Tune Up’s Biggest Eye-Openers at Gold Crown

The rankings already tell you these players are among the state's best, so seeing them play well isn't exactly a surprise. What stood out this weekend was how much better some of them looked than the last time I evaluated them. The pace slowed down, the decision-making improved, and several expanded parts of their game that I hadn't consistently seen before. Those are the evaluations that stick with you. These prospects already carried plenty of respect heading into the PH Tuneup, but they still found a way to raise the bar.   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!     I'll be honest, Dorsey shocked me at this event. I had expectations for him heading into the event, but he went in and looked like one of the toughest covers in the gym. Once he got downhill, defenders struggled to keep him out of the pain,t and he consistently put pressure on the rim. He mixed in spin moves, floaters, and strong finishes through contact, earning plenty of trips to the free-throw line at the event as well. He wasn't just scoring in transition either. In the half court, he created quality looks on 3-pointers, he rotated it and relocated andnever looked rushed. He led the team in scoring in multiple games, and it was one of the more complete offensive performances I watched all weekend. Solid outing for him that has me curious.      Teter was solid on the weekend, especially in their big game against Colorado Magic, as he embraced everything you want from a front-court anchor. He's 6'7 and uses his size. He set solid screens, rolled with purpose, and gave his guards a reliable target around the basket. He also grabbed a ton of rebounds and found a guard to get the offense going. He didn't have to get plays run for him to be effective and still made his mark. The offense was a bit up and down throughout the weekend, but he did the little things that stay. Like on defense. Defensively, he protected the paint with discipline, challenged shots without picking up cheap fouls, and consistently carved out space on the glass. He's a player who certainly cares, playing high-level hoops during the club scene coming all the way from Cotopaxi. This was an eye-opening weekend for us on Teter, and we like what we saw.      LeGrand is a player who I am intrigued by every single time that I watch him, as he just has a way of simplifying the game that stands out immediately when watching him. He doesn't waste dribbles or force plays, and everything he does has purpose. His game against Premier was one of my favorite watches because he controlled the flow on both ends without needing to dominate the ball. He had a couple of shimmy moves on the baseline where he either finished on calm buckets, he made the right passes to keep the offense moving, and fit in seamlessly with that Prolific squad. He's a true connector as he makes smart reads and showcases a high IQ. He also seems to be one step ahead of action, and the game comes easily for him. I like how he's playing right now as he looks back and as if he's found his groove.      Enriquez had some solid games this year that put him on the map, but there were questions about the level of competition, so seeing him play for Hard2Guard against some of the top players in the state was intriguing. He had some solid moments, and in their game against Premier, he embraced the challenge of handling the ball against one of the better defensive groups in the event and never looked rattled. He looked like a calm guard who handled pressure, broke the press and came off ball screens under control, knocked down perimeter shots, and consistently got two feet into the paint before making his decision. Playing for a smaller school didn't faze him one bit. He showed he belongs in games against some of the state's top competition, and this was a solid event for him.      Jegede looked really good on Day 2 at the event and looked like one of the top shooters at the event. If he gets his feet set, it's lights out for him, and just watching it, it just feels like it's been a while since he got to focus on just that. He's a floor spacer; he showed himself to be a microwave scorer and was the team's leading scorer in their matchup against D1 New Mexico. What encouraged me most, though, was everything around the shooting despite him being on fire. Jegede is starting to add the little pieces to his game, like being engaged defensively, switching and communicating on that end of the floor, and rebounding/starting the break, and that is what we have been asking for. I like how he looks on this Collective team. They need his fit.      Council remains one of the better athletic guards you'll find in the state. But what stood out this weekend was how much more engaged he looked from start to finish. He flew out in transition, finished above the rim, and used his burst to collapse defenses every time he attacked. His left-hand finishes continue to impress me as he's one of the few guards who attacks and finishes efficiently over defenders with either hand. He's also a willing passer who makes the extra pass even when teammates refuse to, he's elite once he gets downhill, and he's talented enough to take over stretches of games. The encouraging part is that he looked more assertive at the PH Tuneup, and that changed the way he impacted games as 7070 won their games. Council is trending up for me.     Bentley is a bit different than the other players on this list, as we have not written about him before, but with the way that he played at the event, he's a player I am very surprised we don't know more about. He checks off plenty of boxes. He has good size, he makes plenty of winning plays, he scores with ease, defends without fouling, and is versatile on that end while looking like a complete player. In the game against Hard2Guard, he really caught our eye, so we had to find out who he was as a two-way option. Lukas finished around the basket, used his strength inside, and ran the break for finishes as well. He's a player we hope to see more of, and we feel that he should make a big jump this year for Mountain Vista. I am intrigued by his play from the event.

The rankings already tell you these players are among the state's best, so seeing them play well isn't exactly a surprise. What stood out this weekend was how much better some of them looked than the last time I evaluated them. The pace slowed down, the decision-making improved, and several expanded parts of their game that I hadn't consistently seen before. Those are the evaluations that stick with you. These prospects already carried plenty of respect heading into the PH Tuneup, but they still found a way to raise the bar.