Gold Standard X KB3 Elite Summer Draft League Standouts: Part 1

Gold Standard and KB3 Elite are running their inaugural summer draft league this July and August at Brandeis University. I headed out to Waltham on Thursday night to watch two consolation games and the two semifinal matchups of their "elite" division. Here are some of the young high schoolers that stood out. Part two will be coming tonight!    Furguson is a really exciting prospect. He's got a well-rounded offensive game that includes a solid handle, good outside shooting, and some crafty finishes at the rim. Most impressive about the youngin's game was his transition passing; he has a real knack for seeing the court and making the accurate and effective kick-ahead pass. When he takes it himself, the rising freshman loves his spin move and has some nice slow-step moves in the paint. It'll be interesting to see how Furguson's body progresses, but he should definitely get some minutes for Academy of Notre Dame this year.     Kenney is incredibly undersized and underdeveloped physically, but he makes up for it with his skill and IQ. He has the ball on a string and has some shifty, change-of-pace moves to blow by larger defenders. Kenney also understands passing angles, especially out of the pick and roll, which makes him a solid point guard for your offense. He won't be able to play at the varsity level right now as a result of his size, but the future is bright for Kenney. Really fun player to watch.     Cosman hurt his back midway through his game on Thursday night, but he was his team's most effective player before that. He showed off an impressive three-point stroke and some really advanced slow-step moves at the rim – something you don't normally see from kids his age. He gets his shot off with good quickness and rotation, which will certainly be something he leans on at the high school level. I wouldn't be surprised if Cosman gets some varsity looks for Hingham High School this upcoming season.     Mariano is a strong-bodied wing/combo guard who can score from all three levels. He has a nice looking three-point shot, some good elevation on his mid-range jumper, and a really nice finishing bag at the rim (including a wrong-foot floater that he drained numerous times). He never tries to do too much when he has the ball and he has a keen understanding of how to move without the ball and space the floor. Should definitely be a varsity player this season.     Bolvin was one of the best all-around athletes on the court today. He has excellent body control and strength around the rim, but also really great leaping ability. Bolvin was able to make some shots from three and attacked the offensive glass when he didn't get the kickout opportunity. Defensively, he was guarding the opposing team's best player and was very active on the glass – he has a real knack for getting his hands on the ball and wreaking havoc. Should get minutes this season for AB.     Frigiani is an incredibly high IQ, versatile wing who can do a bunch of different things on the court. His most prolific skill was his post game, where he was able to use fundamental footwork to find openings around defenders but also excellent vision to make kickout passes to teammates. He never held the ball for too long and always knew exactly what he was going to do with it once he got it, either in the post or on the wing. Wouldn't be surprised at all if Frigiani is a freshman on varsity this season at Dover-Sherborn.

Gold Standard and KB3 Elite are running their inaugural summer draft league this July and August at Brandeis University. I headed out to Waltham on Thursday night to watch two consolation games and the two semifinal matchups of their "elite" division. Here are some of the young high schoolers that stood out. Part two will be coming tonight!