5 Senior Bucket-Getters to watch when grassroots commences

<p>With the grassroots season all but wiped out for at least the first part of the spring, prospects and college coaches are waiting for the moment that they can get back in the gym. Here’s a look at five seniors who will be impacted by the shutdown and players who programs should flock to when it’s time to resume action...</p> <p><strong>AJ Lacabe – Vista Peak </strong></p> <p>Lacabe was going to be one of the faces of the unsigned teams for the Prep Hoops Circuit this spring. He will have to do that work in less time, but he surely can help a team next year. Lacabe is an explosive combo guard and isolation bucket getter that is oozing with potential. Lacabe can score in the open court as a shifty guard with a solid handle. What I enjoy about Lacabe’s game is his ability to play as the primary ball-handler, off of the ball as a shooter and also on the wing with size. He uses all of his 6’3 frame as a creative finisher that utilizes the lost art of the mid-range. Lacabe led Vista Peak to a 20-5 overall record this year and a playoff run as he led the team in both points (12.6 ppg) and boards (6.1 rpg). He has all of the intangibles and physical attributes that college programs will love, and once basketball is back, I am sure that there’s one player that’s been working on his game, and that’s Lacabe. Take a chance.</p> <p><strong>Jaden Stoffel – Manual </strong></p> <p>Not many seniors in the state have the storied career as Stoffel has. Stoffel is a 1x champion that was looking to repeat as he got his team into the Final 4. Stoffel surpassed the 1,000 points scored mark in only two seasons as he finished with 602 points in his senior season. He is a 3-point marksman that scored in double figures in every game this year and had 25+ in 13 games on the season, which shows the type of volume scorer he is. He put up 25.1 points a game, and when he gets hot, there are not many defenders that can slow him down. Stoffel finished as a 1^st team All-State member for the second straight season and is a guard that can play off of the ball, although I feel he might be one of the best off-hand finishers and passers in the state. With a summer on the circuit and Stoffel surrounding himself with other talented players on a team, it will be fun to see him go at some of the top players in the state and region. He is a proven winner that wins Manual games despite not having too many other experienced players around him. If he can put together a strong summer on the circuit, I feel he could emerge as a high priority target. A school would be getting a shooting guard that is a tough shot taker and maker who can knock down difficult shots off of the bounce and show off his range. Excited to see what he does with the rest of the summer as he is one of the best-unsigned seniors remaining – we just have to see it against the state’s best.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="770370" first="Kyrie" last="Thomas"] – DSST Byers</strong></p> <p>A quick Senior guard that attacks the rim with his speed and is an aggressive downhill runner. Thomas can score from anywhere on the court, and although he is only 5’8, if I am a small school looking for a bucket getter, there are not many scoring threats that I would rather have than Thomas. Thomas led DSST Byers to a 21-3 overall record as he put up 22.6 points a game. Thomas shot 42% from beyond the arc as a knockdown shooter and also is a creative finisher at the basket. He was named to the 3A 1^st Team All-State, and although plenty of what he does stands out on the offensive end, Thomas was able to come up with 4.3 steals a game. He plays the passing lanes well, is a dual-threat guard, and schools should act fast once he can show what he has once grassroots starts back up.</p> <p><strong>Joe Cartelli – Frederick</strong></p> <p>Cartelli was an All-State honorable mention with the type of season that he had. Frederick had an up and down season, but one constant that they did have was the play of their Senior captain Cartelli. Cartelli made also made the All-conference team as he put up 15.2 points a game while also helping out on the boards as well as the lead guard. Cartelli found a way to play off of the ball but was best served as the go-to scorer that excelled in PnR situations, created for himself off of the dribble, and got out and ran the break as well. What a team would be getting from Cartelli is a consistent scorer that can let it fly when left open, but he also can score in half-court situations as well. A small school should check him out before the summer is over as he can score from anywhere on the court.</p> <p><strong>Tim Mewborn – Widefield</strong></p> <p>Widefield is a team that stayed a bit under the radar this season but made the playoffs and won two games before falling to Longmont. Widefield had a solid senior class that was led by both [player_tooltip player_id="915311" first="Randall" last="Days"] and Tim Mewborn, who both ended up being named as McDonald’s All-American nominees. Mewborn was also named as an All-State honorable mention and also made the All-Conference team as he put up 13.5 points a game while also showing off his versatility as a rebounder (3.0 rpg) and assist-man(3.8 apg). Mewborn isn’t a player that has busted out on the scene as many have not seen him play. But, when schools are able to watch him play in an AAU setting he could see his recruitment take off. The 6’1 guard is still scratching the surface, but he can get to the lane and play on a team as a slasher that knows his way around the basket. He is a small school prospect that will benefit by latching on to an unsigned team when we start the grassroots season back up.</p>