Impactful Game-changers who broke out at Mile High Madness

As we conclude coverage for the Mile High Madness, I want to give some attention to some players who turned heads in multiple games throughout the tournament. I saw flashes, but then that turned into me sitting and watching more and more. These players did not have to score a ton to impact the game and are players that should be on your radar moving forward.    Murillo made his presence felt defensively all weekend, and that is something that impressed me in multiple games. He took on one of the top scorers of the summer and locked in, defending without fouling and playing with pride. He gave up size but never backed down. Offensively, he ran the floor hard, filled lanes, and got easy looks off runouts. He's gritty, instinctive, and poised. If Coal Ridge needs steady minutes, Murillo might be their answer, as he was for the Highlanders all weekend.      Alade just looks the part, and that is something that continues to pop for me. He's strong, athletic, and always moving. His motor matched his frame. He ran the floor, finished through contact, and bullied smaller defenders in the paint. He played with physicality and never shied away from contact. Alade set hard screens, rolled with purpose, and made life easier for his guards for [program_tooltip program_id='2100026' first='7070' last='Athletics']. He keeps growing on me. Every time I see him, he gives you a reason to stay locked in, and that was on display.     Smith stood out with his energy and physicality in multiple games this weekend. He's a tough two-way guy who doesn't get sped up. He had some big-time finishes in traffic, but what really popped was his ability to set the tone emotionally. His squad fed off his energy. When he got into a heated battle, he got better. He was able to finish through contact and force stops. He's a tone-setter who competes every possession and he progressed in each game that I watched him in. He was fun to watch.     Rosin is a floor general who knows how to stay within himself. He played his role perfectly while showing he can step out and be the scorer when needed. He consistently got downhill, put pressure on the rim, and made good reads. He finished with both hands in transition and spaced the floor with smart ball movement. In a double-OT win, he hit some big-time shots. What he showed all weekend is that he's steady. The consistency was solid, and he's a guard to track.     McGuire stepped up when it mattered. He had one of the biggest shots of the weekend, a game-winner, and was a reliable scorer all tourney. He thrives in catch-and-shoot spots, moves well off the ball, and punished lazy closeouts. His pull-up jumpers at the midrange was also clicking. McGuire spaces the floor, makes the right reads, and doesn't force shots. He earned his bump and landed firmly on our radar after a strong showing.     James is built like a bruiser and plays with that mindset. He's a powerful forward who rebounds with force and finishes through contact. He controlled the paint all weekend as he was tracking boards, finishing inside, and drawing fouls. What stood out was his feel. He was catching tough passes and finishing without bringing the ball down. He's still developing off the bounce, but the physical tools are real. Princeton is definitely one of the most intriguing forwards from the weekend.     Fugate was Pro Skills' most active player. As the primary ball handler, he kept composure under pressure and made steady decisions. He slowed the pace when needed, flashed to the middle vs. zone traps, and scored from different spots. He's not the flashiest, but he's productive. In one key game, he took over down the stretch and led his team to the win. His IQ and feel made a big impression and got the win in the game that I watched. He's a player to keep an eye on.

As we conclude coverage for the Mile High Madness, I want to give some attention to some players who turned heads in multiple games throughout the tournament. I saw flashes, but then that turned into me sitting and watching more and more. These players did not have to score a ton to impact the game and are players that should be on your radar moving forward.