Hoop Group Scholar Stage First Team

On October 12th, I attended Hoop Group's Scholar Stage showcase at Milton Academy in Milton, MA. About 80 players were present, and I got to see each of them play in two games.   Below is my first team from the event.    Deng was the showcase's best rebounder and most imposing player in the paint. The 6-foot-5 forward used his exceptional strength and elite motor to get to the front of the rim on every offensive rebound possibility, and he secured tons of them with his long wingspan and sticky hands. When he doesn't get it on the first time around, he uses his second jump to get the scraps. The sophomore threw down a handful of dunks in transition, too, and exhibited some solid touch in the paint when he needed to score around the trees. Defensively, he hung with older players all day and wasn't scared in the slightest. Deng has an extremely bright future ahead as a true sophomore, and he should be one of Salem's best players this season during their title defense.     Costello impressed me today as a relentless rim attacker and a versatile offensive player. The 6-foot-1 lefty got into the paint at will with his quick first step and active off hand, and he showcased solid finishing instincts with both hands at the rim. Without the ball, the junior guard made heady backdoor cuts and was able to space the floor with his outside shot. Defensively, his athleticism and toughness allows him to guard up. Costello should be a meaningful piece for BC High this season and seems to be right in the prime of his development.     Spicer came up from New York and massively impressed with his overall offensive skillset. The 6-foot-2 guard made a good number of threes off the dribble, off of movement, and in transition—his shot is pure, and he gets it off quickly. But the sophomore also has good athleticism and can get above the rim for dunks. Most intriguing, though, is his ability to get into the lane with the dribble and make high level passing reads across the court. Spicer is extremely skilled and should keep getting better as he continues to put on strength and size.     Rihn didn't start off shooting the ball great today, but he was extremely productive all in all. The 6-foot guard has a lot of heft to him, and he knows how to use it—he bullies opposing guards with his strength and is able to see over smaller players in the lane for easy floaters or cross-court feeds. The game seems to move slowly for him, and he really understands how to make reads in the paint. Rihn needs to improve as an outside shooter, but I might've just caught a bad day—he should get minutes for a new-look Marianapolis Prep squad this season.     Schaechter came all the way from Illinois and impressed with his well-rounded offensive skillset and general feel for the game. The 6-foot guard made shots from three, but he was most lethal as a driver and passer, where he consistently got into the paint to draw the defense before kicking out to shooters for wide open shots. He was probably one of the best passers I saw at the event. Schaechter is only a junior, too, so he still has some time to improve his body and athleticism.

On October 12th, I attended Hoop Group's Scholar Stage showcase at Milton Academy in Milton, MA. About 80 players were present, and I got to see each of them play in two games.

Below is my first team from the event.