Rumble in the Rapids: Saturday’s 17U Standouts

<p>On Saturday, many of the top prospects in the Midwest gathered in Grand Rapids at MSA Fieldhouse to compete in Rumble in the Rapids on the PrepHoops Circuit. </p> <p>Check out which players stood out with their opening-day performances.</p> <p><strong>Bode Anspach - WM Lakers 2023 (MI)</strong></p> <p>Anspach stood out from the second his game against GPP (IN) tipped off. Looked like a pass-first point guard throughout the first half, but hit a deep, gutsy three pointer as time expired into the half, showing he can shoot it confidently. In the second frame, Anspach hit three more threes, lighting up the scorebook. He was calling out plays and advice from the bench all game and was like a coach on the floor when he was in. No matter what pressure was being thrown at him, he always got past his defender, over half court, and distributed the ball from there. Top-of-the-line all-around point man.</p> <p><strong>Dwayne Ray - 2023 - Great Lakes Warriorz (MI)</strong></p> <p>Ray is a bulldog on defense from the point, pickpocketing his opponent numerous times and throwing his body right into the opposition while face-guarding. On offense, the quick guard hit three threes on the outside, and also showed off strong driving ability. Used plenty of head fakes to draw the defense in different directions and open up driving lanes. Fed his bigs inside with quick, smart passes.</p> <p><strong>Julian Mitchell - 2023 - R4L (OH)</strong></p> <p>Mitchell is a long guard/wing who showed out against CTM in a battle of great guards against [player_tooltip player_id="986247" first="Amari" last="Allen"] (MI). Mitchell pulled up from three-point range off the dribble and off the catch as well, hitting multiple shots from beyond the arch. His wiry, 6-foot-5 frame gives him a large advantage when elevating for his shots. He has a very sharp handle for his length and size. Smooth finisher out in transition and gets to the rack no matter who is in front of him. </p> <p><strong>Joshua Dillon - 2023 - Spartan Sports (IL)</strong></p> <p>Dillon exploded for 17 points in the first half for Spartan Sports in its win over AAA Academy on Saturday. Shorter guard plays much bigger than his height, driving into the thick of the defense and finishing with floaters, double-clutch lay-ups, and more. Stepped out and hit three shots from three-point range with a smooth release. Confident as anyone.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1460805" first="George" last="Stewart"] - 2023 - CTM Basketball (MI)</strong></p> <p>Stewart led a fearless effort by CTM Miller, who only played with four players, in the opening game of the weekend. The quiet guard has great court vision and a wicked crossover. Great hands on defense and pushes the tempo whenever he gets the chance. Solid scorer in the mid-range, hitting floaters on the run as well as numerous step-back jumpers. Puts his head down, listens, and leads by example. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1300926" first="Terrance" last="Curry II"] - 2023 - Great Lakes Warriorz (MI)</strong></p> <p>Very athletic, long stretch-four who has not even come close to reaching his potential. Curry is a late-bloomer in the class and cleaned up the glass all day long on Saturday. Soft touch on the inside. Boxed out inside, and had at least three instances in which he sprang up to the rim for an offensive rebound or two and quickly bounced back up for the put-back layup.</p> <p><strong>Jordon McDonald - 2023 - Hardwood Midwest (MI)</strong></p> <p>6-foot-4 wing who flew through the lane and finished smoothly and creatively at the rim. Crashed the offensive boards and used his strong base and length to haul in rebounds easily. Downhill driver in transition that always keeps his head up.</p>