2021 Underground Invitational Notes II
Continuing on my open gym tour where I go and check out local talent. This was the second week that I came to the underground session. Another great day where defense was played and the games mattered. Sets up for…
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Continue ReadingContinuing on my open gym tour where I go and check out local talent. This was the second week that I came to the underground session. Another great day where defense was played and the games mattered. Sets up for an even better setting with some of the top players present. Here is who stood out in the 2021 class.
Deangelo Horn Deangelo Horn 6'5" | PF Rock Canyon | 2021 State CO – Smoky Hill
It was not a huge scoring day for Horn, but what I enjoy is watching Horn as an elite role player. He seems to always be in the right place at the right time. He sets screens and rolls, he is precisely where he is supposed to be on rebounds, and in the open court, he fills the lanes correctly for an open court dunk. Horn is one of the better aerial attack options in the state. He needs to utilize that more. Demanding the ball on the break, intentional cuts, and also generating offense from the wing will be crucial for his development. He also has to showcase his ability to shoot it more. Horn is a capable shooter that can extend the defense if he continues to progress on his jump shot. Once he gets that, he will be a tough player to slow down as he already has the intangibles on defense, the size on offense, and the athleticism to mix it up.
Myles Purchase Myles Purchase 5'11" | PG Cherry Creek | 2021 State CO – Cherry Creek
Purchase is one of my favorite players in the state, and watching him up close; it is easy to see why he impacts the game in so many ways. Purchase is one of the best two-way players, and he is a physically gifted athlete that gets after it, and in an open gym setting, he is making players better. Both on offense and defense. He pushes you to work harder, and with his teammates, he is willing to make the pass to the open man or finish it himself—high IQ player. There were a few heat-check moments where he went on mini-spurts from deep hitting shots, and then you try and pick him up close, and he blows by you. Purchase is a player with great basketball instincts, and his ability to gamble and quickly catch up allows him to get additional steals and full-court opportunities. He controls the pace on offense, and he is the defensive anchor. With his shot also falling, he becomes a very difficult player to contain, and I know he loves the game, so he will continue to work on things he needs to.
Julian Hammond Julian Hammond 6'1" | SG Cherry Creek | 2021 State #209 Nation CO – Cherry Creek
If there is anybody that benefits from a setting like this, it is Hammond. Heading into the day, it was known that Hammond would be one of the better scorers on the day. Leaving the session, you understand why. It is not that Hammond is just shooting every time down, but he makes it a point to shoot HIS shots. Hammond is comfortable coming off of a screen for a shot with a good guard, but his bread and butter is scoring off of the dribble. Hammond can score in isolation situations and also can shoot it off of the dribble. His ability to knock down deep shots hit mid-range shots and also finish with floaters, off-hand shots, and dribble drives make him a unique scorer. Hammond can do it all on offense, defense is where he will have to continue to make strides, and he is a prideful player from what I have seen, so it is going to be good to see him continue to progress.
Adrian Price Adrian Price 6'5" | C Eaglecrest | 2021 State CO – Eaglecrest
Price is a skilled big that knows his way around the basket. He is one of the few traditional bigs that we have in the state as he is a bruiser that uses his body and is not afraid to bang down low. Price fought for position on the block did a great job of keeping the defense on his backside. He has soft touch around the rim and also has excellent hand-eye coordination, so you don’t have to worry about him having issues catching the ball. Once he catches it, he quickly observes the scene, makes a strong move, and either kicks it out to the open man or powers through the defender. He also runs the floor well. Once he fully gets his wind back, he is going to be a player to watch.
Ben Hageman Ben Hageman 6'3" | PF Windsor | 2021 State CO – Windsor
Hageman is a combo guard that plays under control and had some impressive finishes on the day. He gets inside of the defense and is a great finisher when going with a full head of steam where it looks like he is out of the play but has finesse finishes around the rim. These are settings where he can benefit from as a player that is so used to having the ball in his hands and standing out, so now he is around like-minded players where he now has to affect the game in different ways. He is moving without the ball, setting screens, and also finding holes in the defense. As a defender, Hageman is not a player that you go at. He moves his feet well; he has quick hands and a strong base, which allows him to defend with his body without fouling. It was a better week for him, and you start to take away more things.