Prospects who backed Up the Hype at PH Tuneup

There are always players who arrive at an event with expectations already attached to their name. Sometimes they meet them, and sometimes they raise the bar even higher. That's what this group did at the PH Tuneup. None of these performances surprised me, but they were reminders of why these prospects continue to be mentioned among the best in the state. They impacted games in different ways, embraced the attention that comes with being a higher ranked player, and consistently looked like the players everyone came to watch. The standard was high, and they had no problem living up to it. Let's see who made the list.    Right now is the perfect time to lock in an annual pass and not just a month. We have a 50% off sale live through the weekend!     The code is Fourth50 (not case-sensitive) is good for 50% off the first billing cycle of all annual plans. It makes sense to get an annual pass with all that we have in store this season!     Carr continues to prove what makes him one of the most unique big men in the state as he's a real bruiser who throws his body around, doesn't shy away from contact, and is one of the few initiators on the block. Carr was the interior force for Hoop Therapy and had key moments in their games. He's a bully ball guy who went to the FT line a ton. He finished repetitively around the rim and was setting screens and making himself available. Carr also made sure that plays weren't coming easy at the rim with him down there, as he was using his strength to move guys around, had a couple of blocks that turned into fast break opportunities, and he looks better every time that we see him. This was another prove-it performance for the big and more eyes should certainly be on him.     Ellwood is good.   But seriously, the way he performed on Day 1, he might've been the player of the day, and he allows that [program_tooltip program_id='2955433' first='Colorado' last='Collective'] team to operate. He's decisive with the ball; he's a creative offensive weapon and a true PH who throws up the lob, finds guys for backdoor cuts, and shifts defenses with his pressure. He also gets out on the break and scores scoop layups, and we saw plenty of that throughout the event. It came to nobody's surprise that they went undefeated on the weekend when they have a guard like him running the show with the talent they have around him. He's unselfish, he's aggressive, and one of the best on-ball defenders that we have in the state. That part I do not believe gets talked about enough. This was another solid outing from him and a stock-boosting weekend where he proved himself yet again.     [player_tooltip player_id='2389678' first='Chaz' last='Connors'] can really shoot it, and whenever he got an open look it cashed. He was quietly getting about 15 a game just by letting it fly, getting to the mid-range pull-up, and being a floor spacer. With Premier, however, he has to play more of the PG role, despite being an off-ball mover who's a microwave hot scorer, and that will only help him during the season find ways to score in various ways. He was able to score off the dribble, made passes, and moved away to find it in different ways, and also read what the defense gave him. I like how his game is coming along as a player who shows he can play as the focal point of the offense and also alongside other solid players as well and he's a competitor. Connors excels in these settings.     Raymond is one of these players who is not out there hunting highlight plays or just gunning, but if you actually sit and watch that 7070athletics squad, he's quietly what allows them to operate. He's a catalyst for the offense; he breaks them from the mold of isolation-heavy situations and also keeps the ball moving. At Tune Up, he was very involved early on in games as they went to him to get the offense flowing. He knocked down 3-pointers and showed he's a 3-point threat, he flashed to the middle and hit midrange jumpers, and he also found teammates for cuts. I also liked that he crashed the boards and showed he could finish inside as well and use his size. Raymond is an X-factor who offers relief and versatility and put together another solid showing.     With players like Dayton, I get excited seeing how they fare against the top players in the state. There's always this idea that players are only dominating because of the level of competition. But when they come out and have a performance, as he did at the Tune Up, what could they say? He was one of the top players on the court in every single matchup that he was up against. I liked how he played the passing lanes and got steals, turned that into fast break points, and showed he could lock down when needed. Offensively, he really separated himself as he slashed for baskets, went coast to coast, and even had a couple of dunks in transitions. Dayton was in complete control. In his game against RTS Choice, he showed more of that as a downhill attacker who couldn't be denied going to the rim and looked like he was playing a different game. The game slows down for him, and he's a player who I feel should make it a point to get out to all tourneys and showcases to prove that he's one of the state's top scorers.

There are always players who arrive at an event with expectations already attached to their name. Sometimes they meet them, and sometimes they raise the bar even higher. That's what this group did at the PH Tuneup. None of these performances surprised me, but they were reminders of why these prospects continue to be mentioned among the best in the state. They impacted games in different ways, embraced the attention that comes with being a higher ranked player, and consistently looked like the players everyone came to watch. The standard was high, and they had no problem living up to it. Let's see who made the list.