On the Rise: Prospects Who Made Moves at PHSpringKickoff

Every event brings a few surprises, and #PHSpringKickoff was no different. These are players who weren't on our radar coming in, but made sure that changed with their play. This group showed they belong and gave us a reason to take a deeper look moving forward.   Use code dev30 for 30% off and secure access as we're going through rankings and preparing you for grassroots season. You don't want to miss any of our scouting.     Trujillo is a player who certainly stood out for me on the weekend as despite being a taller player, he was the team's primary ball handler. He plays under control, he handles pressure well, and he also defends guards and bigs on the other end, which showcases his versatility. Trujillo is a guard who controls tempo, and when things settled down for him, he was making constant plays happen. He started to settle in throughout the day, and I saw him start to look comfortable and have some key moments. He scores with ease, finds the open man, and is a player who I feel will be a name to know moving forward. Big day for him to get on more radars.     Noel is a prospect who turned heads in his sophomore season and came into the summer with some confidence, as he got real varsity minutes, and you could tell with his demeanor and style of play. He shoots the 3-ball confidently, stays shot ready, and showed the ability to get inside and hit some mid-range jumpers as well. He also got out and ran the floor, and hit some transition buckets, showing a complete offensive game. He's a player who plays the right way and had a refreshing game each time that we saw them because of his understanding of spacing and where to be. Stock booster for sure.     We've been excited to see what it looks like when he's not specifically in an underclassman glue guy role, and he could venture out freely and make plays happen. He explored his game this weekend, and it looks like he's capable of this kind of play. In their game against Pluto, he's the one who gave his team a chance as he came up big time and time again. Chester finished with 26 points, rebounded well for his size, and started the break at times. I like his decision-making and assertiveness. This kind of start to the summer gives you confidence. Can't wait to go back and watch the other games from him     Russo is a game-changer for NoCo Elite. He came in and changed the game as soon as he got in, by being very active. He's a quick athlete who moves well and uses his active hands to get some steals and out in transition. He also showed that he could score in the half-court set, and he hit a few 3-pointers that extended the lead in close games. Russo seems to know his role and sometimes steps out and goes on a run by himself. The defensive activity is what is going to separate him, as it leads to so many easy baskets, and he's a willing defender. Liked what I saw from Grant on the weekend.     Nelson had himself a huge weekend and looked like one of the top players at Boomtown on Saturday. He showcased a complete game, was steady in each game, and scored with ease. He's reading what the defense is giving him, settles the team down when they're sped up, and puts them in a flow. Nelson got going inside as he showcases excellent footwork, he shoots it from deep, and has an in-between game. He's a confident scorer who plays the right way and is a player that I feel many will talk about as the summer progresses. We have rankings coming out next week, and I think we'll see a big jump from him.

Every event brings a few surprises, and #PHSpringKickoff was no different. These are players who weren't on our radar coming in, but made sure that changed with their play. This group showed they belong and gave us a reason to take a deeper look moving forward.