Prep Hoops Iowa Freshman Showcase: Team 7 Evaluations
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The first ever Prep Hoops Iowa Freshman Showcase took place in Des Moines on Sunday afternoon, with 64 players from the Class of 2027 competing. Throughout the next few days, myself and Jeremy Brooks will be running through some of…
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Continue ReadingThe first ever Prep Hoops Iowa Freshman Showcase took place in Des Moines on Sunday afternoon, with 64 players from the Class of 2027 competing. Throughout the next few days, myself and Jeremy Brooks will be running through some of the standout performers from the event, and providing full evaluations of all 64 players who were in attendance. This article will take a look at each player from Team 7.
Preston Kent
Preston Kent
Kent is extremely thin and will certainly need to fill out his frame as he progresses through his high school career, but he competed hard on the defensive end against significantly stronger players, holding his own. He moves well without the ball in his hands and is also a reliable ball handler and passer who gets his teammates involved when he’s playing with the ball in his hands. He didn’t have a ton of chances to shoot throughout the day, but the form on his jumper looks good and he should be a threat from the arc throughout his career.
Carson Riser
Carson Riser
Riser is a supremely confident shooter, especially off the dribble, who does a great job using the threat of his shot to open up the rest of his offensive arsenal. He handles it well and is able to get the ball into his shooting pocket quickly off the dribble, combining his handles with good footwork to create some additional space to get his shot off. After defenders started to close out harder on him, he attacked off the dribble and got to the rim for some finishes. On the defensive end he competes and is a solid on-ball defender who moves his feet well and has quick hands.
Carter Cook
Carter Cook
Cook was one of the strongest guards in the gym on Sunday, a physically impressive freshman who can finish through contact. He also has a frame that he can continue to add additional strength to. He moves his feet well on the defensive end, keeping the ball handler in front of him and making them work hard just to bring the ball up the floor. He didn’t look to shoot it much, looking to use his strength and quickness to play downhill instead, but he’s a weapon on the offensive end with his ability to put constant pressure on opposing defenders.
Logan Atherton Logan Atherton 6'1" | SF Norwalk | 2027 State IA
Logan Atherton Logan Atherton 6'1" | SF Norwalk | 2027 State IA
Atherton is a long, 6-0 wing who uses his length well on the defensive end, contesting shots on the perimeter and getting into passing lanes. He showed a little bit of everything on the offensive end, knocking down jumpers off the catch, moving without the ball in his hands, and then using the threat of his jumper to put the ball on the floor and get to the bucket for finishes. He does a good job utilizing ball fakes and head fakes to temporarily freeze the defender, allowing him that split second to get by them and into the teeth of the defense. He has a smooth stroke from deep and the type of long frame that should continue growing, which could make him a potential problem in the Little Hawkeye as a two-way wing.
David William David William 6'1" | SF Storm Lake | 2027 State IA
David William David William 6'1" | SF Storm Lake | 2027 State IA
William is an explosive athlete with a dynamic second jump that he uses to dominate on the glass, especially on the defensive end. He has good hands and high-points the ball when rebounding, rising above the rest of the players on the floor to snatch boards seemingly out of nowhere. He showed some ability to play a point-forward role, showcasing impressive court vision and passing instincts as well as good enough handles to create some opportunities for himself and his teammates. That aspect of his game will need to continue to tighten up as he develops, but there are some tools in the toolshed, sort to speak. He played hard on both ends of the floor all afternoon and his constant effort stood out in a big way.
Parker Miller Parker Miller 6'4" | PF Ballard | 2027 IA
Parker Miller Parker Miller 6'4" | PF Ballard | 2027 IA
Miller was absolutely dominant on the glass on both ends of the floor throughout the afternoon on Sunday. A 6-2/6-3 combo forward, he has a nose for the ball and was relentless in his pursuit of it. He’s long and a good athlete, and while those attributes certainly contribute to his strength in that area, rebounding is also about effort, and Miller has that in bunches. He provides some defensive versatility with his length and athleticism, and showed that he could potentially be a floor-stretcher on the offensive end, stepping out and knocking down a few 3s with a smooth looking stroke. A majority of his damage came off of his work on the offensive glass, but there were enough sprinkles of other action there to be intrigued by his potential for the Bombers.
Note: Mack Heitland Mack Heitland 6'0" | SG Waukee Northwest | 2027 State IA (Waukee Northwest) and Michael Joyce Michael Joyce 6'1" | CG Bishop Garrigan | 2027 State IA (Bishop Garrigan) were also on Team 7, but were previously written about in the First Team All-Showcase article.