WCE Memorial Day Classic: 2022 AZ standouts

Gregg Rosenberg June 4, 2021 @ 01:23 PM

Over Memorial weekend I attended West Coast Elite’s Memorial Day Classic at the Tarkanian Basketball Academy in Las Vegas, NV. I focused primarily on 17U but viewed a couple 16U games.   Here were some of the 2022 AZ standouts with the two AZ teams I watched including a Tucson team that I have never seen: [player_tooltip player_id="701238" first="Garrison" last="Phelps"] (AZ Supreme) -A wildly athletic wing had some wow moments above the rim. He rebounds out area, defends multiple positions and is handling the ball more then usual. His pull-up from mid-range is becoming a weapon and is a tough handle. [player_tooltip player_id="827016" first="Jason" last="Parent"] (AZ Supreme) -A versatile player who plays the 1-3 for them. He has a nice pull-up from mid to the 3pt line. He has become a good rebounder and when he plays well, the Supreme team becomes a difficult team to beat. [player_tooltip player_id="826997" first="Foune" last="Doucoure"] (AZ Supreme) -A strong showing over the weekend. He brought great energy to the team. He grabbed out of area rebounds, he hit from mid-range and ripped through and scored it through heavy traffic. He has added a few wrinkles to his game each season. [player_tooltip player_id="1049922" first="Jake" last="Smith"] (Apex Athletix 2022 Black) -An athletic guard is tough getting downhill. He has a nice crossover and once he gets into the lane, he can score it through contact. He is a top-notch glass cleaner grabbing out of area rebounds and is a rare rebound chaser for a guard. He gives a hard ball fake and then attacks the basket. He is also a tough on-ball defender. [player_tooltip player_id="1205143" first="Wes" last="Ball"] (Apex Athletix 2022 Black) (Pictured) -One of the big surprises at the event. A long and active four-man has nice athleticism with a touch on his stroke. He can step out and hit the 3 plus grabs out of area rebounds. Although he is somewhat thin, he is tougher then he looks inside mixing it up. He is a fluid athlete and offers a lot for the next level. [player_tooltip player_id="827047" first="Dillan" last="Baker"] (Apex Athletix 2022 Black) -A highly skilled forward looks like he grew an inch and has improved his overall game. He can handle the ball fairly well for position and can rip through and score it through contact. He is a good passer and plays smartly. He can make a catch-3, step back on his defender and is strong to bang inside. [player_tooltip player_id="1205142" first="Dylan" last="Hadley"] (Apex Athletix 2022 Black) -A bigger framed combo-guard is very competitive. He is smart working off the pick and roll and gets into the lane with his strong build to score. He does a little bit of everything and plays hard. He always seems to make the correct play and should be one of the better players on the defending state champs for next year. [player_tooltip player_id="1008613" first="Julian" last="Riesgo"] (Apex Athletix 2022 Black) -An undersized pure PG is tough and gritty. He has a tight handle and can drive the lane with a burst and finish around traffic. He can pull-up off the dribble from mid-range and can hit the 3. Like most Salpointe Catholic players, he plays a tough hard-nosed game and plays bigger then his height may suggest. [player_tooltip player_id="1172864" first="Matias" last="Kroese"] (Apex Athletix 2022 Black) -An active forward is very good on the glass. He has a good motor and often cuts without the ball to get open to score. He runs the floor well and can finish off layups with either hand. He straight line drives to the cup with a decent handle. He can make the 3 plus will block shots on the weak side.