Mike’s Standouts of the week
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In Kentucky I attended three games this week, all in Louisville, on Monday I went to St Xavier @ Male and then on Tuesday attended Butler @ Manual and Western @ Holy Cross. In this article I’ll discuss the standout…
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Continue ReadingIn Kentucky I attended three games this week, all in Louisville, on Monday I went to St Xavier @ Male and then on Tuesday attended Butler @ Manual and Western @ Holy Cross. In this article I’ll discuss the standout players from these games.
On a team with a bunch of Junior and Sophomore talent, Jackson stands out for Louisville St Xavier. Scoring on a handful of BLOB plays, their team does a good job setting plays up for him and he executes the designed plays for easy buckets. A physical undersized forward, Jackson is seeking out contact and draws a ton of fouls. A capable shooter from the outside with his feet set, Jackson hit some huge 3-pointers and took them with confidence. For those who like undersized tweeners who play a physical style of play with a high motor, Jackson is the exact type of kid for you.
St Xavier got strong production on the interior from Hanke and Henry Peters. While Peters had maybe the highlight of the game with an and-1 poster slam dunk, I wanted to spotlight Hanke’s contributions. A skilled stretch forward who could put it on the floor and was a good decision maker. I thought Hanke’s feel for the game and ability to set teammates up had Male scrambling defensively. Should get a lot of small college interest starting this spring and summer.
Male battled all night and the efforts of Jordan were a key reason why they stayed competitive for so long. An athletic and undersized big man, Jordan used his quickness and explosiveness to make quick moves towards the basket to finish. With the ability to finish with both hands at the rim and through contact, Jordan shot a high percentage in the paint. Still developing as a decision maker and with fluidity with his body, Jordan has a lot of upside still to reach in his career. His motor and athleticism makes him a productive high school player and intriguing prospect to monitor. I’ll be curious to see where his recruitment winds up this summer.
Manual got a comfortable win on senior night with Shene coming out strong with a handful of 3-points and some putback layups off offensive rebounds. A high academic prospect, Shene could be a target for high academic programs. Playing a big role in Manual’s great season at 22-3, Shene was one of four players in double figures on Tuesday evening. They’ll be a tough out in the state tournament.
Highlights
One of the top unsigned seniors in Kentucky, Williams put on a huge shooting performance on Tuesday evening to try and keep his team in the game. A wing guard with a high release and confident pulling up from a few feet behind the line, Williams is one of the top shooters in Kentucky. The highlight of the game was sadly waived off when Williams did a euro-step half-court shot at the third quarter buzzer that was called a travel. For Williams, improving his handle to allow him to get where he needs to easier in the half-court would open his game up at the college level. Only posting an offer from Midway, Campbellsville and Georgetown College, Williams seems to be flying a little under the radar with college programs. I’ll be curious to see if Williams takes one of his current offers or if a new school comes calling late in the cycle.
Another senior night saw Holy Cross gain almost a 20 point first half lead, Hand and Holy Cross had to fight off a huge fourth quarter charge by Elijah Clinton Elijah Clinton 6’5″ | SG Western | 2024 State KY and Western to hang on for a 3-point win. A slashing wing, Hand attacks the rim with a lot of aggressiveness. A lefty perimeter shooter, Hand prefers to use his right hand at the rim on layups and dunks. Speaking of dunks, Hand had an alley-oop tip dunk that got the packed crowd on their feet early in the game. In the fourth quarter, Hand made some clutch plays to seal the victory and build some momentum heading closer to playoff time.