Quincy Shootout: Colorado-bound big men, Rutgers and five-star junior Jasper Johnson, and more stand out
Quincy, Illinois – The Quincy Shootout has become one of the premier January high school basketball events in less than a decade. It is becoming an event with some true national drawing power, not just for the Midwest. The purpose of the event, which will take place from Friday night through Saturday, is to draw teams from all over the nation and provide a showcase for talent from Illinois and Missouri.
As usual, 247Sports covered every moment of the action, allowing us to witness dominant performances from players like Rutgers-bound four-star Lathan Sommerville and 2025 five-star guard Jasper Johnson, among many others.
Branson (Mo.) Link Academy, one of the best high school programs in the nation, is full of talent, and almost anyone can step up on any given night. Guard Jasper Johnson, a five-star player, was the one causing the damage on Saturday.
The 6-foot-4 Kentucky native, who is currently ranked No. 10 in the country for the class of 2025, was feeling it from deep early and often, showcasing his skills as one of the best deep scorers in the country. Johnson’s strength is undoubtedly his jump shooting, but he is also becoming more and more adept at creating for himself off the rim, finishing with some bounce around the rim, and setting up plays for others.
Johnson recently revealed to 247Sports that he is preparing to schedule a series of official visits and that schools he is thinking about visiting include Alabama, Baylor, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, and USC. He has already visited campuses in West Virginia, Georgia Tech, Cincinnati, Missouri, and Missouri.
He scored 24 points in all, including five from long range, as Link defeated Burlington (N.C.) School with ease.
The majority of conversation surrounding Rutgers’ third-ranked recruiting class revolves around Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, the nation’s top two and third-ranked players, respectively. That makes sense because those two have the power to alter the course of the show for the upcoming season. Big man Lathan Sommerville is the kind of guy who could be a future building block, even though they are probably one-and-done candidates.
His performance against Peoria, Illinois, Richwoods immediately makes it clear why he is headed to the Big Ten. Sommerville has a large frame and is already fairly strong in addition to being 6-foot-9. On Saturday, he demonstrated his ability to utilize his size by punishing defenders near the hoop and
Although we had previously witnessed him do that, we were taken aback by how much more adept the No. 102-ranked senior was at handling the ball, making jumpers, and setting up teammates for success. Even though he won’t have that kind of freedom in college and will need to work out to slightly redistribute his mass, it’s encouraging to see how much skill and potential he possesses. He scored a hard-fought 27 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and blocked three shots against Lee’s Summit (Mo.) West.
In addition to putting on a fantastic show as the event’s host, Quincy (Ill.) High gets the opportunity to compete against some of the best in the country. They faced off against Philadelphia (Pa.) Imhotep Charter on Saturday night, who MaxPreps ranked as the nation’s 34th-best team. The Devils not only battled valiantly but also virtually led from start to finish in their thrilling 74-62 victory in a fantastic setting for high school basketball.
Although the victory was undoubtedly a team effort, Bradley Longcor, a 2025 combo guard, stood out above the rest. Offerings from Illinois State, Northern Iowa, Southeast Missouri State, Southern Illinois, and other universities, Longcor was a three-star prospect.
Longcor is about six feet three, and his frame is nicely filling out. He plays with toughness, reads the floor well, and is a dangerous shooter from all over the court. HE made four of his seven deep shots, and it looks like he will receive a lot more attention while playing for the Illinois Wolves in the spring and summer.
Doryan Onwuchekwa of Dallas (Texas) Faith Family has had a fantastic senior season. As we finalize the rankings for the class of 2024, he will be given serious consideration to be included on the list. Honestly, he would have been in there already if we had had a chance to see him before the completion of the most recent update. However, that’s a different tale for a different day.
Because it’s important to highlight how well the center, who is headed to Colorado, performed despite obviously dealing with some injuries. Onwuchekwa persevered through injury and was a formidable presence in the post despite having his hands and wrists heavily taped. He consistently gained a position. He demonstrated his ability to finish ambidextrously (and even free throw shooter), and he had a fantastic game the entire evening, leading Faith Family to victory over the physical and tough St. Louis (Mo.) Vashon team with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocked baskets.
