Scrimmage Standouts: Five Prospects Making an Impact in the Pre-Season
Scrimmage Standouts: Five Prospects Making an Impact in the Pre-Season
These five prospects stood out in their not-so-secret pre-season scrimmages, but what will they look like for their respective programs this season?
For those of us who can’t get enough of college basketball, the season begins weeks before the official opening day. In the days of old, teams would meet each other in the dead of night to scrimmage without having to worry about impressing a crowd. Coaches were able to try out their schemes with no risk of being the subject of an opponent’s pre-game film session. Fast forward to the modern day and, for many teams, that ability to play with no pressure no longer exists. Secret scrimmages are no longer secret, with many of them being broadcast on national television. For teams, this probably has a negative effect on the outlook of their season. But for fans and basketball weirdos like me, these are some of the most intriguing games of the year.
Today, I want to look at a handful of players who exceeded expectations in their not-so-secret scrimmage. I watched ten games for this write-up, with 13 division-one programs to choose from. I’m going to limit myself to one player per team, but it’s worth noting that several of these teams had multiple players who had impressive outings. I’m also going to limit myself to more underrated players, because everybody knew Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper were going to play well. All of that being said, let’s talk about some of my favorite scrimmage standouts.
Seth Trimble | North Carolina
6’3” | 195lbs | Junior | Combo Guard
North Carolina will likely be one of the best teams in the nation this year, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have their fair share of questions surrounding this season. Most of those questions are regarding their rotation, specifically how they will incorporate their young guards into a system molded around All-American guard RJ Davis. Luckily for that crop of youngsters, Davis was out for the Tar Heels’ scrimmage against Memphis, giving them a chance to prove that they belong in the rotation this year. Several of them did just that, but it was junior guard Seth Trimble who stood out above the rest as a potential back court breakout candidate for UNC.
Last season, Trimble barely cracked the rotation in his sophomore campaign, averaging 5.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, .9 assists, .4 steals, and .2 blocks per game on shooting splits of 47% from the field, 41.9% from beyond the arc, and 66.7% from the free-throw line in 17.1 minutes a night. Most expected him to have a bigger role for the Heels this season, but I’d argue very few expected to see what we saw from him in their pre-season scrimmage against the Tigers.
Trimble’s game high 33 points were generated in a multitude of ways, with him cutting up his opponents on the interior for the majority of his buckets. He also knocked down three of his five attempts from beyond the arc, hitting both self-created and off ball attempts with ease. Finally, he was UNC’s go to guy at the charity stripe, going a perfect 8 for 8 on his free-throw attempts. He was clearly the most dynamic scorer on the floor for either team, a role he will likely be asked to carry over into the regular season as either a secondary scoring option for the starting unit or the primary option for the bench unit.
He didn’t stand out in other aspects of the game, neither positively nor negatively. He held his own on the defensive end, showing constant activity but still facing problems regarding his smaller stature. His playmaking was also just okay, as his three assists were matched by his three turnovers on the night. All in all, his game still needs some polishing and development, but if some of his ancillary skills can somewhat catch up with his scoring acumen, he could cement himself as a very real NBA prospect.
Zuby Ejiofor | St. Johns
6'9” | 235lbs | Junior | Forward
In what was probably my favorite scrimmage that I watched, Zuby Ejiofor cemented himself as a force to be reckoned with as he led St. John’s to a win over Rutgers. The third-year big man who began his career at Kansas will play a major role for the Red Storm this season, and he played that role to perfection in this matchup. He posted a stat line of 27 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block on 12-20 from the field, 1-4 from the three-point line, and 2-3 from the charity stripe. He led both teams in scoring and rebounding.
Ejiofor played a limited role for St. John’s last season, seeing only 11 minutes a night and putting up only 4.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, .7 assists, 1.1 blocks, and .4 steals on shooting splits of 48.8% from the field, 37.5% from beyond the arc, and 71.2% from the free-throw line. He’s going to see a big jump in minutes and production this season as St. John’s looks to make a case for being one of the best teams in the nation. I think they’re capable of making that case and based on what I saw from Ejiofor in this outing I’m comfortable saying that he’ll be a big reason why.
