Five Playmakers From the Sizzlin’ Summer Shootout

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>USE CODE “baxley30” FOR 30% OFF THE FIRST PURCHASE OF ANY SUBSCRIPTION</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the quickest ways to separate yourself during the June scholastic period is by proving you can make winning plays with the basketball. The Sizzlin' Summer Shootout featured several guards who excelled as creators, showing the ability to read defenses, make the right decisions, elevate the players around them, and score when asked to. These are five playmakers who earned strong evaluations over the course of the weekend: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2396551"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a38a0709fbcf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Leading off the list of playmakers from the Sizzlin' Summer Shootout is Legacy Early College's [player_tooltip player_id='2396551' first='Bowen' last='Swofford']. It's been encouraging to see Swofford grow in skill and confidence every year at this tournament, and his 20-point, 4-assist, and 5-steal performance in the opener this year was certainly one of the best I've seen from him in person. Bowen has excellent feet on spin moves and euro steps around the lane. This, along with a creativity in how he finishes, allows him to be a consistent scorer in the paint despite his size. If he improves his three-point production, Swofford could be a sneaky good get for a college program this time next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2715532"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a38a0709fc19"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Quinton was one of the best guards I saw this weekend when it came to creating shots off the dribble. His go-to scoring move is a step-back three, but it is set up by how good he can be attacking the rim early in the game. Watts can also hit threes when playing off the ball, crash the offensive glass, and work smaller matchups into the post. Quinton had by far the most productive game of anyone I saw in Greenville, going for 36 points and 3 assists in a win over Blue Ridge. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2849170"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a38a0709fc3e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Keeping the theme of productive, balanced stat lines, [player_tooltip player_id='2849170' first='Caden' last='St. Charles'] posted a solid 13 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals against River Bluff to open up the tournament. Caden is strong with the ball in his hands and does a great job getting downhill in the half-court or in transition. The Panthers' offense usually runs best when he has the ball in his hands, finding shooters or open cutters, but he isn't a minus off the ball because of his ability to catch-and-shoot or cut himself. The Panthers don't have a ton of size, so St. Charles also shows his playmaking ability with multi-positional defending and rebounding. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2722119"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a38a0709fc63"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Noah could have made it on either my shooters or my playmakers list after a 6-made three, 7-assist game against Stephens County (GA) on Saturday. Although his efficient perimeter shooting was extremely impressive, I loved Dodd's desire to consistently make the right play even when he was hot from three. Whether it's swinging to the open man, dumping it off to a big man, or running a pick-and-roll, you never have to question Noah's impactfulness as a team-first offensive player. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2830975"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a38a0709fc83"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Keeping it on Saturday, [player_tooltip player_id='2830975' first='Madyx' last='Ulmer'] rounds out the playmakers to know from the Sizzlin' Summer Shootout. By my count, Ulmer went for 9 assists in an early-morning matchup with Blacksburg, and he had several more assist-worthy passes. Madyx's first three assists got Pendleton's best shooter going, and then he did a good job of spreading the ball out and getting all of his teammates involved as the game went by and the lead grew larger. Ulmer also has an excellent feel for getting in passing lanes, which is especially helpful at the top of an aggressive 2-3 zone that the Bulldogs run. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->