Cream of the Crop: FHU SL Standouts Pt. 1/2
Phew, it was a trek back home, but regardless, I got down to Fair Haven for some Summer League action and ended up catching an OT Thriller between cross-county powerhouses Rutland and Fair Haven! Check out the first batch of…
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Continue ReadingPhew, it was a trek back home, but regardless, I got down to Fair Haven for some Summer League action and ended up catching an OT Thriller between cross-county powerhouses Rutland and Fair Haven! Check out the first batch of standouts below.
Joe Buxton, 6’5 W/F – Fair Haven Union H.S. Class of 2024
Joe had himself an all-around night. Buxton’s offensive work was primarily perimeter based as he handled the ball, made plays for others, and created offense for himself. JB scored at all 3-levels, made savvy passes in and through the second layer, and finished plays in transition too. Defensively, Buxton displayed once again how versatile he is. He must’ve guarded 4 different positions throughout the evening. He’s highly switchable and communicated thoroughly on both sides of the ball. It was all leadership, poise, and two-way ability as FHU finished the game in OT.
Sam Kyhill, 5’8 G – Fair Haven Union H.S. Class of 2027
There were times when the incoming freshman looked like the most impactful player on the floor. Sam’s defense was incredibly pesky, often taking RHS guards out of rhythm as he forced tough shots, passes, and turned them over. Moreover, he rotated really well for a young guy, particularly when he dug in from the weak side to bother post entries. And offensively, Kyhill’s playmaking was flush with intuitive facilitation, heads up passing, and savvy slashing. The toughness and skill Sam demonstrated made it very clear he’s ready for the high school game.
Phil Bean, 6’4 F – Fair Haven Union H.S. Class of 2025
With Bean, there’s no quit. Phil’s a force around the interior with his aggressive rebounding and physicality as a post defender + rim protector. Moreover, he showed nice perimeter footwork as he hedged hard on ball screens, junking up offensive rhythm and forcing tough decisions. On the offensive side of the ball, Phil was just as impactful. Bean showed nice post presence as he flashed hard to his spots and ran the pnr to a tee. A force on the offensive glass, Phil reeled in extra possessions, finished second chance buckets, and got to the FT line in crunch time. So solid.
Cellan Wood, 5’11 G – Rutland H.S. Class of 2026
Tough as nails, Cellan put in work defensively. Wood applied tough ball pressure on ballhandlers and was able to disrupt offensive rhythm against a number of FHU guards. Furthermore, his defensive instincts came through as he provided weak side help and hit the glass a bit to help out with FHU’s formidable post presence. A savvy ballhandler too, Cellan had some hiccups against FHU’s pressure, but he adjusted, got RHS into their stuff and flashed his floater game off of slashes to finish in the short range. Cellan is one of southern VT’s toughest guards.
Peter Guay, 5’10 G – West Rutland H.S. Class of 2027
Peter will be making a lot of noise out of West Rutland. He played with the varsity squad last year as an eighth grader and it’s obvious why. Guay’s an intuitive playmaker who knows how to put guys in scoring position. PG slashed and made simple plays in the second layer, either finding a dump/kick out or finishing with a savvy short-range jumper off of crisp footwork. Defensively he’s all there; he’s instinctual off-ball and disrupts with his on-ball pressure, often resulting in transition opportunities. Guay can play.
Jaiden Watson, 6’4 W/F – Rutland H.S. Class of 2024
Jaiden knows how to play bigger than he is. Watson has nice height and a slender frame, but nonetheless, he showed his might around the paint. Jaiden forced tough shots against FHU’s bigs, using his length to contest and then snatch boards. Just as importantly, Jaiden showed himself to be the spine of RHS’ defense as a communicator. Watson was calling out plays, incoming actions, and challenging his teammates to do the same. Offensively, Jaiden showed clinical post finishes and displayed he can slash and hit guys from the perimeter too. Watson uses his IQ to outdo opponents.