Mercer Tournament: Underclass standouts (First Round)

The 55th annual Mercer Invitational Tournament kicked off on Thursday at Hill School with eight high-level prep and post-grad programs from across the region comprising one of the event's stronger fields in recent memory. After taking in the entire first round of action, we'll start coverage with a handful of underclassmen who stood out throughout the day.    One of the stars of the day regardless of class, Nelson was instrumental in engineering a come-from-behind upset win over Westtown. A floor general who got starting reps as a freshman, he showed impressive poise at the helm of the offense against a bigger, lengthier opposing rotation. Nelson got to his spots off the dribble while also stretching the defense as a dangerous shooter out to the perimeter, knocking down three 3s on his way to 15 points. Expect to see Nelson become a popular name among high-academic programs at the scholarship level in the years to come.     Quickly getting accustomed to the prep level after a standout two-year career at Boston Latin, White had plenty of dynamic moments in a spirited loss to nationally-ranked Western Reserve (OH). Splitting time both on and off ball in a guard-heavy lineup, the southpaw was at his best attacking off the dribble with a crafty handle and quick first step to create offense going downhill. He showed impressive vision as a passer while also stepping out for a pair of 3s to keep things honest. Despite being a bit undersized, White also stood out with his toughness and instincts on the defensive end while coming up with a handful of loose balls. He struggled at times with turnovers and will have to prove his consistency from the perimeter, but White's energetic play off the bounce and flashes of dangerous shotmaking potential offer a clear path to a scholarship-level prospect in time.     A repeat sophomore by way of Woodward Academy (GA), Brand has made himself known so far in the region with an impressive perimeter skillset for his size. He impressed on Thursday, however, by using his size and budding athleticism to make an impact near the rim. Brand thrived as a cleanup man on his way to eight points in a tight loss to Peddie, showing strong hands and deft finishing touch. His emerging inside-out skillset and high-level bloodlines should have him emerge as a D1 prospect before too long as he continues to make a splash in a deep Westtown rotation.     Another repeat sophomore making an immediate splash at the prep level, Valadez impressed with his play off the bench as the host Hill School fought off a spirited Kiski squad. The Long Island native shined as a traditional floor general, operating with advanced poise while navigating into the lane with ease off the dribble. He showed crafty footwork as a finisher and slick vision finding shooters and cutters once the defense collapsed. We'd like to see him be a bit more confident from the perimeter moving forward, but Valadez's impact at the point of attack should be a welcomed spark at Hill for years to come.     The only underclassman in the rotation for NMH, Thorpe has a case for having the highest upside in the rotation, as shown with his spirited play off the bench in the first round win over Millbrook (NY). An athletic rim-runner with an impressively sculpted frame, Thorpe made his biggest mark on the defensive end, using a blend of length and quick feet to consistently plug gaps on his way to multiple blocked shots. He ran the floor hard for good position in early offense where he shows impressive pop and budding skill as a finisher. Thorpe could catch attention up to the mid-to-high major level with continued skill progression in the coming years.     A relatively new name on the radar, Broko came off the bench and provided a nice spark while flashing an intriguing frontcourt skillset in Peddie's first round upset over Westtown. He combines good size with a strong frame and impressively quick feet, showing comfort on both ends out to the perimeter. Broko showed a budding skill level off the dribble, spacing the floor before attacking opposing forwards from the perimeter. The building blocks are there for Broko to emerge as a scholarship-level prospect with continued development.

The 55th annual Mercer Invitational Tournament kicked off on Thursday at Hill School with eight high-level prep and post-grad programs from across the region comprising one of the event's stronger fields in recent memory. After taking in the entire first round of action, we'll start coverage with a handful of underclassmen who stood out throughout the day.