Five Underrated Prospects from the Little Hawkeye Conference

The Little Hawkeye Conference is packed full of elite young talent. However, a lot of great players have gone under the radar in this conference. Let's get right into the five prospects from this conference that I feel are being underrated.      [player_tooltip player_id='3255121' first='Harrison' last='Mullens'] is an underrated piece of Pella's offense. For starters, he is absolutely elite as a shooter off the catch. His shot mechanics are extremely brief and fluid. Once he catches the ball, you can't leave him any space or it's likely going in. And even with contesting defenders in his face, it doesn't seem to bother him much, which shows his elite skill and experience as a shooter. Even with his high volume of contested off-the-catch threes, his efficiency is still very impressive. It's his shooting touch that leads to this efficiency. Even his misses look good coming off the rim, and his shot has a very high arc. He offers great abilities as a driver as well. His speed and bend make him a difficult cover on the perimeter. He is able to get by and around defenders with ease. And once he gets to the rim, he offers touch with both hands. This pressure he creates at the rim allows him to flex his playmaking skills. He is a great interior passer that creates many open shots around the basket, and he can make these reads and passes while flying downhill.       [player_tooltip player_id='1874786' first='Jameson' last='Demaray'] is an underrated sharpshooter for Norwalk. I would describe him as a microwave scorer that spaces the floor with his marksmanship from outside. He is such a threat to launch from outside on the move that I see him constantly draw fouls on his three-point attempts. This is because of his ability to run off of screens and keep all of his mechanics intact. And even with a bulk of his threes being off balance because they are on the move, he is still able to get these shots off in a moment's notice, which he is very efficient on these outside looks, and this is a very valuable ability for Norwalk's offense. He is also a very high-feel and smart cutter. He always knows when to go to the rim and present himself to his teammates. His cuts put pressure on the defense and get him great looks at the rim, which he is able to finish through hard contact for and-1s. He offers all of these complementary skills while being a pest of a guard defender.     Ben Van Wyngarden offers a versatile skill set at his size for Pella Christian. Ben is a stretch big that can do about everything on the floor. He can hit threes off the catch and offers a nice shot and soft touch for a player of his stature. This makes him a deadly weapon in the pick-and-pop action, as he sets rock-solid screens and then stretches the floor with his shooting gravity. However, he is not purely just a shooter on offense. He has shown himself to be adept as an around-the-rim scorer. His size and fluidity make him a tough matchup for most players around the rim, as his acceleration is impressive and he can finish at high speeds without losing his touch. He is similarly versatile and impactful on the defensive end. His size and fluidity make him very switchable, and he does a great job against most matchups. His defensive instincts and quick hands allow him to get many steals in the passing lanes and the gaps. And he is great at contesting shots around the rim and remaining disciplined on fakes.       [player_tooltip player_id='2979803' first='Isaiah' last='Slaughter'] is a young guard with heaps of talent, and he has many ways that he impacts winning. He is an absolute sniper from outside, both off the catch and off the bounce. He is great at pulling up behind screens from deep and hitting at a high clip. His ball handling and speed, combined with his quick jumper, make him a nightmare to guard. He can get to the rim anytime he likes, and he displays soft touch through contact in the paint. He is elite at getting deep into the paint with his phenomenal dribble pick-ups. And his use of deceleration allows him to create many great angles for his lay-ups. He is also a very active and versatile defender. He comes down with many steals and blocks, and can guard bigger opponents without much trouble.           [player_tooltip player_id='2420790' first='Cooper' last='Huston'] is the perfect teammate. He plays with endless energy and hustle. His high motor makes him a constant presence on the defensive end. He draws charges and dives on the floor for loose balls. He also doesn't back down from any defensive assignment, and he has a true dog mentality. Along with his defensive impact, he brings a lot on the other side of the ball. He is a very aggressive driver and smart playmaker. He is a great initiator of the offense, and he is great at finding his teammates and reading the defense. He is able to finish with either hand around the basket as well, and his bend and speed as a driver allow him to create many paint touches.