Hoops 2.0 Showcase Standouts Pt. 2

<p>Various grassroots events have given players an opportunity to showcase their game in lieu of the high school basketball regular season. At the Hoops 2.0 Showcase, there were a few players that stood out and are in line for strong years once the season begins. </p> <p>Here’s a look at some additional players who stood out to me.</p> <p><strong>1. Christian "Bam" Johnson - Lynwood 2021</strong></p> <p>Johnson is one of the more underrated point guards in SoCal. He’s really improved his court awareness. When I first saw him play, he was more of a scoring point guard but his playmaking game has come a long way. He’s a real leader on the floor and he isn’t afraid to take and make big shots. He can handle defensive pressure. He’s quick off the dribble and he pushes the ball well in transition.</p> <p><strong>2. Nick Bowden - Middlebrooks Academy 2021</strong></p> <p>A recent Butler Community College commit, Bowden is one of the most explosive scorers I’ve seen. He’s still a lights out shooter. He has unlimited range and he can get hot offensively in a hurry. If he even gets an inch of space, he’s letting the shot fly and he’ll knock it down. Puts a lot of pressure on the defense with his shooting which opens up the floor for his slashing game. He will be playing basketball at a four-year college after JC.</p> <p><strong>3. [player_tooltip player_id="747086" first="Tyler" last="Powell"] - Ribet Academy 2021</strong></p> <p>Powell is another explosive scorer who has really improved his all-around game. A Seton Hall commit, Powell was used to playing in the paint as a big in middle school, but has made the transition to the perimeter. He’s much more comfortable with the ball in his hands and creating offense than he was when I first saw him over a year ago. He’s a crafty scorer and he’s also improved his playmaking game.</p> <p><strong>4. [player_tooltip player_id="748737" first="Roddie" last="Anderson"] - Fountain Valley 2022</strong></p> <p>Anderson is one the fastest rising point guards in SoCal. He has a solid floor game and is a good leader. Unselfish guard who looks for his teammates. He can score the ball and is an athletic finisher at the rim. Good ball-handler. But what stood out the most to me in this particular game was his defense. He really gets into the ball-handler and applies pressure. He forces the ball-handler to pick up their dribble and get rid of the ball.</p>