Five wings to watch in the Continental League

<p>There have been changes to the world as we know it, and the Colorado high school basketball scene has taken its fair share of changes as well. Typically, we will have already started with some tournaments at this time of the year to get things kicked off, but there has to be a compromise on both ends. Not only will the season start late, but it will be a condensed season, so teams and players must get off to hot starts. Here we will focus on the new leagues across the state. One conference that had a shake-up this offseason and will have plenty of talented teams, and my projected state champion will come out of this league. Let's take a look at the 5A/4A Continental League.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1029180" first="Keegan" last="Phillips"] – Douglas County </strong></h2> <p>Phillips was the summer darling who put his bid in as the top scorer of the grassroots season. Phillips showed glimpses for his high school season as he put up 10.0 points a game but was a bit reserved – a light switched out of nowhere, and it all started to come a bit easier for him. By the end of the summer, there were not many schools in the region that did not ask about Phillips, and UCCS were the true victors as they got away with a gem. Phillips has size as a 6’5 wing that can go down on the block to the forward position and has a wide array of offensive moves. Phillips has an incredible back to the basket game, gets out in the open court and shows off his athleticism with putback dunks and aerial attacks, and also shot the ball extremely well from deep. In private settings, with the state's top players, he proved that he belonged time and time again. Phillips helped lead Knights Elite to victories and will have to take all of this momentum into the season, where he will form a two-headed monster backcourt. If Phillips can play with the same intensity on both ends of the floor, the ceiling for that Douglas County squad is endless.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="918919" first="Joey" last="Bilello"] – ThunderRidge </strong></h2> <p>Bilello is a skilled 6’7 wing that does his damage on the perimeter but has soft touch inside and can mix it up as well. Bilello is a player that seems to get better each time that I see him play and has come a long way since last season. With where he will begin the season, it is no surprise that the Grizzlies are favorites to win it all as they have the best frontcourt in the state. Thunderridge has size, and Bilello gives them the ability to flourish as both a fast-paced and methodical team. Bilello knows his way around the rim, scores in bunches, and uses his length to take over. He is also a tireless scorer that refuses to be scored on defensively and has the makings of a player that will excel at the next level. In only his sophomore season, Bilello was an underclassman that got to impact the game. He got his feet wet and learned the ropes, and went into the summer with an idea of what to expect moving forward. In the summer, for Pro Skills, he starred in his role. Bilello was a consistent force and showed up to each tournament, scrimmage, and private run ready to contribute. I expect a monster season for him and be one of the biggest X-factors in the conference. Bilello will be on plenty of college radars in his junior season.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="965763" first="Braden" last="Boley"] – Chaparral </strong></h2> <p>Boley is a combo-guard that makes the switch over from Legend and, with his arrival, automatically walks right into the starting line-up. He will be one of the team's best players, and his versatility will create mismatches at times as he uses all of his 6’3 frame against smaller guards and can step out on the wing as well. There is a saying that,” you are what you can defend” well, with Boley, he is a capable defender that can hold down multiple positions. As a junior, Boley was a swiss-army-knife type of player. He did it all. He put up a balanced line of 8.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists a game. Boley is comfortable with the ball in his hands, makes plays happen, and also has good inside touch. Once the outside game catches up, he will be a difficult player to defend as he has a high upside. Boley is a player to watch.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="972415" first="JJ" last="Williams"] – ThunderRidge </strong></h2> <p>Williams only played in five varsity games in his freshman season for the Grizzlies but will be a major part of their future with what he brings to the table. Williams is a playmaking wing with a beautiful shooting stroke that craves contact. He easily shoots over smaller defenders, back down defenders, and finishes in traffic. Williams was a standout on JV and took that strong play into the summer with Pro Skills, where he played up a year and was the team's primary ballhandler in plenty of situations. Moving Williams around and giving the defense different looks proves effective as he has an all-around game. Williams had a few explosions over the summer in showcases and used his length. He will continue to grow, so being able to take care of the ball, bring it up, find others, and knock down the open shot will be effective. I expect him to be a specialist on a loaded team this year.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1050939" first="Cooper" last="McBride"] – Douglas County</strong></h2> <p>McBride is a big man by size but a deeper look at skillset, and he is a wing with a multifaceted game. McBride is skilled on the perimeter and is a lights out shooter. McBride makes smart-reads free himself up, steps over, and lets it fly from deep, and with his 6’6 frame, he gets inside and mixes it up. McBride is a glass cleaner who spaces the floor, plays well off of the ball, and has to be accounted for the second that he crosses half court as if he finds a rhythm, it is going to be a long night with the scorers that now surround him. McBride put up 10.0 points a game and had 4.9 rebounds to go along with it. He will have to knock down shots in games to make defenses move consistently, and by having him on the floor, it gives Douglas County another offensive weapon. Douglas County will be a tough team to defend, and if he is doing what he has to, it will have them as a darkhorse sleeper that can turn a few heads.</p>