2028 Eye Catchers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I made a trip to Lexington on Sunday to watch some of the 8th grade state tournament. I was there for about half the day and bounced around across several games. Here are some of the players who caught my eye. This is not meant to be a ranking or anything else for the 28 class. Just players who were impressive when I watched. I also didn't see a whole lot of teams. Don't take it personally if your favorite 8th grader isn't listed here. They are listed in no particular order.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2360955' first='Samari' last='Pettus'], Browning Springs - Long and athletic, made some shots including a game tying three late in the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2360957' first='Javonte' last='Jaygo'], Browning Springs - Another long guard. Plays more on the ball than Pettus. Looks like he can be an impact player in high school right away.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2360959' first='Jordan' last='Mitchell'], JCTMS - Named Tournament MVP. Has smooth mechanics on his jumper. Interested to see more over the next 6-12 months.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2360961' first='Teegan' last='Couch'], East Perry - Good sized combo guard. Has an obvious skill level and great feel. Looks like he can get a lot taller in the next few years too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2360963' first='Corey' last='Cunagin'], Jackson County - Big, bruising post player who plays with a serious mean streak. Really skilled and showed he can finish with either hand. Comfortable putting the ball on the floor too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2360954' first='Nick' last='Prater'], East Perry - Very long athlete who is apparently a stud wide receiver as well. Bouncy but struggled to make shots when I watched.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2360951' first='Conner' last='Morguson'], Powell County - Steady lead guard who can fill it up on offense. Shot mechanics are fluid and he showed advanced level passing. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2360949' first='Trey' last='Hillerich'], JCTMS - Raw big man who is a good rim protector. Has a ways to go on offense but potential is high. Especially if he keeps growing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2360947' first='Tanner' last='Absher'], North Pulaski - Led the tournament in trash talking when I watched. Smooth jumpshot and an active rebounder. If he gets to 6'5+, he'll be a big time wing prospect.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2360945' first='Bray' last='McNear'], Marnel Moorman - A long guard/wing who prefers to get downhill and attack. Has a lot of potential as his wiry frame starts to fill out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2360943' first='Bryce' last='Vernon'], Taylor County - Played well enough that Jackson County ran a box and 1 against him. Very thin frame but will add some bulk. Clear skill level with good potential.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->