Metro State Team Camp: Saturday Notebook
We were able to make it back over the Metro State Team Camp for a couple hours on Saturday and saw a number of strong performances during that time. Here are a few notes from the second day of the camp,…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWe were able to make it back over the Metro State Team Camp for a couple hours on Saturday and saw a number of strong performances during that time.
Here are a few notes from the second day of the camp, with concludes with more bracket play and championships on Sunday:
Fort Collins A Front Range Favorite
Few teams in the state will return as much talent as the Lambkins, who get back all five of their leading scorers from a season ago, including four who averaged double digits. All will be seniors in the fall.
The trio of Iseri Palacio (5-11), Jacob Pfaffinger (6-2) and Brian Read (6-6) were especially impressive Saturday, working with the kind of chemistry that belies the amount of time they’ve spent on the court together. All three played this spring on the Colorado Titans’ top 17U team, further solidifying a cohesion that can make them dangerous come this winter.
Read impressed with his versatility. He’s strong and well-built, but we have begun to notice lately an improved mid-range game that has helped his offensive game blossom. Palacio is a true pass-first point guard who loves to get his teammates involved. Pfaffinger is a player who can flat-out find ways to score.
Another interesting wild card piece for the Lambkins is Damien Murillo, who had some nice moments this spring for Colorado Fire Elite. Murillo is 6-2 with good length, and he’s athletic enough to make big plays in transition.
Broomfield Has Nice Pieces
We wrote several times this spring about the play of Sam Foster, a 6-1 2017 guard who led the way for the Titans’ second 17U squad. Foster was impressive again Saturday against Pueblo South, making plays on both ends of the court. The leading scorer for the Eagles also has some nice pieces around him.
Devin Martinez, a 6-6 2018 forward, showed impressive physical traits, namely his ability to really get down the floor in a hurry in transition and then finish above the rim. He finished two lobs with authority, and was generally active on both ends. Expect a big jump from him after averaging 5.8 points and 4.2 rebounds as a sophomore.
Another player we have been impressed with, after seeing him both today and earlier this spring, is Michael Georgitan. The 6-4 2018 forward won’t wow you with any particular skill, but he’s just solid all around and isn’t afraid to scrap. It’s good to see that toughness.
Masten-Gilbert Backcourt Duo Promising
Every year features a number of impact transfers, and this season will be no exception. One to watch will be Tyson Gilbert (6-1, 2018 PG), who joins Rock Canyon after spending his first two prep years at Highlands Ranch.
With Gilbert joining superlative 2018 guard Sam Masten (6-2, 2018) by the second half of the upcoming season, the Jaguars will present a dangerous pick-your-poison game for opponents. Gilbert showed during a very impressive spring that he can be a guy who has the ability to take over a game offensively, but he’s also very comfortable playing the role of distributor. His ability to handle the ball and take some pressure of Masten should be huge. While the relationship is new, the two already seem to building some good chemistry.
Regis Jesuit Has Impressive Young Talent
Regis Jesuit doesn’t rebuild. It reloads. Ken Shaw’s latest team has a handful of impressive talent. We’ve written a lot this spring about Elijah Martinez (5-11 2018 guard) and Sam Bannec (6-3, 2018), both of whom had strong springs with Billups Elite 16U. Also poised to make his mark for the Raiders is rising sophomore 6-0 Payton Egloff. We’ll have more on him in a recruiting report coming up this week. It’s hard not to like the young talent at Regis.
Other Solid Performers
Marcel Barbee, 6-3 2018 forward, Pueblo South
Barbee is a refreshing dose of strong and physical and he uses both of those assets to play the game hard. He is a little bit raw offensively but demonstrates good upside. He has good athleticism and a strong motor.
Though his shot wasn’t falling, Deshiloh Stanley had some nice moments for the Colts. He’s a quick, athletic 6-0 2017 guard who is the team’s leading returning scorer.
Trey McBride, 6-3 2018 forward, Fort Morgan
While Fort Morgan was no match for Boulder in the game we saw Saturday, McBride stood out with sheer strength. At a chiseled 220 pounds, McBride is indeed built for the football field (his older brother plays for CSU). But McBride has the athleticism to move very well on the court, his steal and finish with a thundering dunk in transition was impressive.
Peter Chopra, 6-5 2017 forward, Boulder
As the Panthers seek to replace a good deal of talent off last year’s Front Range champion squad, Chopra could be an important piece. He has really good athleticism and is a great leaper, and now he’s continuing to add a growing skill set to those physical traits. During one sequence Saturday, Chopra hit a contested mid-range jumper near the free-throw line, skied for a rebound on the other end, then keyed the fastbreak the other way before drawing a foul. With a summer of good coaching ahead both with Boulder’s Jack Clarke (last year’s Front Range coach of the year) and Rick Jimenez with the Titans, Chopra could be in for a big senior year.