Hardwood Invite Day 2 Standouts (Part II)

<p><strong>Union Vs. Garfield</strong></p> <p>Union HS Junior Forward [player_tooltip player_id="1270717" first="Yanni" last="Fassilis"] - Garfield blitzed the Union Titans early, and while most of the team seemed overmatched, Fassillis did not. Even against two of the most talented bigs in the state Fassillis was a beast inside going 8/11, nearly all of it coming in the paint. He even started bringing the ball up in the second half when it became clear he was their best ball handler under pressure. His game didn’t suffer at all against the elevated competition. Fassillis rose to the moment finishing with 20 points 7 rebounds and 3 assists.</p> <p>Garfield HS Senior Guard <strong>Koren Johnson</strong> - The UW commit flashed easy range from the jump. His shot was effortless and he continued to extend it as the night went on. His vision was next level. Time and again he drove and zipped a pass mid-air to an open shooter. He has a well-rounded game and showed off some of his bounce with a couple of big throwdowns.</p> <p>Garfield HS Junior Guard [player_tooltip player_id="923128" first="Jaylin" last="Stewart"] and Junior Forward <b>Sherrell McCullum</b> - These two were charging rent in the key all game long. With the exception of Fassillis, Union struggled to find any room in the heart of the defense. Stewart and McCullum were an impenetrable wall guarding the hoop. Offensively they both showed good footwork and a soft touch. Stewart stepped outside and sank a couple of treys just to show he has that too.</p> <p><strong>South Medford Vs. Winter Haven</strong></p> <p>South Medford HS Senior Guard [player_tooltip player_id="964543" first="Junior" last="Sleezer"] - Sleezer was perfect from the field in game one for the Panthers and only missed two shots in game two (4/5 FG, 3/4 FT). Sleezer is a tall shooter who can catch and shoot or rise up off the dribble. No matter how he gets his shot, the form is consistent. He is deadly coming off screens, reading the defense well, and knowing when to flare or hit it tight. He has sneaky elevation and nearly had the play of the game on a jam over one of Winter Haven’s bigs.</p> <p>South Medford HS Freshmen Guard [player_tooltip player_id="1110808" first="Boden" last="Howell"] - This kid is fun to watch. He never looks rattled or hurried, confident in every move in his bag. He can wet it from distance or glide through the defense for floaters and layups. He was hitting everything Saturday night on his way to a game-high 26 points. Boden is a natural with the ball and could do no wrong against Winter Haven - minus one technical. He’s not going to back down from anyone and it’s easy to see he loves to play.</p> <p>Winter Haven HS Sophomore Guard [player_tooltip player_id="1055750" first="Isaac" last="Celiscar"] - The 6’6 sophomore has a quick twitch and supreme body control that had him slithering toward the cup with ease. He was just as quick defensively, locking up on the perimeter and deterring shots with his length. He was efficient with his shots yet again, now making 29 of 31 shots from the field in the tournament.</p> <p>Winter Haven HS Junior Forward [player_tooltip player_id="814550" first="Dylan" last="James"] - You can see why James is highly regarded. Even on a night where it seemed his shot wouldn’t fall, he finished with 24 points on 6/9 shooting. Most of his damage came from the line where he made 11/13. He’s too long to stop inside and moves well in tight spaces to find room for his shot. He had two or three highlight blocks, one he snatched out of the air and immediately started the fast break. </p> <p><strong>Ferris Vs. Auburn</strong></p> <p>Auburn HS Senior Guard [player_tooltip player_id="674438" first="Maleek" last="Arington"] - While most players keep their moves in a bag, Arington keeps his in the kitchen - serving buckets on a platter. The senior guard flashed his ability as a floor general, mastering tight windowed bounce passes, left-handed scoops to the corner, dishes between defenders legs, even going mid-air and faking left then dumping right for an easy layup. He’s got full awareness of the court, knowing where he needs to get the ball before he even touches it.</p> <p>Auburn HS Senior Guard [player_tooltip player_id="674435" first="DaeKwon" last="Watson"] - Watson is a pure shooter. He was tossing rainbows from deep in the first and sprinkled in a few mid-range shots later on. He is a ready and willing shooter with a quick release and beautiful arc. It isn’t over once he buries a three either. Watson was locking down ball handlers, not giving an inch of leeway. </p> <p>Auburn HS Senior Guard [player_tooltip player_id="674428" first="Tre" last="Blassingame"] - The thing that stood out the most in his game was his touch and finger control. Blassingame had multiple tip-ins that were poetry in motion. He’s got the ability to control the ball with just a flick. He’s long and springy but more importantly has excellent balance and body control. He’s intentional with his movement and is smooth as can be.</p> <p>Auburn HS Senior Guard [player_tooltip player_id="931155" first="Kaden" last="Hansen"] - Hansen is a lefty shooter that can knock them down in any weather. You have to do better than a hand in his face to throw him off. Defenders have to guard Hansen way out, as he proved when he splashed a three from at least five feet beyond the arc. When defenders creep up, Hansen blows by and has a quick trigger on the run as well, to get shots falling over taller players.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>