Colorado Top 250 Expo: Guard Stock Risers

<p>[player_tooltip player_id="1159005" first="Trevor" last="Fuller"] - 23’ - Dakota Ridge <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/TrevorFuller.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-1289272 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/TrevorFuller-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="137" height="183" /></a></p> <p>Fuller is your typical secondary creator who excels attacking closeouts and making high IQ decisions. Much of his off-the-dribble scoring can be attributed to pick and roll situations, where he is most comfortable making decisions with the initial space. While he does possess a wide crossover, of which he can drive comfortably with either hand, he lacks enough counters that is necessary for lead ballhandlers. Once he gets downhill, he has the ability to pull-up from the 14-18 foot range, which has made strides since May. His shooting range has improved throughout the summer, where he can confidently step into threes well beyond the three-point line. By no means is he a black hole on offense, Fuller understands when to hit kick-outs off drives and often displays quick decisions off of give and go’s. While Fuller could be more consistent from the three, when he’s hitting shots you cannot afford to leave him an inch.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1284435" first="Alex" last="Rodriguez"] - 23’ - Dakota Ridge</p> <p>Rodriguez proved yet again he can consistently hit quick shots off the catch, but he built on his ability to attack the rim. While he is not a physically dominant guard on paper, once he drives downhill his finishing against contact has become more dependable every tournament. While his mid-range jumper can be deadly, Rodriguez does well limiting inefficient shots. Shot selection is an area he does really well staying disciplined, where he creates free throws from at-rim opportunities. Defensively, he makes up for his size with quick hands, where he is assertive pushing the pace for transition layups.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1284413" first="Tyler" last="Klopfenstein"] - 22’ - Castle View (pictured above)</p> <p>While only being about 6’2, Klopfenstein surprised me with his rebounding prowess on both ends of the floor. As required for any above average rebounder, motivation is required. While he was active shuffling his feet into position, what stuck out to me was his absurdly quick reaction time. The second ball hit rim, before you could blink Klopfenstein was on the mission of securing the loose ball. Off of these defensive rebounds he was decisive pushing the break, even capitalizing on layups when the defense was not back. The lefty hit a few threes off the catch, proving you need to step up on him every possession. As a lefty, I was surprised at how ambidextrous of a finisher he is, readjusting the right hand on multiple occasions for nothing but net. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1285150" first="Michael" last="Karnisovas"] - 22’ - Thunderridge<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Michael-Karnisovas.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-1013746 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Michael-Karnisovas-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="132" height="176" /></a></p> <p>Karnisovas used his height at 6’6 to grab rebounds and quickly send well placed outlet passes to his teammates. Transition passing and overall awareness stood out, as he consistently located his teammates with one or two-handed crosscourt passes. He was light on his feet, staying low and shifting his feet quickly to track down guards and block them. Karnisovas never looked out of place handling the rock within full-court situations, showcasing a variety of combo moves to break free of the defense.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1285124" first="Jackson" last="Gallagher"] - 23’ - Silver Creek<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/100-Jackson-Gallagher.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-1281582 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/100-Jackson-Gallagher-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="191" height="127" /></a></p> <p>This was my first time experiencing Gallagher’s ballhandling wizardry, wow. If you are unlucky enough to guard him, be prepared to dance to his array of counters. His hang dribble is especially adept at luring the defender as bait for the thought of a steal. Gallagher proved to be one of the most fun players to watch when he needed to get creative. On opportunities where he got interior penetration, Gallagher did well setting up his teammates for success with easy shots. Throughout the tournament, he easily had 10 potential assists from interior passes, as he is an unselfish player when the double commits. </p>