Underground Invitational VI 2022 Standouts
Another week, another solid showing with some of the states best talent all under one roof. Here are the 2021 standouts from underground hoops VI. Elijah Knudsen Elijah Knudsen 5'10" | CG Mead | 2022 State CO — Mead Knudsen…
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Continue ReadingAnother week, another solid showing with some of the states best talent all under one roof. Here are the 2021 standouts from underground hoops VI.
Elijah Knudsen Elijah Knudsen 5'10" | CG Mead | 2022 State CO — Mead
Knudsen had one of those lights out days where he was making essentially every shot that he took. In the past couple of runs, he broke teams down with his passing and facilitating, but this time, he had everything going for him offensively. The range was there, and he was consistently hitting, which opened up the rest of his game. He was pulling off of the dribble, blowing by defenders as they overplayed his jump shot and was hitting layups and reverses. When he is in a rhythm like this, he is one of the most unguardable players in the gym.
James Shiers James Shiers 7'1" | C Mead | 2022 State CO — Mead
Shiers is a project, but one that a school will be happy to have. He was steadily progressing and showed glimpses from times. He is getting more confident on the floor, and with that, production comes. He is an excellent passing big man with court awareness, can put the ball on the floor, and also stepped out and shot the ball. This week he hit a few jumpers from deep, which shows his versatility but what I liked is he also decided to go inside. That has been a balance with him; he has wanted to prove that he could shoot more, and that has caused him to neglect his bread and butter, the ability to change it up. He was more aggressive, putting his body on players and grabbing boards. Shiers is best when he mixes it up.
Aidan Kuhl Aidan Kuhl 6'0" | SG Rocky Mountain | 2022 State #245 Nation CO — Rocky Mountain
Kuhl had a monster day on both ends of the court as the silent assassin was scoring at a high clip and is a tenacious defender. Kuhl makes the right play and is a difficult player to contain as he can shoot the ball and finishes exceptionally well around the rim. He also can break a defender down and generate plays for himself and others as a player that is always on the move and coming up with productive plays. Kuhl is a player that you build around, and you feel comfortable with running the team. He is a balanced player that got after it on the day.
Zach Keller Zach Keller 6'9" | PF ThunderRidge | 2022 State #81 Nation CO — ThunderRidge
Keller’s whole thing is engagement. When he is engaged and wants to take over, how do you slow him down? To begin the day, he was spry and ready to dominate. He was difficult to slow down as he was active on the boards, scoring when he wanted and hitting turn-around finishes. He even stepped out and hit a couple of 3-pointers, which is showing his improvements offensively. On the defensive end is where he stepped up when the offense slowed down. He was stying in front of his man, moving his feet, and had the defensive play of the day on a chase-down block off of the backboard. Getting him in the gym as often as he can has worked dividends, and he continues to get better each viewing.
Sam Howery Sam Howery 6'1" | PG St. Mary’s | 2022 State CO – St. Mary’s
Howery is a winner and a true competitor that gets after it. He had one of the best days as he picked up multiple wins just with how productive he is. He adds a piece of everything and does not have to do it with flare. He is pushing the pace, getting out and running, and finding teammates. He keeps his dribble alive and probes the defense, and that came with flashy passes to cutters and easy finishes. He also shows that he is not only a passer. Howery scores with the best of them. He hits open 3-pointers, shoots off of the dribble, and creatively gets to the rim. Howery is an all-around player that had one of the best days and is a must-watch player.