Portsmouth Invitational 2014: Rosters, Top Prospects, Schedule, Bracket and More
Although the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament does not necessarily feature the best NBA draft-eligible prospects, there are a number of young players looking to prove themselves in a competitive atmosphere.
The Virginia event features 64 college seniors placed on eight teams that battle in a 12-game tournament. Each squad gets to play three games while it looks to win the event.
Of course, winning and losing does not matter as much as simply impressing scouts. Players who were overlooked throughout the year will get a chance to prove that they either deserve to get drafted or should be able to secure a place on a Summer League roster.
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Additionally, international scouts should be in attendance for those players looking to continue their careers overseas.
Every player will look to showcase themselves, but a few will stand out from the rest. Here is a look at a full list by team as well as the top prospects available.
Note: All team and scheduling info courtesy of PortsmouthInvitational.com.
| Name | Pos. | Height | School |
| Chad Posthumus | C | 6'11" | Morehead State |
| Sean Armand | G | 6'5" | Iona |
| Will Neighbour | F | 6'10" | Arkansas-Little Rock |
| Andre Dawkins | G | 6'5" | Duke |
| De'Mon Brooks | F | 6'7" | Davidson |
| Langston Galloway | G | 6'2" | Saint Joseph's |
| Okaro White | F | 6'9" | Florida State |
| Name | Pos. | Height | School |
| Richard Solomon | C | 6'10" | California |
| Travis Bader | F | 6'5" | Oakland |
| Ronald Roberts Jr. | F | 6'8" | Saint Joseph's |
| Mark McLaughlin | G | 6'6" | Central Washington |
| Augustine Rubit | F | 6'7" | South Alabama |
| Eric Atkins | G | 6'2" | Notre Dame |
| Davon Usher | G | 6'6" | Delaware |
| Trevor Releford | G | 6'0" | Alabama |
| Name | Pos. | Height | School |
| Killian Larson | C | 6'9" | Grand Canyon |
| Davion Berry | G | 6'4" | Weber State |
| Josh Davis | F | 6'8" | San Diego State |
| Kareem Jamar | G | 6'5" | Montana |
| Sam Dower | F | 6'9" | Gonzaga |
| Jason Brickman | G | 6'0" | LIU |
| Jamil Wilson | F | 6'7" | Marquette |
| Kendrick Perry | G | 6'0" | Youngstown |
| Name | Pos. | Height | School |
| D.J. Cunningham | C | 6'10" | UNC Ashville |
| Drew Crawford | F | 6'5" | Northwestern |
| Juvonte Reddic | F | 6'9" | VCU |
| J.J. Mann | G | 6'6" | Belmont |
| Javon McCrea | F | 6'7" | Buffalo |
| Anthony Ireland | G | 5'10" | Loyola-Marymount |
| Shawn Glover | F | 6'7" | Oral Roberts |
| Tim Frazier | G | 6'1" | Penn State |
| Name | Pos. | Height | School |
| Shayne Whittington | C | 6'11" | Western Michigan |
| Troy Huff | G | 6'5" | North Dakota |
| D.J. Covington | F | 6'9" | VMI |
| Isaiah Sykes | G | 6'6" | Central Florida |
| Akil Mitchell | F | 6'8" | Virginia |
| Jake Odum | G | 6'4" | Indiana State |
| James Bell | F | 6'6" | Villanova |
| Joe Jackson | G | 6'1" | Memphis |
| Name | Pos. | Height | School |
| Garrick Sherman | C | 6'11" | Notre Dame |
| Dalton Pepper | F | 6'5" | Temple |
| Jerrelle Benimon | F | 6'8" | Towson |
| Roberto Nelson | G | 6'4" | Oregon State |
| Justin Jackson | F | 6'8" | Cincinnati |
| Langston Hall | G | 6'4" | Mercer |
| Z. Mason | F | 6'6" | Tennessee-Chattanooga |
| Devon Saddler | G | 6'2" | Delaware |
| Name | Pos. | Height | School |
| Aaric Murray | C | 6'10" | Texas Southern |
| Taylor Braun | G | 6'7" | North Dakota State |
| Shawn Jones | F | 6'8" | Middle Tennessee |
| Nick Kellogg | G | 6'3" | Ohio |
| Tyler Stone | F | 6'8" | SE Missouri State |
| Jordair Jett | G | 6'1" | Saint Louis |
| Fuquan Edwin | F | 6'6" | Seton Hall |
| Chaz Williams | G | 5'9" | Massachusetts |
| Name | Pos. | Height | School |
| Tarik Black | C | 6'9" | Kansas |
| Rian Pearson | F | 6'4" | Toledo |
| Davante Gardner | F | 6'8" | Marquette |
| Tyler Johnson | G | 6'4" | Fresno State |
| Josh Huestis | F | 6'7" | Stanford |
| Markel Starks | G | 6'1" | Georgetown |
| Niels Giffey | F | 6'7" | Connecticut |
| David Stockton | G | 5'11" | Gonzaga |
| 1 | April 16 | Norfolk Sports Club vs. K&D Round's Landscaping | 7 p.m. |
| 2 | April 16 | Portsmouth Sports Club vs. Roger Brown's Restaurant | 9 p.m. |
| 3 | April 17 | Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 | 3:15 p.m. |
| 4 | April 17 | Mike Duman Auto Sales vs. Sales Systems LTD | 7 p.m. |
| 5 | April 17 | Portsmouth Partnership vs. Cherry Bekaert | 9 p.m. |
| 6 | April 18 | Loser Game 4 vs. Loser Game 5 | 3:15 p.m. |
| 7 | April 18 | Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 | 7 p.m. |
| 8 | April 18 | Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 | 9 p.m. |
