NHR State: 16U Standout Shooters

The NHR State tournament was filled with skillful athletes and guys with high shot-making ability. These were the guys who showed it off and impressed me with the various shots they were comfortable taking and knocking down.    Although Breitbach's team was trailing for a majority of the game, it allowed him to play freely and not worry about the outcome. He looked really comfortable as a spot-up shooter, but it was fun to see him try and create for himself. He was coming off screens, pulling shots from anywhere on the court. One shot that impressed me the most was a corner three with a hand in his face. At 5'10, that is not an easy shot to take or make, and Breitbach shot it confidently.     Sunday morning it can be easy to say it doesn't matter what happens, but Colby was going to get his money's worth. He was hot from the start, and kept it rolling the entire game. Colby hit five threes in the first half alone, and they kept falling in the second half. I probably could have put multiple guys from his team on here because everyone was on fire, but Colby hit the most. He isn't a one-trick pony, though, as he kept the defense honest by driving and finding open teammates when his shot wasn't there.     Gunderson, similarly to a few of his Elevate teammates I wrote about yesterday, was very skilled in many aspects of the game. His jumpshot was very smooth, and every shot looked like it had a chance to go in, no matter where it was shot from. Gunderson had 15 points in his second game, and though a lot came from inside, he was dangerous from all three levels. His ability to make shots from mid-range elevated his game, no pun intended.     As the point guard, getting teammates involved and keeping the offense composed is one of the most important things, but getting your buckets is part of it as well. Rindahl did a good job cutting and positioning himself wherever the defense was not, making it easy for his teammates to find him on the wing or in the corner. He had three or four catch-and-shoot three-point makes on Sunday morning, helping grow his WOTN team's lead.     Against a fast-paced and big opposing team, Thorson utilized his shot-creating and making versatility, getting buckets from different areas of the floor. He got his team in a rhythm after a slower start, and they started to run away with it. He hit two threes and then and made a defender jump at a shot fake. He took a one dribble pullup and drilled it. He also ran a fastbreak and stop early to take a short jumper rather than entering a congested paint area. These different shots make him very effective as a shooter.

The NHR State tournament was filled with skillful athletes and guys with high shot-making ability. These were the guys who showed it off and impressed me with the various shots they were comfortable taking and knocking down.