#PrepHoopsLiveATL Day One Top Shooters
#PrepHoopsLiveATL powered by @PUMA and @hibbettsports converged in Atlanta and brought some of the best teams from across the country to ’Hot-Lanta.’ Day one brought just as much heat inside as it was outside, as there were some players who…
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Continue Reading#PrepHoopsLiveATL powered by @PUMA and @hibbettsports converged in Atlanta and brought some of the best teams from across the country to ’Hot-Lanta.’ Day one brought just as much heat inside as it was outside, as there were some players who were bringing the heat from behind the arc with the trey ball. Let’s look at a few of the players that were making it rain from deep…
Team: Colorado Titans Gold ’23
Instagram: Slowmo.2
Twitter: @thealioudiallo
Aliou started the game, looking to get to the rack and create off the bounce for his teammates. He was balancing facilitating and scoring. He really pushed the tempo and kept defenders on their heels. He has a good set-up dribble, then hits his defender with a lethal crossover, and at that point, it is all over, as the defender is now at his mercy. He makes excellent decisions with the ball as he collapses the D with penetration into the paint. In the 2nd half, he stepped up offensively and came down and hit three treys in a row. Minnesota Select coach after the third three just stood there looking at his team as if he was asking if someone was going to guard this kid. Aliou was a little turnover-prone in this game, and it would have been interesting to see his assist-to-turnover ratio. Despite that, he is a tough PG that can light it up from behind the arc. Here is how he finished the contest:
21pts (4-3’s) in a 63-69 loss to Minnesota Select Mantey ’23.
Team: Detroit Bulldogs ’23
Instagram: cxreytr
Twitter: @ccharleston13
Corey is a ’24 kid getting action in the 17u division with his squad. He is listed as a CG, but he did the majority of his damage from behind the arc. His team got behind early, but Corey’s shooting kept the Bulldogs within striking distance. He was efficient in his c&s opportunities and was one of the main reasons that the Bulldogs were in the position to pull this game out late down the stretch. He has to learn how to play once he has been identified as the shooter. Big Time made adjustments, and Corey disappeared at times in the 2nd half. I encourage Corey to study film on Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and see how active they are without the ball, working to get open so they can get their shot off. Having another year under his belt and learning how to move without the ball will increase his stock. Here is how he finished the contest:
16pts (4-3’s) in a 77-66 victory over Big Time ’23.
Team: Big Time ’23
Instagram: _tybeck_
Twitter: @_TyBeck_
Ty is listed as a CG and showed his ability to play both the lead guard spot and off-ball. Early in the match-up against the Detroit Bulldogs, he found his stroke and got it going early, making 3-3’s in the first half. His ability to knock down the trey ball opened up the floor for Ty as he went from draining the long ball to being a playmaker off the bounce. He was in control of the pace of the game and brought a lot of energy to his squad with his style of play. One thing I enjoyed watching about Ty was the amount of positive touches he made with his teammates. He was constantly high-fiving, fist-bumping, giving pats on the backs, and encouraging his teammates whether on the court or on the bench. He even went over to the bench and gave his head coach a fist bump. This type of energy and leadership is contagious, and if you ever watch Big Time play, it won’t be hard knowing exactly which player is Ty. Here is how he finished the contest:
14pts (4-3’s) in a 66-77 loss to Detroit Bulldogs ’23.
Team: Full Package White ’23
Instagram: aschencker
Twitter: @AriSchencker
Ari was one of the best in simple c&s situations as all of his points came from behind the arc. During this game, he showed that he needs others to create his shot for him, and I say during this game because he may be a player that can create his own shot, but he did not show it as I watched his squad. Despite that, he is a player that occupies his defender and, because of his threat from deep, creates space so his teammates can work off the bounce. His ability to knock down the trey puts his defender in a challenging situation when he is forced to decide between helping off or staying on Ari, and when the choice is made to help off, Ari makes him pay. He will have to continue to work on creating his shot off the bounce as he is lethal from behind the arc, which will make teams adjust and often run him off the line or face guard him. Here is how he finished the contest:
12pts, all from behind the arc in a 68-57 win over Just Play Elite ’23
Team: Just Play Elite ’23
Instagram: _erik_v05
Twitter: @ErikVillarreal_
Erik opened up his toolbox and allowed all watching to see the vast amount of tools he has at his disposal. He is a multi-level scorer that just goes about his business producing on the offensive end of the court. There is nothing flashy about his game, as he scored in double-digits and did it in a variety of ways. It might just be his demeanor and approach, but Erik has the tools to be more assertive. He showed signs of what a more assertive Erick could like in the second half when his team needed scoring, and Erick stepped up, especially from behind the arc. Erick is not the most athletic, but he knows how to take advantage of poor on-ball defense and late defensive rotations. He has an excellent feel and understanding of the game and how to play. Here is how he finished the contest:
18pts (4-3’s) in a 57-68 loss to Full Package White ’23
Team: MN Crossfire ’23 (Barger)
Instagram: Kylekallenbach
Twitter: @KyleKallenbach
I am not sure if Kyle was a contestant in the three-point contest that was put on by Puma, one of the event’s sponsors, but if he did, it would be interesting to see how he fared. Let me just say that Kyle can absolutely score the rock. He has a dynamic all-around game and can get it done in numerous ways. Kyle makes you hold your breath every time he touches the ball, as you just do not know what offensive tool he is about to unleash at the moment as he tries to dominate every possession he has his hands on the ball. He functions as a triple-threat player and impacts the game by contributing as a shooter, passer, and driver. He is terrific off the bounce creating his own shot and creating for others. Standing at a mere 6’0, he was a handful to deal with as his offensive prowess was overwhelming. He got red hot from deep in the second half and scored 18pts in the half, all coming from behind the arc. Here is how he finished the contest:
28pts (8-3’s) in a 64-66 loss to Texas Takeover Elite Greg ’23.