Spring Kickoff Preview: 17U Division (Part II)
Below is the second part of our preview of the 17U Division in this weekend’s Prep Hoops Spring Kickoff. We will preview the rest of the divisions in the coming days, ahead of Friday night’s opening games at Thornton and Legacy.
You can see the full schedule here.
Colorado Miners: A team that is used to playing against stiff competition after playing up a division most of last summer, the Miners have the talent to make a deep run in the Kickoff. They are led by 6-5 small forward Hunter Maldonado, who averaged nearly 30 points per game during the state tournament. Point guard Brevin Brimble and high-scoring talent CJ Jennings make for a dynamic backcourt. And Malik Salley is a 6-4 do-it-all factor who is a major X-Factor.
Shining Stars White: This squad features some of Jefferson County’s top players, including Lakewood sharpshooter Kolton Peterson. The 6-2 guard is one of the state’s top long-range shooter and one of its leading scorers, and he already has a couple D-I offers. He’s joined by talented scorers Joe Miks and Kyler Hensel, and a strong perimeter defender in Brandt Christy.
Shooting Stars 2016: This squad features some of the area’s top unsigned 2016 talent, including versatile 6-3 guard/forward Will Wittman, who can play and defend multiple positions. Another hidden gem is Conifer’s 6-3 guard Jack Studer, who could be a steal at the D-II level. This team also has great shooters in Dakota Ridge lefty Tyler McFarland and Conifer’s Steve Moe.
Shooting Stars White: This group features a number of players who will be playing up, including class of 2018 Lakewood players Nick Deidel and Jordan Ramos and Dakota Ridge sophomores Drew Dominic and Cole Binder.
303 Elite: This team has some players who can score in bunches, including Manual’s 6-1 guard Jerome Carter, who averaged 15 points per game this season. 303 has good size inside with Will Willis, a 6-6 forward who is a strong double-double threat and helped lead Lutheran on a deep run through the Class 3A tournament.
Colorado Titans Black: The Titans’ second unit has solid depth and versatility. They’ll have big scoring out of the backcourt in Horizon guard Phillip Espinoza, who averaged better than 12 points per game for Horizon this season. In Mead’s Alex Sandstorm, the Titans have a 6-6 forward who can run the floor well and stretch defenses with his ability to shoot from long range.
The Force Blue: This squad has a very strong backcourt presence in point guard Noah Beatty, who put himself on the radar with strong performances during Vista Ridge’s run to the Class 4A state semifinals. For the season, Beatty averaged 10.6 points per game. TJ Lucero is a talented guard who averaged about 12 points per game for Fountain-Fort Carson.
Colorado Fire Black: What this team makes up for in size it makes up for in strong outside shooting and an ability to get after it on the defensive end. Thompson Valley’s Julian Espinoza and Mountain View’s Brett Corona can score from multiple spots on the court, and both are strong outside shooters. Jarad Kasprzak is an intriguing 6-7 forward from Thompson Valley who made some strong varsity contributions as a sophomore this season.
Colorado Fire Silver: Fire’s second squad has a very strong guard in Damien Murillo, a 6-1 Fort Collins standout who averaged 11.6 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Lambkins this season. Mitch Zundel is a 5-9 guard who had strong moments for Thompson Valley last season and offers scoring punch.
TEAM B.A.N.G. Elite: This squad features several members of a Vista PEAK team that won the 4A Colorado 7 League this season. Among those is point guard Alex Hawkins, a 5-11 unsigned 2016 player who is a strong distributor and playmaker. He’s joined by 2017 PEAK teammates Tre Early, Marquise Johnson, Terrell Jones and Jordan Earnest. Osman Koromah, a versatile 6-2 forward, could be an X-Factor.