2008 Pontiac Holiday Tournament
 

  

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The Pontiac Holiday Tournament matched up two of the top players in the state of Illinois in senior Illinois commitment Brandon Paul and  top 10 sophomore prospect Wayne Blackshear.

Brandon Paul SG Warren (IL) Class of 2009 (Illinois)

Paul had a well rounded game in the semi finals against Curie.  Offensively, the part that stood out the most was how he moved without the ball to get open.  This set up several open shots.  His shot has great form with plenty of rotation.  The problem is he falls in love with it at times even when he is struggling from this area (2-10 3PT).  He finished through contact and was solid at the line.  The guard showed some quality passing ability with several quick  passes to teammates.  The best part of Paul's game was his defensive ability.  The future Illinois guard has quick hands and was great on help defense.  Paul could grow into an elite defender at the collegiate level.  He just makes winning plays.  His stat line was 17 points (4-14 FG) (7-10 FT), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals, and 4 turnovers.  Paul is a top 30 player nationally.
Wayne Blackshear SF Curie (IL) Class of 2011

Blackshear is one of the top members of the Class of 2011.  He has huge upside.  Blackshear is super athletic and has the frame that will develop into an NBA SF.  His shot has good mechanics and can hit the 3 ball (1-1 3PT).  The versatile forward can take bigger guys out on the perimeter or take smaller guys to the post and dominate them.  Blackshear showed nice passing ability when double teamed.  He is strong with the ball and overall is just tough.  Defensively, Wayne blocked 3 shots and was a tough defender with the ability to create turnovers.  His best play of the day was a rebound that he soared across the floor for, went under the basket to get the ball, and pumped the ball back up all in one motion.  Blackshear's numbers were 14 points (5-15 FG) (3-7 FT), 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks, 3 steals, and 4 turnovers.  The scoring numbers are not huge, but he shows the potential to be a future top 10 NBA draft choice.  That is what makes Blackshear a top 10 prospect in the Class of 2011.