it...you are getting me as pumped up as I was when I first learned that Alec Peters committed to Valpo over the other 35+ offers... :)
Quote from: valpotx on March 17, 2018, 07:42:25 PM
Everyone, just stop it...you are getting me as pumped up as I was when I first learned that Alec Peters committed to Valpo over the other 35+ offers... :)
Like Alec, Javon seems to be another coach on the court, constantly directing, encouraging, and congratulating his teammates.
No question that he can take the ball to the rim and seems to have a quick first step with decent elevation. As we learned this year, dribble penetration for layups can be good but it's even better if someone can score jump shots from the perimeter. That's where he needs to spend his focus this summer. His minutes next year may be dictated by his defense, though. It appears he has the tools but things to learn about on-the-ball defense and never taking a minutes off. Despite the areas that need work, I agree that he's a steal for us and has a bright future.
Belleville West defeated Whitney Young in overtime 60-56 on Saturday night to win the Class 4A state championship. OT I'm sure he played his heart out. The loss will prepare him for some tough VALLEY games. Maybe more OT games in 2018 - 2019. The rest of the team will be hungry and Javon is looking forward to his next W.
It was a great game and it came down to OT. WY's achilles' was key TOs an inopportune times. Javon was pretty good tonight. I've watched WY's games that were on TV this season and I'm really excited about his future.
What does well:
-an elite slashing guard who can really make some acrobatic finishes
-can get some great elevation
-has some strong defensive instincts in man to man defense and really uses his long reach well
-I wouldn't say he's lightning quick but he glides to the basket and is still plenty fast
-he's a very willing passer. When he drives into the paint he's able to kick it out and find the open man.
What he's going to need to work on:
-jump shot
-he can get his pocket picked from time to time. His handles sort of remind me of Shane Hammink's. Shane was slightly prone to giving up the steal.
Take my "scouting" opinion with a grain of salt but that's just a few things I've noticed from my untrained eyes. He definitely has a lot of room to get better but I think he's going to be a good one.
https://twitter.com/jlg5297/status/975060494586232834
https://twitter.com/DeeDeeLiberty1/status/974857982197616641
https://twitter.com/Givemeliberty30/status/974853047477264384
This is the huge dunk by JFL yesterday.
https://twitter.com/JonathanJames23/status/975514282526900225
I couldn't agree anymore. The hype train has already started on this message board!
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/975584740446261253
Quote from: VU2014 on March 18, 2018, 12:50:03 AMWhat does well:
-an elite slashing guard who can really make some acrobatic finishes
-can get some great elevation
-has some strong defensive instincts in man to man defense and really uses his long reach well
-I wouldn't say he's lightning quick but he glides to the basket and is still plenty fast
-he's a very willing passer. When he drives into the paint he's able to kick it out and find the open man.
What he's going to need to work on:
-jump shot
-he can get his pocket picked from time to time. His handles sort of remind me of Shane Hammink's. Shane was slightly prone to giving up the steal.
Watched the finals and really like the kids game. Surprising to me that he put up the scoring numbers that he did while still deferring frequently to teammates. Very efficient, did not really take one bad shot.
He and Shane both have the tendency to get the ball too far in front of themselves and that is why he got his pocket picked a couple of times. I am sure that is something he will work on.
What I love most about the recruiting is these guys are recruiting "winners". Talent gets you far but when you recruit those that are used to winning it feeds off the rest. Losing gracefully is an art and should be perfected by all but when you win, it changes the mentality. Plus the talent quotient cannot be overlooked!!! :)
Javon a finalist for another award!
https://chicagodefender.com/2018/03/21/the-bigs-presents-this-weeks-top-5-chicago-hoopers/
Quote from: vu72 on March 22, 2018, 09:42:03 AM
Javon a finalist for another award!
https://chicagodefender.com/2018/03/21/the-bigs-presents-this-weeks-top-5-chicago-hoopers/
When is Mr Basketball (IL) commonly announced?
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on March 22, 2018, 12:06:39 PM
Quote from: vu72 on March 22, 2018, 09:42:03 AM
Javon a finalist for another award!
https://chicagodefender.com/2018/03/21/the-bigs-presents-this-weeks-top-5-chicago-hoopers/
When is Mr Basketball (IL) commonly announced?
Last year it was on the 22nd. So may even be today! Javon has to be a really long shot given that he is coming to Valpo. Typically they want a kid going to Illinois or at least a high major school. Fingers crossed!
Javon finishes fifth in the voting. Congrats to him! :clap:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/highschool/ct-spt-mr-basketball-ej-liddell-ms-basketball-brea-beal-20180322-story.html
If Javon can play defense with 3/4 the intensity of Lucas Williamson (Loyola) to go along with his offensive skill set, we are going to have a star.
I love the way the Loyola kid plays defense. That was a nice find by the Loyola staff considering his contributions didn't always show up in the box score for Whitley-Young.
Reminds me a lot of the Jubril pickup. Not going to light up the box score but is the ultimate role player.
JFL's uncle is judging the high school dunk contest on espn2 right now.
Javon was working on his shot with his unlce. Good stuff. I think JFL is already has the potential to be a good player but if he could develop his jumps shot to be a bit more consistent then he's going to be a lethal player. I'm excited about his future.
https://www.facebook.com/Givemeliberty30/videos/1717514478271601/
https://twitter.com/Givemeliberty30/status/979053730774601728
https://twitter.com/AintuJavon/status/979168836934144007
Javon to play in the Midwest Challenge. Team Illinois versus Team Indiana May 5 in Indy.
https://www.prepballstars.com/?p=2106
Don't like these post-senior years events, too much of a chance for meaningless injury. Events to showcase uncommitted juniors? Great.
Watch how fast Painter shuts this down for good if his recruit gets hurt.
Quote from: NativeCheesehead on April 07, 2018, 12:28:09 PM
Don't like these post-senior years events, too much of a chance for meaningless injury. Events to showcase uncommitted juniors? Great.
Watch how fast Painter shuts this down for good if his recruit gets hurt.
Agreed. I've also heard of kids getting injured while working out or playing in meaningless pickup games at their local high schools. College coaches should shut those down too.
Was thinking the same thing. These should be for unsigned seniors only.
Quote from: vu72 on April 07, 2018, 09:52:14 AM
Javon to play in the Midwest Challenge. Team Illinois versus Team Indiana May 5 in Indy.
https://www.prepballstars.com/?p=2106
Crap. Just booked a trip that starts on Cinco de Mayo.
Playing in Indy today....https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2018/05/03/indiana-high-school-basketball-all-star-game-vs-illinois/578216002/