SPTS Finals/Summer Slam: Best of Saturday
PHD spent Saturday watching the best of 17U and 16U compete in the Summer Slam/SPTS Finals. Who stood out and why? We have a giant list to scan through and learn about. Justis Clayton (BBA Force, 6-3, SF, Harrisburg). Clayton…
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Continue ReadingPHD spent Saturday watching the best of 17U and 16U compete in the Summer Slam/SPTS Finals. Who stood out and why? We have a giant list to scan through and learn about.
Justis Clayton (BBA Force, 6-3, SF, Harrisburg). Clayton is a slashing, active wing who gives most of his production on the move. Against the Crossfire Justis was always on the move and he always seemed to provide production. The things that stood out where a late game transition score where Clayton out-ran the defense to catch and finish as well as a back-cut score from an elbow assist. He also had a late game assist catching on the cut and then sending the ball down to the baseline for a teammate’s And1. Really liked what we saw from Clayton today against a good Crossfire team.
Wil Johnson (BBA Force, 5-11, PG, Harrisburg). There are so many times I see Wil release a shot from beyond NBA range and think “what?” and then somehow, it drops. The young man has range that was in display against Crossfire Weege and he did a nice job handling the ball late and making free throws. Based on my three viewings this spring/summer I have a feeling this is going to be a big year for Wil and a turnaround year for his Harriburg team.
Drew Jurgens (PBC Buus, 6-8, PF, Brandon Valley). Yesterday we talked about his shooting range and then today he not only showed it again, but showed it deeper out to the three point arc. At his size with a touch like that with back to the basket or facing up at mid-range or from the perimeter, Jurgens is going to keep grabbing offers.
Jordan Meidinger (ECI Prospects, 7-0, C, Dickinson). Meidinger’s fight around the basket really caught my attention. He did get the amount of post entries I would have liked to see but he definitely got deep position and gave his teammates a target often and that is likely the most important thing going forward. Had a sequence of a two hand dunk that excited his team and then went the other way and took a charge.
Jacob Mertens (ECI Prospects, 6-3, Guard, Devils Lake). The biggest impact from Mertens was the late game threes he made to guarantee his team a victory but it was more than that. At a very legit 6-foot-3 Mertens can play multiple spots because of his skill level as a handler and shooter, but he also showed he has the will to make hustle plays when he out-raced everyone to send a loose ball back into play that became an ECI score. He is going to play college basketball, question is where. Somebody is going to get a versatile player.
Jake Paper (D-17s, 6-6, PF, Fargo Davies). Loved the poise and the fight of Paper down the stretch. Every late game board went to Paper. He worked his way to the carom every time either by going out of his area or battling to the area. There were several times where Paper was in a scrum and won the ball and like we said, every late game board was his. Also showed poise in hitting late foul shots and making the right two-hand passes through a desperate trap.
Nate Symens (ECI Seelct, 6-3, SF, Bismarck Century). Nate added a lot of muscle to his frame since last year and he’s become more of a three man who defends, pushes when he gets a chance and scores with agility and strength. He has the frame of a football prospect but is a guy that can be very good in many ways. Like late in the game when he hammered swatted Zac Olson and then went the other way to score.
Jack Talley (Dakota Schoolers, 6-5, SF, SF Washington). We are big Jack Talley guys here at PHD. He’s just so much more agile than most small forwards in the Midwest. Jack commonly can get to the corner and then make a play at the rim vaulting over the rotating help or stopping to pull-up. Also forced the defense to foul several times after he beat them to the angle. Had nine points down the stretch to give the Schoolers a chance at upsetting the Comets. Also, was yelled at harshly at one point, then responded with this nine points. That tells you something.
Mark Toe (ECI Prospects, 5-9, PG, GFRR). One of the best ball pressure guys you will ever see, Mark made the life of the Southwest Minnesota kids miserable because they couldn’t start their offense in a good spot unless he was on the bench. Incredible ball pressure defender. He also had a stretch where the lefty made a pull-up and then an attack basket the next time down.
Collin Trottier (ECI Select, 6-7, PF/C, WF Sheyenne). Showed a nice baby hook scoring over a 6-foot-10 opponent, pinned a shot off the glass, made a late game trey, hit several free throws. The big guy has a soft touch that was made inside after a shoulder turn, from the arc, and from the foul line. At his age Collin has decent core strength too so there is base there to work with. Down the stretch Trottier had three strong blocks helping over on the drive and he nailed two treys, foul shots, and free throws. Without a doubt a guy that will be brought up by coaching staffs in recruiting meetings on Monday, or maybe tonight.
Matt Veit (Fargo Davies, 6-2, SG, Fargo Davies). Matt dripped out more sweat than anybody. A tough guy that battled his way over screens, to the angle in defense, he protected the ball late not allowing the defense to get a hand near him, he made late foul shots, moved the ball where it needed to be, bumped cutters, rebounded, and downright competed in the tough way that coaches love. Veit is a skilled player and we know that. We are looking forward to seeing how he does in the next two rounds with that skill against good teams. But today was about his toughness.
Cooper Williams (Dakota Schoolers, 5-11, PG, Vermillion). His touch was clutch late in the game. Did a nice job staying wide in the corner, catching a reversal and attacking baseline to get to space to make a 14 footer and then minutes later he pushed in transition, got to 11 feet, read a defense that was playing off to guard his two cutting teammates, Cooper showed that touch again hitting from 15.
PHD 16s
Aaron Fiegen (Dakota Schoolers, 6-5, PF, Madison). A big with a touch without a doubt. His right shoulder spin into a touch score before the big can react is something that is tough to deal with. Fiegen has been able to get good low post position and most bigs aren’t quick enough and/or long enough to close on him after the spin. Good touch and I think he can become a nice mid-range face up guy as well. The potential is there.
Trevor Olson (Dakota Schoolers, 6-3, Wing, Sioux Valley). A shooter you have to locate. The Comets were up 22 on the Schoolers and only won by seven in large part because of the three point touch of Trevor Olson. A guy you have to chase hard around screens and a guy you need your teammates to be helping you with defensively because if Trevor gets his feet set, hands up, and catches eyes on rim, chances are very good it’s a deep basket. Had four treys in the second half against the Comets.
Ryan Wieneke (SD Heat, 6-4, PF Adrian, MN). Ryan plays Grassroots in South Dakota but is a hard working southwestern Minnesota kid who rebounds with a lot of effort. His board total was impressive considering the agile workers that Heat Reese has. Type of guy I would expect to collect double-doubles in the future for the Dragons.