#NEXTSouthwestKO: Most Skilled 2028’s at Solid Rock (Pt.2)

Owen Crawford had a game where he delivered a breakout performance, coming out of the second-half blazing hot from outside. Crawford’s jumpshot hit nothing but the bottom of the net as he drilled corner there-pointers on 2 consecutive possessions. Crawford proved to be somebody you must pick up at half-court or else he would shoot it the moment the ball touched his hands no matter how far beyond the arc he was. This sharpshooter showcased a good feel for the court while squaring up with the basket, setting his feet on the perimeter, keeping his eyes up and hands ready for the pass. When spotting-up, Crawford was nearly automatic, spacing out to the corner and running baseline to get open looks from deep. 

Natural point guard with the ball skills to comfortably set up the offense, a teammate, or a screen with his dribbling skills. Dixon came well-equipped with tremendous offensive instincts. He saw the floor well, made good decisions with the rock, limited his turnovers, kept his dribble alive, continued a consistent flow of the offense, kept all of his teammates involved, and still was able to go get a bucket when his team needed it.

Marco Johnson was the key to the win against All-In Elite, Johnson caught fire in the second half, took over the game on both ends, and turned a close game into a blowout as he produced 25 points along with two hands full of steals. Johnson’s offense and defense went hand in hand, the kid was a constant one-man fastbreak scoring threat thanks to his defensive pressure, Johnson showed off his knack for turning steals from jumping the passing lanes into easy layups on the opposite end. Good scoring instincts inside the half court, it didn’t take much for Marco to get the shot that he wanted, often getting to his spots in one or two dribbles, even getting himself into the lane relentlessly.

K’Mari is a future high flying big man that already has large hands, wide wingspan, long standing reach, and the type of frame that can molded into a strong build. Terrific athleticism and fluidity, as a 7th-grader he’s already punching dunks in the open court and playing above the rim. This rim-running prospect did damage on the inside, impacting the game without scoring by making effort plays on both ends of the floor, good paint protector who’s not overly physical but can beat you with his leaping ability and timing.

Outstanding rebounder with a nose for the ball, good box-out positioning which created openings to grab rebounds for him and others, along with a knack for following teammates shots to the rim for second chance points and put back lay-ins.

Pauley is the type of playmaker that has quick thinking and good decision making skills to go along with feel for the game, selflessness, and a pass-first mentality. Zavion proved to be very difficult to stay in front of as he drove downhill, putting a lot of pressure on his opponents and the basket with his quickness off the dribble. With lurking eyes, this kid was always capable of getting the ball to an open man, even if it meant making some incredibly tough throws through tight windows while attacking to the hoop.