Coach’s Take: Simeon Boddie
Jon’il Fugett, George Washington HS, 5’10” G
“Jon’il is lightning in the bottle, an explosive guard who pushes the ball up the court in a flash. Jon’il strives in the paint finishing with both hands through contact and his mid-range jumper is his best shot. In July, he was also our best 3-point shooter, knocking down 45% of his shots from behind the arc. This added dimension to his game will make him one of the top scorers for a loaded GW backcourt. While he is slight in stature, don’t let that fool you, he is the strongest kid on our team. Jon’il plays with a competitive spirit that’s hard to duplicate.”
Tre Pierre, Widefield HS, 6’5” F
“Tre is a load inside and by far our most physical post player. Tre has shown the ability to score from both blocks, has great hands, and from the elbow he is a solid shooter. Defensively, he provides a mean streak that is unmatched and never allows easy baskets on his watch. Tre is great at throwing outlet passes and getting our fast-break offense in motion with his cannon of an arm. Tre is a young sophomore so we expect him to continue growing and filling out his frame. That being said, he will be a force in the Springs this season as a one of the top players for Widefield.”
Xai’Vion Jackson, Eaglecrest HS, 5’10” PG
“X is what we call him and for sure he is our team’s X-factor. Our best distributor, he gets everyone involved in the offense as a traditional PG in a day and age where you rarely find players who enjoy sharing the ball. X has exceptional ball-handling skills and can finish with either hand in the paint amongst the trees. On defense, he is the catalyst for our pressure defense packages and he excels in full-court man-to-man defense. Deceptively quick and has extremely strong hands. Once he ties up opponents, he usually comes out with the ball. Xai’Vion is going to do a great job getting Colbey Ross the ball in his sweet spots for Eaglecrest this upcoming season.”
Zach Hidalgo, Frontier Academy HS, 6’4” SF
“Zach is the leader of our team. Whether in practice or in games, you can count on Zach to be out front pushing the limits and always giving maximum effort. Zach is excellent on the offensive boards where he uses his sneaky hops and relentless pursuit of the ball to get second chance opportunities. From the perimeter, Zach is solid and has stretched his range out to the 3-point line. Zach attends Frontier Academy where he usually plays in the post so he is transitioning to a wing player, which is the position he will play in college. Zach is just a pleasure to coach and every team needs a guy like him who doesn’t mind sacrificing his individual stats for the betterment of the team.”
Daylen Kountz, George Washington HS, 6’3” SG
“Smooth lefty guard who is one of the top athletes in the class. Daylen is a true high riser who excels in the open court finishing above the rim with power dunks. Daylen also shoots the ball well from 3 and hits the mid-range jump shot in his sleep. He has solid handle on the ball and passes well for a player with the ability to score so easily. Daylen is an all-around player who rebounds well from the guard spot. I believe he is just getting started. As he matures, I expect to him to be more assertive on the court. Rated as top player in the class of 2018 in Colorado, I see his recruitment picking up this year after his HS season with GW.”
Will Becker, Smoky Hill HS, 6’6” F
“Our glue guy has to be Will! Not only is he our best defender in the paint, but in pick-and-roll situations he has shown the ability to play guards effectively. Will is the team’s leading shot blocker and rebounder and has the ability to block shots with either hand. Will has good court vision and passes well on the perimeter or out of the post. Gifted athletes like Will don’t come around too often. Once he catches up with his rapid growth spurt, he is going to be a problem. Has grown 5 inches in last 12 months and we don’t see him stopping anytime soon. Will should have a huge role on a young Smoky Hill team this season for sure.”
Kenny Foster, Smoky Hill HS, 6’3” G
“Baby Scal or Rook is what we call him, the only eighth grader who played up on our unit last year. While Kenny is young in age at still 14, he has the body of a mature HS player. Kenny has explosive jumping ability and finishes well at the rim and is starting to dunk everything in the paint. Naturally a scoring guard, he has shown glimpses of being able to handle the point and get his teammates involved. There are lofty expectations for him at Smoky Hill where he will be expected to contribute right away on the varsity team. The future looks bright for Kenny. We should all get used to hearing his name as we expect him to be one of the top players on the national and local scene in the class of 2019.”
Deven Nelson, Mesa Ridge HS, 6’1” G
“Deven is another scoring machine on our team who likes to attack the basket with a reckless abandon. Very solid shooter who loves the 3 point shot; in July he began to show his ability to be a capable scorer from the mid-range. Deven is a multiple sport athlete who also excels on the football field as a running back for Mesa Ridge and also is a member of their track team. Deven shoots the ball at a really high percentage and should be one of the leading scorers for a Mesa squad that is loaded with talent in the backcourt.”
Sam Masten, Rock Canyon HS, 6’2” SG
“Sam is true definition of instant offense as he can score efficiently on all three levels. Sam is always in attack mode with the ball in his hands keeping pressure on whoever is matched up against him. Playing through contact is one of his strengths as he loves to initiate contact when attacking the basket. On a team with so much offensive firepower, he is our most consistent scorer. Many people have yet to see his full array of moves, because his HS team was loaded at the guard spot last year and he played a complimentary role. High expectations for him this season at Rock Canyon! Already has an offer from Air Force Academy with interest from most of local CO colleges. “
Brendan LaRose, Rampart HS, 6’7” PF
“Best shooter on the team and tallest player usually don’t go hand in hand, but in this instance that is the case. Brendan has perfect form and is deadly from 3-point range and from free throw line. Brendan has been working hard to be more effective in the post and stronger on the glass for us. Brendan is just scratching the surface of how good he can be but has a solid foundation to build on. Will be attending Rampart HS in the fall and I think him being on a team loaded with frontcourt talent will help expedite his development.”
