Will Barton Goes Off at Nike MDC

Will Barton has been rising up the rankings recently, and it won't stop if he keeps putting up performances like he did yesterday at the Nike Memorial Day Classic. From Rivals:

Unfortunately for people watching, Barton and Barnes really didn't matchup all that often, but another five-star prospect, Josh Selby did go head to head with Barnes quite a bit. With Barnes guarding Selby, Barton seized an opportunity and absolutely took over the game.

Barton got the game going in style with a dunk, and from there it was simply his show. He scored with ease going to the rim, finished athletically with impressive dunks, made perimeter jump shots, and simply did anything that he wanted to do on the court. In the first half alone Barton had 19 points, and only missed two field goals in the process.

In the second half Barton cooled down a little bit, but still he was scoring nearly at will. Due to some nice passes from Selby, Barton was able to convert easy buckets, and that got Baltimore Elite going. Add in Selby making shots that simply couldn't be defended, and the rout was on.

Barnes closed out strong, and did everything he could to keep Howard Pulley in the game, but Barton and company were simply too much. Barton topped the 30 point mark for the game, and in the process cemented his status as one of the best players in the country.

What a prospect Barton is. He's a beast on the floor, and I actually really like his personality. I can definitely see him rising farther up the ranks - after all, he outperformed Harrison Barnes,easily the #1 prospect in the nation. It wouldn't be a surprise if he ends up top 5 or so.

Of course, he still really likes Kentucky and seems a bit enthralled with Calipari, but the rest of his family doesn't like that route too much. They want him to stay close to home, and apparently like Maryland, and Gary himself, a lot. The choice will probably ultimately come down to him, but I'm sure his parents and grandparents have a huge influence on him. Personally, I'd be surprised to see this end quickly, but that's good news for the Terps.

UPDATE: Scout also has a rundown of some of the bigger prospects at MDC - Barton dropped 36, to be specific, and Maryland was listed by both Will Regan and Terrance Jones.