Prep Hoops Top 250: Best Shooters
The annual Prep Hoops Top 250 took place in Des Moines on Saturday afternoon. Throughout the week, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best players in the gym, in a series of articles breaking down the top…
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Continue ReadingThe annual Prep Hoops Top 250 took place in Des Moines on Saturday afternoon. Throughout the week, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best players in the gym, in a series of articles breaking down the top scorers, defenders, passers, etc. In this article, we take a look at the top five shooters we saw on Saturday.
2021 James Glenn (Southeast Polk)
We knew Glenn was a good shooter after knocking down 46% of his attempts last season with the Rams, but he was otherworldly on Saturday in Des Moines. Armed with picturesque form, a quick release, and unlimited range, Glenn was barely moving the net as he torched defenders for 3 after 3. He benefited by playing alongside Montezuma’s Trey Shearer, who put him in some great, open catch-and-shoot spots, but he also showed the ability to pull up from anywhere on the dribble at shoot it. He used his flamethrowing shooting performance to open up the rest of his game later on, taking advantage of hard close outs to get into the paint, where he displayed an impressive floater game.
2021 Cole Watts (Montezuma)
The 5-11 guard from Montezuma has established himself as one of the state’s better shooters, and he put that on full display on Saturday. He has a lightning quick release on his jumper, and while he’s better in the catch-and-shoot, he’s capable of shooting it off the bounce as well. He’s really starting to gain some muscle in his shoulders and biceps, and that should help him finish around the rim as he continues to develop, which will only benefit his shooting abilities.
2021 Ethan O’Donnell (Iowa City Liberty)
O’Donnell made just 16 3-pointers last season for the Lightning (shot a respectable 37.2% on them), but he looked like an elite shooter on Saturday. He has a high, quick and repeatable release on his jumper, and was always ready to shoot it on the catch. In addition to his shooting prowess, he rebounds effectively on both ends of the floor, keeps the ball moving on the offensive end, and can defend a few different spots. He’s a good shooter with pretty good size at 6-5, with a strong frame to keep building on.
2021 Karter Kriegel (Johnston)
A 6-0 shooter from Johnston, Kriegel benefited by playing alongside high school teammate Reid Grant, who showed himself to be one of the event’s better passers. Kriegel was nearly automatic when he was in a catch-and-shoot scenario, having his feet set and squared on the catch and showing a smooth release. Kriegel didn’t play varsity ball last year for the Dragons, but he’ll provide their group (who we have #2 in 4A to open the season) with some much needed shooting to help space the floor.
2022 Noah Allen (Newton)
The 5-10 sophomore guard shot just 30.8% from the arc last season as a freshman, but was outstanding behind the arc on Saturday, knocking down 3 after 3 during game play. He made a few off the dribble, showing a knack for using a crossover to free up some space and elevate into his jumper, but where he really shined was in his ability to shoot it off the catch. He has a quick release, extended range and got red hot during his first game, burying four out of five attempts within a 3-4 minute span.
Other top shooters who were already written about: 2020 Zach Huff (Don Bosco); 2021 Jack Groeteke (Dowling Catholic) [Both were covered in the Top Performers article]