Christmas Week Evaluations

<p><em>PHOTO CREDIT: Courtney Asher Smith.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Track some impressive performances from the many Christmas Week games.</p> <div> <h2>Father Ryan vs. MUS: December 22</h2> <p>#1 Wes Vanderslice* (2021) - MUS<br /> #2 Coy Stiles (2022) - MUS<br /> #5 Curtis Givens* (2024) - MUS<br /> #11 Henry Nickey* (2021) - MUS<br /> #23 R’Chaun King* (2024) - MUS<br /> #24 [player_tooltip player_id="537297" first="Gavin" last="Murrey"]* (2021) - MUS</p> <p><strong>#20* [player_tooltip player_id="1039191" first="DuJuan" last="Sharp"]* (2023) - Father Ryan<br /> <br /> </strong>Blazing fast. Sharp will perpetually be an undersized guard.  Thankfully, he competes with an uncommon burst of speed and he rarely gets tuckered.  The challenges for him will be finishing in the lane.  Pressures end to end without flaws.  Could add more upper body muscle to fend off reaching defenders.  Hard worker.<br /> <br /> <strong style="font-size: 1rem;">R’Chaun King (2024) | MUS</strong></p> <p>It is gracious of R’Chaun to take time off unloading boxes down at the dock to play basketball for MUS.  And yet I jest.  His power is obnoxious for a high school freshman. The physical maturity is unmatched statewide.  King certainly has holes in his game, but he is a freshman!  King will be a wonderful prospect to follow throughout his high school career and an unmitigated nightmare to block out.</p> <p><strong style="font-size: 1rem;">Curtis Givens (2024) | MUS</strong></p> <p>Fantastic strength and frame for a freshman hooper.  Givens is a top tier guard statewide.  Look for him to compete for a top 100 spot nationally.</p> <h2>Briarcrest Christian vs. Munford: December 21</h2> <p><strong>Jaye Nash (2024) | Briarcrest Christian</strong></p> <p>Impossible to strip of his baby, the ball.  Jaye is stronger in the shoulders and legs than he was in the summer. </p> <p><strong>Cooper Haynes (2024) | Briarcrest Christian</strong></p> <p>Exceptional scorer.  Comfortable at any location on the floor.  </p> <p><strong>Shane Cox (2021) | Munford</strong></p> <p> A lefty, Shane Cox is capable of handling pressure though he does not possess breakaway speed.  Solid leader, distributor. </p> <h2>Ravenwood vs. Siegel: December 22</h2> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="775573" first="Jaylan" last="Wetzel"] (2021) | Siegel</strong></p> <p>Jaylan is a throwback scorer.  He uses strength and cleverness to find gaps in the defense.  Unlike [player_tooltip player_id="775545" first="Zion" last="Swader"], Wetzel generates his buckets without speed and exceptional bounce.  Wetzel is among the best catch-and-shoot players in middle Tennessee.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="775549" first="Matthew" last="Schneider"] (2021) | Siegel</strong></p> <p><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Matthew defended big boy Noah Clifford all night.  Noah is a brute of a young man.  He lifts to play lineman as MS projects as a college wing.  It really was an unenviable place for Schneider to operate, but Siegel needed him there.  Schneider is really playing out of position again.  He is very light on his feet and the handles and outside shooting continue to improve.  It would be nice to see him work more as a perimeter defender, but the roster just is not set up for that.</span></p> <p><strong>Ben Bonga (2021) | Ravenwood</strong></p> <p>Really quick feet. Bonga is a guard, kind of?  He does a wonderful job of pulling his man away from the basket and then backing him down. There is a uniqueness to his game that makes defenders guess.</p> <p><strong>Noah Clifford (2022) | Ravenwood</strong></p> <p>Powerful ballerina. Clifford’s feet are crafty and his shooting touch proves that big guys can have soft hands.  Clifford often runs the offense through him.  He keeps his head up and sees the floor very well with his back to the basket.  Clifford is kind of a Zach Randolph-type.  Jokic is a more modern comparison.  Clifford’s bounce is not going to frighten, but the raw power and court vision set him apart from most middle Tennessee bigs.  <br /> <br /> <strong style="font-size: 1rem;">[player_tooltip player_id="775545" first="Zion" last="Swader"] (2021) | Siegel</strong></p> <p>Zion had a really, really strong game. He finally discovered his strength is probing the defense. Outside shots will be there, but for him the success is always going to be obliterating the defense and making things happen. [player_tooltip player_id="775545" first="Zion" last="Swader"] finished with 18 points to lead all scorers.  Swader is signed to Missouri Western (D2). ZZ</p> </div> <div> <p><em><b>Follow @AndrewForce8.</b></em></p> </div>