Powdersville Summer Splash: Tuesday Standouts

Day 1 of the Powdersville Summer Splash took place on Tuesday, June 11th with several of the area's High School Programs in attendance for a Scholastic Period Play Day. I was in attendance to watch 6 of the day's games and was impressed by several prospects and their abilities on the hardwood. Check out these eight prospects on my Standout List from Tuesday at the Powdersville Summer Splash:   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />    [player_tooltip player_id='1341455' first='Abijah' last='Franklin'] is one of the top scoring guards in the State and had a monster game for Wren at the Powdersville Summer Splash. He went for 39 Points with only one made 3, getting downhill possession after possession and using his athleticism and creativity to finish around bodies at the basket. I thought TL Hanna defended Franklin well for the most part, it was just his ability to rise up over his man and his persistence in getting to the tin that allowed him to be so successful. Abijah also racked up 6 Rebounds and 2 Steals, staying engaged on both ends of the floor.     Rhett had a great all-around performance for the Hurricanes on Tuesday Morning. He had some great cuts early in the game to get a few layups and kick-start his day. Warga is fundamentally sound and will play off two feet in the lane. He is also one of the best charge takers in the state, drawing two of them against TL Hanna. This is a neutralizing tactic when matched up with a taller, post-style big man. In the win over the Yellow Jackets, Rhett put up 14 Points, hauled in 4 Rebounds, and dished out 5 Assists.     Zae runs the show as the Yellow Jacket's Point Guard. He is a lefty who has speed, great vision, a tight handle, rebounds, and can even hit from deep range beyond the arc. Williams had a couple of really nice passes that fit through tight windows and found open teammates in a great position to score. He showed an ability to beat his man and finish with either hand or dump off to his big. Although TL Hanna ended up losing the game I watched, Zae hit some important shots down the stretch to keep them in the game.         Wiersma had an effective and efficient performance for TL Hanna against Wren. He went for 24 Points and 8 Rebounds, dominating the paint on both ends of the floor. Lucas has good length and great feet that help him score in the post whether he catches it close to the rim or not. He also showed his versatility by scoring off the dribble and stepping out to hit a three-pointer in the game. Wiersma has good mobility, running the floor in transition and working hard all over the court on defense. He will chip in the with occasional shot block or steal, and has solid passing out of the post as well.     Simms caught fire in the second half of Daniel's matchup with JL Mann. It was his defense that sparked that fire, as he came out of the break moving his feet and working hard to keep his matchup in front or force a turnover. His offensive game features an excellent balance of downhill driving and perimeter shooting, making him effective in either spot of the backcourt. All 5 of his 3PM came in the second half and he had a sixth rim out at the buzzer which would've given the Lions the win. He finished with 29 Points and 3 Steals.     Walker is a strong and athletic big man who made some exciting plays today, including a putback dunk that shook the rim for a few possessions. He was hungry on the glass every time he was in the game and seemed to want the basketball more than anyone else on the floor. He was matched up with a big that was taller and longer than him but his athleticism and work rate was a neutralizer. Dontez had some success facing up and taking his man off the dribble as well as with his back to the basket. He put up 14 Points and 8 Rebounds in a win in their second game of the day.     [player_tooltip player_id='2881797' first='Thomas' last='Rouse'] is a wing to keep an eye on with Eastside this year. His calling card is shooting, but he is a solid young player all around. His offensive game is well-balanced between his ability to stretch the floor from the perimeter and create plays off the dribble. He has good positional length to shoot it over defenders. On the defensive end, he stays active with his feet but is adept at poking the ball away from opposing guards and racked up 2 Steals doing just that. He went for 18 Points including 4 3PM and a pair of clutch trips to the free-throw line in crunchtime.     Speaking of shooting, that is exactly what Jack did for the Razorbacks in the same game. He came out on fire, knocking down 3 straight attempts from behind the arc to help his team jump out to an early lead. He finished 8-17 from the perimeter, being one of the main reasons his teams stayed close in the second half. This is not just a one-off game though, Williams shot 40% from three in the 2023-24 Season, averaging just over 3PM per game. Jack is not just a shooter though, the offense runs best with the ball in his hands as he is a good passer and solid athlete.     I was very impressed with Campbell's performance today the final game I watched at the Powdersville Summer Splash. He showcased some terrific ball-tracking instincts and saved several offensive possessions by cleaning up his own glass. He is long, athletic, and never hangs around when a shot goes up. Ty'Korian is solid when he finds the ball as well, with several instances of him taking a power dribble and going up strong to finish amongst the trees. In a matchup with Belton-Honea Path, Campbell put up a 12 Point-12 Rebound double-double and was a difference-maker for his team in the game.

Day 1 of the Powdersville Summer Splash took place on Tuesday, June 11th with several of the area's High School Programs in attendance for a Scholastic Period Play Day. I was in attendance to watch 6 of the day's games and was impressed by several prospects and their abilities on the hardwood. Check out these eight prospects on my Standout List from Tuesday at the Powdersville Summer Splash: