Hustle Region Finals Day 2: 16u Standouts
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On the second day of the Hustle Region Finals, there were a lot of breakout performances and lots of very impressive play from these players I was able to watch in action Henry Morrison (2024) | 6-8 F | –…
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Continue ReadingOn the second day of the Hustle Region Finals, there were a lot of breakout performances and lots of very impressive play from these players I was able to watch in action
Henry Morrison (2024) | 6-8 F | – | BTI 2024|
Morrison has some of the best touch around the rim I’ve seen from a big man on the circuit. He was lethal in pick-and-roll situations and showed his ability to pop out and hit open jumpers as well. When locked in and aggressive Morrison cleans the glass on both ends and is a great defender both on the ball and in help, his arsenal of post moves along with his size will lead him to success as his still young basketball career continues.
Khalon Johnson Khalon Johnson 6'4" | CG Eduprize Gilbert | 2024 State AZ (2024) | 6-4 G | – | New Mexico D1 2024 |
Johnson has that IT factor that is rare to see in players. Johnson was an elite three-level scorer all-day long for New Mexico D1 and came up big for his squad in the clutch moments where they needed him most. His size at the guard position allows him to not be heavily affected by shot contests and be a mismatch for a lot of defenders he faces. Johnson made tough shots look routine from threes off the dribble, to finishing through the help D for and-1 buckets. College coaches should have him on their radar
Jadon Pierce (2024) | 6-4 G | – | Desert Basketball Club 2024 |
Pierce impressed me with how smooth he looked with the ball in his hands. His mid-range pull-up is his bread and butter and was money all day long. Pierce also attacked the boards hard and created a lot of second chance opportunities for himself and his team. His athleticism was on display as well as he threw down a pair of baseline two-handed dunks, he has a good skill set along with size for his position to become a great player.
Ryan Dixon Ryan Dixon 6'5" | PF Valor Christian | 2024 State CO (2024) | 6-6 F | – | Team Revenge 2024 |
Dixon is one of the most physically gifted players on the circuit. His strength allows him to bully defenders on drop steps and his jumping ability leads him to throw down huge dunks and be an effective shot blocker. In Team Revenge’s double OT win over D1 New Mexico, he played with a ferocity that made it seem like he was getting every rebound and stopping any shot on the defensive end, if Dixon can consistently play like that he will find a place to play at the next level.
Owen Foster Owen Foster 6'0" | CG Fairview | 2024 State CO (2024) | 6-0 PG | – | Colorado Titans 2024 Gold |
Foster plays the point guard position with great confidence and did a great job of dictating the pace of the games he played in. Foster is a skilled shooter and hit tough threes and mid-range pull-ups with consistency but where Foster really shined today was his passing ability. He sees everything on the floor and would thread the needle with passes connecting with his teammates for multiple assists both in half-court sets and in transition. Foster willed the Titans to stay in the game during clutch moments in a close overtime loss to Hoop Society and looks to bounce back quickly on day 3.
Hunter Crain (2024) | 6-0 G/F | – | Hoop Society 2024 |
The first takeaway I had after watching Crain play was how badly he wants to win. Crain was diving on every loose ball and everywhere on defense pestering his matchup all game long. Crain has a knack for getting to the rim and finishing tough lay-ups but was adept at not forcing shots and would dish the ball out to set up good looks for his teammates as the defense collapses on him. Crain seem to find a second burst of energy as the game got down to its final moments to finally close the door in overtime and seal a win. Any coach would love to have a Hunter Crain on their team
Bradey Henige Bradey Henige 7'0" | C Cactus | 2024 State #192 Nation AZ (2024) | 6-11 C | – | D-1 Nation AZ 2024 |
Henige looked like a man amongst boys on the floor today. He dominated in the low post showing off good touch around the rim and throwing down dunks off dump down and outlet passes. Henige commands double teams when he gets the ball in the post but makes the correct passes out of the post to cutting teammates creating easy looks for them. On the defensive end, he makes getting into the paint a difficult task for opponents as he blocks shots and dominates the boards. He showed flashes of being able to hit from deep and handling the ball as well, if Henige can add that to his game consistently he will be a division one prospect.
Drew Pierce Drew Pierce 6'1" | SG Linfield Christian | 2024 CA-S (2024) | 6-1 G | – | IE Fire Elite 2024 |
I got to watch Pierce play during his last high school season and the jump he has made in skill since then is impressive. Pierce is a knockdown shooter and was money from three today, but he also displayed his ability as a shot creator. Pierce hit one-legged faders and crafty up-and-under shots routinely as well as finished through contact at the rim. He looks very comfortable with the ball in his hands and could make something out of nothing offensively when his team needed a bucket.