Mayhem in the Plex: Standouts- Part I

Jacob Aquino (Mighty Kings Basketball Elite/Frisco Lone Star HS- 2023) While playing with a short-handed squad, Aquino did his part to try to keep his team competitive. Aquino’s a crafty ball handler that does a good job of getting a piece of the paint and finding open shooters. While not being the quickest, he was able to routinely get by & around defenders with his combination of advanced hesitation combinations and footwork.

MaKaden Bodie (Dallas Showtyme/Palmer HS- 2023) MaKaden Bodie is a physical slasher from the guard position. Bodie did a good job of cuffing the ball in traffic away from swiping defenders and finished well at the rim. He has the ability to hit an open three when given space and has a strong build that should continue to progress. In one of his games Saturday, he responded to chirping from the opposing team by living in the lane- capped off by a poster dunk at the end of the game that may have been the play of the tournament for 16U. Bodie seems to play with a chip on his shoulder and should continue playing with something to prove.

Djuan “DJ” Johnson II (YB33/All Saints Episcopal of Fort Worth HS- 2024) Along with being a football player, Djuan Johnson can hoop as well. He uses his fluid hips, long arms, quick hands & mentality to be a terror as an on-ball defender. He routinely stripped ball handlers and got deflections in the passing lanes. When defending in transition, he hustled back to block shots & displayed gamesmanship by faking at ball handlers when at a disadvantage. He displayed a high IQ for his age- finishing off two feet in the lane, throwing accurate pitch ahead passes & directing traffic on both ends. Johnson used his superior first step, athleticism & footwork to get by defenders to finish at the rim at an efficient clip. Johnson’s an above-average playmaker as he can find shooters & cutters in the half-court. He displayed his football toughness by finishing thru contact at the rim and taking a charge. Johnson has solid shooting form from deep & displayed the ability to hit threes if the defense went under in ball screen coverage.

Jonah Johnson (Nike ProSkills SA/Cibolo Steele HS- 2024)  Jonah Johnson Jonah Johnson 6'5" | SG Steele | 2024 State TX displayed scoring chops during this weekend’s tournament. Johnson plays mostly as a wing & played well off the ball- displaying lob threat ability as well as a smooth jumper off the catch that should progress well over time. Johnson has the ability to get hot once he hits a couple of jumpers in a row, and though he’s more of a shooter at this stage, Johnson has aerobatic finishing ability when he gets in the lane. Defensively, Johnson did a good job of staying vertical at the rim without fouling. Johnson has the have a competitive streak that should serve him well as he progresses.

Da’chari Thigpen (Beast Elite/Spring HS- 2023) Thigpen is a guard with a bulky build with a fluid handle in space that plays unselfishly. He used his size advantage to draw contact and punish smaller teams on the offensive glass. Thigpen did a good job of pitching the ball ahead in transition displayed nice vision in the half-court when delivering dump-off passes. He always seemed to be in the right place on both ends and ran back in transition to avoid giving up layups- displaying good timing & athleticism on a couple of blocks.