3SSB: Local Stars in Their Role

New readers: Use code Proia30     I drove out to Mishawaka, Indiana to take in Adidas 3SSB's second session full of talent from the high school age groups. Guys that play winning basketball don't always see that impact show up in the box score. I got a chance to see each local group and will cover the unselfish prospects that stood out to me for a variety of reasons. Some impressed at the defensive end of the floor, some stood out with improved aspects of their game, and others' star shown brightest at the defensive end of the floor. Let's dive in!    -Love what Gurdak brings to an aptly-named Loaded 15u team that remained undefeated at 8-0 after winning each of their games this weekend by an average of 21.5 ppg. Gurdak is so versatile defensively as a wing prospect that can comfortably guard 4 spots, sliding on the perimeter while also doing his work early in post defense to push his matchup away from the paint. He collects a ton of hockey assists as an off-ball mover that shifts to open areas in the middle of the floor before kicking it out to an open teammate who swings it for the one-more to an open shooter. His work on the glass and unselfish play at both ends of the floor in transition shows the utility and value of his role within this group.     11p 5r 1b vs Team Loaded   -It was my first time seeing Issah play in quite some time as he battled through injuries during his junior season and I LOVED his motor, especially when you consider it was his first few games back. Issah makes good second and third efforts to contest shots on the perimeter and around the basket, sprints back hard to force ballhandlers to kick out to shooters in advantage situations, and has the requisite quickness/length/size blend to guard multiple spots for a New World team that suffered several injuries this weekend. The touch around the basket is still developing but has improved and he's doing a much better job of fighting to dive to the rim to get into position for rebounds from the short corner or elbow areas. In an era that sees many frontcourt members allowing their offensive touches to impact their defensive and rebounding efforts, I love that Issah doesn't let the game outcomes affect his motor. Interested to see how he is used and what flashes of skill development he will show once he has his legs under him during the upcoming live periods.     6p 1r 2b vs ASAK   -Loved Wilson's motor as a mobile forward prospect that really impressed with his activity and length throughout the weekend. Wilson did a great job of spacing to the corner to draw shot-blockers away from the rim for slashing teammates, sprinting back in transition to block shots (even in a 3 on 1 break) at the rim, and has improved his communication in ball screen situations. His understanding of rotations and spacing has him always in position to make a play defensively-- and with his combination of length and leaping ability-- he served as an effective shot-blocker, rebounder, and play-finisher around the rim.     7p 8r 1a 2b vs ASAK, 11p 8r 1a vs Dream Vision   -Always love the unselfish energy that Kalonji brings to every team that he plays on as a dynamic forward prospect that plays with a great motor. No layup is ever safe in transition as Kalonji routinely gained ground on guards in transition to not only contest a shot at one end but outlet the basketball and sprint out at full speed back to the offensive end of the floor to get something easy. The skill development is showing as he knocked down a 3 and is much more comfortable pivoting in traffic to create better finishing angles after snagging offensive rebounds. Low maintenance frontcourt prospects with his size, motor, and unselfish play are harder and harder to come by-- I expect college coaches to begin throwing their hat in the ring during the scholastic live periods.     -One of the offensive bright spots for a Warriors group that took a few games to get going in Mishawaka. I don't think that the shooting numbers are indicative of his impact as Raue was forced into some tough twos at the end of the shot clock on kick-outs. Love how smoothly and quickly he gets into both his baseline pull-up or 3-point jumpers off of movement coming off of screens. The footwork coming off said screens, sprinting endurance, and handle to get to his spots in the halfcourt have all improved to make him a movement shooter that needs to be tracked at all times. Raue has also improved his off-ball defense to make more timely rotations on charge attempts along the baseline or step-up's to force a kick-out in transition that foils opponent's quick looks at the beginning of the shot clock. With his size and off-ball movement, I'd expect him to continue to gain steam as one of the better shooters in the area.     9p 7r vs ASAK   -Loved his energy on the glass as a dynamic W/F tweener in new threads with Loaded. Saragba's blend of speed, leaping ability, and tenacity on the glass make him a consistent lob and putback threat around the basket. Saragba's lateral fluidity also allows him to serve as a versatile defender that can scale up or down in a lineup to make an impact as a switchable prospect that is both willing and capable of doing the dirty work for his team. I like the adjustments that he made in the 2H to use his pivot to get to the opposite side of the rim to score off of his offensive rebounds for a Loaded group that sorely needed the extra possessions in a back and forth affair.     16p 1r 5/6 FG 3/4 3P vs Dream Vision   -Liked the minutes that Miles gave New World as a movement shooter capable of finding vulnerable pockets in the defense to serve as a catch and shoot threat. His run midway through the 2H included three straight 3s off of movement (the last one included a pump fake and sidestep to force the fly-by from his defender) that touched nothing but the bottom of the net. Miles sneaked in to snag an offensive rebound on a key possession to draw the foul and hit the ensuing free throws to make it a two-possession game midway through the 2H, stayed wide in transition to force his defender to latch on and not provide any help on drivers, and has improved his off-ball movement to sidestep quickly to his spots without looking down at his feet to get off quick and clean shot attempts.

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