10 Who Impressed: CCBA Spring Classic
Despite our crazy Colorado weather wreaking havoc on travel and scheduling for the CCBA Spring Classic, we were able to get out to Golden from Saturday morning to early afternoon to take in some grassroots games. Here are 10 players…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingDespite our crazy Colorado weather wreaking havoc on travel and scheduling for the CCBA Spring Classic, we were able to get out to Golden from Saturday morning to early afternoon to take in some grassroots games.
Here are 10 players who stood out during the sessions we were able to see:
Tylor Trinh, 6-0 guard, Colorado Chaos 16U Elite
Trinh is like a well-calibrated metronome, moving across the court with timed precision. You can see it in the way he handles the ball, passes it, catches it, shoots it. That’s all to say there is very little wasted movement in his game. He’s smart and decisive with the ball in his hands, getting into his shots without hesitation. And when he lets it go, there’s a good chance it’s going in. New Monarch coach Josh Brenning has very solid backcourt piece to start with in Trinh, who will be a junior next season.
Sam Foster, 6-0 guard, Colorado Titans 17U Black
We know Foster is one of the state’s best shooters. The left-handed guard can fill it up in a hurry from behind the arc. What impressed Saturday though was his defense. He didn’t let ball-handlers get comfortable, forcing them to turn again and again before they were able to initiate offense. We’ve seen the Titans’ emphasis on sound defensive fundamentals pay big dividends in the development of their players. Legacy guard Tyler Converse was a perfect example. A big-time scorer for most his career, Converse really locked into the defensive side of the ball while playing for the Titans last year, and his improvement on that end helped him land an opportunity at the next level with rising RMAC school Colorado Mesa. Continued growth could put Foster on that level.
Darren Edwards, 6-1 guard, Colorado Fire Elite
Edwards, a 2018 guard at Thompson Valley, was stroking the ball well from long range on Saturday. Could release on the catch and shoot. He had some nice looks created by the penetration of Damien Murillo.
Xavier Johnson, 6-2 guard, Colorado Chaos 16U Elite
Johnson is an impressively built lefty who uses his strength to do the little things really well. He seems to be constantly around the rim, and he works hard in transition to be on the receiving end of offense. Has a strong motor that helped him average 10 points per game as a sophomore at Rocky Mountain last season. As his shot continues to improve he’ll only become more versatile.
Adam Barber, 6-3 guard, Colorado Titans 17U Black
Barber is just a tough, all-around guard who works really hard on both ends of the court. Rebounds real well for his size, defends hard at a couple different positions and just seems to have a strong understanding of the game. He was Niwot’s second-leading rebounder (4.3) and third-leading scorer (6.7) last season. Barber also caught our eye with his play at the Mile High Classic last weekend.
Kyle Blair, 6-0 guard, Colorado Chaos 17 Blue
Blair may fly under the radar playing way out on the Western Slope, but he showed Saturday why he is one of the best shooters in the state, lifting Chaos out of a late eight-point deficit against Shining Stars with one big bucket after another. He’s fun to watch pull it.
Amer Amandzic, 6-3 guard, Colorado Shining Stars 17 White
Amandzic is very strong and physical guard who competes hard. He has the build of college linebacker, but he is skilled enough to run the offense from the perimeter. A load to handle when he attacks because of his size, and has good athleticism. Skill set is still a little bit raw, but once ball-handling and shooting become a bit more refined, he could be a small-college prospect.
Blake Fields, 6-2 guard, Denver Elite 17U
Fields often impressed with his ability to be a good boost off the bench for a highly talented Legend team last season, and now he appears ready for a chance to be a major contributor heading into his senior season. Fields is a good shooter and is getting better as a change-of-pace ball-handler. He’s a good effort guy, and is deceptively long on defense.
Jaylen Meeks, 6-2 guard, Denver Elite 17U
Meeks might have been the most athletic player in the gym Saturday. He can be a locomotive in the open floor and knows how to attack. His speed and athleticism make him a lot to handle on defense. He too is a strong effort player and has a lot of strong intangibles. Continued work on his jump shot and an ability to change speeds will make his burst that much more effective.
Jordan Elhert, 5-10 guard, Colorado Chaos 17 Blue
Elhert averaged 19 points and seven assists as a junior at Middle Park last season, and he’s shown he can compete with bigger-school competition during this grassroots season. He’s quick with the ball and creative finishing at the rim. He can also really stroke it from deep. Also a good body language and high IQ player.