UAA Invite/Elite-100: Standout Seniors

<p>This week I attended the UAA Invite in Atlanta, Georgia plus the Elite-100 in Marietta, GA. High level basketball was on display at both events. Here were some of the standouts based in Arizona. Many of the Arizona Powerhouse Hoops players had great weekends. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Osasere Ighodaro F 6’9 185 Desert Vista HS (AZ) (Powerhouse Hoops 17 Rise and Elite-100)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">-Moves gracefully around the court. He plays like a big 3-man and although he doesn’t avg a ton of points yet, he is starting to get a go-to move with a polished hook shot. He uses his long arms to get it over big defenders. He can pull-up from mid-range and hit an occasional catch-3. He rebounds at a good rate despite being skinny and blocks shots at a high level. His best skill is still his passing. He makes his teammates better giving them easy looks. He took off a couple times on the run and threw it down (ala Tom Chambers), showing off his bounce.</p> <p dir="ltr">He recently list his Final-4 schools of Vandy, Stanford, Texas and Marquette.   </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Evan Nelson PG 6’1 165 Salpointe Catholic (AZ) (Powerhouse Hoops 17 Rise)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">-Nelson had some monster games including a 21-point game vs IL Wolves star guard Max Christie. His speed with the ball stands out with some of the best guards in the country. He isn’t an above the rim athlete or one of the bigger guards but he is just as good as any of them. He can shoot it from the 3pt line, which normally is a pull-up off the dribble and is great off the catch. He can slither in the lane with a tight handle and score it in traffic with good body control. Even though he prefers to score it, he is a very good passer and can make plays for others. His on-ball defense is also very good using his speed and quickness. He can improve his shot selection at times and he definitely wore down as the long week went on with high usage every game. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Sincere Parker SG 6’4 180 Rockford East (IL)--transferring to AZ Compass Prep (IBA Illinois Stars)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">-Big time shooter with deep NBA range. Has a stronger build/good frame to absorb contact and score once he gets downhill. He is a somewhat of a volume shooter but rattled in <strong>7</strong> 3’s in the game I saw with 12 shot attempts. But his team lacked scorers so it was mainly on necessity. He can get a little lazy on defense, but once he is locked in, he is very good. He is a natural scorer and he’ll be one of the better shooters in the state next year.  (Pictured) </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Tay Boothman PG/CG 6’0 160 Buckeye (AZ) (Powerhouse Hoops 17 Rise)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">-Shooter who has turned the corner as a PG. He now enjoys making others better and he used to be a volume shooter and now tries to win the game regardless if he took 4 shots or 15. His shooting is still his best part of his game. He hit some clutch shots from deep range. Most of his shots are off the catch. He also showed the ability to get in the lane and use the floater to his advantage. He can pull-up from mid-range and he’s another one of those shooters who can get hot quickly. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>DeAndre Henry C 6’7 230 Mountain Pointe/PHH Prep (AZ) (Powerhouse Hoops 17 Rise)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">-A consistent performer inside the paint. Probably shot the ball at a near 70% clip. No shots were outside the paint but he is tough, strong and will run through a wall to help his team. He has massive strong hands with good length that helps him achieve his efficiency. He passes the ball well and creates shots deep inside paint. He smartly gets open and can seal his man plus is crafty around the basket. He can dunk the ball but doesn’t rely on his athleticism. His rebounding and reliability are his two best attributes. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Brycen Long SG/CG 6’2 170 Gilbert (AZ) (Powerhouse Hoops 17 Rise)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">-Shooter who gets hot very quickly. He has a professional approach to every game. He is a catch shooter from deep who can create his own shot. His handle is better then you realize and gets into the lane and can make plays for teammates. His defense is also better and just plays a smart game. Nothing ever forced, makes good reads and makes shots. He had many stretches this weekend where he was invaluable in their wins. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Anthony Garza PF 6’7 185 Shadow Ridge (AZ) (Powerhouse Hoops 17 Rise)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">-Not many more active and work harder then Garza out there. He has good length and quick springs. He has a high motor to keep the ball alive on the glass. He scores it off the glass near the hoop and above the rim and he is starting to shoot it. He can hit the occasional 3 but is best from the elbow.  </p> <p>&nbsp;</p>