Texas Expo: 3v3 Impact Players

Some student athletes tend to stand out from the pack with their skill sets. The players below separated themselves with impressive all-around play in Lewisville this past weekend.    Any time I get the opportunity to see Marcus play, I try and make it happen. He's one of the more impressive guards I've seen in the past year and he's not slowing down by any means. He's lightning quick and has one of the fastest first steps in the state, making it nearly impossible to stay in front of him at all times. He's physical and fierce on the drive, often using his body in a clever way to protect his shot and get a foul simultaneously. He's a monster on the glass on both ends of the floor and he's constantly moving and making positive contributions for his squad. He has boatloads of energy, because he's just as effective on the defensive side of the ball - stays in front of his man, picks the rock from his assignment without fouling, and reads plays as they're happening so he can pounce and create turnovers for his team. It's hard to believe Zelee is only a Junior this year, but that gives him more time to become even more dangerous. I have no doubt he will.     Marc had some of the best footwork I saw on the day and he's an incredibly versatile player. He's got an impressive vertical ability and the elevation he gets on his shots allows him to separate for open looks nearly every single attempt. He's got a mean fade away and he'll use it in the paint to rack up points in a hurry. He's skilled at switching hands while airborne, making him very tough to stop when he puts his head down and drives to the basket. He's long and uses his length to dominate the glass and rise above his defenders. Anthony can also stretch the floor impressively well with his solid three-point ability. He's a menace on defense with his reach, creating blocks and steals consistently for his team. The attention on Anthony will only increase from here and it's exciting to see.     Henry is a big, imposing forward that I hadn't yet had the chance to see play, and my goodness, am I glad I caught him live! He's got an incredible all-around game and a way of making it look effortless as he makes play after play for his squad. He's talented at finishing at the basket through contact and chasing down second and third opportunities at the rim. He has a confidence about him that seems unshakeable at times, he gives off the impression that he's used to being a rock for his teams. He's got a nice lift and elevation on his shots and he's accurate from mid-range and beyond the arc. His frame is solid and he's strong, often using his body in the paint to establish ideal positions for himself to get great looks at the basket. Beckett's going to continue to ascend from here and I'm excited to see how far he goes.     Caden is an electric shooting guard with elite talent that's hard to stop off the dribble. His burst and ability to easily get past most defenders are incredibly impressive. His vertical is nice and if you leave him open on the fast break, you'll pay for it in dunks. His hesitation on his drives is calculated, he's an intelligent player who knows what he's doing every step down the floor. He has a solid ballhandling ability and never panics in pressure situations. He's talented at contorting his body in mid-air and going up and under on his defenders, making a stop virtually impossible. He uses the backboard incredibly well and it bumps his shot accuracy up quite a few notches - it seems like no matter where he's at on the floor, he knows the exact spot to place it on the backboard for an easy bucket. Deffebaugh's going to continue to make a ton of noise in his Junior campaign and I'm thrilled to see it.     Chazz is a graceful, long shooting guard that can do a myriad of positive things for his squad. He's got a solid handle on the ball and can create his own shots when needed. He can switch hands with ease and he's aggressive on offense - but with purpose - he's never out of control. He uses his length to his advantage on both ends - consistently snatching rebounds from his opponents, racking up steals without making contact, and sending opposing shots flying into the stands. He's graceful in mid-air and a pleasure to watch on the drive - he quickly identifies what will lead to his best look and capitalizes on whatever's necessary to deliver - no wasted time when he's on the floor. Brown's going to continue to impress and only get better from here - exciting for us and a warning to his competitors.

Some student athletes tend to stand out from the pack with their skill sets. The players below separated themselves with impressive all-around play in Lewisville this past weekend.