Prep Hoops 250 Expo: 2020 Standout Bigs

<p>The Prep Hoops 250 expo hit Colorado this past weekend and what a turnout it was. It was an event that had plenty of returning faces but what really stood out was the new faces that made stood out from not only Colorado but other states as well. In the article we take a look at some of the best big men on the day and the interesting part is heading into the event we did not know much about any of them so it was entertaining to see them step up on the day.  Here are five bigs from the 2020 class that stood out.</p> <p><strong>Tommy Crawford – Thunderridge --2020</strong></p> <p>Crawford came to the event and was very active on the boards and also had a couple of tough finishes at the rim. He had his way down low and got plenty of second chance opportunities with all of that activity. He kept plenty of plays alive and rebounded in bunched but what I enjoyed  most was his attempts at put-back dunks which showed how aggressive he was actually being. Crawford used his long and slender 6’7 body and was one of the tallest players at the event and kept on going at players. On the defensive end he was not moved around easily and he played well in help-side situations as a help-side defender. He jumped on my radar as a player I did not know going into the event but he had a solid showing and is a player to watch moving forward.</p> <p><strong>Aly Sakho – Denver Waldorf – 2020</strong></p> <p>Sakho was also a relatively unknown player that came into the event and had his way. He is also active as a crashing rebounder who used his strength to get his way as he was one of the stronger players at the event. He cleaned the glass as he is relentless on the boards and ran the floor so he was rewarded for his work on the defensive end. He gave his all on every possession which made it easier for himself and won plenty of battles on loose balls as he is a great athlete. Sakho is still very raw but with more work this off season and a clear vision this upcoming season he will be a player that will win plenty of games for his program alone. He is a project player that I would be willing to take on as a small college.</p> <p><strong>Liam McKenny – Battle Mountain – 2020</strong></p> <p>McKenny was a player that stood out because of his size originally but when looking at him a bit longer you see the things that stand out. He is very skilled and moves really well which does great with positioning. He understands where the ball is going to be and times it well to either get the rebound and go up or give his team another opportunity. He was battling on every possession and that helped his team get additional shots, he also started to get himself going. At the event he established himself as a two-way player and he was also one of the stock boosters that had a few eyes on him.</p> <p><strong>DJ Wilson – Gateway – 2020</strong></p> <p>Wilson was a player that I made sure to check out in this setting. Wilson is a system player that does what is asked of him so to be in a free-for-all atmosphere I wanted to see if his game translated. Well, he was his usual self. He still has one of the best back to the basket games as he uses his large frame to back the defender down with the lob to the post, two-dribble back down and smooth hook with the left hand. It is difficult to stop that play and Gateway will need him to do more. An aggressive DJ Wilson is a good DJ Wilson as he creates plenty of switches as a solid pick and roll option. Wilson also kept the defense at bay with boxing out and also is one of the few bigs that passes out of bad positioning down low. He boosted his stock at the event as well and I am excited to see what they do with him this season as he has a huge season coming up.</p> <p><strong>Kedarian Maul – Pine Creek – 2020</strong></p> <p>Maul is a Kenneth Faried-like bouncy player that plays with a ton of energy and that generates winning plays. He is always moving, he is strong and does not back down from the competition. He was excellent both with perimeter defense as well as interior as he stayed in front of his man, made things hard at the rim with multiple blocks despite being under-sized and also pushed out and defended guards On offense he moved well and was a high flier that had unarguably the play of the entire event when he dunked over a defenders head on a dunk. Maul was not a known player at the event but was a new face that made his presence felt and I feel obligated to check out Pine Creek as I know they have a big man that competes on every single possession as well as makes winning plays that translates. Solid outing.</p>