Hoop Scene – 17U Top Performers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Contributed by Andrew Gill</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Hoop Scene tournament this weekend was located at Gladstone High School. We had the privilege of watching and observing games on Sunday. A handful of guys stood out in the games we watched – here are our picks for top performers.<br><br><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2375392' first='Kaiden' last='Wilson'] (2027 Central Catholic/OBC)</strong> - In the championship game against Oregon Tripl3, Wilson shined on the court as he scored 33 points and made seven 3-pointers. He was able to make shots from long distance and made some flashy plays above the rim. Wilson, a transfer from Seton Catholic (WA), has a bright future as he prepares for his junior season with the Rams. We caught up with Kaiden after the game and will have an update posted soon.<br><br><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2132804' first='Shay' last='Thompson'] (2027 Sunset/OBC)</strong> - From the one game we watched, Thompson seemed to be doing everything right. He was leading the fast-break, getting to the rim with ease, and frequently knocking down the 3-ball. Thompson, was also an asset on defense with his athletic reach to get deflections and steals. He finished the championship game with 29 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2026486' first='Keone' last='Gates'] (2027 Parkrose/Oregon Tripl3)</strong> - Gates, the X-Factor for Oregon Tripl3, was able to keep the game close against a tough OBC team. He exploded for 25 points, most of them finishing in the paint. The 6-foot-1 guard, showcased his shifty moves and was able to get past his defenders easily. He made several plays at the rim, some of them resulting in and-ones. Keone also has a nice shot from outside, so don't leave him open at the 3-point line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1662765' first='Quentin' last='Neal'] (2026 Centennial/Starts with U)</strong> - The Centennial team was missing some of their top players, but Neal stepped up in a big way to keep his team in the game. Even though they didn't get the result they wanted, Quentin played his heart out finishing with 14 points. The 6-foot-2 combo guard was the primary ball handler. He showcased his ability to play calm which led to easy buckets for his team. Neal, with a minute left in the game, dislocated one of his fingers on an inbounds play. After a quick evaluation, he returned to finish the game with his hand taped up. Major props to him for not giving up!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2442280' first='Harold' last='Turner'] (2026 Centennial/Starts with U)</strong> - Turner was one of the more athletic players we saw on Sunday. With a few minutes left in the game, he had an exciting put-back dunk that got the crowd excited. He stands at 6-foot-4, and with his length and size he could play as a 3 or a 4. In the two games we saw Harold play, his most outstanding contributions were his shot-blocking ability and his awareness for protecting the rim.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2468461' first='Aydn' last='Dallum'] (2026 McNary/Undisputed) </strong>- A player that we haven't seen in awhile, is [player_tooltip player_id='2468461' first='Aydn' last='Dallum'], a 6-foot-6 wing from McNary. The big man could do a little bit of everything. He's a jack-of-all-trades as he finished the game with 18 points, a few rebounds, and some much-needed assists. Dallum battled all game as he helped his team to a late comeback win against Starts with U.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Josh Husky (2026 Westside Christian/Flash)</strong> - Husky impressed us with his unique skill to score. His fast style of play kept a steady flow moving in the offense, taking cuts to the basket, and finding opportunities on the fast break. Josh wasn't scared to take it to the rim and receive contact in the process. He led his team in points with 23, in a win against [program_tooltip program_id='2076597' first='Active' last='PCH'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->