Portsmouth Invitational Tournament Player Preview – Part II

Every year, the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) brings together 64 of the top seniors in the country for a 4-day tournament in front of a gym full of professional scouts from the NBA, D-League, and around the world. Though NBA success stories are still there from the PIT, 8 players from last year’s tournament have played in the league this season, most still have to take a long road to there, often going undrafted and battling for roster spots through Summer League, training camp, and playing overseas or in the D-League.  The games themselves aren’t always a great place to evaluate talent, as they are often guard-dominant, and many players are there thinking of making a name for themselves ahead of everything else.

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Over the next day, I will look at all 64 players in this year’s tournament, with a quick breakdown of the skills and abilities which got them invites. Each part consists of 16 players, and will be done in alphabetic order.

Here’s a look at the second set of 16 players:

[Click for Part I]

KT Harrell, 6’4, 212, Auburn, Guard– Harrell was among the top three-point shooters in the country this season, hitting 98 from behind the arc, good for 43 percent.  When he has time to get his feet set, it is surprising if the misses, but he is also very good at hitting both long-range and mid-range jumpers off the dribble. Harrell is an average ballhandler, but he does a good job looking to get to the basket, and he has the body that he can take some contact around the basket and still get a shot off, or get to the free throw line, where he is over an 80 percent shooter.  Harrell is an average defender, but he is fundamentally sound, and with some work should be a bit better.

D’Angelo Harrison, 6’4, 2014, St. John’s, Guard – Harrison has been a consistent scoring threat for the Red Storm for the past four seasons, averaging between 17 and 18 points per game each season. Harrison relies on jumpers, both mid-range and long-range, for almost all of his scoring, and though shot selection has been a perpetual issue during his college career, he did show some improvement this past season. He is not a consistent long-range shooter, though he has shown the ability to hit from long-range off the catch or dribble. Harrison is a decent ballhandler and he has the ability to draw defenders and find open teammates, though more often than not, he is looking for his own shot. He’s a reliable free throw shooter, and he does a good job getting to the line, even if he doesn’t attack the basket often. Defensively, Harrison is inconsistent, but he has the tools to be a good defender at the next level. He has tendency to lose focus at times, though when locked in, he can be very good at containing on the perimeter.

Ryan Harrow, 6’2, 160, Georgia State, Guard– Harrow, who had previous stops at North Carolina State and Kentucky, found a good match for his abilities when he transferred to Georgia State. Harrow was the second leading scorer in the Sun Belt Conference this season, behind teammate R.J. Hunter, and he did it in a versatile way. Harrow posted his best three-point shooting season this past year, hitting almost 40 percent from behind the arc, but he is still at his best looking to get out in transition and scoring on the break. He relies on jumpers in the halfcourt, and his free throw totals are absurdly low compared to his field goal attempts (99 free throws/413 field goal attempts.) Harrow has always been more of a scorer than a distributor, but he did have a nice synergy with teammate Hunter, often finding him off of the dribble. He is an average defender, though he can be very good when looking to pressure the ball, using his quickness to force turnovers, or getting in help position to take swipe at a passing driver.

Pierria Henry, 6’5, 197, Charlotte, Guard– Henry has good size for the point guard position, using his size well to look and get to the basket, or to find good looks in the mid-range area. Henry is a skilled ballhandler, though he can be a bit sloppy, and he has a good first step when looking to get by his defender. Henry isn’t much of a shooter, hitting just 28 percent of his threes over his college career, so defenders can sag off him if they feel he can beat them to the rim. Henry has good vision and is a good passer, though he can try and force the ball into tight spots. He can create well off the dribble for his teammates, especially coming off of screens, and his size allows him to see over many defenders. Henry rebounds well for his position, giving his team good support on the defensive boards when needed. He takes a lot of chances on defense, though they often pay off, and he was in the Top 10 in the NCAA in steals per game this season with 2.4.

LeDontae Henton, 6’6, 215, Providence, Forward– Henton was the Big East’s leading scorer this year at almost 20 points per game, and he finished the season being named First Team All-Big East. He is a versatile scorer, able to score at all three levels, and good in transition and halfcourt offenses. Henton is a high volume shooter, and when he relies on jumpers, he can be very streaky, which shows in his inconsistent shooting percentages through each season, especially from long-range. Henton is a good athlete who runs the floor well and can be a good finisher on the break. Henton was a better rebounder earlier in his career, though took on more of a scorer’s role this past season, and his rebounding numbers dropped. Defensively, Henton is average, but inconsistent. He has good awareness and defends well off the ball, but he can have lapses when guarding the ball.

