Week 2 Scouting Report: Standout Underclassmen
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The high school basketball season is finally underway in Texas. I had the opportunity to attend two Week 2 matchups. The McKinney Boyd Broncos grabbed a 43-41 road victory over the Hebron Hawks on Tuesday, and the iSchool of Lewisville…
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Continue ReadingThe high school basketball season is finally underway in Texas. I had the opportunity to attend two Week 2 matchups. The McKinney Boyd Broncos grabbed a 43-41 road victory over the Hebron Hawks on Tuesday, and the iSchool of Lewisville Cougars hosted and defeated the Waxahachie Indians 87-83 on Friday in an exciting matchup that featured several highly touted prospects.
Here are five standout underclassmen from this past week’s action:
Kyle Layton Kyle Layton 6'0" | PG Mountain Brook | 2023 State AL | 2023 | 6’0’’ Point Guard | McKinney Boyd HS – Layton was impossible to stay in front of on Tuesday. He is a shifty ball handler who can score from all three levels. The dynamic sophomore can finish off the drive, drain pull-up mid-range jumpers, and hit threes off the dribble from deep range. He displayed blazing speed in the open court and even showed off a nice-looking floater that he can deploy when he takes it to the hoop. His speed benefits him on defense too, allowing him to play the passing lanes for steals that usually lead to breakaway fast break points.
Nate Mercer | 2023 | 5’11’’ Combo Guard | Hebron HS – On Tuesday, Mercer had one of those game where he seemed to always be in the right place at the right time. He was a playmaker at both ends of the floor, crashing the offensive glass and scoring on second-chance opportunities at one end and coming away with several steals while being a nuisance at the other end. The sophomore combo guard is an active, engaged, and sticky defender who gets down into a stance. Beyond that, Mercer hit a three in the fourth quarter vs. McKinney Boyd and was one of the driving forces in Hebron’s late-game comeback attempt.
Landon Brown | 2024 | 6’1’’ Point Guard | iSchool of Lewisville – Brown came off the bench for the Cougars on Friday. He contributed whenever he was in the game. He is a good playmaker who accounted for some pretty feeds to teammates. The freshman guard also looked good handling the ball in space and created good looks for himself. He made a three in this contest too. Additionally, the 2024 prospect ended the game as the Cougars’ leading rebounder. Brown finished the night with seven points, five rebounds, and two assists. This is definitely a freshman to keep an eye on.
Darkaun King | 2023 | 6’7’’ Power Forward | Waxahachie HS – King did a lot of the dirty work for Waxahachie on Friday. He was a glass cleaner at the defensive end and a hardworking scorer in the post on offense. The 6-foot-7-inch big man set good screens as well, many of which resulted in baskets for the Indians. He showed good touch near the rim and possesses some solid back-to-the-basket moves that he can utilize on the block. I really liked what I saw from him vs. iSchool of Lewisville.
Alex Cotton | 2023 | 6’4’’ Combo Guard | Hebron HS – Cotton is a tall and long guard who can operate comfortably at either the one or the two. He handled the ball well vs. McKinney Boyd, using his height to see over the defense and making smart decisions as a distributor. His mixture of size and skill make him a mismatch nightmare for just about any team at the high school level. That combination enables him to defend multiple positions too. Cotton is still a bit rough around the edges, but the sophomore guard is a prospect with a lot of potential.