Midwest Grind Session 17U Top Athletes

<p>There was a ton of talent on the floor at the Prep Hoops event in Wichita last weekend. Guys demonstrated a variety of skills. And some guys just showed off their physical gifts. Running, jumping, pushing opponents around, they had a physical advantage.</p> <p>Here is a look at some of the top athletes at the Midwest Grind Session (in alphabetical order):</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958390" first="Anthony" last="Allen"], 2022, 6-foot-5 forward, Tulsa Hawks, Broken Arrow HS:</p> <p>No matter how many times Allen skies above the crowd, you still don’t quite get used to how this kid leaps. Mutters of “Wow,” and “Good grief,” were frequently heard in the stands when Allen exploded up in the lane to rip down a rebound, tip up a missed shot, or take a swipe at an opponent’s attempt. He seemed to come close to hitting his head on the goal numerous times. Allen is a long, lean forward who can run and knife through traffic, but his vertical is what draws gasps.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1195604" first="Jordan" last="Fudge"]</strong>, 2022, 6-foot-8 forward, Victory Ministry, Frontenac HS:</p> <p>Fudge’s frame has college coaches pondering just how good he can become and how they might use him in their programs. He’s got a thick, mature build, but looks like he could continue to develop. He has a combination of power and leaping ability that probably hasn’t been fully tapped yet. But he flashes that potential at times. There were few at Wichita who could match his power and agility.</p> <p><strong>LJ Jones</strong>, 2022, 6-foot-4 forward, KC Spurs White, Oak Park HS:</p> <p>Jones has the ball in his hands a lot on the perimeter. So all eyes are on him when he makes dazzling drives into the lane, showing off his quickness, long strides and power to blow by defenders. Once he gets rolling to the rim, look out. Jones soared above the crowd for some of the most impressive dunks of the weekend.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="946262" first="Seth" last="Madron"], 2022, 6-foot-2 guard, Midwest Magic Elite – Hernandez, McPherson HS:</p> <p>Unlike the others on this list, Madron plays the guard role, handling the ball, passing on the perimeter, and occasionally pulling the trigger from deep. But Madron adds the element of a physically strong, mature frame and serious hops. Because of his agility and leaping ability, Madron plays a big role on the glass. And he thwarts shots both in the lane and on the perimeter, where guards are often surprised to have their shots from deep swatted by the McPherson product.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="889456" first="Antwaun" last="Massey"], 2022, 6-foot-8 forward, KC Spurs Black, Minnesota Prep (pictured):</p> <p>Although he’s last on this list, any list of ‘athletes’ has to begin with Massey. It’s just unfair what he did to opponents at Wichita. He runs the court like a freight train, and his teammates know that they can throw the ball anywhere near the rim and he will ram it down with authority. Massey probably had more dunks on the weekend than most of the other teams combined. He’s got an adult frame, and he plays with an attitude.</p> <p>Other top athletes at the Midwest Grind Session:</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="994433" first="Victory" last="Naboya"], 2021, 6-foot-9 post, Missouri Flight, Greenwood Lab</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="889506" first="TJ" last="Nunnery"], 2021, 6-foot-1 guard, WKE, Hays HS</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1164879" first="Aaron" last="Potter"], 2022, 6-foot-3 forward, Tulsa Hawks Blue, Owasso HS</p>