by Adam Baliatico
PirateCrew.com Recruiting Analyst
Oozing with upside at 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds, Matthew Alexander Moncrieffe registers as one of the top recruits in all of Canada for the Class of 2020, checking all the boxes for an elite recruit. He is long, athletic, bouncy, quick, smart and loaded with potential that has alerted programs like Seton Hall, Florida and Georgetown to make a heavy push for services.
Having watched 3 full games, spoken with two scouts, and watched several highlights, I view Moncrieffe as a future NBA first round pick with the ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor. He possesses similar length and athleticism to his Class of 2019 teammate Tyrese Samuel but is a bit stronger and more advanced at the same time in their careers.
Strengths:
Athleticism - He isn't quite as bouncy as Tyrese Samuel, but he is an impressive athlete nonetheless with great leaping ability. He is long and hard to keep up with in the open floor and can get end to end very quickly off of a rebound.
Ability to drive and finish - By far Moncrieffe's best trait is his ability to drive to the basket with either hand and finish with either hand. He has great body control, can finish through contact, and is fouled often. He is also a good free throw shooter which helps him attack the basket and play through contact rather than avoid it.
Rebounding - For a wing, Moncrieffe is a tremendous rebounder on both sides of the floor. He has great natural instincts and his leaping ability and long arms help him clear the glass.
On Ball Defender - Moncrieffe is a strong and willing defender who combines his length, athleticism and strength to really be a dominant on-ball defender. He is capable of defending multiple positions effectively.
Areas to Improve:
Jump shot - Moncrieffe has made huge strides with his shooting from distance to the point where it is now a threat if a defender sags off him, but to reach the next level, he must continue to improve. On the positive side, his yearly strides show a willingness to put in the work with the ability to improve.
First step quickness - Moncrieffe is a good athlete and he has a good but not great first step. Some increased agility could allow him to take his game to the next level.
Playmaking - Moncrieffe has the ability to create shots for his teammates and he looks for open shooters while attacking the basket. However, at times he gets a bit of tunnel vision and misses his open teammates when the defense collapses on him. Overall, he is a good and willing passer, he just needs to become more consistent in that role.
Scout Takes:
Jerry Meyer, 247 Sports- "A lanky, athletic, slashing small forward. Slippery on the drive with great body control. Can attack the basket with either hand and finishes well with either hand. Jump shot can keep defense honest. Can also find teammates while on the move. Great potential defensively and as a rebounder. Multi-positional defender who can make plays with his activity. Expect to hear his name called in the second round of the NBA draft."
Here is a take from a local (NYC area) source who faced up against Moncrieffe last summer:
"Back then he was still young but you could see his potential was enormous. He plays the game in attack mode from first whistle to last and that is something I love to see in a young player. Wasn't afraid of the older guys my team had and went right at them and challenged them. I haven't kept up with his game but I watched some highlights yesterday and it looks like he has further developed his jump shot and ballhandling which is big."
Games Watched:
I was able to get a hold of a couple of Moncrieffe's EYBL games last season (2018) and watched them so here is a quick analysis. It was hard to get a robust look because last year Moncrieffe was more of a role player, although he became a key player later in the season.
vs. Team Melo - 76 to 56 win
In this game, Moncrieffe played 15 minutes and his main job was to slow down Team Melo star guard Jay Heath, which he did a very good job of. While Heath finished with 21 points, it was on 8-21 shooting and 2-10 from 3 with 4 turnovers, 2 of which were caused by Moncrieffe. Offensively, Moncrieffe went 2-for-3 from the field and the FT line to finish with 6 points along with 2 rebounds.
vs. Mebo Team Hood - 97 to 81 win
This was the best game of Moncrieffe's EYBL season on both sides of the floor. On offense he dominated the game going 8-for-12 from the field and scoring 18 points, although he struggled from the free throw line, hitting just 2 of-7 shots. He also grabbed 13 rebounds. On defense, he locked down 4-star recruit Keondre Montgomery, holding him to 1-for-8 shooting and just 4 points.
vs. BABC - 78 to 75 loss
Moncrieffe played 21 minutes in this game and scored 8 points while grabbing 7 rebounds, on 3-for-5 shooting from the floor and 2-for-4 from the free throw line. Defensively, it was not his best game although his entire team struggled to defend, allowing BABC to shoot over 50% from the field for the game.
Conclusion
Moncrieffe reminds me a lot in his style of play to NBA All-Star Giannis Antetekumpo. NO, I am not comparing Moncrieffe to Antetekumpo except in noting each plays the game in similar fashion. They both attack the basket downhill, do most of their scoring near the basket, have an ability to get teammates involved and defend at a high level, with a jump shot that can keep the defense honest.
Moncrieffe has a long, long way to go to reach Antetekumpo's level and likely never will, but in terms of style of play that is the type of player he is. With a rapidly improving jump shot and a frame that is still growing there is the potential for Moncrieffe to develop into a NBA first round pick. He does not project as a one and done but I could see him being pro-ready after three successful college seasons and even getting some NBA consideration after two if he is in the right setting.
While Seton Hall has two very talented wings in Jared Rhoden and Myles Cale and a third that will be eligible next year in Takal Molson, I would expect Moncrieffe to factor into the rotation as a freshman if he committed to Seton Hall in a bigger role than his former teammate Tyrese Samuel is playing this season.