Jelani Hewitt,6’2, 185, Georgia Southern, Guard – Hewitt is a quick guard, though he relies on shooting jumpers more on offense than looking to get to the basket. He is a high volume-low percentage shooter, especially from long-range where he hit just 33 percent of his 266 attempts. He was an almost 40 percent shooter from behind the arc as a sophomore, but has seen his percentage decline both junior and senior seasons. Hewitt uses his speed well to get to the basket in transition, but he has some trouble against longer defenders around the rim. Hewitt has improved his vision and ability to make reads and passes, but he still often looks for his scoring opportunity first. Hewitt can be very tough on the defensive end, and he was among the top ten in the country in steals. He has quick hands and feet, and he sizes up steal opportunities very well.

Darrun Hilliard, 6’6, 215, Villanova, Guard – Hilliard has good size for the shooting guard position, and he is developed into a strong outside shooter, knocking down about 40 percent of his three-point attempts over the last two seasons. He moves well without the ball, gets to open spots quickly with his body square and ready to shoot. Hilliard is also capable of knocking down mid-range jumper consistently, often using a solid shot fake to draw the defender out and using a dribble or two for some space. He doesn’t look to attack the basket often, but when he does, he uses his size well to create shot opportunities around the basket. Hilliard is smart when he gets the ball in his hands, showing good shot selection, and making good, strong passes when looking for a teammate. He has improved each year on the defensive end, using his length well to disrupt passing lanes and close on shooters. Though he needs to work on his defensive movements, he understands how to force players towards help defenders and how to use angles to cut the ball off.

Nimrod Hilliard, 6’0, 155, North Carolina Central, Guard– Hilliard, who played at four schools in four seasons, made the most of his one season for the Eagles, giving them a strong presence at the point guard position. Hilliard is small and quick, and he uses his speed well to break down defenses and create openings for teammates, who he often hits with very good passes, though he does have a tendency to force some action. Unlike many smaller guards, Hilliard likes to attack the basket, and he had some success getting to the rim. Hilliard made it tough for defenders to sag off him to counter his speed, by knocking down 42 percent of his three-point attempts this season. He can be a blur in transition, and his ability to pressure the ball on defense often allows the team to create turnovers and get out in the open floor. His size makes it tough to defend larger, physical guards, so he needs to rely on speed whenever possible.

Dustin Hogue, 6’6, 220, Iowa State, Forward – Hogue made an impact immediately in 2013 as a junior college transfer, giving the Cyclones a high energy player who used his athleticism to run the floor and rebound. He often played out of position as a junior, manning the 4 spot for the Cyclones, but the addition of Jameel McKay this year allowed Hogue to move out to the wing. Hogue showed some success as a spot-up shooter, knocking down 43 percent of his 65 three-point attempts. He is also very cut at cutting to the basket from the perimeter off of penetration to either hit the offensive glass or be in position for the dump off pass. Hogue needs to work on his ballhandling to allow him to get to the basket off the dribble more consistently. Defensively, he had some trouble adjusting to quicker players out on the perimeter, but Iowa State as a team had trouble defending. Because he was guarding on the perimeter more, Hogue wasn’t in position to rebound as well as he did as a junior. Still, he plays as hard as anyone on the floor, and he never gives up on plays.

Andre Hollins, 6’2, 195, Minnesota, Guard– Hollins has been a steady player in the backcourt for the Gophers these past four seasons, though he has was always more of a high volume shooter than distributor. Hollins was a good long-range shooter for Minnesota, knocking down 41 percent of his 199 attempts this past season, and 40 percent of his almost 700 attempts in his career. He has shown some ability to knock down jumpers off the dribble, but he was usually much better playing off the ball looking for open space for shots.  Hollins is a creative scorer when he looks to get to the basket, though he needs to do a better job finding open teammates and not forcing shots when the help defenders are there. Hollins is an average defender, containing well on the perimeter, though not having great footwork or speed.

Richaun Holmes, 6’8, 232, Bowling Green, Forward – Holmes is a wide-bodied, strong low post player with good footwork and good scoring ability around the basket. He uses his body well to create space around the lane, and he has very good footwork around the basket, often limiting his dribbles needed to make a move. Holmes has improved as a mid-range and long-range shooter, and he can be a terror on the offensive glass. He is a strong finisher at the basket, though shows surprising touch at times. Holmes is also a very good defensive rebounder, using his body well to box out and going strong after the ball. He is very agile around the lane as is one of the top shot blockers in the country. His overall game is solid, but he really just needs to develop his skills a bit more on both ends of the floor.