Offensively, his game isn’t incredibly complex yet is wildly effective. He’s an active participant in every single possession, setting countless strong screens to make the game flow easier for himself and his teammates. He generated most of his points in this game by crashing the offensive boards and swallowing up second-chance buckets, but he also showed off his soft-touch shot making throughout the game. He knocked down a three, and while I doubt that’ll be a big part of his game, his stroke looks solid enough that there’s a chance he can incorporate more outside attempts into his shot diet. Defensively, despite not being as tall or lanky as most centers (he played most of his minutes at the five in this game) he was an obvious deterrent all night. He is excellent at staying vertical and avoids picking up fouls. He’s also athletic enough to recover if he gets pulled away from the hoop. Overall, he was incredibly impactful on both ends throughout this scrimmage.
My primary worry concerning Ejiofor is if he’s going to be able to play the full-time five against stiffer competition. His physical profile is undoubtedly that of a power forward, but St. John’s is going to rely on him at the center position this season. When he plays teams like Rutgers who lack a legitimate presence at the five, he will be fine. But what happens when he matches up against a real-deal big man down low? When he crosses that bridge, I think we will get a better feel for his outlook as a collegiate contributor and professional prospect.
Kon Knueppel | Duke
6'7” | 217lbs | Freshman | Shooting Guard
In my opinion, Duke’s Kon Knueppel will be one of the most impactful freshmen in the country this season. His playstyle is conducive to success at every level of the sport, and we saw that come to fruition in the Blue Devils’ scrimmage against Lincoln University. He finished his night with 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists on 6-11 from the field and 5-9 from beyond the arc.
Knueppel is coming off a wildly successful high school career for Wisconsin Lutheran in Milwaukee, WI. He was a five-star recruit coming out of high school with a list of accolades not rivaled by many in his class. He decided to attend Duke University, adding his name to the best recruiting class in the nation, headlined by the number one player in the country, Cooper Flagg. Carving out a consistent role looked like a tall task at first for Knueppel, but it seems like his off-season was nothing short of spectacular, as it looks like he will be starting for the Blue Devils this season.
His performance in this game showcased everything that makes Knueppel such an intriguing long-term prospect. His shot making from beyond the arc is his primary calling card, and that was evident in this outing. Not only did he knock down five threes in this game, but he took good shots and did so with excellent mechanics. His overall offensive processing is incredibly impressive, as he plays with the composure of a multi-year collegiate veteran. He’s also an above average rebounder for a guard, using his sturdy stature and elite feel for the game to consistently find great positioning for rebounds on both ends.
The biggest questions surrounding his game were apparent in this scrimmage, which is slightly concerning seeing the level of competition he was matched up against. Despite a highlight poster dunk, I wasn’t particularly impressed by his eye appeal as an athlete, especially on the defensive end. He struggled to move laterally around the perimeter, allowing his matchup to create advantages when driving to the basket. It was difficult to get a great feel for his defensive shortcomings in this game as the competition wasn’t regularly punishing him, but his lapses were obvious at points. Once the season starts, we will get a much better feel for how he handles himself on the defensive end of the floor.
Trey Townsend | Arizona
6'6” | 235lbs | Fifth Year Senior | Forward
Trey Townsend is a super interesting name to monitor this season, and in Arizona’s scrimmage against Eastern New Mexico he proved this to be true. I had a lot of questions about the Oakland transfer going into this year, but he quelled any doubts I may have had in this outing. He finished with 24 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal on 8-11 from the field, 4-5 from beyond the arc, and 4-4 from the free-throw line. He led both teams in scoring and assists without having the ball in his hands super often, which makes his performance all the more impressive.
Last season, Townsend was the best player for the Oakland Golden Grizzlies of the Horizon League, who would win their conference before upsetting 3rd seed Kentucky in the NCAA tournament. On the year for Oakland, he averaged 17.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and .3 blocks per game on shooting splits of 45.5% from the field, 37.5% from the three-point line, and 77.9% from the charity stripe. After being named Horizon League Player of the Year, he entered his name into the transfer portal and would eventually commit to Arizona and head coach Tommy Lloyd.
