Francisco’s Geico Takes—Ariz. Compass vs Montverde Academy

<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Francisco’s Geico Takes—Arizona Compass vs Montverde Academy (On the Rise)</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">FORT MYERS, FL—Each and every season one of the events I look forward to is the Geico Nationals. The combination of high-level talent and effort never disappoints—and this year’s version of the event was no different. Whether it was the potent point guard play of Tennessee-bound <b>Kennedy Chandler</b> or the immense potential of 2022 <b>[player_tooltip player_id="1062409" first="Jalen" last="Duren"]</b>, each and every game did not disappoint.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="s1"><b>Workman-like performance</b></span></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="814905" first="Malik" last="Reneau"] (Montverde Academy)</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>2022, PF, 6-foot-8, 215 pounds</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Joel’s take:</b> Reneau came off the bench and provided a spark off the bench. He was the beneficiary of some slick dimes from Creighton-bound [player_tooltip player_id="814899" first="Ryan" last="Nembhard"]. Reneau has long arms, soft hands, and can convert with either hand. He has a big frame with good length and he rebounds well in and out of his area—not too mention he dropped in a nice baby hook.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="s1"><b>Fearless Lefty</b></span></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="775540" first="Alden" last="Applewhite"] (Arizona Compass)</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>2021, SF, 6-foot-6, 230 pounds</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Joel’s Take</b>: The Mississippi State-bound wing-type can score from all three levels. He is a straight-line athlete who can finish on the break showing solid, but not great, quickness. His shot release is tight and he does get it off fairly quick. His motor runs hot and he has a nice feel for the game, although his right-hand needs to improve going forward.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="s1"><b>Rim-runner deluxe</b></span></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="826994" first="Adrame" last="Diongue"] (Arizona Compass)</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>2021, 6-foot-11, 190 pounds</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Joel’s Take:</b> Diongue is a rangy 5-man who runs very well in transition. He can protect the rim, rebound in traffic despite his light frame, and he can really fill the lane in transition. He shows good timing on the defensive end utilizing his quick leaping ability to alter shots. Going forward he needs to improve his base (bend knees) while finishing to improve his efficiency in the paint area.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="s1"><b>Illinois-bound</b></span></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="1032938" first="AJ" last="Storr"] (Arizona Compass)</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>2022, SG, 6-foot-5, 185 pounds</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Joel’s Take</b>: Storr, who recently chose Illinois, showed his all-around talent versus Montverde. He has a quick 1st step, has a knack to score from all three levels, and his shooting touch is feathery. Due to his quintessential D1 frame with length, bounce, and shooting touch, he should make an immediate impact when he arrives in Champaign.</span></p>