HoopSource Elite Opening Showcase - Top Performers

The Hoopsource spring season kicked off this past weekend, April 11-12, with the Elite Opening Showcase. The majority of the 17U games took place at Clackamas High School and we had the opportunity to drop by and see a number of games. Here's a look at some of the top performers that we saw.    Running this year with the [program_tooltip program_id='2850997' first='Cascade' last='Kings'], Bongen was on the "Curtis" squad and led the team in scoring in their very first game. He started off establishing his jumpshot from beyond the arc and then worked his way in, using his strength and athleticism to attack and basketball and finish through contact. He got loose on the break and threw down a couple of highlight reel dunks as well.     Playing with the [program_tooltip program_id='2850997' first='Cascade' last='Kings'] "Curtis" squad, Martinov shined in all phases of the game. He was on target with his shooting, but the lengthy guard was also crashing the boards on both ends and creating off the dribble not just for himself but also for others. He was extremely active on defense, registering deflections and steals. In previous years he has split his time in the spring playing volleyball as well, but he noted he's focused on basketball this off-season.     A couple of tough losses for Scott and his Albany Elite-NXTPRO squad but the junior swingman certainly shined. Playing on the wing, he was solid with his jumpshot to go along with some hard drives to the basket, and was extremely active on the glass. With his ability to run the floor, he would often grab the defensive rebound and immediately break down the court in transition for scores.     The Carr Sports Academy-Blue squad shined as a team, but leading the way was some solid play overall from the Milwaukie junior. Lugo used some creative moves with the ball to get to spots and score, and his perimeter jumper was sharp both from the catch-and-shoot and on pull-ups off the dribble. His decision making was sharp, particularly in transition.     When we saw Dressler with Sherwood during the season, he largely played off the ball on the wing. With Elite 24 at the Showcase, he had the ball in his hands at the point and ran things very efficiently. The lefty played with a feel for the game, getting the ball to open teammates while also creating for himself getting to the basket. His play was crucial as his team captured their last game of the tournament.     If there was a player that really turned heads at the tournament on Sunday, it was Junkin. The Summit junior is a high-flying athlete and some of the dunks he threw down either on the break or finishing off an alley-oop were certainly Instagram highlight worthy. Far from just being a dunker, Junkin also showed he was capable of knocking down the open perimeter jumper.     The newcomer of the day for us was Yost, who shined brightly as a pure scorer in the games we saw [program_tooltip program_id='2281125' first='The' last='Program'] in 15U. While the combo guard's strength is taking it to the basket, he also sunk a number of shots from the perimeter to keep the defense honest. A high motor guy, he also made a number of players on the defensive end.     With his father Duck legend Luke watching from the sidelines (he's normally coaching him), the younger Jackson did it all for his Incline 15U squad in the game we saw. He faced the basket and largely looked to attack, but was just as happy to dish the ball out to an open teammate as he was getting his own at the hoop. His perimeter shot looked solid and he really made an impact on defense with his length and instincts.

The Hoopsource spring season kicked off this past weekend, April 11-12, with the Elite Opening Showcase. The majority of the 17U games took place at Clackamas High School and we had the opportunity to drop by and see a number of games. Here's a look at some of the top performers that we saw.