The Finale: Top 17U Wings

<p>Some elite Kansas wings put their wares on display at The Finale tournament in Kansas City Aug. 8 and 9. These guys are on a lot of colleges’ radar and will be some of the most exciting players to watch this fall.</p> <p>Here are some of the top 17U wings from The Finale (in alphabetical order and with club and high school listed):</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="889495" first="Owen" last="Braxmeyer"], SSA White 17U, Manhattan:</strong></p> <p>Manhattan will really look to the gritty rising senior as it graduated nearly everyone else last year. Braxmeyer earned honorable mention 6A last year and will probably take a big leap forward. He can handle the ball in every situation like a guard, but he’s physical and athletic enough to play in the lane. He’s a strong rebounder and relentless driver with just about every tool in his toolbox. At 6-foot-1, he might be a little small to be considered a wing, but he does it all and belongs in this company.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="889515" first="Sam" last="Derning"], United Basketball 17U, Shawnee Mission West:</strong></p> <p>The 6-foot-3 Derning is an elite athlete. He can rebound and take the ball the length of the floor in a flash. He can shoot runners and pull-up jumpers at top speed, or he can take the ball clear to the rim with authority. He also can find an open shooter when he makes a drive to the goal. He’s versatile, able to play just about every spot.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="730642" first="Tanner" last="Hecht"], CarrolGoL1ve 17U, Wamego:</strong></p> <p>Long and lean, Hecht has elite athleticism and spring. The 6-foot-5 rising senior has elite shooting range and touch. He maybe doesn’t get all the credit he deserves, but he was a key component in CarrolGoL1ve’s run to the championship of The Finale. He torched MoKan for three 3-pointers in the first half. He has the length and quickness to be an elite defender. He will be a handful in 4A this year, where his combination of height and skill will be elite.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="889462" first="Alex" last="Littlejohn"], Kansas Pray N Play, Bishop Carroll:</strong></p> <p>A second team 5A star a year ago, Littlejohn has elite shooting ability from anywhere. But the 6-foot-5 wing isn’t just a shooter. He is a determined rebounder who can really get off the floor. Once the ball is in his hands, he’s able to take it the length of the court with his head up, ready to dish or break down a defender. He’s quick enough in the open floor that he creates a ton of opportunities for layups. If he gets to the rim himself, he can punch it down with authority. He’s about as well-rounded a player as you’ll find.</p> <p><strong>Philippe Manga, Perry Ellis 34 17U, Nickerson:</strong></p> <p>Manga will transfer from Trinity in Hutchinson for his senior year. He’s a little bit of an unknown on the public school front, but he made his presence known this summer. He’s a very unique player – a 6-foot interior player who can dominate despite his lack of height. Manga is a muscular force who moves with grace and quickness in the lane to create opportunities. He just knows how to use his physique to create opportunities. He is a great passer from the high post, creating openings for others by putting the ball on the floor to shift defenders. He can shoot the mid-range jumper, get to the hole, or even step out to the perimeter. On defense, his athleticism plays much bigger than his height.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="889487" first="Isaac" last="Patterson"], MoKan Select 17U, Blue Valley North:</strong></p> <p>One of the most impressive players in the tournament, Patterson can do it all. At 6-foot-6, Patterson is lean but solid. He can drive almost at will, getting to the hole, where he can score with either hand. He has great fundamentals and rarely gets overextended. He can shoot from the perimeter, find an open shooter, and plays excellent post defense. Against the best competition in the tournament, Patterson stood out.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="891898" first="Aidan" last="Shaw"], MoKan Select 17U, Blue Valley:</strong></p> <p>There might not have been a more impressive athlete at The Finale than Shaw. The 6-foot-7 junior-to-be played up a grade in the tournament, and still wowed with his length and leaping ability. He earned third team 6A honors as a sophomore, and led MoKan to The Finale title game. He has soft touch, nice ball handling skills and good fundamentals. But it’s his freakish springy-ness and ability to knife through the lane that really turns heads.</p>