Battle of the Border: Saturday Night Stars

Some takeaways from the Border I was only able to catch a handful of games Saturday, and saw some players who are what I thought they were, but maybe even a little bit better. I have written about some before, but I think I should again, adding a little more to the strengths that I might have not done justice last time. Here is the Familiar, followed by a few that I hadn’t seen before. [player_tooltip player_id="1270613" first="Cavin" last="Holden"] - 2023 - G-R. A. Long He did drop 58 in a game on Saturday, so I do believe that I sold him short, by not calling him the best 2A player in the state. I did not see that game, he only had 29 in the game I watched. This is a kid who does all those things true hoops fans envision while watching players play. It doesn’t matter how good you are, if you love hoops and know the game, you are seeing it before they do it when you watch great players, almost like it’s supposed to be that easy. Well, it’s definitely not that easy but here is a player that consistently does what you imagine would be the best possible approach to every situation of a basketball game. That is fun to watch, he is such a smooth player, who gets what he wants, when he wants it virtually every single time he has the ball. He’s a better shooter than I previously gave him credit for, and I think I gave him almost as much as I could. He makes everything look so easy, and like I said, he does what all you true fans want him, or expect him to do right after it goes through your head, he seemingly takes that signal and reacts. Perfectly, just as you would have it, and do it. Problem is, not many people could or can do what he can do and do it that well. I don’t believe He’s great at - shooting, ball handling, creating his shot, shooting off the dribble, and finishing with crafty but controlled drives, finding open teammates. He’s a winner! I suspect he’ll average 30 plus points a game next year if he wants to. That will depend on what he needs to do to win. [player_tooltip player_id="1450497" first="Braydon" last="Olson"] - 2024-G-MarkMorris Here’s what he did better than I thought or maybe gave him credit for, and I gave him a lot. Ball handler. He’s a good one, and better than I had known, even though I had seen him play before. He is excellent at getting himself into his mid range game, and has a beautiful pull up jumper. And I have a real soft spot for those, and when done correctly, believe them to be one of the biggest weapons a high school player can have. His is one of the best. Great shooter, already knew that, and he did nothing to make me feel differently, except maybe even better than I had remembered. Probably is, it is the time of the year when good players become great players. He doesn’t waste much time dribbling without some sort of purpose, normally he is setting up that mid range game, that is phenomenal. I called him a bucket getter before, and that was as accurate as it could be. He makes tough shots. And he does so often. [player_tooltip player_id="1270714" first="Kobe" last="Parlin"] - 2023-G-Mark Morris I had mentioned before that he has gotten quicker each year, but I should have said he’s gotten extremely more quick, with his own mid range game, and drives to the bucket. He’s as crafty as they come and loves to spin his way through the defense for a smooth finishes. Never out of control. His pull up jumper is amazingly good going either direction. Which is rare, usually players strongly prefer one way or the other. Doesn’t seem to matter to him. He’s also a great shooter and bucket getter. Whoever is guarding these two next year, I don’t have any advice for you. Try hard, I guess but that might still result in either one dropping 30 anyway. Maybe get Jim Boeheim to coach you for a game. That way, you can zone up and not take it personally. Demaree Collins - 2024-6’1-G-Skyview Had not seen this kid play before. And he needs to be mentioned in the class of 2024.The first thing that stands out is that he is extremely athletic and quick. He’s a lefty, who is great and crossing the defender over, and gets to the bucket extremely well. He might not be the shooter that the previous players listed here are, but he’s probably a better athlete than any. He can get up and throw down with ease. I also saw him wipe a couple shots clean from the backboard. His quickness, combined with crafty moves, allow him the luxury of not having to settle for a jumper if he doesn’t want to, he’s usually gonna get a trip to the free throw line, or a layup. He is capable of pull up, but he’d rather keep going downhill until he gets to the rack. He should cause some serious problems for anyone planning on staying in front of him next season. This all helps make up for him not being quite the lights out shooter as the others here. But how many are? Malakai Weimer - 2026-6’2-Skyview You did read that correctly, this kid just got done or will be getting done with the 8th grade. He has a good size frame for such a young kid and his game is well rounded. In the game I watched, he was either the leading scorer for his team, or close to it. He was able knock down 3s with a soft touch as well as mid range shots, and he finished. Whether on the break or just in the paint, he was the right guy at the right time often. He rebounds well, he is athletic, and looks like he is perfectly capable of taking on a large portion of his teams scoring next season. As a freshman. In speaking with someone familiar with his routine, I have zero problem putting his name here, and I know that he is going to work hard to make himself better, even though he is probably better than most any freshman to be in the State. Or as good. Payton Thill - G-2025-R.A. Long One of a couple of guys who will need to be able to knock down open looks next year as Holden will draw half the town to him when he gets it. He did just that. He knocked down 2 or 3 in a row from deep on kicks, and also a nice floater on the baseline. All in rapid succession. As good as Holden is, he will need help and this kid got him some with a few buckets in succession. Good 3 point shooter, could become great. [player_tooltip player_id="1463082" first="Lonnie" last="Brown Jr"]. - 2024-G Had a decent game when I watched but was better in earlier game Saturday when he scored 24 points. He’ll get some open looks with all the attention Holden will get and he’s capable of knocking them down. These two should be getting up 500 shots a day. He’s also capable of getting buckets off the dribble, and not just a spot up shooter. RA Long is young in the backcourt other than Holden, and it remains to be seen how much time they will put into getting better. From what I have seen this one is all in. That’s what it takes. Minimum.

