2022 standouts wings from the 5A state playoffs

<p>With the season over, we want to take a look back at a season that was before we head onto the grassroots scene. Here we focus on some junior guards that stood out in 5A during their state-run.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="918911" first="Henry" last="Gamble"] – Mountain Vista</strong></h2> <p>Gamble is not a straight wing, but he does have the size at 6’2 and is a selfless leader that just wants to win. Gamble is a lights-out shooter from deep that could easily press the issue and shoot it every time that Bowen did not but instead made it work with his teammates and worked to get himself open while flowing in the offense. In the Golden Eagles’ opening round blowout win against Monarch, he was everywhere on the floor as he was lights out from deep, going 4-5 from beyond the arc. He finished with a game-high 20 points and also had five steals that turned into fastbreak opportunities. Against Eaglecrest, while he was not as hot, he was still productive as he finished with 13 points and five rebounds and showed himself as a versatile defender. Gamble is a hard-nosed defender that competes at a high level and will only get better. Excited to see what he can do this summer as he had a solid playoff run.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="759281" first="Brock" last="Mishak"] – Fossil Ridge</strong></h2> <p>Mishak is a bucket. Scoring the basketball is all that he knows, and while his team did not play up to the competition as most expected them to, he still managed to go out productively on an off night. In the team’s opening-round win, he had the team on a high as he finished with 25-points a game, which we saw multiple times this year. He navigated through the defense, got to his spots, and knocked down 4 3-pointers in the game. When he gets in a groove, he is a difficult player to defend as he does not turn down any open looks, uses his 6’2 frame to shoot over the defenders, and we saw that even in a close loss to Rock Canyon. Mishak is a player whose stock boosted tremendously this season and had a solid playoff run.     </p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1139528" first="Mostapha" last="Elmoutaouakkil"] – Eaglecrest</strong></h2> <p>Mostapaha is a name to know that not many have heard about before this season, but the more you watch, the more you love. Mostapha has an incredible feel for the game, and his 6’4 frame stands out. He is athletic and moves well in transition, and when he gets, the ball is electric. He is a silky smooth finisher that can get out on the break and get it going and possesses range which opens up the rest of his offense. In the playoffs alone, Mostapha showed that not only is he a player to watch, but he has as high of upside as anyone in the class. He put up an impressive 18.3 points and 7.0 rebounds in the playoffs while knocking down essentially every 3-pointer he took. He moves without the ball, plays well around other talented players, and makes it happen when he gets the ball as well. I am buying ALL Mostapha stock while it is low as I expect it to boom with a big summer.  </p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="967536" first="Johnathan" last="Potts"] – Smoky Hill</strong></h2> <p>Potts is the player that everyone seemed to forget about as he took a season-ending injury before the season began as a sophomore and had his spots during his junior campaign. Potts has excellent size and has a great blend of tenacity and understanding when to calm it down. He saved the best for a playoff game against Horizon in the opening round when he finished with a career-best 17 points in the game. Potts uses his body and size well and gets it done on both ends of the floor. Potts likes to get out and run as he fills the passing lanes correctly and is willing to go down and compete with the big guys on the block. He knocked down a few 3-pointers, got inside the defense, finished, and was also active on the boards. He had eight points against Creek and showed that he would compete and be a versatile defender and is a player to watch moving forward that is still playing his way back into a rhythm that I feel he is now in.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="918907" first="Coby" last="Jimenez"] – Horizon</strong></h2> <p>Jimenez is one of the smoothest players in the class with a controlled game, and he moves at his own pace. Time seems to slow down when he gets the ball, and he came into the playoff run a bit banged up, but that did not stop him from producing. Jimenez always seems to find a way to fill up the state sheet with his 6’2 slender frame and a high IQ. He outworks opponents with his mind, knows where the play is going to be, and looks comfortable with the ball in his hands. He gave his team a bit of everything in a fun playoff game as he finished with a balanced stat line of 16 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and two blocks. He fit right in and looks more relaxed on the court, and while I feel as if he is a late bloomer with his best basketball in front of him, I feel he is a solid player that needs to be looked at a bit more.   </p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="618859" first="Jackson" last="Brennan"] – T-Ridge</strong></h2> <p>Brennan was known as the role playing type that was used as the team’s swiss-army-knife after coming in to ThunderRidge as a transfer, and it seemed to have paid off as the Grizzlies were named state champs. Brennan was one of the biggest reasons why T-Ridge was able to take it all home, as he had one of the most surprising performances from anyone in the state on their playoff run. Brennan went into the playoffs averaging about 10 points a game, but with two big performances of 22 points and 29 points to begin the playoff run, he became a part of what opposing teams wanted to slow down. Brennan is always in the mix and finds a way to make things happen around him. He scores both inside and out, makes perfect cuts, and his teammates always find him. He also can score with all of the attention given to others as a high IQ option that is constantly moving. He is one of the best X-factors in the state that played his role well and why the team went home with the gold trophy. </p>