Standout Players from 17U Friday Night at Space City Collision
Check out my scouting reports and analysis on some of the top prospects in attendance at the PrepHoops Space City Collision. These guys were dominating the competition from the moment the ball was tipped off. TJ Ford Jr 2023 5’10 Ridge…
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Continue ReadingCheck out my scouting reports and analysis on some of the top prospects in attendance at the PrepHoops Space City Collision. These guys were dominating the competition from the moment the ball was tipped off.
TJ Ford Jr 2023 5’10 Ridge Point High School, TX (TJ Ford Basketball 2023)
TJ was dominant for every second he was on the floor, showing off his blazing end to end speed and the natural ability he has to finish in the lane. It does not matter what kind of defense is being thrown at him, he always gets by his first defender and forces the defense to react once he gets into the second level of the court. He has explosive leaping ability which allows him to hang in the air and finish around defender’s outstretched arms. He has the ability to contort his body to get away from contact while also adjusting his shot angle to avoid defenders. He made every finish in the book look routine with the ease in which he scores the basketball. He threw down one of the best dunks I have seen in some time from the point guard position (See Below). He is a creative scorer off the bounce who knows just the right time to get his shot off as soon as he shifts them in the slightest. He has the ability to pass his teammates open and always seems to have his head up to make the right read. Time after time he found streaking teammates on the break and put pin point passes over the top of his opponents. Each pass he makes has the right amount of juice or touch depending on the situation. On the defensive side of the ball, it is clear he has lived on the court with the way he baits opponents into lazy passes that allow him to go coast to coast. He is an elite player playing the passing lanes and came up with numerous steals.
Easily the best play of Friday night at the #PHSpaceCityCollision 🔥🔥🔥 @PHCircuit @PrepHoopsTX https://t.co/AuwVh55pvM
— Andrew Phipps (@APhippsNBA) May 14, 2022
Robert Miller Robert Miller 6'11" | C Pasadena Memorial | 2024 State #64 Nation TX 2024 6’9 Pasadena Memorial High School, TX (TJ Ford Basketball 2023)
Robert is a high level prospect with the ease in which he dominates his opponents in the paint, but also the agility he displays and the natural touch he has from range. He is an effortless scorer off the bounce, who uses his size and athleticism to get wherever he wants to on the court, and simply rise above his opponent. He showed an ability to truly score off the bounce from all three levels, and is dominant in the post; both fading away and also backing his defender underneath the basket. He is an athletic freak with the agility, natural bounce and the way he moves laterally. I was blown away with how easy he made everything look on both ends of the court. On the defensive side of the ball, he is an elite rim protector who knows when to slide over as a help defender and reject shots in the paint, chase down his opponents on the fast break and even contest jumpers on the perimeter. He has all the tools to be an incredibly effective prospect who looks like he can be molded into any kind of basketball player imaginable with his size.
Jaxson Vandegarde 2024 6’1 Johnson (Buda) High School, TX (ATX Force 2023)
Jaxson is a high level scorer off the bounce who does so effortlessly from all three levels of the court. He is a relentless attacker of the rim, who really stood out in his ability to not only finish through contact but also stop on a dime and score in the midrange. He lived at the free throw line with his constant aggression and the ease in which he was able to get two feet into the paint. He took what the defense gave him every-time down the court, and had a masterful performance on the offensive end of the court. He controls the game like a true point guard who can facilitate an offense and also pass his teammates open in the full court. I was very impressed with his ability to do whatever his team needed to be successful. Vandegarde is one prospect you need to start keeping tabs on with the ease in which he scored off the bounce.
Trevis Black 2024 6’4 Foster High School, TX (CyFair Elite HTX 2023)
Trevis is an athletic wing who has the ability to quickly change directions and keep his opponents off balance with his handle. He is a very impressive player in the full court where he routinely got around his opponent with not only his handle but his creative spin moves and euro steps to evade a second defender. I was very impressed with the agility he displayed in the full court and the ease in which he got to the basket. He showed an ability to catch and shoot from the corners and the wings with ease. He has a natural ability to score by simply rising up above his opponent. I would like to see him work on his consistency in the paint and his awareness getting around his opponent down low. He could be a bit more patient with his back to the basket, he can score over most opponents with ease but can work on converting more in the post.