Prep Hoops Hustle in the Rockies-Top Centers

<p>I had the pleasure of attending last weekends Prep Hoops tournament at Gold Crown Fieldhouse in Lakewood, Colorado. </p> <p>Here are my top 17U centers.:</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Kaleb-Mitchell.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1171379 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Kaleb-Mitchell-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="967542" first="Kaleb" last="Mitchell"] | 6’9" Center | D1 Force | Fountain Ft. Carson</p> <p>Mitchell is a do it all center. He blocks shots, rebounds the ball, has a back to the basket game, and plays solid defense. If there is one thing that he needs to work on it’s his mid range game but overall he is an impressive player. Mitchell has a solid body frame as well which allows him to bang inside and create space to be able to get his shot off in the interior. He has decent footwork as well but could be a little quicker. He is heading into his senior season of High School ball and I’m excited to see his growth and where he ends up playing his college ball. </p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Isaiah-Carr1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1233073 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Isaiah-Carr1-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> Isaiah Carr | 6’ 11" Center | New Mexico D1</p> <p>Carr was one of the most impressive players I saw at this tournament. You can’t teach height and Carr has plenty of it, but he is not just tall at 6’10", he is also very lank. He has long arms and legs and if he adds a little muscle he already has the body of a D1 player. Carr has the ability to score inside against anyone but as the modern game requires he can also knock down the outside shot and I don’t just mean a mid range jumper, he can also shoot the three ball. Carr was his teams leading scorer, shot blocker and rebounder in every game I saw. I had the pleasure of speaking to him after one of his games and it sounds like he already has some interest from a number of schools, including D1 schools. I’m very excited to see where Carr ends up and to follow his development. </p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Joel-Speckman.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1233092 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Joel-Speckman-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1080835" first="Joel" last="Speckman"] | 6’8" Center | PLUTO | Chaparral High School</p> <p>Speckman is my type of player. He is a tough guy and has a presences on the floor that only few players at this level have. I saw it game after game where other teams challenged him and he always answered the bell. Shutting opposing players down defensively, blocking a shot, getting a key rebound, diving to save a ball or scoring a key bucket. I also don’t want to give the impression that he is only a hustle type player, to the contrary, he is a complete, do whatever it takes to win player. He has a variety of ways he can score, including a nice midrange game, finishing in traffic or with a post move. Speckman is heading into his senior season an if he chooses a can play at the next level. I’m excited to see where he ends up and whoever lands this kid is getting a diamond in the rough!    </p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/IMG_9999-rotated-e1616688848661.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1156433 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/IMG_9999-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="918919" first="Joey" last="Bilello"] | 6’8" Center/Forward | PSB | Thunder Ridge High School</p> <p>Bilello is a hard nosed modern day center/forward. He can battle on the inside but has the ability to pull the other teams big out onto the floor and knock down a three ball. He rebounds well, plays tough defense, and can finish both inside and out. He is also a player who could have been a first team all tournament player if it wasn’t for all the talented players in this tournament. I look forward to watching him develop over the next year and to follow his senior season and to see where he plays ball at the next level.   </p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/James-Shiers.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1013718 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/James-Shiers-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a> J.P. Shiers | 7’0" Center | CO. Chaos | Mead High School</p> <p>Shiers is another modern day center with height and length to spare. He defends the basket extremely well, can block shots, rebound and score. He is also on the skinny side but has a frame to be able to add muscle to handle larger more physical players at the next level. He can’t shoot the three ball like Carr can but is Shiers is very efficient on the interior and in the midrange area. He needs to work on his free throw shot because he is going to draw fouls on a very consistent basis and he needs to make the other team pay. I’m exited to follow his development over his senior season and to see where he ends up and if he can lead his team to another Colorado state championship.</p>