#PHExclusive: Sunday morning standouts (16U)

<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1211251" first="Maddox" last="Mecklenburg"]</strong> | Kingfisher Jackets</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #e8e3e3;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 50%; text-align: center;">6’2” PG</td> <td style="width: 50%; text-align: center;">Kingfisher (OK) ’23</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <ul> <li>Body-controlled scorer</li> <li>Rebounding guard</li> </ul> <p>It’s not just that he’s physical, Mecklenburg really understands how to <i>use</i> his body to get out of jams, clear his own path to the rim and finish the job.</p> <p>The incoming junior, who looks to take over for the defending Oklahoma 4A champions, had an excellent game Sunday morning against Sal Elite, in which he finished with<b> </b>29 points against a So-Cal team with opposing players that could be reasonably considered faster and a bit taller. But you wouldn’t know it the way Mecklenburg controlled the pace, led the floor and defended.</p> <p>Offensively, not only was Mecklenburg able to score the basketball well, but he was fully or partially responsible for manufacturing a significant tally’s of his team’s point total. Primarily, he did this in the full court against the opposing team’s press, which he not only busted but often tore to shreds, leading to Jackets buckets in some form or fashion. When presented opportunities to take it for himself, Mecklenburg displayed a very developed sense of putting defenders on his hip and driving <i>into</i> bodies to score rather than shying away from contact.</p> <p>Mecklenburg is also a sneakily productive rebounding guard as he consistently competed and came down for boards against the opposing team.</p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="981285" first="Diante" last="Palmer"]</strong> | Tulsa Hawks</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #e8e3e3;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 50%; text-align: center;">6’1” G</td> <td style="width: 50%; text-align: center;">Mount St. Mary (OK) ’23</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <ul> <li>Crafty finisher</li> </ul> <p>Palmer made quick work against a Kansan team Sunday morning, scoring 17 points in a win.</p> <p>The crafty scoring guard has a little bit of everything under his arsenal but especially finishing skills. He does a great job of slicing his way between defenders, utilizing whatever euro-step, rip-through or crossover he wishes to engage at the moment to get to the rim. He has surprising strength given his slim stature and well understands how to attack the rim physically and aggressively.</p> <p>Palmer also has considerable speed at his advantage with above-average acceleration, which he showcased when taking the ball with his first step against the opposing Kansan team.</p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1080185" first="BJ" last="Redic"]</strong> | Oz Elite - Haynes</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #e8e3e3; height: 21px;"> <tbody> <tr style="height: 21px;"> <td style="width: 50%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">6’3” SF</td> <td style="width: 50%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">Andover (KS) ’23</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <ul> <li>Three-level scorer</li> <li>Explosive athlete</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/BJ-Redic-crop-640x421-1615753721.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1149947 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/BJ-Redic-crop-640x421-1615753721-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>After knocking down a pair of triples in the first half, Redic focused his attention towards getting to the rack in the second half as he scored 22 points against an Oklahoman team.</p> <p>The junior has remarkable lift and athleticism as he gathers towards the rim, displaying his power and attack-mindedness on the drive, which forced the opposing defense to contest many of his attempts — and boy, can Redi draw the foul. He scored 12 points just at three free-throw line on 15 attempts.</p> <p>It’s this versatility, to shoot and have exceptional athleticism, to play aggressively but maturely enough to draw the foul, that set him apart amongst his peers on Sunday.</p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1080175" first="Garrett" last="Robertson"]</strong> | Oz Elite - Haynes</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #e8e3e3;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 50%; text-align: center;">5’10” G</td> <td style="width: 50%; text-align: center;">Hutchinson (KS) ’23</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <ul> <li>Knockdown shooter</li> <li>floor general</li> </ul> <p>Oz Elite’s go-to wing shooter, Robinson, had an efficient and impressive performance against an Oklahoman team, scoring 15 points and knocking down four triples.</p> <p>Not much needs to be said about Robinson but that he is a high-caliber shooter with elite focus and marksmanship. Also an above average passer, a quick google search for Robertson will show an impressive high school reel of his floor general capabilities.</p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1211257" first="Zach" last="Hays"]</strong> | Rogue</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #e8e3e3;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 50%; text-align: center;">6’5” F</td> <td style="width: 50%; text-align: center;">Westmoore (OK) ’23</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <ul> <li>Competitive rebounder</li> <li><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Three-level scorer</span></li> </ul> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Zach-Hays.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1171560 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Zach-Hays-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>Hays came out firing early against an opposing team from Illinois on Sunday afternoon, notching 11 of Rogues first 15 points en route to a 21 performance.</p> <p>An exceptionally versatile forward with a balanced scoring attack, Hays knocked down shots from deep, scored in the paint, defended in the interior and perimeter and rebounds the ball.</p> <p>Offensively, Hays is well polished and displayed capabilities to score at all levels. He was fabulous on the drive from the wing, showcasing some finesse and some power, some touch and some hard-nosed offensive basketball. He also had his moments as a pseudo floor general, with his Rogue teammates sitting on the opposite wings and corners as Hays drove to the rack, defenders collapsing towards him, before zipping a pass across to an open shooter.</p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1048307" first="Ahmad" last="Henderson"]</strong> | Young and Reckless</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #e8e3e3;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 50%; text-align: center;">5’11” PG</td> <td style="width: 50%; text-align: center;">Brother Rice (IL) ’23</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <ul> <li>Couldn’t miss shooter</li> <li><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Drive-and-kick specialist</span></li> <li>Clutch gene</li> </ul> <p>Before knocking down the go-ahead triple in overtime, Henderson hit on three 3-pointers in regulation as he displayed his smooth shot and floor general capabilities in a Y&amp;R win.</p> <p>Scoring 19 points in the match, Henderson cashed in on four triples, displaying impressive efficiency and a smooth shot with clean rotation. However, another, perhaps even more important aspect of his game, is his feel as a floor general. After a few trips to the rack in which he was able to create his own space, opposing defenders clued in on him and started to collapse. This allowed Henderson to use the drive to find open teammates on the wings and corners, which manufactured more scoring opportunities to the team from Illinois.</p> <p>https://twitter.com/phcircuit/status/1416800241341411329?s=21</p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="981279" first="Evan" last="Barber"]</strong> | Rogue</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #e8e3e3;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 50%; text-align: center;">6’1” PG</td> <td style="width: 50%; text-align: center;">Westmoore (OK) ’23</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <ul> <li>Smooth, polished scorer</li> <li>Three-level threat</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Evan-Barber-2.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1179815 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Evan-Barber-2-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>Barber engaged a bit of his takeover mentality in the second half against a team from Illinois, as he scored 15 points in the match.</p> <p>The junior displayed that he can shoot the triple swiftly out of the catch with a high release point and a quick get-off. He also created his own out of the dribble and knocked down mid-range shots with heavy contest and defenders breathing down his neck. Barber also regularly drove to the rim, and was surprisingly true to his path in spite of numerous defenders hedging him away from the goal.</p> <p>Also an important aspect of his game was Barber’s focus and display of iQ when busting the opposing team’s press, which led to easy scoring opportunities for Rogue as Barbe exploited slower defenders and never held the ball too long.</p>