2022’s best playmakers from the 4A state playoffs

<p>We want to look back at a season before we head onto the grassroots scene with the season over. Here, we conclude the 2022 portion with some of the best junior playmakers/X-factors that stood out in 4A during their state-run.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1139431" first="Jackson" last="Ward"] – Holy Family</strong></h2> <p>Ward is a player that we did not know a ton about heading into this season, but with a big junior year, he is now on our radars, and with a big playoff push, was a standout that we are curious about. We wrote about Ward after Holy Family’s opening round win over Grand Junction when the 6’2 exploded for a game-high 27 points. He was uber-efficient as he went 10-13 from the field and also 7-7 from the charity stripe. Against the eventual champs, he could not sustain that same kind of production but production as he finished with 10 points, but he did grab nine boards and showed that he was willing to compete until the very end. He’s a player to watch moving forward and a player we are eager to follow.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="967537" first="Luke" last="Hutto"] – Montrose</strong></h2> <p>Hutto has been the real deal for three straight years on varsity, but we got to see it on display live for the first time and walked away impressed. Montrose goes as far as he takes them, and the 6’3 combo-guard/wing shows up. Hutto is a high IQ player that can play on and off-ball, competes on both ends of the floor, and is a playmaker with size. He is a downhill runner with a score-first mentality but can set up teammates as well. In the playoff run, he averaged 14.6 points and 6.2 rebounds. He got to the rim and finished, was aggressive on the boards, and often got to the FT line. Hutto is a player that makes others around him better and was one of the top standouts in the entire tournament that put his team in positions to win.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1141901" first="Keegan" last="Patterson"] – Longmont</strong></h2> <p>With Longmont, it was the Kurjak and Patterson show, and they had quite the run. Patterson was not a player that many knew heading into the season but demanded respect as he was the Robin to Kurjak’s Batman. Patterson is a heady guard that stepped out on the win at times and made some high IQ plays. Longmont is not a team that is going to wow you with stats as they have a methodical approach, and they truly want to wear you down and pass it around until they get the open shot. Longmont had a two-man approach, and Patterson had a green light. In the playoffs, he averaged 13.7 points, and most of those were inside of the paint or in transition. He helped out on the boards, made the extra pass, and was a reason that Longmont went into the playoffs as the No.2 seed. Patterson had a solid junior year and will try and grow from there.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1046034" first="Cameron" last="Lowe"] – Lewis-Palmer</strong></h2> <p>Lowe is a player that we had high expectations for heading into the season, and while it was a bit bumpy at times as Lowe overcame injuries and setbacks, when he got into a rhythm, he was good. Lowe found a zone and rhythm late in the season, and it was more than just the scoring in which he was able to impact games. Lowe can score in various ways and, at 6’5, has good size and stature. He attacks off of the dribble and has a nice shooting stroke but even when he is not hitting shots, he can make outcome-changing plays. Lowe had a high of seven rebounds in the opening game against Elizabeth and concluded the playoff run with a 13-point performance. He needs to work on putting it all together and on a consistent basis, but when he has it, the team is strong.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1139427" first="Kayan" last="Hargrave"] – Erie</strong></h2> <p>Hargrave was a player that benefitted greatly from a playoff run and turned heads along the way. He was the Tiger’s best player all season long and in the playoffs, continued on that mantle. The 6’2 wing looked comfortable in both games and made some big plays. In Erie’s win over Pueblo East, he had a game-high 20 points and aggressively attacked the rim. He finished inside and made it a point to get to the FT line as nobody could stop him. He had four rebounds and found open teammates for shots. In the heartbreaking loss at the buzzer against Pueblo South, he played well and had some key moments that could’ve possibly won the game. He was a force on both ends, finished through contact, and scored at ease. Hargrave is a player who will benefit from playing more ball, and hopefully, this summer, he’s playing to see him.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1160720" first="Fletcher" last="Cheezum"] – Montrose</strong></h2> <p>Cheezum was a player we did not know much about heading into the playoff push, but from the few games that we watched was the team’s X-factor. Cheezum is an interchangeable defender with good size at 6’1 and is a solid facilitator that makes others around him better. He is comfortable with the ball in his hands, hustles on both ends, and perfectly fills lanes. He can catch fire at any given moment but gives great energy the entire time he is in the game. Cheezum scored 12 against Green Mountain and 14 points against Longmont to show that he could put the ball in the basket when relied upon but fills a role that spaces the floor and allows the team to operate at their best. Solid postseason run for him.</p>