Mile High Madness: Energy Raisers from 15U

Clayton Conover

August 5, 2023 @ 06:39 AM

These guards found ways to be physical, ultimately raising the energy for their requisite teams. Tenacity is an often overlooked trait in this level of hoops, however this names exemplified this trait.    [player_tooltip player_id='2532264' first='Cale' last='Sollars'] - Glenwood Springs - Western Slope Fusion - 2027   Sollars was among the most active guards on Fusion's three 2026 teams at the event. The guard constantly sought opportunities to attack the rim or facilitate teammates driving towards the basket. Sollars was active scoring in a variety of areas, following give and goes or rip throughs. Once downhill, he looked to score at the rim, regardless of incoming contact. The guard was a notable bright spot for Western Slope Fusion, who recently joined Prep Hoops.   [player_tooltip player_id='1622319' first='Jake' last='Mostek'] - Arapahoe - Colorado Truth 2026 - 2026   Mostek will be a valuable defensive component down the line, embracing his positional strength and staying active on defensive rotations. Standing right around 6' tall, the guard was one of the most productive rebounders for Truth, equally beneficial on either end of the floor. Another aspect of Mostek's effectiveness came from the help side, trapping drivers in the middle or sprinting at perimeter shooters following a closeout. If there was one aspect of the Mostek consistently brought, it was energy, reinvigorating the team at all times.    [player_tooltip player_id='2393661' first='Grant' last='Reeves'] - Eaglecrest - IBA 15U - 2026   Reeves will be a valuable defensive presence going down the line, given his immediate physical advantages while standing at 6'2. The incoming sophomore did well staying strong in the paint versus likesize or taller opponents, getting into a stance and walling off the lane. Reeves made an additional impact on the glass, staying aggressive and fighting around opposing box outs. His offensive game shows flashes of scoring production, through quality footwork and soft touch. Through a couple of his games, Reeves utilized pivot moves to create space around the rim. As well, the guard stepped into short floaters when presented the opportunity.    Brody Deniston - Holcomb - Western Kansas Hoops - 2026   Deniston will be an exciting prospect to follow over the next few years, given his skill with the ball and versatile scoring upside. Standing right around 5'10, the guard is a creative ball handler, effective at leveraging wide crossovers to create space on drives. While attacking the paint, Deniston does not mind getting physical to draw fouls when he has a head of steam. Alongside his capabilities attacking downhill, Deniston has quick footwork making him a legitimate threat as a pull-up shooter beyond the arc. Certainly a backcourt guard worth monitoring.   [player_tooltip player_id='2758009' first='Jordan' last='Rodriguez'] - Severance - 24 MD Team Daum - 2027   Rodriguez made a big impact for Team Daum, effective as a slasher and perimeter shooter. The 5'9 guard found ways to be a threat without the ball, often attacking backdoors while he caught his defender ball watching. Rodrigeuz has excellent timing within the offense, knowledgeable of when to attack open space, effectively putting pressure on the defense. His shooting ability off the catch was a valuable source of points for this group, proving to be shot ready at all times.

These guards found ways to be physical, ultimately raising the energy for their requisite teams. Tenacity is an often overlooked trait in this level of hoops, however this names exemplified this trait.