Casteel at Higley: Varsity standouts

On Tuesday, January 18th I attended the 5A contest between Casteel and Higley at Higley HS in Gilbert, AZ. 

I watched all three games with Freshman, Junior Varsity and Varsity. 

A lot of new players were discovered and I wrote about some of the players who stood out.  

Here were the standouts from the Varsity game: 

Yarell Greer Yarell Greer 5'10" | PG Higley | 2023 State AZ Higley 

A true two-way ball hawk showed off his speed and quickness in this game with 23 points and around 8 steals. He seemed to be a step or two faster then anyone on the court and he anticipates passes about as well as you could. He uses his speed and tight handle to get into the lane and has his polished floater to rely on. He consistently makes tough shots in traffic despite his lack of size. His pull-up from mid-range off the dribble is his best college future weapon right now and he can extend it to the 3. He sees the court well and he causes so much havoc on both ends of the court. He also is a better passer then I realized and gets the ball off his hands quickly to teammates. 

Deveraux Roberts Deveraux Roberts 6'0" | SG Higley | 2022 State AZ Higley

A pure shooter off the catch lightened the load for Greer with 21 important points. Every time Casteel seemed to make a run, Roberts would hit one of his four 3’s off the catch. He also has a nice floater game and makes FT’s in pressure moments. He smartly moves without the ball and plays the game with a high IQ. The shooter came up big. 

Kameron Bender Kameron Bender 6'1" | CG Higley | 2022 State AZ Higley

An athletic defensive guard compliments Greer and Roberts. He is a natural slasher and gets to the FT line plus defends many positions. He rebounds out of area and collects steals. He can drive to the lane and create his own contact. 

Carson Ledbetter Carson Ledbetter 6'6" | PF Casteel | 2022 State AZ Casteel

Lebetter didn’t crush it this game but you saw his skill and rebounding ability. He has a nice drop step move and rebounds well in his area. He smartly boxes out his opponents and corrals the ball at a good clip.  He can score it in paint and when he is rolling the Colts are hard to defend. 

Preston Grako Preston Grako 5'11" | CG Casteel | 2022 State AZ Casteel

The most consistent shooter on the team is money from the 3pt line. He is best off the catch and he releases the ball quickly. He can be aggressive and rebound and score on put backs and is a smart player.  

Caden Zurek Caden Zurek 6'7" | PF Casteel | 2023 State AZ Casteel

A long and skinny power forward is a true rebound chaser. He had close to 7 rebounds off the bench and he keeps the ball high. He scores on put backs and makes his FT’s. He can score it with either hand and brings a huge motor. He does need a stronger base but shows upside.

Nate Ko Nate Ko 6'1" | SG Casteel | 2023 State AZ Casteel

A combo guard who has grown a little since last year. He can hesi and go by his defenders or give a ball fake and get to the cup. He is rebounding better as he is aging and he is a consistent FT shooter. 

Jeremiah Newcombe Jeremiah Newcombe 5'9" | PG Casteel | 2024 AZ Casteel

One of the top DB’s in the soph class also happens to be a pretty good hooper. He has elite quickness laterally with his football background to go along with his upper body strength and he has a real burst. He has good body control with his layups in traffic. He will take charges showing his toughness and IQ.  

Aidan Schmidt Aidan Schmidt 6'2" | SF Casteel | 2024 State AZ Casteel

A sturdy framed wing shooter moves without the ball and plays hard. He has a consistent catch-3 with a quicker release and he will grab rebounds in traffic with his stronger frame and aggressiveness.