Elite Passers from the #PHGatewayToTheWest
Not too often do you leave a gym more impressed with the passing from the big men than the guards, but that was the story from the Gateway to the West Classic. That is no knock on the guards either,…
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Continue ReadingNot too often do you leave a gym more impressed with the passing from the big men than the guards, but that was the story from the Gateway to the West Classic. That is no knock on the guards either, there was just a great group of smart, aware forwards who could sling the rock. Here are the best assist-men from the weekend I saw:
Caleb Dreckman | 6’3″ SG | Arena Basketball Club 2022
On a team filled with talented, unselfish distributors Dreckman stood out above the rest. He mixed in bounce passes, full-court hit aheads, and one-armed ropes from all angles. His great cutting fueled his passing, as well. The movement put defenses in a bind, and he was prepared to beat the rotations with quick, on-target passes to get teammates open looks.
Cade Guinn | 6’6″ PF | Iowa Prep 2022 Red
Guinn operated in the high post for Iowa Prep at a high level. It drew the rim protector away from the basket and allowed his teammates to freely cut into the paint without much resistance. From there, Guinn was able to see the whole floor and lead his teammates with delicate touch passes, like a quarterback hitting his slot receiver on the slant.
Landen Lovrien | 6’6″ SF | Arena Basketball Club 2022 (pictured)
Lovrien is a very intriguing prospect with his combination of size and skill. He can handle it, shoot it at a decent clip from distance, initiate offense from the perimeter. He was often guarded by a smaller player, which allowed him to see over the top and fire passes around traffic with relative ease. He loved hitting corner shooters with one-armed assists off a live dribble when the defense was shading too far.
Malakai Burns | 5’9″ CG | Team Factory 2024
I watched a few 15U games during the time slots without 17U games, and the Millard North point guard showed himself to be a young prospect to keep an eye on in the near future. He scored well, but more importantly created plays for his team. Burns gets into the lane with slick dribble moves, and forces the defense to make tough decisions. He was always ready to move the ball when the help came, and more often than not those passes arrived right to the shooting pocket of the receiver.
Tash Lunday | 6’5″ PF | Sacred Hoops 2022
As a member of the First Team All-Tournament team, Lunday deserved a spot on this list. The #4 prospect from South Dakota may have been the best overall passer in Omaha this weekend. He made plays in transition, always looking to push it, but was more than comfortable operating in the half court. He was always aware of where the help was coming from or when a defender had shaded too far off the corner. He repeatedly delivered bounce passes to basket cutters when a window did not seem possible. He had great success as a scorer, but it was clear that he took pride in sharing the basketball even more.