GASO Pre-Live Showcase: Stock Rising Wings and Forwards

The GASO Pre-Live Showcase served as an important tune-up before the start of the live period, giving prospects a valuable opportunity to sharpen their game and make an impression before college coaches hit the road. With competitive matchups, talented teams, and plenty of prospects looking to build momentum, the event featured no shortage of standout performers. Whether it was established prospects reinforcing their reputation or under-the-radar players breaking out and emerging as names to know, the showcase provided a glimpse into who may be poised for a strong live-period run or showing at the upcoming TABC showcase. Here we take a look at a few of the recruits who made the strongest impressions, boosting their stock heading into one of the most important evaluation windows of the year.    Brian Hopgood was an outstanding rim protector, anchoring the paint with a strong base, tremendous standing reach, and excellent anticipation. He rarely left his feet unless necessary, displaying disciplined defensive fundamentals while maintaining a wall-up position and meeting drivers at the rim with his chest. His first, second, and third-effort jumps were especially impressive, never giving up on a play until he secured possession. A true ball hawk around the basket, Hopgood tracked the ball exceptionally well off the rim, rebounding at its highest point and controlling the glass from the opening tip. His ability to contest vertically forced countless misses, often causing shooters to adjust, double-clutch, or rush attempts around the lane.     [player_tooltip player_id='2112008' first='Xander' last='Pruzinsky'] played with a relentless competitive nature that gradually wore opponents down over the course of a game. As physical as they come, he was a bruiser around the basket and a wall when setting screens. Pruzinsky understood how to use his body as a weapon, constantly leaning, bumping, sealing, and battling for position to create advantages. He embraced contact on every possession and never backed down from physical play. He also showcased next-level rim-running potential, sprinting the floor with purpose and flashing the ability to become a legitimate aerial threat in any offensive system.     Jerrell Copeland displayed serious hops. He didn't need a runway or a full head of steam to elevate, exploding upward with impressive vertical pop to convert high-percentage attempts around the basket. His effort on the offensive glass was tremendous, consistently cleaning up his own misses as well as those of his teammates. Copeland battled through contact without hesitation, showing the toughness to fight through bodies while still finishing with touch, control, and balance around the rim.     [player_tooltip player_id='2251035' first='Amoni' last='Francis'] changed the game as a natural run-and-jump athlete, who can jump with the best of them and get off the floor with remarkable ease. His explosiveness allowed him to play above the rim on both ends of the court, making him a constant presence around the basket. Whether elevating in traffic, contesting shots, or pursuing rebounds outside of his area. His vertical pop played a crucial role in his defensive impact and ability to control the boards, as Francis protected the paint by altering shots, never allowing clean looks around the rim due to his ability to quickly elevate and challenge attempts at their highest point or outleap a crowd to secure rebounds. His athleticism made him a difference-maker whenever he stepped on the court.     [player_tooltip player_id='2886498' first='DJ' last='Parker']'s rangy frame, length, and long strides made covering ground and cutting off driving lanes look effortless. Offensively, Parker dunked everything he could get his hands on, whether taking off from distance or finishing directly under the rim. Parker delivered one of the most memorable posters of the weekend, catching a defender underneath the basket and throwing down a vicious putback slam over him. His athleticism was on full display throughout the event as he showcased a variety of finishes above the rim, including windmills, alley-oops, one-foot takeoffs, two-foot power dunks, and finishes with either hand. No matter where he was positioned defensively, Parker always seemed to find a way to leak out and beat everyone down the floor, turning the open court into his personal highlight reel, putting on an aerial display of high-flying activity.

The GASO Pre-Live Showcase served as an important tune-up before the start of the live period, giving prospects a valuable opportunity to sharpen their game and make an impression before college coaches hit the road. With competitive matchups, talented teams, and plenty of prospects looking to build momentum, the event featured no shortage of standout performers. Whether it was established prospects reinforcing their reputation or under-the-radar players breaking out and emerging as names to know, the showcase provided a glimpse into who may be poised for a strong live-period run or showing at the upcoming TABC showcase. Here we take a look at a few of the recruits who made the strongest impressions, boosting their stock heading into one of the most important evaluation windows of the year.