Standout Prospects: Seven Lakes vs Atascocita (Pt.1)

Bates was in control of the game from beginning to end, effecting things in every way offensively and proving to be a nearly complete player on that side of the ball as he dropped 19 points while scoring from all three levels of the court. Bates picked up his first two buckets from his well-polished right handed floaters, displaying impeccable touch inside the lane even while being fouled. He was such a versatile bucket getter that he was able to get the job done off the dribble and off the catch evenly often due to phenomenal footwork. The Spartans lead guard at defenders alive with his super smooth handle, it allowed Anthony to work his way through full court traffic and pressure with constant change of direction and change of pace dribbles that kept his defenders on their heels and dropping back. The best paint touch guard in the gym, Bates used his knack for snaking his way in front of defenders to get into the teeth of the defense and either draw the foul call, find an open teammate, or convert his signature floater. His athletic abilities really came into play on fastbreaks after jumping throws in the passing lane on the wing and beating everyone up the floor for the slam, he even had another in transition where he flushed it through two defenders. Anthony was a selfless player that got everyone touches and kept each teammate involved. Bates was a true floor general playing with a mature mental capacity while orchestrating the offense like a true varsity vet, controlling the tempo, managing the clock, setting his teammates up, and creating plays within the half court. I really admired how Anthony Bates Jr. Anthony Bates Jr. 6'2″ Katy Seven Lakes | 2024 TX never had to force his offense, over dribble, or shoot a high volume of shots to get his points, Bates’s ability to drop on a dime, create space, and shoot at a moment’s notice was uncanny and downright unstoppable, this junior guard had a flaming hot hand against Atascocita.

University of Incarnate Word commit, Josh Akpovwa Josh Akpovwa 6'7″ | C Katy Seven Lakes | 2023 State TX was an absolute force of nature underneath the basket, he had stints where he couldn’t be kept off the offensive glass or from scoring in the down low. Active rebounder on both sides of the ball who controlled the boards with force and intensity while clogging the paint with his massive size. Akpovwa did such a fantastic job using his backside and length to seal off his defender on the pick and roll, Josh found himself wide open where he could easily receive the ball. The 6-foot-8-inch postman also displayed a solid handle of the rock, showing the ability to put it on the deck and get to the basket from outside. In the second quarter, Josh Akpovwa Josh Akpovwa 6'7″ | C Katy Seven Lakes | 2023 State TX began to put his athleticism on full display when he shot the gap at half court stealing the ball and taking down the floor for a two-handed slam dunk off of two feet. As a defender, he impacted the game heavily by blocking shots with terrific timing, picking up 2 blocks in the second quarter after pinning a layup off the backboard and another he swatted out of the sky in transition. Later on in the third quarter, Josh produced 2 more blocks in the span of a minute before finishing the game with a total of 5 blocks. 

Chase Ashby controlled the offense as a floor general and a glue guy who consistently made the correct basketball play on both ends of the floor whether he was playing on or off the ball. Ashby got downhill and drew attention from the defense when looking to drive and kick, his dime dropping dump off passes led to shot opportunities, and his fast, sharp, and timely cuts through the lane when he didn’t have the ball in hand kept the defense honest. Long, athletic, confident, quick feet, and active hands resulted in steals and deflections on the defensive end, Ashby excelled guarding one the top ranked freshmen in the nation, forcing his assignment into tough shots with little to no space to get a clean look. The junior point guard also made the game winning assist by playing with great clock management under 20 seconds, Chase Ashby pulled the ball out, utilized his ball screen, drove inside the arc, and immediately pivoted out with an instinct and intuition that a teammate would there open and ready to shoot.

On this night, Jerrell Barron Jr. Jerrell Barron Jr. 6'5″ | SG Humble Atascocita | 2024 TX put up 12 points and 4 rebounds and made the biggest plays of the game of two separate occasions, first by drawing the contact and foul call on Seven Lakes’s center giving him his fifth and final for the game. After sinking both free-throws Barron Jr. brought the game within two points and things changed for Atascocita drastically quickly taking the lead only a play later. In the closing seconds, Jerrell Barron Jr. Jerrell Barron Jr. 6'5″ | SG Humble Atascocita | 2024 TX received a perfect and well timed off-ball screen at the top of the keep from 6-foot-4 senior Lawrence Thompson before catching the ball while stepping into his jumper before hitting nothing but net to give the Eagles a 60-57 point lead leaving 0.3 seconds on the clock. Barron’s bravery, winning mentality, and clutch shot making stood out in a major way and resulted in a huge win for Atascocita.