Spencer’s Standouts-Section 7 Qualifiers Part 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I was able to attend the Section 7 Qualifiers this past Tuesday and Wednesday. There was loads of talent, and I tried to watch as many teams as possible, but was not able to get to everybody. So with that being said, here is some standouts that I saw:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2628288' first='Lucas' last='Anderson'] <strong>Ironwood Ridge:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The sharpshooter was excellent in the games I watched. He shoots the ball at a high clip and spots up well, hands ready. When he gets downhill, he has really good footwork that he uses to finish effectively around the rim. In transition, he finishes with either hand and uses his body to get past defenders. He is someone on the rise in the class of 2028.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2422556' first='Henry' last='Matus'] <strong>Ironwood Ridge:</strong><strong><br></strong>Another sharp shooter for this Ironwood Ridge squad. He has a quick release and can get his shot off quickly. He can break defenders down off the dribble and finish at the rim. He can get into the midrange and elevate over smaller defenders. He has a shot first instinct, and he has a really pretty jump shot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3667479' first='Jeremiah' last='Kuac'] <strong>Sunnyslope:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This big 2030 was showing his potential in the qualifiers this weekend. This was the Sunnyslope JV squad that he was playing with. He has soft hands, which allow him to get rebounds on both sides of the floor, but especially on the offensive glass. He used his presence inside to get some easy baskets. He is a name to watch as he continues to grow and develop.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2396185' first='Zathan' last='Ruffin'] <strong>North Valley Christian Academy:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The forward showcased all his attributes in the qualifiers. He was able to get downhill effectively whenever he wanted to. Along with that, he would post up smaller defenders, which forced opponents to double-team him, allowing him to kick the ball out to open teammates. He will be someone to watch in the 2027 class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3497316' first='TJ' last='Smith'] <strong>ALA Ironwood:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A bigger guard who has been developing. He is athletic and will dunk the ball in transition. He can shoot the three-pointer and does it confidently. He plays super hard on defense and will force defenders into making turnovers. TJ will continue to grow as a player over the years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1986833' first='Noah' last='McKinney']<strong> Pusch Ridge:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An all-around player for his team, Noah was doing it all. He led his team on both sides of the ball. He was able to hit his midrange pull-up consistently and he got to the rack very well. He will continue to lead his team to wins.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->