PrepHoops 3A UIL State Championship Third Team
Check out my scouting reports on the players voted to the PrepHoops 3A State Championship Second Team. Dallas Madison beat San Antonio Cole in the 3A Championship game with a final score of 53-51. Dallas Madison knocked off Wichita Falls City…
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Continue ReadingCheck out my scouting reports on the players voted to the PrepHoops 3A State Championship Second Team. Dallas Madison beat San Antonio Cole in the 3A Championship game with a final score of 53-51. Dallas Madison knocked off Wichita Falls City View 69-62 in the Semi-Finals. San Antonio Cole beat Hitchcock in the Semi-Finals with a final score of 53-49.
Damien McDaniel 2024 6’1 Hitchcock High School
Damien is an ideal scoring option yet unselfish point guard who showed an ability to create looks for himself at any level of the floor. He got to his shot off the dribble with ease and has a reliable step back jumper in his bag which he can get to beyond the arc. He is not just a high level shooting distributor however, he gets to the rim with ease and can finish at the rim over anyone. His ability to turn the corner allows him to find open teammates through the pressure he consistently puts on the defense at all three levels. He understands the spacing of the floor and can operate calmly without the basketball and manipulate his defense with his constant motion and ability to tightly run off screens. His ability to control the tempo of the game and create countless looks for his team, as well as do it all on the defensive end of the floor was incredibly impressive.
On the defensive end of the floor, he has active hands that have a knack of guessing where his opponent is about to go. He is great at playing in the passing lanes but really makes his knack as a harassing on ball defender. He fights through screens with ease and has no problem chasing and harassing his matchup all around the floor. His ability to come up with steals allows his team to run and finish in the full court, which he is great at pushing the tempo and making the right read.
Kenny Atunrase 2024 6’4 San Antonio Cole High School
Kenny is an active player on the glass which allows him to thrive in the small ball center role. He is an aggressive finisher in the paint and got to the line a plethora of times with his ability to put his head down and get his shot off in the paint. He is great at crashing the glass and being a reliable option in the dump off spot underneath the rim. His relentlessness on the floor allows him to wreak havoc on both ends of the floor and has all the tools to develop into a high level prospect at the next level.
On the defensive end of the floor, he actively moves his feet to seal off defenders and force them out of position. He is great at using the baseline and sideline as a second defender and uses his frame to force his opponents into the spots he wants them to be. At times he can get lost in pick and role coverage, but I am intrigued to watch him develop as the game begins to slow down for him with more experience on the court. Atunrase plays well off of their lead senior guard, but I am intrigued to watch him over the next two years as he becomes to operate more with the basketball and control the tempo and flow of the game. He has all the tools to become a ball dominant wing who can do it all and has two high level shooters to be ready to receive any pass in James Livingston and Pierre Harris (2024).
Leonard Miles IV 2022 6’6 Dallas Madison High School
Leonard is a reliable finisher in the lane who has an array of high level post moves, his lanky frame allows him to dominate matchups in the paint. He has a good touch on his shot in the paint and displayed a reliable floater when turning the corner with a live dribble. His ability to seal off his opponent after turning the corner allowed him to quickly get his shot off. He has a lightning quick spin move that he loves to get to, as it froze defenders in the semi finals and the championship game and really kept the defense on its heals by his ability to finish in the paint. On the defensive end of the floor he is a great second defender and lurks to make plays when his opponent does not have the ball. It was fun watching him slinky around on the defensive end to take away passing opportunities to his matchup while also actively trapping a defender or coming over as a rim protecting help defender.
Kendrick Gibson Jr 2023 6’3 Wichita Falls City View High School
Kendrick is an efficient finisher in the paint who plays the undersized forward role very well for his team. He is aggressive with his back to the basket, but really makes his mark by always being open as his teammates drive to the rim. Either he is allowing his opponent to fly by him and allowing a simple dump off pass or sealing off his defender from having a shot of affecting his shot in the paint. His consistency in the dunkers spot and willingness to make the extra pass to set up his teammates on the backside makes him a valuable offensive weapon. He is an explosive finisher when given space to take off and has the ability to throw down over anyone who dares to meet him at the rim. He is not afraid of contact and showed an ability to not only fight through it but also seek it out. On the defensive side of the court he has a real nose for the basketball, whether he is collecting rebounds or poking the ball free or rejecting shots at the rim. I was really impressed with the amount of times he was able to strip the ball from his opponent as he was going up to take a shot at the rim. I am not sure whether they gave him blocks or steals with the amount of times he did it, but he sure filled the stat sheet on the defensive end of the floor.
Pierre Harris 2024 5’9 San Antonio Cole High School
Pierre is another consistent shooter from Cole who has all the tools to become a deadly floor spacing option at the next level. He is a valuable shooter who can get his shot over anyone with a glimmer of space. He came off the bench and provided a scoring boost when their team needs it the most. He operates well out of the corners and wings and moves without the basketball to create an opportunity to knock down an open shot. Harris plays well off of their lead senior guard, but I am intrigued to watch him over the next two years as he becomes to operate more with the basketball and control the tempo and flow of the game but should bode well for his ability to play off of James Livingston (2024).