By TOM KONCHALSKI, JACK LEGWIN & ADAM ZAGORIA
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. –– After watching all five days of the Peach Jam, here are the ZAGSBLOG All-Peach Jam teams comprised by a small panel of writers and recruiting experts who were on hand.
This is based not on their reputations, not on their potential and not a single-game’s performance, but on how they played in total there and who went furthest in the tournament based on the five days of play.
To the victors go the spoils, hence the three members of the Playaz Basketball Club on the two teams.
We picked a Baker’s Dozen of 13 players, six on the First Team and seven on the Second Team.
There wasn’t a clearcut guy at No. 1, although it’s safe to say that Ben Simmons of E1T1 appears to be the best player in the Class of 2015 at this point. For a good read on Simmons, check Seth Davis’s piece linked below.
Isaiah Briscoe of the Playaz may have been the Most Outstanding Player of the Peach Jam based on leading his team to the title.
Jimmy Salmon of the Playaz also deserves recognition for coaching his team to its first Peach Jam title.
ALL-PEACH JAM 1st TEAM
Antonio Blakeney, 6-4 G, E1T1
It’s no surprise that coaches like John Calipari, Rick Pitino and Roy Williams were following Blakeney’s every move at Peach Jam. The E1T1 guard proved he was a scoring machine from all over the court. He averaged 19.7 points in six games, including a 26-point effort in a win over Athletes First and a 24-point outing in a victory over Team Takeover.
Click here for additional reading
Isaiah Briscoe, 6-3 G, Playaz Basketball Club
The best player on the best team, Briscoe scored the final points of the Peach Jam with a pair of foul shots after a controversial technical foul call in the final. In eight games at the Peach Jam, he averaged 21 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists, including a 33-point, 6-rebound effort in a win over Team Takeover. He averaged 16.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists in elimination games.
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Keelon Lawson, 6-7 F, Team Penny
Lawson was the best player on a Team Penny team that reached the Peach Jam final, losing a heartbreaker to Briscoe and the Playaz, 85-83. The Memphis-bound Lawson averaged 18.6 points and 8.1 rebounds at the Peach Jam, and 17.8 points and 11.7 rebounds in three elimination games.
Ben Simmons, 6-9 F, E1T1
The LSU-bound left-hander looked like the best player in the Class of 2015 and figures to be an NBA Draft pick after one season at LSU beginning in 2015-16. In six games at the Peach Jam, he averaged 18.8 points and 9.2 rebounds.
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Caleb Swanigan, 6-9 F, Spiece Indy Heat
It’s no surprise that Swanigan picked up a Kentucky offer following the Peach Jam. In five games, he averaged 15.2 points and 11.4 rebounds. Against Mokan Elite, he went for 20 points and 17 rebounds, and against All Ohio Red he put up 15 points and 15 boards.
Allonzo Trier, 6-4 G, Athletes First
Arizona, Louisville, UCLA, Washington, North Carolina, Kentucky, Maryland and Georgetown are among the schools pursuing the high-scoring Trier. In five games at the Peach Jam, he led the event in scoring at 30.8 points, including a 42-point effort on 10-for-30 shooting against the Playaz.
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ALL-PEACH JAM 2ND-TEAM
Kevaughn Allen, 6-3 G, Team Penny (FLORIDA)
Tyus Battle, 6-5 G, Team Scan
Jalen Brunson, 6-2 G, Mac Irvin Fire
Chris Clarke, 6-6 SF, Boo Williams
Tyler Davis, 6-10 C, Texas Titans
Moustapha Diagne, 6-9 F, Playaz (SYRACUSE)
Temple Gibbs, 6-2 G, PlayazFollow Jack on Twitter