Juwan Howard, Jr., 6’5, 232, Detroit, Guard – Howard has developed into a very good offensive player for the Titans, averaging almost 18 points per game over the last two seasons. He has developed into a reliable long-range shooter, knocking down 41 percent of his three-point attempts this season. Howard is solidly built, and he likes to use his body to force his way to the basket where he is a good finisher. Howard doesn’t get to the free throw line often, but he is very good when he does, hitting almost 83 percent on his career. His weakness is in the mid-range game, where he likes to force a lot of shots, especially when he can’t get to the basket. Howard doesn’t have great speed or a good first step, so he is often left forcing 10 to 20 foot jumpers. He has a good understanding of the game, and he can surprise with his ability to see the floor and make good passes. Howard isn’t a very good defender, especially since he doesn’t have the physical tools to contain on the perimeter. He can be physical at times, which plays to his advantage, but quicker players can beat him off the dribble somewhat easily.

Tyler Kalinoski, 6’4, 180, Davidson, Guard – Kalinoski, the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, emerged on a bigger stage this season as one of the nation’s best all-around guards. He has the ability to run the point or play off the ball, and he can score in a variety of ways. Kalinoski hit 42 percent from three-point range, after hitting over 45 percent last season. As a student of Coach Bob McKillop, he understands spacing well, whether he is looking to cut to the basket, or find a teammate doing the same. He averaged 4 assists per game, and had only 44 turnovers in 32 games this year. Kalinoski is a good ballhandler, and though not very quick, he uses his dribble well to keep defenders off balance to either knock down the jumper or look to get to the basket. Kalinoski isn’t a great defender, but he is active, and showed ability to step up his containment in big moments this season. With almost 6 rebounds per game, he does a good job tracking the ball, getting to it quickly, and getting his offense moving up the floor.

DaVonte Lacy, 6’4, 210, Washington State, Guard – Lacy has been one of the few bright spots for the Cougars over the past few seasons, though at times, it seemed the burden of having to be the primary scorer seemed to be too much. Over his career, he showed a good ability to knock down three-point shots, which are the majority of scoring attempts, including 39 percent his junior year. This past season under new coach Ernie Kent, Lacy had some trouble finding the same scoring attempts, though he also seemed to force a lot of shots. He is solidly built and he uses his body well to shield the ball when looking to get to the basket. Lacy can be a strong finisher at the basket, and he doesn’t mind some contact when looking to get his shot. He has the ability to create space for his jumper off the dribble, though his handle can be a bit sloppy. Lacy is a below average defender, though he has shown flashes of being able to be disruptive on the perimeter. He doesn’t have great foot speed or lateral movement, and it hasn’t been tough for players to beat him off the dribble.

Cady Lalanne, 6’10, 253, Massachusetts, Center– Long and athletic, Lalanne has been a strong defensive presence for the Minutemen over the past four seasons. He has gotten stronger over his college career, helping him defend in the low post, and rebound, better, and his ability to protect the rim has been among the best in the nation. While Lalanne’s offense hasn’t been spectacular, it has been steady, and though he is not a polished post scorer, he has improved. Lalanne is a much better post scorer on the left block than the right, and he has shown a nice ability to make a dribble move over either shoulder to the rim. He is a very good offensive rebounder, using his length and leaping ability to get to balls quickly and getting good second shot attempts. He runs the floor well for his size, though he isn’t very good at catching the ball on the break and finishing. Lalanne has very little semblance of a mid-range shooting game, and it should be an important part of his pre-draft development.

David Laury, 6’9, 245, Iona, Forward – Laury is a skilled offensive power forward with the ability to score from most spots on the floor. He has very good footwork and touch around the basket, as well as the ability to step out and hit long-range jumpers. Though he has good feet, he isn’t a high-level athlete, and he can have some trouble scoring around longer defenders. Laury has the body to power his way to the basket, though he sometimes need to be reminded that he is much stronger than a lot of the defenders he faces. He has some problem with the mid-range jumper, and will often prefer to try and force the ball to the basket instead of shooting it, leading to some bad shots or turnovers. Laury runs the floor well, getting to the basket area quickly for a pass or offensive rebound. He is a great feel for the game, and has proven to be a pretty good passer. Laury is also very good as a defensive rebounder, using his body well to clear out space and looking to get the ball out quickly so the team can push the ball. He is an average defender, though he has often been forced to defend bigger players. He has shown some ability as a rim protector, though he often needs to be quicker to help.

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