Lengthy Stock Risers to Watch
In this article:
Length is hard to recreate. These players have shown over the course of the first few games of this season that if you have length, and you know how to use it, you can essentially shut down portions of the…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingLength is hard to recreate. These players have shown over the course of the first few games of this season that if you have length, and you know how to use it, you can essentially shut down portions of the floor a possession at a time. These are some under-the-radar players in their respective classes but should see their recruitments pick up over the coming year.
Skidmore is a big presence on the interior for University and although he doesn’t have much in the way of leaping ability, he’s able to impact the short game by making himself big and capitalizing on his length. He is quick to establish position on the blocks early in possessions and puts himself in the best position to get shots in as close as possible. He’s also super aggressive on the glass and finds ways to get his body in between the hoop and the defender, stays close to his man and reaches out for the ball at full extension. Skidmore also took on a big defensive assignment when I watched him line up against Evan Stinson Evan Stinson 6’7″ | SF Cheney | 2024 State #223 Nation WA . He understood his strengths and weaknesses versus the quicker Stinson, and force Evan to take the toughest shot possible which was often a long-range contested jumper.
Highlights
Finnegan Anderson
Finnegan Anderson
Davis is such a well-rounded team and Anderson fits their need for a long wing player extraordinarily well. He stands at about 6’5, can handle the ball and sets up his driving ability with his efficient stroke from three. He is a great kick-out option because he has the length to shoot over tough closeouts but can also take advantage of those really hard closeouts and blow by his man, then finish with strength at the rim. Anderson also crashes the boards hard and provides decent rebounding from the wing. There is not a lot of motion required for him to get his shot off, and he provides a unique skillset for Davis.
Bellevue has an interesting team that actually has some great depth on the bench and part of that depth is thanks to Jackman-Thomas. He can come in and pick up multiple positions with his size at 6’5, but he’s also able to contribute in multiple ways on the offensive end. He can hand the ball well and play on the perimeter, his corner three looks good too, but he also has a little reckless abandon to his game, and it shows up on the glass. He’s a versatile piece for the Wolverines and should be a big factor for them off the bench and potentially spot starting throughout the year.
Highlights
Kolby Bumpas
Kolby Bumpas
Bumpas is raw offensively, but he has a lot to like that suggests he could develop into a good wing/post player in the future. First off, he has the size to defend the interior but also has the length and footwork to disrupt players on the perimeter. I think he could really stand out on the defensive end and make his money over there, but there is still potential for him offensively too. He had a good-looking stroke from the free throw line, and when he went to work from the interior, he was able to put together moves to get free but just lacked that finishing to seal the deal. He is a guy to watch this season and could be a nice late bloomer for someone willing to wait.
Meech Sadeddin
Meech Sadeddin
This guy was a spark offensively and did most of his attacking from the wings with the ball in his hands. Though he’s listed as a forward, Saddedin looked more like a guard and looked to get going downhill from the perimeter on his attacks. He showed a pretty good pullup from mid-range and was able to stop on a dime for them. This played well with his ability to quickly get a head full of steam, not to mention he’s a big body that probably weighed on the defenders’ mind as well. I’ll be curious to see how consistent his shot will be throughout the season but there is promise there for Saddedin as a lengthy wing/guard player in the 2023 class.
Blake Eastham
Blake Eastham
I was a little surprised when I flipped on the Kelso game and saw Eastham manning the middle instead of Payton Stewart Payton Stewart 6’7″ | PF Kelso | 2024 State WA . While it’s always disappointing not getting to see Stewart go to work, I was pleased to get acquainted with Eastham. He’s a long player in the middle for the Hilanders and his timing blocking shots was outstanding. While he is 6’5, that’s still not exuberantly tall to be a competent shot-blocker, but Eastham has the anticipation and discipline to rack up a couple blocks a game. He was smart with the ball offensively, made good passes from up top, and is able to get involved in the side-to-side action with dribble-handoffs and high screens. He will be a solid contributor for Kelso all season, and I’ll be intrigued to how he possibly shares the floor with Stewart.