#TerryTalks: Players I Saw For The 1st Time At #N2Hoops22
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The #N2Hoops22 Tourney hosted by Bob Jones provided me an opportunity to put my eyes on several players for the first time ever. Here are a few of those players. Elijah Causly (6’7/F/’23/Florence HS) Instagram: elijah.causly Twitter: Elijah_causly Elijah was a…
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Continue ReadingThe #N2Hoops22 Tourney hosted by Bob Jones provided me an opportunity to put my eyes on several players for the first time ever. Here are a few of those players.
Elijah Causly (6’7/F/’23/Florence HS)
Instagram: elijah.causly
Twitter: Elijah_causly
Elijah was a major paint presence on both ends of the floor. He is a lengthy forward with positional size, and his length and size caused a lot of problems. He contributes on both ends of the floor with scoring, passing, rebounding, and defense and has a very good understanding of when and where his talent is needed in a game. He has a nice go-to hook shot when operating out of his low-block paint touches. He has a nice touch when he is in the paint or directly at the cup, even when finishing through contact. He rebounds at a high rate and can single-handedly change a game with his rebounding prowess. He is active in transition as he runs the floor hard and finishes well at the rim. I would like to see Elijah post harder and demand the ball more, as he is going to have a lot of advantages when I look over Florence’s schedule. He still has time to expand his game beyond the paint, increasing his stock as he prepares for life at the next level. He finished the game against Hartselle with 15pts.
Ryan Levi Dunn (6’0/PG/’23/Hartselle HS)
Instagram: rdunn_20
Twitter: rdunn_20
Ryan is one of the most solid PGs I saw at the N2Hoops Tourney. He is a hard-nosed floor general that is reliable and trustworthy. He plays with pace and controls the tempo for his squad. He knows when to slow it down and when to push the rock and is a real extension of his head coach. He has vision coupled with good passing ability, which results in Ryan being able to distribute the rock to his teammates, getting the most out of them night in and night out. He is the key that makes this team goes, and he does it all without having to be a scoring threat, even though he can score it when needed. He brings a physical and mental toughness to his squad, which is going to be crucial when the postseason rolls around. He finished the game against Florence with 16pts.
Tj Pruitt (6’4/PF/’25/Hazel Green HS)
Instagram: tjp2025
Twitter: @tjpruitt23
TJ is a stout forward, and some would say he is undersized at 6’4. Truthfully, at this level, there will be games where 6’4 will get it done against most teams in the state, which was the case in the match-up against Wenonah. TJ put his hard hat on and was putting in work in the paint. He was highly productive in the paint and on the glass. His game showed surprising versatility as he could put it on the floor and attack the cup. I was impressed with his offensive skillset as a PF, but his play on the defensive end showed his real value. He can defend the post and out in space and puts in a lot of effort on the defensive end, which makes him a problem for most opponents that Hazel Green will face this year. He finished the match-up against Wenonah with 9pts, but I am sure he had double-digit rebounds.
Malachi Nichols (6’2/F/’23/Lee-Huntsville HS)
Instagram: Malachi.256
Twitter: @Malachi240
Once again, I came across an undersized post player, but an impactful one. Malachi was a strong presence on the low block and is a walking double-double. Malachi is a player that plays with a lot of grit, is a tenacious attacker off the bounce inside the arc, and in the paint is where he does his best work. Malachi is physical and brings a level of intensity to both ends of the floor. He likes to get out in the open court and fill lanes and is often a recipient of passes in the open court that leads to easy buckets. He is strong enough to guard on the interior, and he is mobile enough to defend on the perimeter. As Lee looks to hoist the state championship again this year, he will be a key factor. He finished with 10pts in the contest against Haleyville.
Brian Brown, Jr. (5’10/PG/’23/Huffman HS)
Instagram: brian.brownjr
Twitter: @Brianjr_215
Brian was one of the most talked about newcomers to a team as he transferred from IMG. His arrival raised a lot of debate regarding the possibility of Huffman having one of the most dynamic backcourts in the state with Brian and Peyton Wiggins Peyton Wiggins 6'2" | PG Huffman | 2025 State AL . I was very impressed with Brian’s play at the lead guard spot as he had it going early, getting his own shot and getting his teammates involved. He shot the ball well from distance, and he scored off the bounce as well. He got to the rim practically anytime he wanted and made good decisions with the rock, as he was constantly putting Columbia’s defense in scramble mode. It is early in the season, and you can still see Brian trying to get firmly secure in his role with the Vikings, and you could see him pressing a little. He turned the ball over a little more than I would like from a floor general, but as I said, he forced issues a little, and I think that when he settles in, some of those turnovers won’t be seen. He finished the match-up against Columbia with 18pts and shot the ball with great efficiency.
Tyran Jacobs (6’1/CG/’23/Lee-Huntsville HS)
Instagram: d1.ty4
Tyran is a playmaking guard that can get it done at both the lead guard and off-guard spot, and he slides in between the two spots without any of his production dropping. He brought a lot of energy and effort to the game, and you can see how it infuses his teammates. He isn’t a top-scoring option, but he did contribute with some timely buckets. His aggressiveness on the defensive end of the court is going to be a needed service for Lee as the season moves on.
Jalen Bright Jalen Bright 6'3" | SG Hazel Green | 2024 State AL (6’3/CG/’24/Hazel Green HS)
Instagram: @859.jalen
Twitter: @Jalen3x2
Jalen caught my eye first with his play on the defensive end of the floor. His on-ball pressure was a factor against Wenonah’s guards, who were some of the best offensive-scoring guards in the entire tourney. Jalen forced the Dragons’ guards to work for everything they got, and he made it difficult for them the entire game. Offensively he showed his ability to score the rock as he is a slasher that does an excellent job getting in the paint and finishing. He is an athletic guard who gets elevation on his jump shot and his scoring attempts in the paint and at the cup. I liked Jalen’s maturity, as he didn’t force issues, and he took good shots. He finished the game against Wenonah with 13pts.