PH Top 250: Tony’s 2024 First Team All-Expo

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>The annual Prep Hoops Iowa Top 250 Expo took place in Grimes on Sunday afternoon. 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 every player in attendance. This article touches on the five best seniors that I saw among the teams I was tasked with covering – Teams 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 12.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Most Outstanding Player: [player_tooltip player_id='1288920' first='Kanyon' last='Bryte'] (Western Dubuque)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6-7 big man was the best player in the gym on Sunday night, dominant on both ends of the floor in each of his three games. He showed increased confidence in his jumper, showing the ability to step out and stretch the floor, which was the last piece of his offensive arsenal to iron out. He has great footwork on post touches to go with soft touch with either hand. He's a dominant rebounder who pounds the glass on both ends of the floor, a good enough ball-handler to pull down a defensive rebound and lead the occasional break, and is a long, mobile, and switchable defender who can protect the paint or hold his own against smaller guards on the perimeter. He had an outstanding evening in Grimes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2325550' first='Sandro' last='Bilic'] (Waukee Northwest)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bilic was a big-time standout on the offensive end, using his big 6-5 frame to bully his way to his spots and score at will. He showed the ability to score off the dribble, getting to the rim, or when he was playing without the ball in his hands, knocking down shots off the catch routinely. He has a pure stroke off the catch with a high release that is difficult to contest. He does a great job competing on the glass on both ends of the floor and is a good enough ball-handler and passer to lead the break after pulling down a defensive rebound. Following a number of losses to graduation, he should be a factor for the Wolves this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1295653' first='Caeden' last='Terrell'] (United Township, IL)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A quick-twitch guard who can blow by defenders and get to the rim, Terrell is at his best when he's playing downhill and using his athleticism and quickness to put pressure on opposing defenses. He has a really good mid-range game and is able to get to his spots in that area of the floor pretty much whenever he wants. He's a good on-ball defender with quick feet and good hands.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1288858' first='Martrell' last='Blakey'] (Kennedy)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blakey has always been a fantastic athlete who can do a ton of damage in transition, but he showcased an improved jumper throughout his three games, routinely burying 3s both off the catch and the dribble. He's a plus-athlete who competes on the glass and can defend multiple positions, and his improved jumper opens up the rest of his offensive arsenal, putting the ball on the floor and attacking the rim for finishes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1288892' first='Jack' last='Hanson'] (Charles City)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 6-2 lefty, Hanson is a pure scorer who can fill it up in a multitude of ways. He has a pure stroke off the dribble and is able to stop on a dime and elevate into his shot. He handles the ball well and does a good job utilizing ball fakes to temporarily freeze the defender, allowing him to get that tiny bit of an edge to get the defender on his hip en route to the rim. He plays with pace and does a good job changing speeds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->