While fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers have been enjoying the play of their team, the team was surely keeping one eye on the start of the college basketball season as many of the top prospects made their debut. Last week we gave you a few prospects to look at, and we’ll do so again so you know what to watch for as a fan of the Cavs.
The college basketball season opened up last weekend to some mixed results. Six days ago, Coach K and Duke took on the Kentucky Wildcats at Madison Square Garden. Potential 2022 No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero looked great alongside fellow freshman Trevor Keels. They combined to score 47 of Duke’s 79 points. However, on the other side of the court, Wildcat freshman TyTy Washington Jr. struggled, shooting 3-of-14 from the field, and finishing with only nine points.
Outside of the two major matchups at Madison Square Garden last week, there were only a couple of big games. On Friday, UCLA hosted Villanova and got an 86-77 overtime win. Bruins freshman Peyton Watson did not impress, playing only two total minutes. It will be interesting to see if Watson gets lost on UCLA’s team behind Johnny Juzang and Tyger Campbell.
My personal favorite prospect, Patrick Baldwin Jr., was a little bit less than spectacular in week one. He averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds per game as UW-Milwaukee started out their season 1-1.
Well, we finally got a look at seven-footer Chet Holmgren in a Gonzaga uniform this past week, but it was another Bulldog that really impressed. While Holmgren has shown off his arsenal of skills, returning Zag junior Drew Timme had himself quite a game against Texas this past week. He scored 37 points in the win, while shooting 15-of-19 from the field. Unfortunately, Timme will be downgraded in the draft because of his age (21), but a smart team will pick him up and find ways to best utilize him.
Last week college basketball showcased a number of draft prospects for the Cavs to watch. Who is on the viewing list in Week 2?
This week in college basketball, we have the early season tournaments. The Gavitt Tip-Off, Phil Knight Invitational, and the Hall of Fame Tip-Off will dominate the headlines this weekend. Cavs fans will be able to get another early-season look at guys like Michigan freshman Caleb Houstan and Ohio State freshman Malaki Branham. Finally, we can get a better look at Duke freshman Trevor Keels tomorrow when they take on Gardner Webb.
Tuesday, November 16th
Gardner Webb at Duke (7:00 PM, ACC Network): Last week we did get a look at the young Blue Devil team as they beat Kentucky. However, I think most Cavs fans were probably paying attention to possible 2022 No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero, who did not disappoint. This time around it’s time to take a closer look at Trevor Keels.
The 6-4 freshman shooting guard was the leading scorer against Kentucky, pouring in 25 points while shooting 56% from the field. Keels would be another under-sized guard for the Cavs, but his creativity and play-making would go a long way on the offensive end. He does need to work on his shooting, but that will come with more game time. Even though Banchero looks like the real deal, from the Cavs perspective, it’s probably best to keep your eyes on Keels on Tuesday.
Gavitt Tip-Off Games (Big Ten vs Big East, Tuesday-Thursday)
Unfortunately, there is no Maui Invitational for the second straight year. However, in its place we have the new Gavitt Tip-Off Games. Big Ten teams will play Big East teams, so there will be a lot of prospects on display.
Seton Hall at Michigan (Tuesday, 9:00 PM ET, FS1): On Tuesday in particular, Cavs fans can get their first real look at Michigan freshman Caleb Houstan. One thing that Houstan has going for him is his height and length. Using his 6-8 frame, he’s able to shoot over defenders while also locking down positions 1-4 on the basketball court. The biggest positive in Houstan’s game is that he’s an excellent shooter, and has a very high basketball IQ. If Houstan can prove to be worth a high pick, he might end up being the perfect fit for this Cavalier team.
The Wolverines will be taking on Seton Hall. Another player to keep your eyes on in this game is the Pirates’ senior wing, Jared Rhoden. The 6-6 guard/forward is very athletic and has a solid shooting stroke. He was also a pre-season first-team all-conference player. Obviously, most eyes will be on Houstan and Michigan coach Juwan Howard, but Rhoden is no slouch himself.
Ohio State at Xavier (Thursday, 6:30 PM ET, FS1): Honestly, this is just going to be a good basketball game. These two haven’t met since 2007 when the Buckeyes beat them in the “Big Dance.” The Buckeyes had to crawl and scratch past Akron last week but got the win. As for Xavier, they beat Kent State last week. There are no elite prospects in this matchup, but it definitely has some NBA talent.
Malaki Branham, who I mentioned earlier, is a freshman wing for Ohio State. He went to Akron’s St. Vincent St. Mary for high school, where he was spectacular. He’s got a solid shooting stroke, plays hard, and has a very high basketball IQ. He had the game-winning assist for the Buckeyes versus Akron. Another Buckeye to watch is E.J. Lidell, who compares favorably to Eric Paschall, but with more upside and versatility. He can pretty much guard every position on the college level and should be a good rotation player in the NBA.
Basketball Hall Of Fame Tip-Off (Saturday-Sunday, ESPN Networks)
Villanova vs Tennessee (Saturday 1:00 PM ET, ESPN News): Villanova had a chance to start the season off in perfect fashion, had they traveled out to Pauley Pavilion and gotten a win over UCLA, but that was not the case. This weekend, they will try to get back on track. However, it won’t be easy considering the Volunteers and coach Rick Barnes have a couple of NBA prospects to watch on Saturday.
Freshman guard Kennedy Chandler is ranked No. 19 overall in Jonathan Givony’s latest 2022 NBA Mock Draft. Chandler is quick, explosive, and confident around the rim. He will likely be matched up with one of the most seasoned guards throughout college basketball in Wildcat guard Collin Gillespie. Another guy to be on the lookout for is junior wing Josiah-Jordan James, who’s ranked 42nd in Givony’s mock draft.
North Carolina vs Purdue (Saturday 4:00 PM ET, ESPN News): If you want to get a good look at one of the best guards in the 2022 NBA draft class, look no further than Purdue guard Jaden Ivey. The projected lottery pick averaged just over 11 points per game last season but closed it out strong. He averaged over 18 points in Purdue’s final six games last year. Overall Ivey is a great guard in the NBA. He’s a natural scorer and play-maker and makes players around him better. Ivey is also a lockdown perimeter defender, which will transition well to the NBA.
Ivey does need to improve his shooting before making the leap to the NBA, but other than that, his game should transition very well to the NBA. Finally, he is a bit undersized at 6-4, but as the Cavs have shown this year, they can win with two lead guards.