Wednesday Night Standouts

<p>Tuesday night was a full docket with some good games on deck. There were some big-time scorers on the day. Here is who popped out on the day.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="759281" first="Brock" last="Mishak"] – Fossil Ridge</strong></h2> <p>Mishak is a player that quickly jumped up the ranks this summer. He was standing out in tournaments and private runs and played up for AAU this season but still was going out and having great performances. He was an under the radar player that we said would have an incredible junior season, and he did not disappoint. Mishak led his team to a 74-76 victory and was easily the best player on the floor. He finished with a  game and career-high 27 points as he went 3-6 from beyond the arc, went 6-7 on FT’s, and the 6’2 combo-guard also picked up eight big boards to lead his team. If he is going to have this kind of year, Fossil Ridge will be the sleeper team to watch.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="770425" first="Michael" last="Bennett"] – Lakewood</strong></h2> <p>Bennett is a next level Division I athlete that just so happens to be great on the hardwood as well. Bennett began the season with a fast-break dunk and also showed out his shooting repertoire as well. He got Lakewood on the winning side in his senior season debut. The natural scorer finished with 22 points in the game and let it be known that Lakewood is a team that others will have to worry about. He puts the ball on the floor, shoots lights out from deep, and gets to his spots to make opposing teams pay. He is swift, understands where to be on the floor, and when he gets going, it is not much you can do to slow him down.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1029174" first="Jameel" last="Wright"] – Overland</strong></h2> <p>Wright is the player that point guard in the senior class that we harped about all summer long, and it is great that with a big start, others will start to take notice. Wright has an all-around balanced game, and he is difficult to prepare for because he takes what the defense gives him. Some games will call for him to score big, others games will facilitate and get others involved, but he will certainly be the team’s most important player on the year. In Overland’s blowout win against Cherokee Trail, it was a game that called for him to score the basketball, and he did; a ton. Wright put up 25 points in his senior season debut and looks to be a man on a mission. Wright’s revenge tour continues, and he is taking names along the way. He is a crafty guard with excellent court awareness, and with him at the helm of arguably the best-coached team in the state, Overland will be the team to watch out for. Wright is a player.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="916972" first="Cade" last="Palmer"] – Rangeview</strong></h2> <p>Many questioned if Rangeview lost too much and how they would look compared to the team with one of the longest winning streaks in CHSAA history; well, I just checked, and Rangeview is still good. Rangevioew is coming off of another blowout win in a game that saw them put up 82 points. The player that led them was their sharp-shooter turned point guard [player_tooltip player_id="916972" first="Cade" last="Palmer"], and he began the season with a bang. Palmer put up 22 points on the night on an efficient 8-12 shooting from the field. He drained three 3-pointers, dissected the defense, and either finished at the rim or kicked it out and kept the offense moving. Palmer is one of the state’s headiest guards, and you saw it on display opening night. Rangeview is a complete team, and it makes it easier when you have a high IQ and an unselfish guard leading the way. Do not write off the Raiders.</p> <h2><strong>Khafre Garrett-Mills – Aurora Central</strong></h2> <p>Aurora Central got a big-win to move to 2-0 on the season with a win over Greeley Central, and it was on the back of the player that they will have to rely on a ton this upcoming season in combo-guard Garrett-Mills. Garrett-Mills is a combo-guard that understands that he has to be aggressive, get downhill, and mix it up for the Trojans. Garrett-Mills put up a game-high 22 points as he is a player that does not turn down many shots and is hunting for the 3-ball to open up the defense. He knocked down four 3-pointers in the game and will have to continue taking the shots if they plan on winning more games. The sophomore standout is learning on the fly.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="770409" first="Amondo" last="Miller"] – Valor Christian</strong></h2> <p>Miller is a player that we put our faith in as he made tremendous strides to enter the Top-5 for the first time that he has been in high school. Now that he is there, he seems to be on a mission to rise even more. Miller is one of the top unsigned seniors we have remaining that schools need to pounce on. He is a skilled, legit 6’5 guard who can break a defender down and get to his spots and understand where to be on the floor. Miller scores with ease and has improved in every category, and that is evident as he put up a career-high 34 points with 10 rebounds to match it, which showcases a player that is night and day above the player that he was a season ago. Valor Christian will be the team to beat this year, and with him leading the way on arguably the best backcourt in the entire state.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="921096" first="Alan" last="Acevedo"] -- Golden </strong></h2> <p>Acevedo is a player that is just going to be all over these players of the day articles as he is as consistent as they come. He is one of the most balanced all-around players in the state that constantly just finds a way. He is scoring with ease, he is getting others involved and putting them in positions to score and also showcased that he is an elite defender as well. Acevedo had an incredible statline of 21 points, five assists, four rebounds and a game-high eight steals. He seems to be playing a different game than everyone else and he is head and shoulders above everyone else that he has played mentally and from an IQ standpoint. Acevedo continues to prove his worth and why we have him so high on the 2023 list. </p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="918906" first="Aidan" last="Kuhl"] – Rocky Mountain</strong></h2> <p>Kuhl is the only player whose big game came in defeat, but it was a hard-fought game and valiant effort. Kuhl did all that he could to try and secure the victory but fell just a bit short. He put up 24-points in the game and showcased why we had him as one of the class’s top guards. Kuhl is an elite scorer with sneaky athleticism and seems always to make the right play. He makes the right reads, scores in bunches, and gets to his spots with relative ease. He is stepping into more of a leadership role this season while continuing to carry the scoring load, and by mid-season, he should be ready to have his Rocky Mountain team playing some of their best ball.</p>