Bruce’s Notebook: LV Classic Bracket Play Standouts Part 1

Bruce Williams July 31, 2022 @ 12:01 AM

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The Las Vegas Classic is here! Hosted by Bigfoot hoops, the classic is one of the most prestigious grassroots tournaments in America. The event runs from Wednesday, July 27th, and concludes Sunday, July 31st. Bracket play got underway. Several players had standout performances as it was survive or go home. In this article, we take a look at the standouts players from Saturday.

Sam Ernest 6’2 PF The Program 2027 (featured image) – Saw Ernest twice today. He was the biggest player on the floor, however, he brought some skill with his size. Ernest flashed some faceup game, putting the ball on the floor and attacking the rim. When he remembered to stay out of the paint before getting called for 3 seconds he was highly effective. The young forward showed good hands and good touch catching and finishing around the rim.

Jimmie Haywood III 6’0 PG Team Smooth 2026 – JH3 has been one of the more consistent players of the event. He plays for the right team, as his game is extremely smooth. He has a good IQ, shoots it well, finishes around the rim, and has the ability to make tough shots for his squad.

Cisco Llanos 5’8 PG Omega 2026 – Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to catch Llanos, but his game was the talk of the tournament. The PG put up 39 in his game using his sweet shooting stroke to lead his team.

Dash Reiser 5’8 PG Salt Lake Hustle 2026 – Physically Reiser may get mistaken for the ball boy. Once the ball is thrown up however he shows why he is a dog. Highly skilled PG showed a strong handle, deep shooting ability, and the ability to make plays for teammates.

Josiah Stroughter 6’0 PG CME Bulls 2026 – I got a long look at Stroughter and realized, he’s going to be a player to keep a close eye on. His physical tools check out, and he has a good skill set, including a nice outside shot, and some advanced transition finishing ability. What I believe separates him is his mentality. Stroughter is a uber competitive dawg, willing to sacrifice his body for a win. On more than one occasion, he threw himself into a defender, creating contact and either getting to the free throw line or simply moving him out of the way so he could finish.

Oneal Delancy 6’2 SG Tre Mann Elite 2027 – Delancy looks the part. He has terrific positional size, complete with a good frame and long arms. The wing played with great quickness and showed good skill, using his handle to get to his spot and knock down shots off the bounce or finish at the rim.

Keytrin Harris 6’3 PF CME Elite Bulls 2026 – I was never really watching Harris, but he took care of that with his play. The big-bodied post just kept catching and finishing, making himself a problem around the rim. In addition to his finishing, the two sports stars in traffic rebounding was sensational, helping CME to a victory in the game I saw.

Rankings

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Prep Hoops Next prospect rankings have been compiled by our staff with input from high school and club coaches from across the country. Players are ranked formulaically based on their current production as well as their long-term potential as collegiate prospects. We aim to expand and update our prospects rankings several times per year to continue to maintain the most comprehensive, accurate prospect rankings in the country. Feel like we are missing someone? Let us know here and get on our radar by submitting your profile!