Reason Prep Team Preview

This week, I attended an open gym for Reason Prep at Simmons University in Boston, MA. I got to watch them do some skills and drills before playing 5 on 5 full court.   Here are some players who stood out.    This was my first time seeing Saint-Vil in person, and I was impressed with his ability to run the show, make decisions in the pick and roll, and hit shots from three. The 5-foot-11 PG has a solid handle and can go both right and left with hesitation and crossover moves, and he's a willing and able passer. He can also make threes if the defense goes under screens and is a physical defender. Saint-Vil will need to get quicker and improve his ability to create shots for himself if he wants to play at the college level, but he should certainly develop those skills this season.     Huynh is a really intriguing prospect. The 6-foot-4 wing was easily the best shooter in the gym and made shots consistently from three-point range, even though he didn't start the day off hot. He also has a clean handle, nice pickup moves in the paint, and an ability to take contact and finish with both hands. Huynh makes quick decisions with the ball and can play both with and without it. He's a definite college player and I would be surprised if the Salisbury, MA native doesn't find a college fit when the time comes.     Perry is super intriguing. The 6-foot-6 2029 rising sophomore is extremely raw, but he shows some flashes of physical tools and skill that make me wonder what he could look like in 3 years. He has awesome hands on the defensive end and on the glass—he grabs rebounds effectively with either hand and has good timing and instincts—but he also isn't afraid to bang bodies with opposing bigs and finish in the paint offensively. The lefty even showed off some solid outside shooting potential. Perry has a long way to go but would look a lot different in a few years with added height, skill, and development.     Mimche was the best athlete in the gym and one of the top two players (he and Huynh dominated the runs). The 6-foot-4 wing has super long arms and really good hops, so he gets above the rim quite easily for dunks and finishes effectively. Most impressive, though, was the rising senior's pull-up game, where he got to his spots in the mid-range and from three and rose up for easy looks, which he knocked down with consistency. Mimche and Huynh will be two of the key cogs in Reason Prep's offense this season, and they are both college players.     Mcshane was the hardest-playing guy in the gym, and it wasn't particularly close. The 6-foot guard is in phenomenal shape and runs the floor consistently, so he gets tons of easy breakaway layups but is also always in good position defensively. He also offensive rebounds the ball like a madman and makes quick decisions on that end for his teammates—if nobody collapses, he can score a bit in the paint as well. Mcshane needs to shore up his shot and become more consistent from three, but he could crack some colleges recruiting sheets if he does so.     Washington is only a rising freshman but projects to be a top 3 player on this year's Reason Prep squad—though he couldn't make the open gym this week, I've seen him play and think he'll fit right in. The 6-foot-3 guard plays at a wonderful pace for his age and has the size, skills, and physical tools to be an excellent player. He can shoot the three ball, but he also handles it well and does a good job bumping defenders and using his body to create space in the mid-range. At the rim, the lanky guard can easily sky for dunks but can also finish with contact. Washington looks like he could continue to grow and develop, and he already has a D1 offer from Pacific.

This week, I attended an open gym for Reason Prep at Simmons University in Boston, MA. I got to watch them do some skills and drills before playing 5 on 5 full court.