Hoops Dreams Nation: Most Consistent Performers

<p>Superior, Colorado - This past weekend featured some of Colorado’s top club teams and players at the Hoop Dreams Nation Mountain State Shoot Out tournament. Top teams for U17 were Pro Skills Basketball, Collective, Give, and Rough Riders Give.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="918919" first="Joseph" last="Bilello"] Pro Skills Basketball 22’</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">ThunderRidge forward Joey Bilello was a consistent offensive threat for Pro Skills Basketball on all three levels of the floor. When talking to him, Bilello said that his most transferable skill at the college level is his offensive versatility. Bilello has a variety </span></p> <p><img class="size-medium wp-image-1202853 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/IMG-2608-crop-4032x2648-1622144644-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">of perimeter skills that are tough to find among guys at 6’7. He brought up the ball to initiate plays, showing that his coach trusts him with secondary initiating responsibility. Bilello is most comfortable going to his right hand, where he proved he can finish throug</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">h tougher</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 1rem;">defenders. Bilello made offensive rebounds a priority on Saturday, grabbing at least three in each of his four games. During the four games,</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 1rem;">he hit at least two threes in each game. His combination of height, higher release point, and quick jumper make Bilello nearly impossible to slow down once he gets hot. Bilello has a knack for scoring the ball in a variety of ways, but his perimeter shooting, specifically off the catch remains the most appealing trait. If Bilello continues to improve his on-ball equity, look for him to rise the 2022 rankings </span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">in the near future.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="918902" first="Elijah" last="Knudsen"] Pro Skills Basketball 22’</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The energetic point Guard out of Mead high school proved to be the shiftiest player of the weekend, finding ways to control the team’s pace in nearly every possession. He may only be 5’9 but he plays with a chip on his shoulder, knowing the disadvantages his height can bring. His consistent energy was the main takeaway from seeing Knudsen, whether he crashed the defensive glass or found a way to skate by a bigger guard. He is quicker than the competition, where he found self-created layup opportunities with ease. Throughout the weekend, Knudsen was up and down from three but found the net a couple of times on Sunday versus a gritty Collective club. Knudsen may be shorter than the typical point guard, but he makes up for it with consistent energy that always raises the team’s floor.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="1047501" first="Boubacar" last="Mboup"] Rough Riders Give 22’</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[player_tooltip player_id="1047501" first="Boubacar" last="Mboup"] proved to be the most powerful of this weekend’s tournament at 6’10 350 lbs. The lefty Senegalese big man was a constant pest on the offensive glass. Mboup plays a simple role, get rebounds and roll hard to the rim. He made rebounds quite frustrating for the opposition by pestering the paint nearly every offensive possession. His free throw form is already somewhat dependable, leaving room for him to potentially progress as a future floor spacer for the Rough Riders.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="717063" first="Xavier" last="Harris"] Give 22’<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Xavier-Harris-Henos-Fitwi.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1171887 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Xavier-Harris-Henos-Fitwi-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Give’s lead ball handler, [player_tooltip player_id="717063" first="Xavier" last="Harris"] was one of the more electrifying passers for this weekend of games. He was the only player attempting fast break bounce passes through multiple defenders, plus they worked. He is a crafty driver, finding ways to leverage an angle by using his arms to turn the corner. In the full-court, Harris thrives with the ball in his hands. On multiple occasions he made incredibly difficult transition bounce passes look rudimentary. He has legitimate point guard vision, keep an eye out for him in his senior year.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="965741" first="Michael" last="Wolf"] Give 21’</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Playing shooting guard, [player_tooltip player_id="965741" first="Michael" last="Wolf"] played a valuable leadership role for a Give club that went undefeated on Sunday. At 6 feet tall, Wolf plays with fire, when he gets hot from beyond everyone on the court knows. He has a quick, fluid motion that remains fairly consistent whether it is off the catch or dribble. He can go either direction on drives but prefers finishing with his right hand. Wolf is not a standard point guard, he is more of a combo who can be your secondary initiator while providing excellent floor spacing. </span></p>