Stock Risers from the Freshman Showcase

There is something to be said for wanting to get out and show where you stand amongst the other top players in the state. These players got an opportunity to prove themselves and this group did just that, so take a look at a batch that raised their stock this past weekend.    Pietras stood out because of how comfortable he looked out there. He showed that he could be a reliable shot maker, and he rattled off a few clean looks at the showcase. He got his feet underneath him quickly, was ready before the ball arrived, and didn't need much extra time to get the shot up. It wasn't only the 3-point shot that impressed me, either. He also finished in traffic and made plays inside with others around him, and found other ways to score. Solid SG to keep eyes on.     Rosenburg came out and showed off his explosion and ability to blow by defenders trying to slow him down, and when he made up his mind to go, he went. He was quick in the open floor, created turnovers, and looked comfortable turning those takeaways into transition baskets and dishes on the other end. He also would break defenders down off the dribble in iso plays and created plays for himself and others. We want him to direct traffic more as he certainly excels with the ball in his hands, attack off the dribble, and take over ball-handling duties when he can.     Woods had a very solid day at the event. Each game, he looked more and more alive, and by the time we got into the thick of 5-on-5, he was in a rhythm and ready to take over. He is very confident when the ball is in his hands, and the offense seemed to operate better going through him. Woods can shoot it; he used plenty of ball screens and showed a good understanding of how to attack off the screen as well. He mixed in some crafty scoop finishes and showed he isn't strictly an on-ball player either. He also had a couple of defensive plays where he showed off his quick hands and stayed in front of his man. He boosted his stock at this event.     Johnny brought some needed toughness to the interior and wasn't afraid to play through contact. At a showcase like this, the guards who want to overdo plays and dribble and take all of the shots, and you don't see too many big man touches in the post, and while it could be frustrating, he still tried to find ways to be effective. Fuentes established himself around the basket, used his body to create space, and finished through contact. He stayed near the paint as the help side guy, he defended without fouling and showed value to his team. Some things don't go unnoticed just because you're not shooting it every time. Just keep working, big fella.     McCormick stood out with his play, especially early on, because he played with an attacking mentality that was hard to miss. He consistently put defenders on their heels, got downhill off the bounce, and wasn't afraid to initiate contact on his way to the basket. He was trying to go through guys and either finish or get to the FT line. What made his performance more interesting was the jumper. McCormick showed range and enough touch to make defenders respect him away from the basket, which only opened up his driving game more. He brought that same edge defensively as he did not allow his matchup to get comfortable and applied pressure on opposing guards, which you love to see, especially at a showcase. Certainly a stock-boosting day for him and a player I am sure we will be hearing about.     We've seen Fox in different settings, and this was a good, different look for us because he had to adjust his game to what we typically see from him. He's typically the focal point of the offense when we saw him in grassroots, and in this setting he had to play more off-ball and try and make plays work in a limited space. He still had his moments as the lefty got hotter and hotter from deep as the day progressed, and once he saw a couple go down, he started shooting with more confidence. He also started grabbing boards and starting the break, found the open man at times, and had a few hustle plays as well. He was noticeable on the day and was a player who boosted their stock.     I really, really liked a few stretches that Preston went on at the event as he showed that he has a game that translates, and I do think that he might even be able to get some varsity minutes if he plays how he did at the event. He just kept making play after play, and it wasn't like he was just out there trying to score the whole time, but with how he was finding holes in the defense, getting to his spots, and working around the basket, the baskets came. He's a creative scorer down low, he competed on the glass and when defenders started trying to stop the scoring he picked up assists with solid passes. He's very versatile, and I did not know him heading into the event, but was a name I kept coming back to. He's firmly on my radar.

There is something to be said for wanting to get out and show where you stand amongst the other top players in the state. These players got an opportunity to prove themselves and this group did just that, so take a look at a batch that raised their stock this past weekend.