Rumble In The Rapids: 17U All-Tournament Team
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The Prep Hoops Grassroots Circuit tipped off this weekend and I was fortunate enough to cover the Rumble In The Rapids in Grand Rapids. 15+ teams competed in the 17U tournament, which included prospects from Michigan, Indiana, and Canada. Below…
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Continue ReadingThe Prep Hoops Grassroots Circuit tipped off this weekend and I was fortunate enough to cover the Rumble In The Rapids in Grand Rapids. 15+ teams competed in the 17U tournament, which included prospects from Michigan, Indiana, and Canada. Below are my picks for the All-Tournament Team. Be sure to check out my day one and day two observations, and stay tuned for more written content to come.
Montrel Oliver Jr. Montrel Oliver Jr. 6'3" | SG Grand Rapids Union | 2024 State MI stood out to me as the prospect with the most next-level potential. Montrell played a large part in Muskegon’s Division 1 State Runners-Up finish, and that skillset was on full display at Rumble In The Rapids. Montrell has elite explosiveness, even in short bursts. That was easily noticeable when Montrell worked to get rebounds. His ability to leap over opponents’ outstretched arms led to numerous second-chance buckets for BNB. Montrell’s mid-range jumper looked fluid, and I was equally encouraged by his mechanics as he routinely got enough lift on his jumper to shoot over anyone. Defensively, Montrell used his length to contest both jump shots and shots in the paint. Montrell’s motor really tied everything together which made his intangibles that much harder to defend.
Jordan Wright Jordan Wright 6'5" | C Chippewa Valley | 2024 State MI was the most dynamic defender I saw this past weekend. His ability to lock down bigs in the post and defend out on the perimeter was a big reason why the Michigan Goonies went a perfect 4-0. On numerous occasions, I saw Jordan deny a post entry, then switch out to a shooter on the perimeter and effectively contest the jump shot. A couple of times, Jordan flew out of seemingly nowhere to swat a would-be jumper out of bounds. His lateral quickness combined with his length made him an absolute problem to score on. Physically, Jordan was one of the more developed prospects, and he used that strength to help control the glass alongside fellow Goonie, Nick Speiser. Offensively, Jordan flashed a smooth jumper and hit multiple threes and a few mid-range pull-ups.
Tyler Brown was in my opinion, the best overall scorer at the 2-day event. Tyler shot the ball well from the perimeter and showed an ability to hit deep, contested threes. One three, in particular, was a step or two inside half-court. With the time winding down, Tyler calmly stepped into a 30-footer, didn’t compromise his form, and knocked down the jumper at the buzzer to give his team the dramatic win. Tyler’s dribble drive was also impressive as not many defenders had an answer for the variety of actions he showed. Defensively, I thought Tyler was one of the better wing defenders in the camp and he used his length to effectively disrupt perimeter shot attempts. Tyler was also highly active on the glass and did a great job of anticipating the ball coming off a miss.
Evan Haverkamp Evan Haverkamp 6'9" | PF McBain | 2024 State MI was the most dominant post player from the weekend, and quite frankly, it wasn’t particularly close. Evan opposed his will in the paint, scoring in bunches via a variety of low post moves with his back to the basket. His footwork was sound and he flashed a soft touch from five feet in. I was most impressed with his patience and ability to fight through double teams and extensive contact. Evan did a great job of getting his opponent off balance and taking timely shots. Defensively, Evan had a number of contests at the rim. Evan also owned the glass and created multiple second-chance opportunities for his team.
Gardayee Walker stood out to me as the most polished two-way player, meaning his impact and the quality of play on both ends of the court were as productive as any other prospect at the event. Gardayee pinned multiple shots off the glass, including a few that he chased down in help-side defense. His length and ability to contest without fouling were as impressive as the endless motor that he played with. His switchability on the defensive end serves as a reliable anchor as he was able to match up with just about anyone 1-5. Offensively, Gardayee was effective in driving the lane and finishing through contact.