APS Metro Tournament: Round 1 Standouts

<p>The APS Metro Tournament began Tuesday, January 4th. The event goes until Saturday, January 8th, and features 16 local teams seeded 1-16. The games will be played at 4 different schools, (Albuquerque high, Atrisco Heritage, Cibola, and Sanida High). The event is an excellent opportunity to lay eyes on several prospects. Round 1 provided no shortage of prospects and high-level performances. In this article, we take a look at some round 1 standouts. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1360185" first="Nick" last="Dial"] <em>6’4 PF Manzono 2023</em> - Dial is an intriguing prospect. He’s long and despite playing the 4, he displayed perimeter ball skills on several occasions. He was tough going to the rack, getting contact, drawing fouls, and heading to the free-throw line, where he capitalized, knocking down 6 attempts. Despite the loss, he was a bright spot, leading his squad in scoring with 15 points. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1176301" first="Latavious" last="Morris"] <em>5’8 PG Atrisco Heritage 2025 (#4PHNM 2025)</em> - I’ve probably seen more of Morris than any prospect in the state, simply because of his time on the Prep Hoops Next Circuit. He was even better today! The 5’8 jitterbug displayed his trademark wiggle, some good passing ability, and high-level shot-making. The freshman PG led all scorers finishing with 18. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1076691" first="Colby" last="Wade"] <em>6’4 PF Atrisco Heritage 2022  (#7PHNM 2022)</em> - Wade is going to be a load for any team to handle. While he finished the game in double figures, it was his defensive ability that impressed me. He has an explosive first jump and good timing which led to a few demoralizing blocks. He was the anchor for AH as they advanced to the 2nd round. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1076706" first="Ely" last="Lovato"] <em>6’1 CG Sandia 2023 (#5PHNM 2023)</em> - I can’t put my finger on it, but Lovato’s game reminds me of an ex-college player. He has a herky-jerky trait, that may not be pretty, but is extremely effective. He was terrific on Tuesday, getting to the rim, creating for himself and creating for others. Although they came up short, the 6’1 combo finished with 15. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1360191" first="Andrew" last="Hill"] <em>6’0 CG Sandia 2023</em> - Every time I looked up, this kid was getting to his left hand and finishing. Then I realized much like his teammate Lovato, it wasn’t necessarily pretty, but no one seemed to be able to stop it. Hill was able to create for himself, seemingly at every opportunity en route to finishing with 18 to lead all scorers. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1076701" first="Judah" last="Casaus"] <em>6’0 CG Del Norte 2023</em> - I was excited to see Casaus play, and he didn’t disappoint. The Combo showed off a terrific wiggle, complete with the ability to shake, and freeze defenders. It literally looked like he had defenders at a standstill, as he buckled their knees before burying an open 3. Behind his clutch shot-making, Del Norte advanced to the 2nd round. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1226150" first="Josh" last="Tellez"] <em>5’8 PG Del Norte 2022 (#55PHNM 2022) (featured image)</em> - Tellez played Robin to Casaus Batman. The senior sniper seemed to knock down any big shot that Casaus didn’t. He displayed a quick release and was money coming off high screen action. He finished with 11 to help the Knights escape with a win. </p> <p>Follow </p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/7outzbballclub1"><em>On Twitter</em></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/bruceprephoops/"><em>On IG</em></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PrepHoopsNV"><em>Like Us On FB</em></a></p>