2020 Grind SZN Kickoff: Saturday-morning standouts

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><em>The players below are listed in no order. Players on this list were limited to players I saw, exclusively.</em></span></p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">[player_tooltip player_id="965207" first="Jack" last="VanDaley"] | ABC Basketball CG | Warner ’20</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Jack-VanDaley.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-1009392 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Jack-VanDaley-300x203.jpg" alt="" width="208" height="141" /></a>VanDaley, a shifty post-grad shooting specialist, was exploring a diversity of talents Saturday morning including his deep shot, on-ball capabilities and pulling-up at the mid-range. His already-developed handles have improved since his senior summer, and his shot is still at the consistency it always has been.</span></p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Zach Pugh | Tulsa Hawks White PG | Broken Arrow ’21</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Pugh played some of the grittiest basketball you’ll see on Saturday morning. The on-ball guard was using his body to bully defenders to the rack and finish with power. He was instrumental for the Hawks team as it led for most of the match and came within a couple points of beating a talented post-grad ABC team.</span></p> <table style="height: 21px; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr style="height: 21px;"> <td style="width: 100%; height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Brendan Dan | ABC Basketball PG | Checotah ’20</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">A wired scorer, Dan was in the elite category when it came to finishing at the rim Saturday morning. Also fulfilling his duties as a point guard, Dan was cool under pressure and passed the ball well into the fray. With the combination of his speed and handle, he blew by defenders with ease. He also defended well and his pressuring of ball-handlers was a legitimate asset for ABC in the win.</span></p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">[player_tooltip player_id="745368" first="DJ" last="Freeman"] | H&amp;H Elite PF | Casady ’21 <em><span style="font-size: 10pt;">(pictured above)</span></em></span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">The Division-I parochial hopeful scored the first 5 points of the game in a match against Canes Elite: powerful dunk from the dribble over a pair of bodies and a triple from the wing. The scoring, rebounding and foul-drawing forward has improved the diversity of his game. In addition to the aforementioned skills, Freeman shot the ball from deep and playing even made plays from the perimeter, handling on the drive and distributing the ball to teammates on the wings. He finished with 13 points against Canes Elite.</span></p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Rhett Powell | Ball4Life CG | Summit Christian ’21</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">The 6-foot-3-inch bomber was hitting shots from long, long range in an early-morning match. Powell converted primarily as a spot-up shooter from deep, although he can also run the floor and distribute the ball into tight windows with great efficiency. He finished with 11 in a matchup against Next Level Up.</span></p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Jediah Jones | Next Level Up SG | Union ’21</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Jediah-Jones-Union.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-1009394 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Jediah-Jones-Union-300x212.jpg" alt="" width="188" height="133" /></a>Jones pushed the pace for the NLU squad with versatile athleticism. He displayed an exceptional motor, playing at top gear for long stretches of basketball, even converting on a pretty nasty dunk in transition. He finished with 15 points against Ball4Life including one triple.</span></p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">[player_tooltip player_id="937986" first="Jackson" last="Lawley"] | H&amp;H Elite PG | Tishomingo ’21</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Lawley was exceptionally efficient from the wing, while he also displayed some impressive facilitating skills en route to a 14-point showcase against Canes Elite. Lawley utilizing his craft around the rim, shooting skills and the 5-foot-10-inch guard even converted a <em>baby</em> dunk in the first half.</span></p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fdffd6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Mason Dement | Next Level Up PG | Sapulpa ’21</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Dement notched 16 points in an a.m. matchup against Ball4Life, where the crafty scoring point guard relied on his finishing skills around the rim and ability to get to the free-throw line. He used his footwork and impressive acceleration to blow by defenders to finish high off the glass.</span></p>