Phoenix Phall Phace-Off: Senior standouts: Part-2

Gregg Rosenberg September 28, 2020 @ 04:05 PM

September 18-20 I attended Justin Vargas Phoenix Phall Phace-Off. The AAU event had 15U-17U divisions with 4-5 teams in each division.   The teams that competed in the event that I viewed were: AZ Firestorm 2023, 2022 and 2021 AZ Legends 2022 AZ Prime 2022 and 2021 AZ Select 2023 UAA AZ Supreme 2023 EYB AZ Tucson Select 2022 NM D1 2023 UAA PAL Elite 2021 The Show 2022 and 2021 Tucson Prospects 2021   Here were some more of the senior standouts I viewed: [player_tooltip player_id="809697" first="Isaiah" last="Freeney"] South Mountain (Firestorm 2021) -He has become that real PG in the last few events. But don’t get it twisted, he can score the ball easily when he is looking for it. He can create his own space and hit the 3 with a fast trigger but is still best off the catch. He loves the floater game and he can get passed his defender by changing speeds and drop it off to a cutter for a dime. He is not scared to take a charge and plays a cerebral game. Freeney makes South a real 6A contender. [player_tooltip player_id="703821" first="Christian" last="Tucker"] Perry (AZ Prime 2021) -A late bloomer who grew two inches in the last year. He has a nice mid-range pull-up and is an improving 3pt shooter. He is an active defender and has become more athletic in the last year with his new height and bounce. He should have an expanded role this season for the Pumas. [player_tooltip player_id="703827" first="Steven" last="Cervantes Jr"] Mesa (The Show 2021) -His shooting was eye-catching this weekend. He hit 8 3’s in one game and many were from NBA range. He is super crafty and plays with a high feel for the game. He made some good passes to teammates but is more of a scoring lead guard who gets hot in stretches. He just received an offer from D3 George Fox University this weekend on his visit. [player_tooltip player_id="703853" first="Jose" last="Miguel"] Heritage Maricopa (Firestorm 2021) -A smart scorer who is a good passer and his pull-up looked more crisp. He has a tough pump-fake he uses it to get the defense off balance. He has a good mind to make plays and his jumper is one of those that looks good on every attempt. He gets balanced quickly and rises up. [player_tooltip player_id="1035642" first="Jaleon" last="Israel"] Glenview College Prep (Firestorm 2022) (Pictured) -Israel is a long and lean combo guard. He has a smooth jumper from the perimeter and makes good reads to teammates. He also happens to be shockingly athletic. He had one of the best dunks of the tourney that most, including me, were surprised how athletic he was. He exploded off the floor and basically dunked over a forward. He is probably the youngest player in the class at still 16. [player_tooltip player_id="703843" first="Ruben" last="Cazares"] Cholla (Tucson Prospects 2021) -It has been awhile since I have seen Cazares and he has improved. He is a little stronger and fights harder inside. He can still shoot the 3pt shot plus now score it inside. He has a polished hook shot and is active on the glass. [player_tooltip player_id="809699" first="Carson" last="Kelly"] Chandler (AZ Prime 2021) -A super shifty PG has a tight crossover and speed to burn. He has a nasty pull-up off the dribble from mid-range and a nice floater game. He is very patient with the ball and knows when to burst into small spaces to get the job done. He s a good passer when he needs to be and despite being undersized, he affects each game he plays with his speed, handle and skill.