Prep Hoops Top 250 Expo: Top Performers

This past weekend, over 150 high prospects made their way to Grand Rapids for the annual Prep Hoops Top 250 Expo. I watched six games throughout the day and saw impressive performances from new faces and well-established guys in their respective classes. Here are my picks for top performances from the event.   [player_tooltip player_id='1143391' first='Merritt' last='Alderink'], 6'7 F, Zeeland West 24"   In my opinion, Merritt was the most complete prospect at the expo on Saturday. He has the size, athleticism, skill set, and motor which make him a Division 1 level athlete. In one of his games, Merritt was getting anything and everything he wanted in the midrange and there wasn't much the defender could do to stop it. Merritt has a smooth stroke and showed consistently touch on his jumpers from 15 feet. Merritt also flashed some bounce with a couple of baseline drives that ended with emphatic dunks. Defensively, Merritt did a great job of erasing several point-blank looks by coming across the lane from the help side and blocking the shot off the glass. Merritt covers ground quickly and does a good job of defending without fouling. As of now, Merritt has a handful of Division 1 offers from local mid-majors. I would bet on his stock to continue to rise and for his list of suitors to continue to grow as he enters his junior season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1356986' first='Cameron' last='Regnerus'], 6'7 F, Grandville 24"   Cameron was one of the prospects high on my list going into the weekend, and his performance at the Expo further cemented my belief that he's one of the best in the state for the 24 class. Cameron has the length, quickness, and motor to be one of the premier defenders in the state. Even on shots that he doesn't get a hand on, his close-out and contest does more than enough to alter the shot and lower the quality of the look. Offensively, Cameron used his physicality to knife through the lane for high percentage looks. His footwork was clean both in transition and with his back to the basket. Cameron looks more physically imposing than he did a year ago, as does his overall aggressiveness on offense. I'm fully expecting Cameron to carry this momentum into a big year for the Bulldogs.   [player_tooltip player_id='1587820' first='Dante' last='Favor'], 6'7 F, Canton 23"   One of the best things about the Prep Hoops Expo is I got a chance to see a lot of kids that I normally wouldn't see during the season. One new name that stood out to me was Canton's [player_tooltip player_id='1587820' first='Dante' last='Favor']. Dante was one of the more vocal players on Saturday, especially on the defensive end. Dante did a great job of communicating and essentially leading his team in rotations and calling out screens. Those small plays add up in the grand scheme of things. Dante's motor was reflective of that as well, as he got after it on the boards and got out in transition with consistency. Dante's active hands on defense and 6'7 frame allowed him to control the paint and make ball handlers think twice about driving the lane while he was present.   [player_tooltip player_id='1212750' first='Jashaun' last='Boggerty'], 6'2 G, Battle Creek Lakeview 23"   The best overall performance from a guard at the camp belonged, in my opinion, to Battle Creek Lakeview's [player_tooltip player_id='1212750' first='Jashaun' last='Boggerty']. Jashaun displayed the most well-rounded offensive game, scoring from his dribble-drive, mid-range, and from the perimeter. There wasn't a defender that could stay in front of Jashaun all day, and Jashaun did a good job of taking what the defense gave him and not forcing things. Jashaun showed off an effective crossover on multiple possessions, and an ability to convert off-balance looks in the paint. Jashaun also seemed to elevate his level of play when challenged, which is a great sign for a guard entering his senior season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1300877' first='Jayden' last='Brock'], 6'4 G, Byron Center 24"   The most willing competitor I saw on Saturday was Byron Center's [player_tooltip player_id='1300877' first='Jayden' last='Brock']. He brought a level of intensity that stood out amongst the 150+ prospects at the Expo, and rose to the occasion in tight games. On one possession Jayden drove the lane and dunked over a 6'10 defender. That elicited the biggest reaction of the day from my recollection. Defensively, Jayden was just as impressive as he had several rejections at the rim. There is little to question regarding Jayden's athleticism, and when you pair that with the motor that he plays with, it's easy to see why he was one of the prospects who stood out the most this past weekend. I'm expecting Byron Center to have one of the more intriguing teams this upcoming season, due in large part to pieces like Jayden.

This past weekend, over 150 high prospects made their way to Grand Rapids for the annual Prep Hoops Top 250 Expo. I watched six games throughout the day and saw impressive performances from new faces and well-established guys in their respective classes. Here are my picks for top performances from the event.