Townsend’s game is unconventional, and we saw that first-hand in this game. He has the size of a big guard but plays like a power forward, regularly posting up opponents down low for buckets. That’s usually not a recipe for success, but it worked for him in this game. Not because he was punishing ENMU in the paint, but because him cycling from the perimeter to the post added a dynamic element to Arizona’s offense. Most of his points actually came from three-pointers, an aspect of his game that many evaluators were concerned about. He also showed off his secondary playmaking, acting as the connecting piece between the point guard and the play finisher. Finally, his defense looked really solid. This is where he offers the most in my opinion, as he’s agile enough to defend guards and wings on the perimeter and strong and sturdy enough to defend big men down low. That positional versatility is going to go a long way for him and Arizona this season.
I really didn’t leave this game with anything on my mind as areas in need of improvement for Townsend. That said, he did some things in this game that he hasn’t been known to do throughout his career. His 80% from beyond the arc on five attempts seems like a typo if you look at his stat sheets from the past four seasons. He only took 32 three-pointers all of last season and made just 12. He also wasn’t as impactful on the boards as we’ve seen from him in the past, but I attribute that to him being surrounded by better rebounders than he ever was at Oakland. All in all, if he can make a good number of his threes at this level of volume, he will not only be one of the best players for the Wildcats this season, but he’ll also cement himself as a real professional prospect.
Ansley Almonor | Kentucky
6'7” | 245lbs | Senior | Wing
Of all the teams I watched (and I haven’t watched them all, I’m looking at you Arkansas and Indiana) Kentucky played by far the best team basketball. Everybody saw opportunities, and no one player stood above the rest as a clear star for the Wildcats. That said, it was senior Fairleigh Dickinson transfer, Ansley Almonor, that surprised me the most. In a limited role he managed to put up 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists on 5-7 shooting from the field, 5-7 from beyond the arc, and 0-1 from the free-throw line. This efficient three-point shooting barrage was more than I expected from Almonor, and I think it exposes the blueprint he’ll be following this season at Kentucky.
After losing coach John Calipari to Arkansas (losing being a strong word), Kentucky was forced to rebuild their entire roster under the tutelage of new head coach Mark Pope. Despite him having a very successful career at FDU, Almonor was one of the more underrated pickups of the offseason for the Wildcats. He averaged 16.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, .7 blocks, and .5 steals on shooting splits of 43.6% from the field, 39.4% from the three-point line, and 80% from the charity stripe last season for the Knights. We should have known based on those numbers that Almonor would thrive in a Mark Pope system that relies on outside shooting and team basketball, but he managed to go under the radar up until this scrimmage against Kentucky Wesleyan.
Almonor did exactly what you would expect him to do in this game, and that’s shoot the three. Not only that, but he did this in a myriad of ways, showcasing his versatility as an outside shot maker on the wing. In many cases, the way these players play in scrimmages doesn’t perfectly encapsulate how they’ll play during the season, but I don’t think that’s the case for Almonor. He’s going to be asked to knock down a few threes per game and play solid defense on the other end, and that’s exactly what he did in this game. His size allows him to match up well against wings and forwards, but I was also pleased to see that he looks laterally quick enough to defend guards on the perimeter as well. If this is the case, he’s going to be a player who Mark Pope finds is incredibly difficult to keep off the floor this season for the Wildcats.
The issues I have regarding Almonor’s game are from a prospect perspective, not from a collegiate contribution standpoint. I think his style of play will fit perfectly within Pope’s system. That said, if he wants to make a name for himself as a real prospect he’s going to have to diversify his shot diet. He was never a great three-level scorer at FDU, and it doesn’t look like he will be asked to score at every level for Kentucky. If this is the case, professional organizations are going to have a tough time taking a chance on him in the future. If he maintains this single-level scoring acumen, he’s going to have to take a leap as a defender, rebounder, and connective passer. I believe he can do those things, but we won’t know for sure until the season is in full swing.
Let it be known that I am writing this before watching several teams play, meaning I’m definitely missing several names that should be on this list. Perhaps if this does well, I will put together a second installment. That said, I am excited to watch all five of the names listed above in addition to many others this season, but most importantly…I’m just excited to watch college basketball.
