Bash in the Desert: Friday Night 17U Standouts

The Circuit came back to Arizona at the Phhacility in Phoenix/AZ for the Bash in the Desert. The 17U division kicked things off this weekend only for the first night and I viewed 10 teams.   Here were some top standouts from the 17U Division on Friday night: [player_tooltip player_id="1284455" first="Aliou" last="Diallo"] Colorado Prep/CO (Colorado Titans 2023 Gold) A pure PG is a shifty ball handler who is a little undersized but quick and tough. He can drive and kick and gets the ball out of his hands quickly. He has quick hands and feet to collect steals. He is very tough and grabs rebounds in traffic despite his size. He advance passes well and is the backbone of their team. [player_tooltip player_id="921096" first="Alan" last="Acevedo"] Colorado Prep/CO (Colorado Titans 2023 Gold) A unique payer can post his man up and hesis to the basket to get passed his defenders. He scores it easily through contact. He takes longer strides to get to the rim easier and has a big wingspan to grab rebounds. His toughness shines through. The Diallo/Acevedo duo was a joy to watch. [player_tooltip player_id="1325652" first="Theron" last="Coleman"] Air Academy/CO (Colorado Titans 2023 Gold) An athletic wing flies on the break. He gets to the basket with a burst and speed with the ball. He seems to float in the air when he finishes and he rises up quickly. He defends well with his next level lateral quickness. [player_tooltip player_id="1275428" first="Zander" last="Kamai"] Paradise Honors (AZ Firestorm 2023-1) A natural catch and shoot 3pt shooter has more in his bag. He can give a shot fake and go to the basket or a hard jab step. He can finish more consistently in the paint but he will drive and kick to shooters and he goes through stretches where he takes over games. Look for him to have a big senior season. [player_tooltip player_id="993647" first="AJ" last="Turner"] Hamilton (AZ Firestorm 2023-1) A scoring combo guard is quick on the ball defensively. He can catch and shoot from the three point line and he can get hot in a blink of an eye. He can make acrobatic shots in the lane and throws some nice passes when he isn’t trying to score. [player_tooltip player_id="1375692" first="Andrew" last="Hoxie"] Maricopa (AZ Firestorm 2023-1) A little known, long and athletic forward has upside. He is somewhat raw, but he will help as a shot blocker and rebounds well in his area. He can hit from mid-range and will play above the rim on the break. This should be his breakout year at Copa. [player_tooltip player_id="1297427" first="AJ" last="Thomas"] Eduprize (AZ Select 2024 UAA) A pure PG had a great night. He throws up the court passes with either hand and works well off the pick and roll game and goes to work. He has quick hands to collect steals and he can euro his way to the basket. He makes his FT shots and can hit from the perimeter. He will takes charges and rebounds at a good clip for a guard. [player_tooltip player_id="1152187" first="Luke" last="Shaw"] Valley Christian (AZ Select 2024 UAA) A scoring combo guard can drive and kick to an open shooter. He played more point guard duties this night with a couple injuries on the team and he shined in his role. He is quicker then you realize to get passed his defenders and turn the corner to the hoop. He is still the top shooter on his team but is slowly developing his PG skills. [player_tooltip player_id="1176301" first="Latavious" last="Morris"] Atrisco Heritage/NM (Rebels Elite NM 2023) (Pictured) A diminutive point guard is one of the faster players you will see. His on-ball defense is top notch as he moves his feet quickly. He moves the ball to open teammates and he can blur by his defenders with his jets. He has a nice pull-up from mid to the 3pt line and he looks to make noise next year in New Mexico. [player_tooltip player_id="827003" first="Micah" last="Pierce"] Phhoenix Prep (AZ Select Unsigned) One of the better unsigned forwards showed off his talents Friday night. He rebounds out of his area and scored it efficiently around the basket. He jumps high to rebound and block shots. He even stepped out and hit a couple catch-3’s showing his growth as a shooter. [player_tooltip player_id="1444225" first="Isaiah" last="Velez"] Desert Vista (AZ Select 2023 Tom) A tough and fast scoring point guard. He is undersized but he is a DOG on defense. He has a huge motor and keeps his man in front of him. He has a burst of speed to get downhill and he will score through contact. [player_tooltip player_id="1225557" first="Triston" last="Walters"] Higley (Young Gifted Elite 2023) A thick and strong scoring lead guard plays with good timing to make plays. He has wider shoulders he uses to his advantage getting downhill. He bursts by his defenders with his speed and shifty handle and throws the dime. He has advanced court vision and sees it happen quickly. He rises high on his jumpers off the dribble to not get his shot blocked. [player_tooltip player_id="973567" first="Daylyn" last="Martin"] Desert Vista (AZ Select 2023 Tom) A gifted scoring lead guard who is fast and shifty with the ball in his hands. He can hit threes off the catch or pull and thread the needle to a teammate. He can slow down a little at times but has the obvious talent to score and/or facilitate.