Rocky Mountain Sports Academy: Preseason Preview Pt. 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1420184' first='Christian' last='Seifert'] – Eagle Ridge Academy - 2023</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Standing right around 6'7, Seifert is a mobile forward capable out hustling opposing frontcourt threats. The incoming senior forward has shown consistency getting ahead in the break and finishing with pace. Seifert has notable quickness moving north to south, allowing him to be a legitimate fullcourt scoring threat. Another area of intrigue resides in his upside as spot-up shooter, where he hit multiple jumpers off the catch. Continuing to develop his perimeter skillset will be essential for the senior, given his plus reach and reasonably high release point. Another essential area of Seifert will be adding functional strength to improve his defensive versatility. Seifert currently sits at 73^rd in the 2023 class and 5^th among centers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1369814' first='James' last='Murray IV'] – Fountain Fort Carson - 2025</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Murray brings athleticism as a 6'5 combo guard capable scoring off the catch or while getting downhill. The incoming sophomore will have a key season ahead as a tall playmaker. He is capable breaking down bigger opponents, where he has the first step necessary to get downhill quick versus bigs. Another key for Murray came from his athleticism, where he finished above the rim on multiple occassions. When he has the necessary space to get downhill, he has shown passing vision on kickouts. Finding a way to tap into this vision will have a major impact on the young guard's impact on the offensive flow. Murray currently sits at 7^th overall and 1^st among combo guards within the 2025 class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1284489' first='Isaac' last='Martinez'] – Rangeview - 2023</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":1281564,"width":244,"height":162,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/126-Isaac-Martinez.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/126-Isaac-Martinez-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1281564" width="244" height="162"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Although not the quickest point guard, Martinez brings a calm pace of play out on the perimeter. Standing right around 6'1, Martinez showed consistency handling the rock within the fullcourt and halfcourt versus significant pressure. Even versus aggressive double teams, Martinez was patient finding the open teammate. Martinez plays an important role getting those 50/50 balls, a necessary aspect of toughness to win games. One area Martinez shines resides in his shotmaking, where he is dependable pulling up for jumpers in the mid-range. Continuing to develop his quickness with the ball will play a major role in his scoring upside. Martinez sits at 148^th overall and 23^rd among point guards for the 2023 class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1284497' first='Zach' last='Van Soest'] – Northridge - 2023</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Van Soest brought physicality both as a playmaker and one on one defender at the wing. Standing right around 6'4, the senior showed flashes of live dribble playmaking within the halfcourt. He was capable creating driving lanes off the bounce, utilizing his off arm to create space between opponents. He notably found teammates off drives, keeping his head up while getting to the rim. One intriguing aspect resides in his defensive skillset, where his combination of lateral mobility and positional strength make him a dependable defender versus two positions. Keeping tabs on his willingness to make plays off the dribble will play a major role in offensive upside. Within the 2023 class, he ranks 106^th overall and 18^th among small forwards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->