Brawl For The Ball: Day 1 Standouts

<p>It was a big week for the PrepHoops Circuit, with several stops throughout the country. I was in Phoenix checking on our Hustle Region, covering the Brawl For the Ball. The event featured over 40 teams ranging from 15U to 17U. Several players put together big-time performances on Day 1. In this article, we highlight our Day 1 Standouts. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1217797" first="Parker" last="Gerrits"]</strong> <em>6’1 SG Roots Academy 2023</em> - Gerrits is the perfect example of how shooting travels. The sharpshooter was remarkable, spraying 3’s from all over the court for Roots. He is unquestionably a candidate for one of the event’s top snipers. Gerrits scored over 50 points in his two games on the day. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1183311" first="Vari" last="Hogan"] 5’11 SG AZ Phenoms 2023 - Hogan is going to be a candidate for my all showtime team, lights come on, he goes off. It was another spectacular day for him as he put up huge scoring numbers, including 27 in one game. It’s not flashy, but he is productive, finding a variety of ways to get buckets, including in transition, from mid-range, and from behind the arc. </p> <p><strong>Cooper Carlson</strong> <em>6’4 CG West Academy 2024</em> - West Academy had several good young prospects, Carlson just might have been the best. He has a good feel, is a better-than-average athlete, and can shoot the ball. The lefty did damage with his playmaking and perhaps was at his best in a game against a good older RHJ squad. where he showed that he can more than compete against high-level talent. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1076698" first="Donovan" last="Black"] <em>6’6 SF D1 New Mexico 2023</em> - I was a big fan of Black going into this event, and have gained an even bigger respect for his game. At 6’6 he has legit perimeter skills, including the ability to lock down on the defensive end. Black harrassed opposing ballhandlers, and made an impact, by finishing a ton of shots right around the rim. The versatile wing is still without a D1 offer, however, if he continues to perform like this it won’t be for long. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="996161" first="Lashy" last="Perez"] <em>6’2 PG Team RHJ 2023</em> <em>(featured image)</em> - What stood out for me about Perez was his handle and wiggle. He did a remarkable job of freezing defenders and then blowing by to finish at the rim. His creating and finishing ability was good in the game I watched, but he also showed the ability to be a certified bucket finishing with 29 in another contest. </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/7outzbballclub1">Follow Prep Hoops </a></p>