205’s Breakthrough Hoopers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today, we dive into some Alabama high school basketball. As the 2022–2023 basketball season started last week, we have some major players who have already laid down the hammer to show who's the best player in the state. The state of Alabama is notorious for developing some really good basketball players, such as Herbert Jones, a former player and state champion for the Hale County High School Wildcats. The state of Alabama has a lot to live up to when it comes to basketball, because it just means more. Basketball is a sport that will continue to thrive in many different ways, allowing athletes to compete at a high level across the nation. After this past week, I honestly think there are some players who could compete with some of the top players in the nation across the state of Alabama. Even some under the radar players are making their way into the weave of high school basketball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So let's dive into some Alabama basketball!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"AJ Edward","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Hale County High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"AJ is a spectacular playmaker with the skill to go where he wants on the court. He gets into his shots fast, which is important for a midsize guard. He can play at any tempo, whether it's quick on the break, slow in the pick-and-roll, or either out of isolation. He's selfless and pushes it in the open court. AJ is incredibly athletic in tight spaces and has the ability to go low on drives to the basket for a two point play. He can finish near the rim with either hand and from difficult angles, and he can shoot floaters and pull-ups when he doesn't get all the way to the paint. As proven by his 26 points versus Hillcrest High School, this kid competes at an elite level. He is determined to lead his squad to victory throughout the season. He's underappreciated as a ballplayer, but that's about to change as the season moves on.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1203414"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Hamlett is an excellent shooter. Hamlet is a fierce competitor who will challenge any defender. He is a talented shooter who can contribute at all three levels. His fast first step, along with his outstanding handle and shooting, make him difficult for defenders to deal with. Dribble pullups, stepback threes, threes off the dribble, spectacular finishes around the basket with either hand—Hamlett has it all. He doesn't need much space to shoot; if opponents don't respect his range, he pulls up a shot right off the dribble directly in his opponent's face. He can score from everywhere on the floor because he is so good at generating easy buckets, as he showed in his 31 point game versus the Hale County High School Wildcats. Hamlett is one of the most versatile scorers in his classification and can cause teams difficulties trying to guard him.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1564927"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Dawson will shock the state this year. Dawson made a solid start to the season, scoring 28 points against Holy Family Catholic High School. The way he creates offensive opportunities by moving with the ball to get easy buckets, which is such a tremendous talent to have at his level of play, he also moves effectively without the ball and finds open spaces on the court. Dawson is also an excellent defender, charging, stealing, and rebounding underneath the basket. His instincts shine when it comes to off-ball defense, as he understands when to jump the passing lanes and get steals. Dawson defends the ball aggressively, using his fast hands and feet to make the ball handler uncomfortable so he can take away the drive to the basket. Dawson rotates well and plays effectively on both sides of the ball, making him a valuable asset to both his current team and any team at the next level for this kid. [embed]https://twitter.com/MidfieldHoops/status/1589848107642388480?s=20u0026t=9rCXanHEEtFo3dgxnYf8tQ[/embed]","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Demarcus Riddick","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"77245","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Chilton County High School","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Demarcus is a football player noted for his tremendous intensity and force on the field, but He is also a great hooper. He can go to the hoop and score, but he is also a solid defender with the size, length, defensive IQ, and athleticism to guard numerous positions. He has strong reflexes and quick feet to handle most one-on-one assignments; he gets into a stance and knows how to position his body to force a player into a difficult shot. He also has exceptional spatial awareness, which allows him to read screens and communicate effectively when on defense. Instead of dropping into drop coverage, he is not hesitant to move onto the ball handler to cause a turnover. Demarcus is also an excellent defensive rebounder. He is explosive off the ground and times his jumps perfectly. He had 14 rebounds, 8 blocks, and 6 points against Oak Mountain High School. That is something remarkable about this player, in my opinion. It is not always about the points, but about the consistent effort that will benefit his team in the long run. Even though this kid a football player at heart, but he still is valuable on the court.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":4,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->