New Haven Senior Showcase Standouts (Part 1)

<p>Well hey there, Connecticut sports fans. This is Jordan, your newest Prep Hoops New England scout. I've worked over in Florida for the past 10 months, but got tired of watching athletic guards (and moved back to school). And so I'm here in the New Haven area, ready to provide the best scouting coverage I can to the great state of Connecticut. </p> <p>My first event I was able to get out to was the New Haven Senior Showcase, put on by New Haven Heat Fam, one of the best AAU programs in the area. They brought together some of the absolute best of New Haven's basketball products and put them through skill drills and intense 5v5 play. These were the guys who really stood out to me: </p> <p><strong>Jonathan Rivera, Crosby, 6-1</strong></p> <p>Rivera cemented himself as the best player in the gym during the entire workout. The 6-1 guard has a deep bag with a range of tricks he can use to evade defenses and finish around the basket. He has a developing jump shot which needs some improvement, but looked good enough to not be a complete liability in his game. And this kid is an athlete! He was flying around the rim with some incredible dunks, not only in warmups, but during the scrimmages as well. His vertical was unmatched and he was able to jump from ridiculous lengths around the rim. He's already Crosby's main man for this season, but if he can hone some of his intangibles in, he may be a serious threat around the state for this season.</p> <p><strong>Emanuel Boles, Hamden, 5-11</strong></p> <p>Boles had the highest IQ of any of the guards I got to watch in at the showcase. He was able to give dimes galore to anyone and everyone he played with, making passes that dazzled myself and even surprised some of the teammates on the floor with him. Boles was also able to dial up some perimeter fire and get to the basket when necessary, although his smaller size sometimes made him easier to stifle downhill. Defensively, Boles was active and able to get some steals on weaker ball handlers. He'll be a great IQ piece for Hamden this season and should draw some interest from post grad programs who are willing to take a chance on a smaller floor general. </p> <p><strong>Rodney Cook, Amistad, 6-0</strong></p> <p>Cook plays a lot like Yale's Matthue Cotton, which is a player archetype I really appreciate. A gifted lefty with a solid stroke, Cook was able to be highly effective on the offensive end thanks to his combination of strength and 3-level readiness to score. He has enough athleticism to be a problem around the rim and enough strength to body up with big defenders in the paint. On defense, his strong arms and impressive wingspan made up for some of his questionable positioning, but he overall was a net positive on defense. </p> <p><strong>Derek Redd, Hamden, 6-1</strong></p> <p>Redd was a great prospect who has already established himself as one of the New Haven area's best players. He's a long and capable wing who can dribble the ball like a guard and put it on the floor like a forward. His length made him a strong defender, even though he could use help on his positioning off ball. You could sit and debate about his efficiency offensively, but honestly, players who can put the ball in the basket at Redd's rate are players that win games. He was a relentless offensive threat who refused to give up on the play. Given some time with his team, Redd should improve and will be a threat to all defensive when he's in his mid-season form.</p>