New names who emerged at Colorado Live

Colorado Live may be behind us, but there were still a handful of players who deserved another look. I didn't know a ton about this group walking into the weekend, but they kept finding ways to leave an impression. Some made winning plays, others flashed intriguing long-term upside, and a few simply competed at a level that made you want another evaluation. They left Colorado Live on the radar, and I'm looking forward to seeing how their games continue to evolve.   We have showcase season coming up, and with the end of club scene coming quickly, rankings, and showcases here, now is the perfect time to lock in with a subscription.   Some of the biggest risers in our rankings started by showing up & showing out at a showcase & they're approaching quickly!   Your showcase evaluation could be the one that changes everything.   Freshman & Sophomore Showcase - August 8th (Rankings Immediately following) Top Expo (2027 & 2028s) - September 13th    Use Colorado26PH25OFF at checkout for 25% OFF & receive a custom registered graphic that comes with it! Lock in now!     Green was one of the names I left Colorado Live wanting to learn more about. He stood out as one of Eaglecrest's top players in multiple games and stacked solid plays. Green has good positional size, he's athletic, and his versatility stood out. He could play and defend multiple positions, and they put the ball in his hands, and he never looked sped up with the ball. Against Lewis-Palmer, he consistently made the right read. He kept flashing into the middle, knocked down a couple of mid-range jumpers, and attacked gaps when defenders closed out too hard. Green showed quality footwork, moved the ball without over-dribbling, and competed on the defensive end. There was enough offensive versatility on display to make you think there's another level coming as his role continues to grow, and it's shocking to me that he popped out the way he did. I want to see how it looks heading into the season.     Henderson is another prospect for Eaglecrest who settled into the event nicely and looked comfortable playing within Eaglecrest's system. He didn't look to score every single time that he touched it, but he stayed shot-ready, relocated well without the ball, and found open windows when the defense lost sight of him. On the other end, he competed at the point of attack, moved his feet, and made opposing guards earn touches, and that effort earned him a few extra minutes. He isn't trying to do too much, and that's part of what stood out. He fit in, made timely plays, gave a spark off the bench, and got his feet wet on varsity. I want to see more of what he brings, but saw flashes at Colorado Live.     Hostetler earned my attention in multiple games at Colorado Live because his activity never stopped. He got it done on both ends and just looked like he belonged. He put pressure on the defense by attacking, finishing through traffic, and had a couple of reverse finishes that highlighted his movement without the ball. He also got a few rebounds that were out of his position as well and went up with it. He cleaned up misses, defended the ball, stopped guards from getting to his spots, and kept plays alive simply by outworking people. When Chatfield needed someone to settle the offense, he handled it well and created quality looks for teammates. He's the kind of glue guy that quietly wins coaches over, and we saw him get extended minutes with that work. Liked what we saw from him and hope to see more moving forward.     This was my first time ever watching Simington, and what stood out for him was his smooth game. His game doesn't call attention to itself until you realize how often he's making impactful plays. He isn't out there taking every shot or having to dominate the ball, but the lefty stroke is clean, he spaces the floor naturally, and I liked how willing he was to keep the ball moving instead of stopping the offense. He brought the ball up comfortably, even showing he could handle pressure, played with good pace, and the offense flowed when he was on the floor. He doesn't hunt possessions, but he has a feel for where he's supposed to go to get quick and easy baskets, and that translated throughout the weekend.     Holland was a connector for Horizon at Colorado Live. He operated from multiple spots offensively, played off-ball, flashed to the middle, and made things happen. Holland saw cutters early, and passed guys open, and any offense generated from other players than their stars you'll take. He was playing within the flow of the offense and gave Horizon a release. He also stepped into open jumpers and showed that you have to respect his outside shot as well. Defensively, he competed by pressuring the ball and allowing them to work as well. He has a game that is repeatable as it's not pushed on athleticism or shooting, but more on hard work and knowing where to be. Solid outing for Holland that got him on our radar.     Baca quietly stacked together multiple games at Colorado Live, making for a very productive weekend, and by the end of the weekend, he had played his way onto my radar. He sprinted the floor, attacked closeouts, knocked down 3-pointers, and played with the confidence of someone looking to earn more opportunities. Against Eaglecrest, he sparked Liberty by knocking down multiple threes, got himself to the foul line by attacking the paint, and never looked hesitant when the ball found him. It felt like a player beginning to carve out a bigger role, and I'm looking forward to seeing if he builds on that momentum at tournaments and showcases to close out the summer. He's on our radar right now as a player. I am curious about going off of how he performed at Live.     Standing just 5-foot-5, Wadlington never let his size dictate the games at Colorado Live, and he played with a chip in every game. Luke was able to control tempo, he handled pressure, and got Broomfield in its sets. He made the right reads on the floor and was coming off of ball screens looking to attack. He had some solid passes, finished with some floaters, and knocked down a couple of 3-pointers throughout the event. The ball looked comfortable in his hands all weekend as he looked like a true floor general who keeps everyone involved, and that type of feel always catches my attention. Solid performances that got on our radar.     Spraker backed up what we saw earlier this summer at Colorado Live by producing in a different setting, and that's always encouraging. It also lets us know that he belongs. Spraker embraced his role, set physical screens, rolled hard, and turned hustle into easy points around the basket. Late in games, he strung together a few baskets by simply staying active and putting himself in good positions to contribute. He doesn't need plays drawn up for him to produce, and he showed that he could go in there and mix it up. He checks off plenty of boxes as a glue guy who works hard to earn minutes, and he's trending in the right direction.

Colorado Live may be behind us, but there were still a handful of players who deserved another look. I didn't know a ton about this group walking into the weekend, but they kept finding ways to leave an impression. Some made winning plays, others flashed intriguing long-term upside, and a few simply competed at a level that made you want another evaluation. They left Colorado Live on the radar, and I'm looking forward to seeing how their games continue to evolve.