17U out of state standouts at the #PHSpringKickoff

<p>The #PHSpringKickoff came to the MileHighCIty and was a successful event for teams not only in-state, but there were also out-of-state teams from Idaho, Oklahoma, Wyoming all the way to Seattle. The out-of-state teams came and competed, and here we focus on five players that caught our eye. </p> <h2><strong>Drew Carter — Idaho Premier</strong></h2> <p>Carter was one of the better catch and shoot players on the weekend, and there were times where he really caught fire and put his team over the top. Carter had a stint where he splashed 3 straight 3-pointers to give his team momentum and the lead as well. His team found him in his spots, set screens to get him to where he wanted, and he also was able to put the ball on the floor to get going as well. Idaho Premier 17U team had a backcourt duo with one guard getting inside and kicking and Cater filling the gaps and letting it fly. He’s a player that stood out all weekend long. </p> <h2><strong>Payton Sanders – GTown 2022</strong></h2> <p>GTown 2022 was the most entertaining team on the weekend as it was a group of guards that played with heart and were a cohesive unit that could score with the best of them. GTown 2022 has multiple games that came down to the wire with two game-winning finishes where they were victors. A player that stood out for me in the three times that I watched them play was Sanders, who did a bit of everything. Sanders is an athletic guard with a polished game. He showcased the ability to facilitate, score in bunches, and also had his deep ball going. Sanders is an athletic guard with a quick first step and the ability to score. He went on mini-runs to give his team momentum, and when the game was on the line, his teammates knew to go to him as he plays with poise and is never sped up. He scored 15+ in all three games and made some part reads as a balanced player—one of my favorite watches on the weekend. </p> <h2><strong>Dalton Peterson – Wyoming Power</strong></h2> <p>Peterson took over in the games that we saw him in as a balanced player with range. He did what he wanted, and teams had a hard time keeping him out of his spots. He scored both inside and out and had 24 points in one game in particular where his team fed him. He ran the floor, got out in the open court, and finished in traffic; and also had the understanding that the defense was keying in on him and got rid of it quickly to get it right back. He was one of the top performers on the first day as he led his team to a win, and he is a versatile player and defender with high upside. </p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1111853" first="Blake" last="Munk"] – Idaho Premier </strong></h2> <p>Idaho Premier has elite guard play but also had a solid set of big men who played the right way. That opened up the rest of the court and made it easy for sharpshooter [player_tooltip player_id="1111853" first="Blake" last="Munk"] as he did all of the small things, which ended up giving his team easy scoring opportunities. He set hard screens to free up the guard, rolled on them for baskets at the rim, and also was a good finisher once he got inside. Munk has soft touch around the rim, and excellent footwork, but his ability to space the floor from deep is what separates him. Munk was knocking down 3-pointer after 3-pointer with the arrow celebration after to give his team some momentum. He played on and off of the ball, and the gravity he created got Idaho Premier going. </p> <h2><strong>Kam Robinson — Emerald City</strong></h2> <p>I hope this is not the only time we get to see Emerald City this summer, but with how the Seattle high school season is set up, there might not be many more opportunities. Emerald City had their way with each time as they went 4-0 on the weekend, and with how successful it was, it was difficult to gauge who their best player was, but Robinson is who stood out for me. Robinson showcased phenomenal post-work with excellent footwork. He has good size and uses it as he does not shy away from contact. He finished around, over, and through defenders as his team played with intensity that was unmatched all weekend. Robinson had a few highlight dunks, backed down smaller opponents, and also showcased a mid-range jumper. He was one of the best performers on the weekend and is a player to watch moving forward—great outing for the Seattle team. </p>