By year two, I would figure that Moncrieffe would factor as a potential starter with All Big East potential as an upperclassmen.
https://setonhall.rivals.com/
COMMENTS
PirateCrew.com Recruiting Analyst
Oozing with upside at 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds, Matthew Alexander Moncrieffe registers as one of the top recruits in all of Canada for the Class of 2020, checking all the boxes for an elite recruit. He is long, athletic, bouncy, quick, smart and loaded with potential that has alerted programs like Seton Hall, Florida and Georgetown to make a heavy push for services.
Having watched 3 full games, spoken with two scouts, and watched several highlights, I view Moncrieffe as a future NBA first round pick with the ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor. He possesses similar length and athleticism to his Class of 2019 teammate Tyrese Samuel but is a bit stronger and more advanced at the same time in their careers.
Strengths:
Athleticism - He isn't quite as bouncy as Tyrese Samuel, but he is an impressive athlete nonetheless with great leaping ability. He is long and hard to keep up with in the open floor and can get end to end very quickly off of a rebound.
Ability to drive and finish - By far Moncrieffe's best trait is his ability to drive to the basket with either hand and finish with either hand. He has great body control, can finish through contact, and is fouled often. He is also a good free throw shooter which helps him attack the basket and play through contact rather than avoid it.
Rebounding - For a wing, Moncrieffe is a tremendous rebounder on both sides of the floor. He has great natural instincts and his leaping ability and long arms help him clear the glass.
On Ball Defender - Moncrieffe is a strong and willing defender who combines his length, athleticism and strength to really be a dominant on-ball defender. He is capable of defending multiple positions effectively.
Areas to Improve:
Jump shot - Moncrieffe has made huge strides with his shooting from distance to the point where it is now a threat if a defender sags off him, but to reach the next level, he must continue to improve. On the positive side, his yearly strides show a willingness to put in the work with the ability to improve.
First step quickness - Moncrieffe is a good athlete and he has a good but not great first step. Some increased agility could allow him to take his game to the next level.
Playmaking - Moncrieffe has the ability to create shots for his teammates and he looks for open shooters while attacking the basket. However, at times he gets a bit of tunnel vision and misses his open teammates when the defense collapses on him. Overall, he is a good and willing passer, he just needs to become more consistent in that role.
Scout Takes:
Jerry Meyer, 247 Sports- "A lanky, athletic, slashing small forward. Slippery on the drive with great body control. Can attack the basket with either hand and finishes well with either hand. Jump shot can keep defense honest. Can also find teammates while on the move. Great potential defensively and as a rebounder. Multi-positional defender who can make plays with his activity. Expect to hear his name called in the second round of the NBA draft."
Here is a take from a local (NYC area) source who faced up against Moncrieffe last summer:
"Back then he was still young but you could see his potential was enormous. He plays the game in attack mode from first whistle to last and that is something I love to see in a young player. Wasn't afraid of the older guys my team had and went right at them and challenged them. I haven't kept up with his game but I watched some highlights yesterday and it looks like he has further developed his jump shot and ballhandling which is big."
Games Watched:
I was able to get a hold of a couple of Moncrieffe's EYBL games last season (2018) and watched them so here is a quick analysis. It was hard to get a robust look because last year Moncrieffe was more of a role player, although he became a key player later in the season.
vs. Team Melo - 76 to 56 win
In this game, Moncrieffe played 15 minutes and his main job was to slow down Team Melo star guard Jay Heath, which he did a very good job of. While Heath finished with 21 points, it was on 8-21 shooting and 2-10 from 3 with 4 turnovers, 2 of which were caused by Moncrieffe. Offensively, Moncrieffe went 2-for-3 from the field and the FT line to finish with 6 points along with 2 rebounds.
vs. Mebo Team Hood - 97 to 81 win
This was the best game of Moncrieffe's EYBL season on both sides of the floor. On offense he dominated the game going 8-for-12 from the field and scoring 18 points, although he struggled from the free throw line, hitting just 2 of-7 shots. He also grabbed 13 rebounds. On defense, he locked down 4-star recruit Keondre Montgomery, holding him to 1-for-8 shooting and just 4 points.
vs. BABC - 78 to 75 loss
Moncrieffe played 21 minutes in this game and scored 8 points while grabbing 7 rebounds, on 3-for-5 shooting from the floor and 2-for-4 from the free throw line. Defensively, it was not his best game although his entire team struggled to defend, allowing BABC to shoot over 50% from the field for the game.
Conclusion
Moncrieffe reminds me a lot in his style of play to NBA All-Star Giannis Antetekumpo. NO, I am not comparing Moncrieffe to Antetekumpo except in noting each plays the game in similar fashion. They both attack the basket downhill, do most of their scoring near the basket, have an ability to get teammates involved and defend at a high level, with a jump shot that can keep the defense honest.
Moncrieffe has a long, long way to go to reach Antetekumpo's level and likely never will, but in terms of style of play that is the type of player he is. With a rapidly improving jump shot and a frame that is still growing there is the potential for Moncrieffe to develop into a NBA first round pick. He does not project as a one and done but I could see him being pro-ready after three successful college seasons and even getting some NBA consideration after two if he is in the right setting.
While Seton Hall has two very talented wings in Jared Rhoden and Myles Cale and a third that will be eligible next year in Takal Molson, I would expect Moncrieffe to factor into the rotation as a freshman if he committed to Seton Hall in a bigger role than his former teammate Tyrese Samuel is playing this season.
By year two, I would figure that Moncrieffe would factor as a potential starter with All Big East potential as an upperclassmen.
https://setonhall.rivals.com/
COMMENTS
