Mile High Classic Standouts: Part I
LAKEWOOD — While most of Colorado’s top club teams were playing out of the state this weekend, the 84-team Mile High Classic, with teams from seven straights, certainly contained a number of future college prospects of various levels. Here is…
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Continue ReadingLAKEWOOD — While most of Colorado’s top club teams were playing out of the state this weekend, the 84-team Mile High Classic, with teams from seven straights, certainly contained a number of future college prospects of various levels.
Here is a look at the first part in a series of standouts, with this batch coming primarily from the action we were able to take in Saturday morning. We’ll have plenty more from the event in the coming days.
Blake Williams, 6-3 2018 guard, Colorado Premier 16U National
Williams had a 20-point game in Premier’s opening victory over The Show (Ariz.) in the team’s opener on Friday night, and he was strong early in Premier’s second pool victory over Colorado Hawks White on Saturday morning. Williams (Rock Canyon) has good length and a good skill set that should allow him to play a few positions. Noah Lewis, who scored 10 first-half points Saturday to help Premier seize control of the game, could develop into a strong outside shooting specialist. And versatile Antonio Norton showed impressive mid-range game, nailing a clutch baseline jumper late to help Premier wrap up the win.
Daijon Smith, 6-2 2018 guard, Colorado Hawks 16U White
Smith is a solid ball-handler who does a good job orchestrating the offense. He has the ability to knock it down from long range, and if he makes that tool even more consistent, he’ll be dangerous because he also has a quick first step and can thus become a true double-threat.
Sindou Cisse, 6-2 2019 guard, Elevation Flyers 15U
As soon as we made it over to watch the Flyers’ entertaining pool-play game against Colorado Chaos 15s Elite, Cisse made an impressive, athletic steal and was at the other end for the layup in a flash. He demonstrated that kind of athleticism and playmaking the rest of the game. He appears to have a high ceiling as a versatile wing with some more growth. The Flyers also have a nice guard in Russell Grant IV out of Vista PEAK, a tough point with a compact frame who is strong and decisive with the ball.
Jax Wilke, 6-6 2019 forward, Colorado Anarchy 15U
For a player who is only 15 and already 6-6, Wilke has solid coordination and good general awareness of how to use his frame. He flashes quick into the post and then doesn’t get sped up once he catches to ball. He has a good catalog of post moves, including a really nice soft right-handed baby hook. Also showed he could handle the ball when needed in transition, and he’s got soft touch on his outlet passes. It will be interesting to track the progress of the Mead High School product.
Ezekiel Sundberg, 6-1 guard, Colorado Regulators
A three-sport athlete who also plays lacrosse and football, Sundberg brings the toughness from those other two sports onto the court. Impressive on Saturday was his ability to go decisively at the hole, draw contact and finish. He also really gets after it on the defensive end. Was a good role player for Lakewood this past season, and we see him taking another step this year. As should Jovan Dodig, his backcourt mate with the Regulators and at Lakewood, who also played with tenacity this weekend.
Sam Foster, 6-1 2017 guard, Colorado Titans 17U Black
The left-handed guard has some smooth flow to his game. The leading scorer on a solid, balanced Broomfield team last season at 12.3 points per game, Foster is adept at slicing himself into the lane and finishing creatively through defenders. Good outside jump shot and solid perimeter defender. Foster projects as a solid small-college prospect whose stock should rise this upcoming season.