Top 250 Expo: 2022 First Team
The Top 250 Expo fielded some of Wisconsin’s best sophomore prospects, as three of the top five players in the class showcased their skills on Sunday. Mixed into the elite talent pool were a few underdog recruits, some of which…
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Continue ReadingThe Top 250 Expo fielded some of Wisconsin’s best sophomore prospects, as three of the top five players in the class showcased their skills on Sunday. Mixed into the elite talent pool were a few underdog recruits, some of which looked good enough to shake up the rankings in our next edition.
Leon Bond – Wauwatosa West: As the second-best sophomore in the state, Bond just misses being the top 2022 player and highest-ranked prospect at the Expo. Offensively, there weren’t many equals to his ability to out-muscle guys when attacking the rim, and on defense, it was difficult to find a guy that treats shot attempts like volleyballs waiting to be spiked off the backboard. It’s not easy finding a player like him in anywhere, and that was obvious with the way he dominated the competition this weekend.
Max Nelson – Appleton North: Nelson has climbed the rankings with his jump shot, but not as much with his interior skillset. So when I saw him battling down low, using his 6’7” frame to shed bodies in the post, I got excited.
That part of his game is the highly anticipated next step in his development. An inside game (not necessarily meaning a back-to-the-basket skill set, more of a physical driving game) adds an entirely new dimension to his playstyle. That versatility could turn a division one talent into a high-major player.
On top of that, his jumper looked as refined as anyone’s in the state, as he heated up towards the end of the Expo.
Steven Clay – Menomonee Falls: In the same uncontrollable way water seeps through cracks, Clay can get to the rim through walls of defenders. It’s a little bit of his agility and dexterity that fuels his driving game, but that ability to maneuver in the paint is mostly a product of his length. Clay’s arms allowed him to have his way on offense this Sunday, giving him that extra gear to make tougher shots and attack smaller gaps.
He was one of a few kids I recognized as, without a doubt, a high-major prospect.
Danilo Jovanovich – Whitnall: Jovanovich plays with the mentality that he’s the best player on the floor at all times. And for a lot of the Expo, he was just that.
The forward managed to fight his way into the paint and unleash a center-like array of finishes around the rim. His straight-on driving skills were almost unguardable, and because of that, he may have posted the highest single-game scoring outing of any player all weekend. His jumper is also a developed part of his game, especially for a younger big man. Jovanovich has very fluid mechanics, and that gave off a sense of versatility on offense.
Micah Causey – Saint Thomas More: Causey showed how dominant he can be with the ball in his hands this weekend. He’s a fast-twitch player that has the dexterity and speed to toy with slower guards. On defense, he poked away a few steals, disrupted shots, and smothered opposing guards to earn first-team honors.
Side Note: Causey is undersized, yes, but I hate dwelling on that because it’s not a factor in his game. He plays gritty basketball, and though he won’t be bodying up centers in the lane, he is tough enough to where his height isn’t much of an issue at all.