Coach's Take: AZ Power North 16U

AZ Power North 16U had a very good spring and summer season with a 29-7 record during that span. Our team won every pool that we played in at the national tournaments in Anaheim and Las Vegas over that time but only managed to finish in the top 32 of each tournament in the bracket play. We also had a 4-1 record in the ACBL. The team highlight was that they won the Area Codes Elite 8 Tournament in Phoenix beating 3 NBA player sponsored teams for the victory. I'd like to mention some of our players that helped with our success.<h2>Trey Checkett 6'5 G 2017 Chaparral</h2>Trey is a 6'5" SG that is very athletic and such a good ball handler he can even fill in at point guard. He is an extremely smart player that does not get rattled by any situation and will distribute the ball to the open teammate. One of his best qualities is his long range, pull up jumper along with shooting a very high percentage from the line. Footwork allows him to get open easily, finish around the basket and has a high release point that allows him to shoot over defenders. He is a very good rebounder that can guard multiple positions and is usually matched against the strongest offensive opponent. It was tough to take him off the floor during our club season as he does so many things to help his team. Brown University as well as a number of high academic schools are looking at him because of his 3.9 GPA as was as his play. <h2>Kai Fletcher 6'7 F 2017 Chaparral</h2>Kai is currently a 6'7" F but has more growing to do. He is a very good post player with a fantastic jump hook followed up by an up and under which means he has excellent footwork. He consistently will hit the 3, mid- range jumpers and is a good free throw shooter. He sets strong screens while opening up properly to seal defenders creating offense for his teammates as well as himself. Defensively he can guard multiple positions because of his quick feet while getting low to move his opponent off his spot. His strength is boxing out very hard every possession so he gets every rebound and offensively works hard to rebound or at least get hand on ball to extend the play. Good footwork allows him to pivot out of a crowd to find the open outlet and that same quality coupled with his strong hands permit coaches to play him in the middle of the press break. This kid will out hustle and out work every player in the gym. His is very level headed so is unfazed by the big stage. He has interest from a couple of D2 schools at this point but expect that to increase this season because of his play and 3.9 GPA. <h2>JT Thoman 6'1 G 2017 Chaparral</h2>JT is the usually the strongest player on the court which makes him very difficult to defend especially going to the hole. He is a scorer with a very good jump shot and consistently will hit the 3 as well as free throws. He is very fast in the open court and can handle the ball well. Defensively he has quick feet coupled with his strength makes him very tough to get around and rebounds very well for a guard. Usually a scorer doesn't like to play defense but that is not the case with him. JT is a gym rat and you will always find him working on his game as well as working out in the weight room. He is VERY STRONG! He was the MVP for AZ Power North this summer so expect BIG things from him this year at Chaparral. He has several D3, D2 and a D1 school looking at him at this time but he is going to be highly sought after by the time the season ends. <h2>Jake Hess 6'9 F 2017 Horizon</h2>Jake is an exceptional athlete. At 6'9" he is one of the fastest players on the court and also runs the 400m on the track team, He has been measured to have a 39" vertical so he jumps out of the gym. He played wide receiver on the football team and does high jump on track team in addition to the 400M. Offensively he is tough to guard in the low post because he can jump so high he can shoot over his defender. After one of his many offensive rebounds he finishes well around the hoop. He also has a good medium range jumper. His strength is running the floor in transition and finishing. Defensively this kid blocks or alters every shot. He is very long and has quick feet so he is tough to get around. He boxes out well and is usually the leading rebounder. He is currently ranked the #5 player in the state of Arizona class of 2017 by PrepHoopsAZ. This kid had a great club season and is a game changer that gives 100% all the time. He has a D1 school, Weber State, looking at him as well as a couple of D2 schools but look for his stock to rise this season and the offers to pour in! <h2>Dino Hadziahmetovic 6'0 G 2017 Horizon</h2>Dino is a 4.0 student that is even smarter on the court. He is a true PG that played varsity as a sophomore. Offensively he is a very good ball handler that is very steady and does not make mistakes. He is very difficult to defend going to the basket and this skill allows him to create for his teammates. He is also a very good knock down shooter from the perimeter and hits his free throws at a high percentage. His strength is leading the break in transition where he very fast and will finish strong or make a solid pass to a teammate for an easy finish. Defensively he has quick feet so he can keep his man in front of him. He is a very good rebounder for a guard and has a knack for blocking shots. He had a very solid club season and will be getting a lot of attention after the high school season. <h2>Nick Morris 6'4 G 2017 Caesar Chavez</h2>Nick is a PLAYER and is usually the most athletic player on the court. Offensively he has a good mid-range jump but his strength is finishing going to the basket. He can rise up easily over defenders to create the space needed to make the shot. He is a monster on the glass and will out work as well as out rebound everyone to give you possession or points. Defensively he has very quick feet, is very long and strong so he is very tough to get around. He can guard multiple positions because of his athleticism. His strength is rebounding and usually is one of the leading rebounders. This kid is VERY athletic and will out hustle every kid on the court because he is extremely competitive. He had a tremendous club season and received a lot of minutes because of his aggressive play. No schools are looking at him yet but this kid a sleeper that is going to get a lot of attention this year before the season is over.