Hard Work Region Finals: Grant’s Ten Best
The inaugural season of the Prep Hoops Circuit came to an end this past weekend in Minnesota. From Friday to Sunday, Bloomington Kennedy high school was jam-packed with Prep Hoops contributors, college coaches, spectators, and elite prospects. Team DTA, Minnesota…
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Continue ReadingThe inaugural season of the Prep Hoops Circuit came to an end this past weekend in Minnesota. From Friday to Sunday, Bloomington Kennedy high school was jam-packed with Prep Hoops contributors, college coaches, spectators, and elite prospects. Team DTA, Minnesota Fury, Team Factory, and Wisconsin RAP all left the gym with some new championship apparel after the weekend. After three days of watching all the talent that the Hard Work Region Finals had to offer, my notebook and Twitter page were filled with the names of top prospects and teams. Here are my ten best from the Hard Work Region Final:
Best Team: Team Factory 16U
No team dominated the Prep Hoops Circuit more than Team Factory’s 16U team did this spring and summer. Led by Chucky Hepburn and Greg Brown, Team Factory took home three tournament championships on the PH Circuit in 2019. Factory capped off their summer with a 69-61 victory over a very talented Minnesota Heat-Tauer squad. Hepburn scored 20 points and dished out ten assists in the win. Frankie Fidler was also a key part of Factory’s sucsess. He recorded 16 points in the title game.
Honorable Mentions: Team DTA (14U), MN Fury (15U), Wisconsin Rap (17U)
Best Game: MN Fury tops WPC in 15U championship game
There were many great matchups last weekend, but this one sits on a throne alone. It took three overtimes and a Mekhi Collins layup for Fury to take down Playground, 45-42. Casey Vergagen led PGC Black with 15 points in the loss. The energy and competitiveness were all on display in this game. Players were talking back-and-forth, fans were cheering loudly, and every spectator in the gym peeked over to see what the final result would be.
Honorable Mention: Team Factory beats Minnesota Heat in 16U championship game
Best Duo: Tyrese England and Javeon Toliver
Wisconsin United could not get past Minnesota Matrix in the 17U Elite Eight, but England and Toliver had an impressive run. The two 2020 guards complement each other’s games very well in the backcourt. England assumed the main scoring role, while Toliver flashed his fine-tuned passing and dribbling skills. Without the two star guards, WI United would not have been able to make it to Sunday in the Hard Work Region Final.
Honorable mention: Andrew Morgan and Will Tschetter
Top Stockriser: Gerald Gittens Jr.
Gittens’ AAU and high school teammate, Brandin Podziemski, was one of the top stock risers at the Prep Hoops Circuit Summer Challenge. After watching Podziemski have his big moment in early July, Gittens decided that it was his time to shine. The SJNMA point guard had his shining moment in the 17U championship game, where he scored 30 points on 10-15 shooting. His best performance of the weekend came on the biggest stage. With fans lining the court, Gittens showed up big for RAP.
Honorable mention: Shilo Bowles
Top Rebounder: Andrew Morgan
Prep Hoops’ Ryan James explained it best: “Double-digit boards are so easy for Andrew. His rule should be 15 to qualify for a double-double.” The 6’8″ power forward was just bigger and stronger than everybody else last weekend. In addition to having positional size, Morgan has soft hands and doesn’t cough up too many rebound opportunities. He finished with 17 rebounds in Heat’s loss to Team Factory. If best shot-blocker was on this list, Morgan would be awarded that as well. He rebuffed several shots throughout the weekend.
Honorable mention: Shilo Bowles
Highest Celling: Jeffery Brazziel (2022)
I have still yet to see too many prospects that have higher upsides than Jeffery Brazziel. He has a 6’5″ frame, which gives him an advantage over almost anyone when he steps on the court. Brazziel’s jump shot is improving and he has the potential to be an exceptional defender with his positive wingspan. If he continues to work hard and improve, he will find himself signing to a high major school after his high school career.
Most Versatile Prospect: Shilo Bowles (2020)
After being an honorable mention twice, Shilo Bowles is deserving of being the top guy in at least one category. Bowles is strong and very physical in the paint, but he also displayed his ability to stretch the floor. He could have been tabbed as the best rebounder or stock riser, but the most versatile prospect is the most fitting. He hit multiple shots from behind the arc in RAP’s undefeated weekend.
Best Glue Guy: Aiden Flynn (2020)
He is not super flashy, or athletic, but he always makes the right play. Flynn was extremely effective off the dribble. When he gets to the rim, he almost always finishes the play with two points. The forward was able to play a huge role in RAP’s run to the Hard Work Region title.
Best Passer: Jack Campion (2022)
Since Chucky Hepburn gets mentioned below, Jack Campion gets the best passer honors. He didn’t do a lot of scoring, but his contribution on offense was still noticeable. Campion is a true points guard who is an excellent ball-handler and passer. During the 15U championship game, the guard had a pretty no-look pass in transition that led to a layup for one of his teammates.
MVP: Chucky Hepburn (2021)
Chucky Hepburn did it all this weekend. After going down with an injury in the first game of the tournament, we were not sure if he would suit up for the rest of the weekend. He missed out on all of Saturday’s action but played in both of Team Factory’s games on Sunday. In the championship game, his awe-inspiring performance earned him the MVP. The confidence and swagger that Hepburn played with were unmatched by any other player all weekend. The aura of Chucky Hepburn was in full effect this weekend; wherever he went, people followed