Bash In The Desert: Top Scorers

The desert couldn't dry out a scoring crop dripping with versatility, nor could the coverage maelstrom that accompanied two Prep Hoops tournaments bar these guys from enduring the weekend.

Here we list the paint-bullies, athletic guards, and all-around scorers from Bash In The Desert.

LJ Glover, Coastal Elite Slayers: "Paint-bully" was in reference to Glover's playstyle this weekend. It was an adjective I wrote by his name in all caps, as he used his body like a MAC truck, mimicking Giannis Antetokounmpo as he dominated inside. Aside from the simple — and apparently unguardable — back-down in the post, inbounds plays seemed to be his niche. A lob over the fingertips of reaching defenders promptly led to easy buckets all weekend. His athleticism made him a linchpin on offense, too. Glover could make nimble moves in the paint, crossing over or spinning to create offense when they hit a lull.

Justin Shorts, Battle Ekmark: Shorts, the youngest player listed, scored by relentlessly attacking the hoop. He was strong enough to push through limbs on his way into the paint and up through outstretched arms to finish layups. He didn't shoot from outside all too much — more than often his driving game was enough — but when he did he shot with a confident stroke.

John Grigsby, Colorado Roughriders: Grigsby's position is power forward, his stead is everything else. He stands at 6'8, but is incredibly mobile and can slide in anywhere without adding animosity to the roster. Grigsby's death-dealing combo of height and shooting ability would fuel his scoring surge, as he created his shot off the dribble while moving and cutting on the wing to free up a catch-and-shoot opportunity.

Greg Gierhart, Colorado Roughriders: As Grigsby's counterpart, Gierhart was more specialized to the power forward and center role. He rebounded the ball on both ends, leading to fastbreaks and easy put-backs on offense. He flashed his shooting game as well, knocking down a few jumpers from beyond the arc. Gierhart's post game wasn't a centerpiece to the Roughrider offense, unfortunately, but at 6'9 his mere presence in the paint was impactful in freeing up space.

Joseph Ogbebor, Coastal Elite Slayers: Ogbebor used his athleticism as an asset to score, which manifested on fast breaks and transition offense. Ink has already been spilled about his defense this weekend, but he could easily switch gears and run the floor for layups and dunks on the other end. Ogbebor also drew fouls and found his way to the stripe a few times in their first Saturday matchup.