| 9 | April 19 | Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 6 | 12 p.m. |
| 10 | April 19 | Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 6 | 2 p.m. |
| 11 | April 19 | Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8 | 6 p.m. |
| 12 | April 19 | Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 | 8 p.m. |
Top Prospects
Juvonte Reddic, PF, VCU
Although Juvonte Reddic had an up-and-down career at VCU, he has a lot of talent that could translate to the next level.
Reddic had his best season in his junior year, averaging 14.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. While he improved slightly on the rebounding front, he struggled to score as his field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage were down.
Despite these struggles, he still managed 11.8 points per game as a legitimate force inside who knows how to get points in the paint. He displays good athleticism and the ability to run the floor consistently.
Considering how VCU head coach Shaka Smart loved to use his "Havoc" full-court press, Reddic would not have played unless he was in great shape with the ability to get up and down the court.
This skill is extremely useful in big men in the NBA. Even if he cannot create his own shot, he will find ways to score from just having a big-time motor. This will not necessarily be on display in predraft workouts, but it will be seen in these exhibition games.
Fuquan Edwin, SF, Seton Hall
Seton Hall struggled for much of the season, but this had little to do with Fuquan Edwin. The senior forward was one of the best defensive players in the nation this year, always affecting a game in some way.
The 6'6" player was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year thanks to his average of 2.7 steals per game. After earning the award, he explained to J.P. Pelzman of NorthJersey.com:
"It’s an accomplishment for me. I’m proud. All my hard work paid off.
You’ve got to be active. I’ve tried every game to go in with the mind-set of trying to make sure I get around 10 to 15 deflections. That’s something I take pride in. I don’t really focus on the steals.
"
Whether he was going for steals or not, he finished his career with 295 of them to rank first in school history.
Edwin has long arms and good athleticism that will allow him to stick with some of the better guards and forwards at the next level and help him disrupt opposing offenses.
Add this to an ability to slash into the lane and finish at the rim, and he could find himself having a long NBA career.
Andre Dawkins, SG, Duke
There are plenty of other people you usually notice when watching a Duke game. However, Andre Dawkins provided a lot of value as a role player who did all the little things to help the Blue Devils on both ends of the court.
At 6'5", the guard has good size to handle defenders and prevent them from getting easy looks on the outside. He also showed throughout the year that he has a knack for finding lose balls and getting to them before anyone else.
However, his true skill is on the offensive end of the court where he can light it up from outside. Dawkins finished the regular season shooting 43.5 percent from three-point range, which led all qualified ACC shooters by a significant margin.
ESPN's Dan Shulman discussed the problems with defending him in a zone:
Every basketball team at any level could use a quality three-point shooter. If Dawkins can showcase his consistency in this tournament while also providing value in other areas, he could certainly get a look on an NBA roster.
At the very least, his shooting ability will ensure that he is able to play professionally somewhere.
Okaro White, PF, Florida State
Based on production alone, you can imagine teams overlooking Okaro White. He averaged an unspectacular 13.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for a team that did not make the NCAA tournament.
However, the skill set is what should truly intrigue NBA front offices. At 6'9" with good athleticism, he has the ability to throw down some ferocious dunks like this one:
He showed throughout his career the ability to post up defenders his size and score with his back to the basket. He also improved his efficiency from the outside, making 37.5 percent of three-point shots this past season.
When playing at his best, he is a matchup nightmare that could score on anyone. He reached 16 points in nine of his last 10 games, and this scoring ability can certainly translate to success at the next level.
The biggest issue is probably on the defensive end, where he tends to get into foul trouble with regularity. However, some advanced coaching could help him reach his potential and be a regular contributor in the NBA.
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