NHR State: Saturday 15U Standouts

Here are nine standout athletes from Saturday's action at Armstrong High School!    The versatility of Thomas' game gives him an advantage over other bigs. The 6'3” forward impacts the game in a variety of ways. He rebounds at a high rate, has a soft touch in and around the rim, stretches the floor, and deters many paint drives on the defensive end thanks to his frame. Thomas plays hard and with good physicality.     Akech was one of the better athletes I watched this weekend. He's got the size and strength of a power forward and the mobility of a guard. This combination allows him to grab-n-go off the defensive glass, guard 1-5, and score over the top of the defense. Akech is a very dynamic prospect. He shoots the three-ball, scores off the dribble and catch, rebounds well, gets a lot of steals/deflections, and has an exceptional handle for his size.     Loos plays with good speed and physicality. His size, strength, and mobility create difficulties for opposing defenses. Add some solid ball-handling skills, and he becomes practically impossible to stop as he attacks the rim. As a scorer, Loos is able to do it all. During his game Saturday, I saw him get buckets off the dribble and catch, in transition, around the rim, and from behind the arc. Loos has a polished offensive skillset.     Ryan is a crafty wing with a deep bag of scoring tricks. The 6'3” prospect can effectively go either direction with the basketball and finish confidently with both hands. I like the pace he plays with. He never appears to get rattled and is a player who's hard to speed up. Ryan can score from all levels, and thanks to his frame, he's able to guard multiple positions.     The IQ that Moeller plays with is something that stood out to me right away. While watching him play during Saturday's day of play, his team faced a zone. The decision-making he displayed while attacking that defense was great. He used well-timed cuts, consistent off-ball movements, correct spacing, ball-fakes, and quick passes to his advantage. Moeller is a three-level scorer who takes and makes smart shots.     Having patience and playing with poise are just a few attributes that give Mlynczak an advantage offensively. He knows where his kill spots are on the floor, and can get to them with relative ease. Mlynczak draws a lot of fouls thanks to the smart positioning he uses as he maneuvers into his scoring spots. Mlynczak is a confident lead guard for any offense.     Oakland exploded for a 23-point first half in a Saturday game. The combo guard moves with a ton of confidence and can score from anywhere on the floor. Oakland is very smooth as a ball-handler and scorer, and plays with a bounce in his step. He shares much of the lead guard responsibilities and does so well. Oakland has an extended range, shoots it with good mechanics, and can stay hot once he's found his groove.     Hilliard is a true point guard who seems to make his teammates better each time he's on the floor. The lead guard can shoot it from deep and get to the paint easily. He makes smart passes and always plays within himself, never doing too much and always taking care of the basketball. One area in which Hilliard excels is playing downhill in transition. He likes to push and play fast, keeping the defense on their heels. Hilliard does a good job of orchestrating the offense.     [player_tooltip player_id='2544137' first='Acaurii' last='Clark'] is an incredibly gifted athlete who can impact the game in a variety of ways. He plays with a lot of aggression and is an excellent finisher around the rim. He runs the floor well, rebounds at a high rate, and plays tough defense. The on-ball pressure Clark plays with provides constant headaches for opposing ball-handlers. Thanks to his athleticism and size, Clark can guard just about every position. Clark is a really well-rounded two-way player.

Here are nine standout athletes from Saturday's action at Armstrong High School!