Bluff City Legends 17U: Tons of scoring, length and athleticism on the roster

<p><strong>Alden Applewhite’s</strong> sophomore season at Lausanne didn’t go as planned because of a wrist injury, and he realizes this summer will be an important one for him to show college coaches his all-around game.</p> <p>Applewhite has all of the intangibles to be a solid combo guard at the next level. The 2021 guard is now 6-foot-6 and has put on more muscle since last summer, currently weighs 230 pounds. Before the growth, Applewhite was already a tough matchup because of his length and the fact that he’s a left-handed jump shooter.</p> <p>The one thing that Applewhite has over most guards is his ability to see over the defense. At any time, he can pick his spots on the court. Despite missing time during the high school basketball season, Applewhite is confident he will have a great summer.</p> <p>“I feel like I have taken a different approach this summer because I wasn’t able to play,” Applewhite said. “It’s kind of made me hungry, and it has made me not take things for granted. I just want to play hard.”</p> <p>This summer, Applewhite will play for the Bluff City Legends 17U AAU team. This team is loaded with scoring, size and athleticism. Applewhite could easily be considered as one of the best guards on the roster. Scoring comes easy for Applewhite, but the Memphis, TN native possesses other skills that makes him a prolific basketball player.</p> <p>“I feel like I’m dangerous because I can create for others,” Applewhite said. “Me being able to score is going to open up lanes for other players. The defense is going to have to collapse when I drive, and I will be able to stretch the defense.”</p> <p><strong>Other talent around Applewhite</strong></p> <p>Applewhite can easily average six to 10 assists over the summer with the talent he’s going to be playing with. Applewhite will be surrounded with talent such as <strong>Johnathan Lawson</strong> (6-7, 175), <strong>Duane Posey</strong> (6-6, 185), <strong>Alvin Miles</strong> (6-0, 155). <strong>Ashton Smith</strong> (5-9, 165), and <strong>Jonathan Duncan</strong> (6-1, 170).</p> <p>Lawson, whose ranked on <a href="http://www.espn.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/playerrankings/_/class/2021">ESPN’s 2021 Top 60</a> alongside Kennedy Chandler, Jalen Brown, and Applewhite, led Wooddale to its first-ever TSSAA Class AA State Championship this past season. In the Cardinals’ 76-65 title win over Brainerd, Lawson finished with 12 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists, three blocks, and three steals.</p> <p>Duncan played alongside Lawson at Wooddale and was a major contributor. He’s a solid knockdown shooter. Miles is a point guard any team would love to have. He can score when he needs to. He can dish out assists when he needs to. Miles played alongside Lawson and Duncan for the Cardinals. He had 14 points and four assists in the Class AA Championship game.</p> <p>Posey is a versatile forward that can score from different areas of the court. Ashton Smith is a small scoring guard, but he plays aggressively on both ends of the floor. Smith is a natural scorer.</p> <p>Another player to mention is 7-4 post player <strong>Jordan Wilmore</strong>, who made huge strides with Whitehaven High School this past season. Wilmore is still learning the game, but he has improved on catching the basketball on the elbow and has a decent hook shot.</p>