Some takeaways from the Border

I was only able to catch a handful of games Saturday, and saw some players who are what I thought they were, but maybe even a little bit better. I have written about some before, but I think I should again, adding a little more to the strengths that I might have not done justice last time. Here is the Familiar, followed by a few that I hadn’t seen before.

Cavin Holden Cavin Holden 6'1" | CG RA Long | 2023 State WA - 2023 - G-R. A. Long
He did drop 58 in a game on Saturday, so I do believe that I sold him short, by not calling him the best 2A player in the state. I did not see that game, he only had 29 in the game I watched. This is a kid who does all those things true hoops fans envision while watching players play. It doesn’t matter how good you are, if you love hoops and know the game, you are seeing it before they do it when you watch great players, almost like it’s supposed to be that easy. Well, it’s definitely not that easy but here is a player that consistently does what you imagine would be the best possible approach to every situation of a basketball game. That is fun to watch, he is such a smooth player, who gets what he wants, when he wants it virtually every single time he has the ball. He’s a better shooter than I previously gave him credit for, and I think I gave him almost as much as I could. He makes everything look so easy, and like I said, he does what all you true fans want him, or expect him to do right after it goes through your head, he seemingly takes that signal and reacts. Perfectly, just as you would have it, and do it. Problem is, not many people could or can do what he can do and do it that well. I don’t believe He’s great at - shooting, ball handling, creating his shot, shooting off the dribble, and finishing with crafty but controlled drives, finding open teammates. He’s a winner! I suspect he’ll average 30 plus points a game next year if he wants to. That will depend on what he needs to do to win.

Braydon Olson Braydon Olson 6'2" | CG Mark Morris | 2024 State WA - 2024-G-MarkMorris

Here’s what he did better than I thought or maybe gave him credit for, and I gave him a lot. Ball handler. He’s a good one, and better than I had known, even though I had seen him play before. He is excellent at getting himself into his mid range game, and has a beautiful pull up jumper. And I have a real soft spot for those, and when done correctly, believe them to be one of the biggest weapons a high school player can have. His is one of the best. Great shooter, already knew that, and he did nothing to make me feel differently, except maybe even better than I had remembered. Probably is, it is the time of the year when good players become great players. He doesn’t waste much time dribbling without some sort of purpose, normally he is setting up that mid range game, that is phenomenal. I called him a bucket getter before, and that was as accurate as it could be. He makes tough shots. And he does so often.

Kobe Parlin Kobe Parlin 6'1" | CG Mark Morris | 2023 State WA - 2023-G-Mark Morris
I had mentioned before that he has gotten quicker each year, but I should have said he’s gotten extremely more quick, with his own mid range game, and drives to the bucket. He’s as crafty as they come and loves to spin his way through the defense for a smooth finishes. Never out of control. His pull up jumper is amazingly good going either direction. Which is rare, usually players strongly prefer one way or the other. Doesn’t seem to matter to him. He’s also a great shooter and bucket getter. Whoever is guarding these two next year, I don’t have any advice for you. Try hard, I guess but that might still result in either one dropping 30 anyway. Maybe get Jim Boeheim to coach you for a game. That way, you can zone up and not take it personally.

Demaree Collins - 2024-6’1-G-Skyview
Had not seen this kid play before. And he needs to be mentioned in the class of 2024.The first thing that stands out is that he is extremely athletic and quick. He’s a lefty, who is great and crossing the defender over, and gets to the bucket extremely well. He might not be the shooter that the previous players listed here are, but he’s probably a better athlete than any. He can get up and throw down with ease. I also saw him wipe a couple shots clean from the backboard. His quickness, combined with crafty moves, allow him the luxury of not having to settle for a jumper if he doesn’t want to, he’s usually gonna get a trip to the free throw line, or a layup. He is capable of pull up, but he’d rather keep going downhill until he gets to the rack. He should cause some serious problems for anyone planning on staying in front of him next season. This all helps make up for him not being quite the lights out shooter as the others here. But how many are?

Malakai Weimer - 2026-6’2-Skyview
You did read that correctly, this kid just got done or will be getting done with the 8th grade. He has a good size frame for such a young kid and his game is well rounded. In the game I watched, he was either the leading scorer for his team, or close to it. He was able knock down 3s with a soft touch as well as mid range shots, and he finished. Whether on the break or just in the paint, he was the right guy at the right time often. He rebounds well, he is athletic, and looks like he is perfectly capable of taking on a large portion of his teams scoring next season. As a freshman. In speaking with someone familiar with his routine, I have zero problem putting his name here, and I know that he is going to work hard to make himself better, even though he is probably better than most any freshman to be in the State. Or as good.

Payton Thill - G-2025-R.A. Long
One of a couple of guys who will need to be able to knock down open looks next year as Holden will draw half the town to him when he gets it. He did just that. He knocked down 2 or 3 in a row from deep on kicks, and also a nice floater on the baseline. All in rapid succession. As good as Holden is, he will need help and this kid got him some with a few buckets in succession. Good 3 point shooter, could become great.

Lonnie Brown Jr Lonnie Brown Jr 6'1" | SG RA Long | 2024 State WA . - 2024-G Had a decent game when I watched but was better in earlier game Saturday when he scored 24 points. He’ll get some open looks with all the attention Holden will get and he’s capable of knocking them down. These two should be getting up 500 shots a day. He’s also capable of getting buckets off the dribble, and not just a spot up shooter. RA Long is young in the backcourt other than Holden, and it remains to be seen how much time they will put into getting better. From what I have seen this one is all in. That’s what it takes. Minimum.