The Charger Jamboree had plenty of players to watch, from the studded senior class to the up-and-coming underclassmen. I picked out a handful of guys that performed at a level above the rest, proving they are guys to watch as…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inThe Charger Jamboree had plenty of players to watch, from the studded senior class to the up-and-coming underclassmen. I picked out a handful of guys that performed at a level above the rest, proving they are guys to watch as the season gets underway. Here are a few top performers and emerging players from the event.
Top Performers
King looks to have a heavy workload ahead of him this season, scoring the ball and doing more playmaking. However, he looked more than prepared to take on that responsibility Saturday. He wasn’t just pouring in threes and mid-range jumpers; he was doing it while constantly contested and swarmed by defenders. King showed some umph too, finishing strong at the rim and playing with determination at both ends of the court. He will be needed to do a lot this season and should start to show there is a lot more to his game than just shooting.
Petty is the type of player you love to have on your team but absolutely hate to play against. He prodded and poked ballhandlers all day, created momentum with defensive plays, and showed good connection with some of his teammates for assists. Although his skillset tends to increase the pace of the game, Petty plays with a patience that is key to identifying where plays can be made while the game is moving at light speed.
The big-time athlete looks to have made one huge improvement in his game, vastly improving his ball control, that should unlock a higher scoring potential this season. Whether it was cradling the ball on drives or finding ways to split defenders with his dribble, Valcin was getting to the rim with ease and finishing with power. He’s already not a guy most players want to get in front of but if he can continue to play like this, he will have some big games scoring the ball with efficiency.
For Brown, it wasn’t necessarily any one thing that made him standout, but more the accumulation of a ton of little things. Good communication and leadership, guarding the other team’s top player, rebounding, making the right pass, strong finishing, these things don’t usually end up on highlight tapes, but they are a huge reason why Brown has been a part of successful teams and will continue to be a winning player.
Williams was on point Saturday, showing an uncommon level of class with his interior finishing. He is all of 6’5, and just glides through defenses at times. The way he played defensively makes me believe he has room to be an impact defender this season as well. He has the look of a driven player who has the attitude and skill of an all-state player and possibly, a champion.
Harris is so long and powerful, his finishing at the rim was a level above Saturday. He has the strength to hold off defenders and the grace and length to sweep the ball around them and up for a bucket. He is another player that catches your eye for his offensive game but has the potential to be an impact defender as well.
Players to Watch
The younger Petty looked like a replica of his older brother out there on the court. Both are defensive wizards whose battery doesn’t run out. Jaylen was making noise on the offensive end too, finding cutting lanes and abusing his defender with a few back door cuts. He’s an aggressive player who looks to make plays and will be a big part of Auburn’s 2022-23 season.
There is a lot of change at Tahoma this season, but Stephens is one of the new starters who looks like a big piece for them. He is tall, plays strong with the ball and could be a player the Bears look to to make energy plays felt by the rest of the team. There were a few mistakes throwing errant passes or dribbling into bad spots, but with more time on the court, Stephens could be a big stock riser this season.
Enumclaw was the lone 2A team at the jamboree and just based on size alone, were generally outmatched by the bigger schools. But one guy that didn’t seem to care was Wyatt Neu. The junior guard played smart, attacking basketball and was able to get looks in the mid-range and near the hoop, showing poise and a nice stroke. After getting some shots to fall, he started setting up some teammates with passes through over aggressive defense.
