IA Freshman Showcase: Team 8 Evaluation

Competing at the 2023 IA Freshman Showcase were 60+ players, separated into 8 different teams. As well as being a scout in the building for the day, I was also a coach on Court 1. I had the privilege of coaching Team 8 a handful of times throughout the event, giving me an inside look as to what each player excels at individually and what they need work on moving forward. I will be listing each player by their jersey number assigned at the event (for video purposes if someone wants to look back on BallerTV), name, current height, current position, & high school they will be attending this fall. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!    Lets meet the players..   #203 - Michael Gordan - 5'10 - SG - Bettendorf High School   [player_tooltip player_id='2754678' first='Michael' last='Gordon']. What to say about Mikey. Kid can really play basketball. A three-level scorer who understands his abilities on the court. Has an outstanding feel for the game from most aspects, while being unselfish in his own right. If his game develops over the next few years and his shooting ability stays what it currently is, we are talking about potentially one of the best players in the state for the 2027 class in Iowa. Everyone has to develop their game-style over time but a promising start for Gordon to his high school career on Sunday.   #204 - [player_tooltip player_id='2148648' first='Emri' last='Jones'] - 5'10 - PG - Johnston High School   [player_tooltip player_id='2148648' first='Emri' last='Jones'] is a floor general in every meaning of the phrase. A player that knows his team and their abilities, even though they were only together for 3 short games on Sunday. Not to mention that he has a flame throw from deep while being able to handle. He doesn't favor one side or the other and can finish through contact or over a bigger defender if need be. Johnston high school is stacked for the next few years it's looking like, Jones being a big part of that out of the 2027 class.   #228 - Austin Doyel - 5'9 - SG - Johnston High School   Not all great players are flashy and about the ooh's or ahh's. Some great players just do things in a fundamental and efficient way, leading to a lot of success for themselves during their basketball careers. That's how I would describe Austin Doyle's game after seeing it a few times on Sunday. Doyle is a guard who can move around as the 1 or 2, with the ability to knock down a three from deep in a split second. Whenever he is on the perimeter he is ready to let it fly, rip it and get to the hoop, or pass it on. The three real options you have as a player on the catch. Every team needs an anchor. A player to keep everyone tied down to reality on the court, Doyel does a great job of that. He just makes things flow a little better when he is out there.   #241 - Ryland Gbor - 6'0 - CG/SF - Muscatine High School   Ryland Gbor has a high ceiling in the sport of basketball. He is the type of player that stands with good height and athleticism already for his age, with the possibilities to become a physical beast over the next few seasons. Currently he has the ability to step up and guard the 1-4 position on the floor in any situation. On Sunday, physically he was superior to most players around him with the knowledge to be patient and let the game come to him. Muscatine is getting a player in Gbor, that may have a chance to see the varsity floor as a freshman but we will have to wait and see how things play out over the next few months.   #244 - [player_tooltip player_id='2384619' first='Ahvyance' last='Taylor'] - 6'1 - CG - Johnston High School   Some of the best players are the ones who can play multiple positions on the floor for their teams, at any given moment. A player that I saw on Sunday with that ability is [player_tooltip player_id='2384619' first='Ahvyance' last='Taylor']. Taylor is a 6'1 combo guard at the moment. He is a player that does the little things right on each possession and that gives him a decent advantage against his opponents. Right now, if we are just talking about the 2027 class, I would say that he can move between the 2, 3, and 4, all while being a consistent producer for his team. He was a standout this weekend in more then one way on the floor.   #257 - [player_tooltip player_id='2617515' first='Jasani' last='Campbell'] - 6'0 - SG - Ankeny High School   Cash. Money. Bucket. Water. These are all words used to describe [player_tooltip player_id='2617515' first='Jasani' last='Campbell']'s jump-shot. Campbell doesn't have the most traditional shot, as it does come off extremely flat, but it goes in A LOT. If I were to put him at a spot on the three point line and tell him to shoot 10 jumpers, he would make 7-8, every time. Not to mention that he does a great job at getting to the spots that he wants, before choosing to pull up for a shot. He is one of those shooters, where as a defender you know what he is going to do, and he will still rise over you to make it. It's really fun to watch. Campbell will be seeing the varsity floor sooner, then later. That's for sure.   #266 - Reid Hungerholt - 6'1 - CG - Leroy Ostraner High School (MN)   A common trait that I have seen on the road with guards from Minnesota these past few months is that they are extremely skilled with the ball in their hands. What I mean by that is, that their touch and spin when putting the basketball on the glass is impressive. The same goes for Reid Hungerholt from this past weekend. There were a few times where Hungerholt went up with it against 2 defenders and repositioned in the air, finishing at the hoop with some "English" off of the back board. He also showed that he has the ability to spread the floor and knock down a shoot off of the catch or dribble, when his team needs it. Hungerholt had a solid Showcase. He should be proud.   #272 - [player_tooltip player_id='2419844' first='Drake' last='Pfaltzgraff'] - 6'4 - C - Bondurant Farrar High School   [player_tooltip player_id='2419844' first='Drake' last='Pfaltzgraff'] got better and better as the day went on. When I coached Drake the first time he was on my court, you could tell there was something, but it just wasn't shining quite yet. Well the last contest of the day, that all changed. Pfaltzgraff was a beast to help his team to a 40 point final victory and to complete their Showcase with a 3-0 record. He was all over the boards, getting to his spots near the basket and making tough moves throughout contact, rim running like a varsity player, defending the paint with his life, and getting on the floor whenever he could. Going into a program like Bondurant, it's going to be difficult to see a varsity floor as a freshman but Drake has a bright future. With some skill development over the next year, while he continues to grow, he could shine later down the road.

Competing at the 2023 IA Freshman Showcase were 60+ players, separated into 8 different teams. As well as being a scout in the building for the day, I was also a coach on Court 1. I had the privilege of coaching Team 8 a handful of times throughout the event, giving me an inside look as to what each player excels at individually and what they need work on moving forward. I will be listing each player by their jersey number assigned at the event (for video purposes if someone wants to look back on BallerTV), name, current height, current position, & high school they will be attending this fall. Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!