Top 2025 Players at Elite 8 Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Monterey Trail HS in Elk Grove, CA. The Elite 8 Fall Preview took place. PH NorCal was there Saturday for the all day event featuring teams in and around the Sacramento area. We watched 9 games on the main court and came away with the top performers in the 2025 class from this event. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1574722"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Sykes was named MVP for the event. He exploded for 31pts in game one, then continued with a balanced attack throughout the 3 games we watched. He looked quite confident, as he used his skill set to score in a variety of ways in transition and in half-court. He used hard drives, and strong finishes at the rim including dunks. By our count he had 5-3ptrs using his screens, and dribble to hit a couple in game one. He's got some serious hops to go get rebounds and challenge shots at the rim.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1572964"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"He's a rising prospect in this class bringing a balanced attack to his game at 6'8. He has the body and muscle to play a physical game inside, along with touch around the rim. He showed he could knock down 3ptrs, with 4 in one game. He had 24 points, working inside/out. He's a good rebounder and passer.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1384450"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Lilly is a naturally big body, he's grown a few inches and is learning how to make use of his body. At 6'5, he's  more physical in the paint, he has good touch with improving movement, he'll get a bucket in the paint. His handles are better, he'll attack from the high post, and other angles using 1 or 2 dribbles to score on the move. He's showing strength going up for rebounds, and put backs points. He had 16pts in game one, and took a a charge.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["1572969"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"He contributes in different ways. Offensively he has a good set of skills he uses to put points on the board. He's a better 3 point shooter than we thought, he moves the ball, and works well in and around the post area, he makes good cuts to the basket, and has decent foot work to get his shot off. He's a court runner who'll finish with dunks. He helps rebounds. At 6'5 he can guard on the perimeter, and gives good effort defending bigger players in the post.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["1384823"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"He's long with good agility and improving movement on the court. He looks primed to take his game to another level this season. Consistency will be key for the long wing as he looks to put points on the board in transition, and using his dribble drive to finish in the paint challenging defenders, taking it up strong and hitting paint jumpers. He'll help rebound, and defend multiple positions.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["1572946"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"He is that guard of the combo nature, he shown he can move from one guard to the other during a game. He took his point guard skills to another level this spring and summer on the Adidas 3Stripe Circuit. He's a smart guard with athleticism, and quality playmaking ability. He can run the offense, score off the ball, and defend at a high level.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["1384637"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Krueger will be taking his guard skills over to Amador Valley this season. He's an high IQ guard that can play both guard positions. He's one of the better 3pt shot makers when he gets it going. He has good ball handling skills and vision, he's quite effective  after driving into the paint, playing off two feet, planting, and keeping bigs off balance.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["1384824"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"He's becoming more efficient in the way he works the offense up top. He's settled in and knows how to run the teams offense. He's making good decisions, his passing is good seeing the whole court in half-court sets, and transition. His quick crossovers, and ball fakes allows him to hit mid-range and paint jumpers. He'll find cutters to the hoop, and make the post entry pass. He spreads the ball around.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["1772927"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"From the looks of it Barksdale has been working on his jump shot. In the one game we saw, he hit the corner 3 early in the game. With an improved jumper, and handles away from the basket, the 6'6 forward adds more pieces to his game. He's a solid body that takes it up strong in traffic off of two feet. He has good hops to throw down power dunks in transition. He's going to get his rebounds, and go after blocks. He's an excellent rebounder.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["1384915"],"_player_evaluations_9_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"After a bit of a slow start in his first game, he became an active guard on the court. He got it going by knocking down 3's from the corners, and coming down in transition. He got a few rebounds, went coast to coast once, and found his teammates running the court in transition for assists. He found his bigs cutting to the basket. He's a guard with a quick first step,  you throw in a ball fake, and it's hard to keep him out of the paint for jumpers, and floaters. He's a confident and conditioned athlete.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_10_player":["1574796"],"_player_evaluations_10_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"We've seen Rease a couple of times at  various showcase events. He's been putting in good work and the results are starting to show in this uptempo offense on his high school team. He's using his dribble for the drive taking it strong to the basket, finishing in different ways, playing through contact, and making his free throws. He's making good passes and filling lanes in transition. He hit a few 3's, his defense is getting better.","_player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_11_player":["1573036"],"_player_evaluations_11_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_11_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_11_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"It was our first look at Dixon playing with his new team. He's a nice piece to add. He's about 6'4, has good movement on the court, good fundamentals, and can generate a few baskets on his own. He can score inside with a paint jumper, and taking it up strong, he'll use a dribble or two to get into the paint working the baseline, and high post. He has decent ball handling skills to pass, and play on the perimeter. He'll help on the boards, and work on the defensive side of the ball, post and perimeter.","_player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_12_player":["2080074"],"_player_evaluations_12_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_12_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_12_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_12_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_12_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_12_evaluation":"Adkins is coming along nicely, giving good effort, and finding ways to contribute. He has size, and length at 6'7. He's a wing/forward who can use his dribble for drives into the paint at times. He showed good form on his jump shot spotting up in corners 3's and sometimes coming down in transition. He got a transition dunk hustling to fill the lanes. He got a couple of key offensive rebounds. With a hand up, he has the length to distract, and close out 3pt shooters along the perimeter. We'll keep an eye on him.","_player_evaluations_12_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":13,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-652626c9058ff"} /-->