Bruce's Best: Top 5 Dream Matchups

<p>In the ever-changing world of Prep Basketball this year, A ton of players have transferred and several programs are on pause. However, I can’t help but think about what if? In this article, PH takes a look at the top 5 dream matchups of the 2020 - 21 season. </p> <ol> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="787641" first="Milos" last="Uzan"] vs [player_tooltip player_id="859646" first="Tavionte" last="Jackson"] - Yes, I realize I have had two years of these guys playing against each other twice a year, but I love watching them compete. What made this matchup more intriguing for me was the fact that Jackson’s stock has risen immensely throughout the summer, making this a hypothetical matchup of local D1 guard prospects. With Uzan recently transferring to Prolific Prep, last January’s meeting was probably their last. </li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="858155" first="John" last="Board"] and [player_tooltip player_id="927119" first="Jaylen" last="Berry"] vs Jaydn Dalton and [player_tooltip player_id="927118" first="Frank" last="Bartley"] - Look up the word tough in the dictionary and all these guys’ pictures will come up. Board and Bartley don’t back down to anyone and the tough shot-making ability of Dalton and Berry is impressive. With the new realigned division this could have been a state championship game preview. </li> <li>Galena Big 4 Against Bishop Manogues big 3 - One of the personal disappointments for me is that I’m going to miss out on Reno basketball this year. I was fortunate to see Galena a little during the summer. They have a quartet of players capable of impacting the game. [player_tooltip player_id="927132" first="Isaiah" last="Duve"] is a lighting quick combo guard with a wicked floor game. Porter Rasmusen has bounce, Isaiah Wood is a crafty playmaker and [player_tooltip player_id="927123" first="Jackson" last="Cherry"] is one of the most underrated scorers in the state. Seeing them take on a Bishop Monague squad that added sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="930657" first="Jordan" last="Morency"], to pair with rising c/o 2023 wing [player_tooltip player_id="940473" first="Logan" last="Howren"] and reigning Sierra League MVP [player_tooltip player_id="858177" first="Cort" last="Ballinger"] makes for one of the most intriguing rivalries in the state. </li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="799308" first="Ethan" last="Speaker"] vs [player_tooltip player_id="859645" first="Michael" last="Klekas"] - There’s a lot going on here, but most importantly this game might have been for the state title. Speaker and Klekas are two of the most talented players regardless of class, and seeing two star players from their Home Town competing for state championships brings back a ton of high school basketball nostalgia. When you throw in the fact that one just signed a D1 letter of intent, and the other is fighting for their opportunity too, this game would have been a must-see. </li> <li>Durango vs Faith Lutheran - Both of these teams reached the state tournament last season, however, it was the Trailblazer’s that won the trip to Reno as a result of their 1st round victory over Faith. One of the reasons why this matchup is a must-see is because of the talent in this game. As many as 6 D1 players could have been taking the floor. For Faith, [player_tooltip player_id="927128" first="Coleman" last="Lemke"], has signed with Eastern Washington and [player_tooltip player_id="533064" first="Azavier" last="Johnson"] signed with UTSA. Durango features a ton of young talented prospects with D1 potential, including [player_tooltip player_id="986954" first="Taj" last="Degorville"], [player_tooltip player_id="856637" first="Sebastian" last="Mack"], [player_tooltip player_id="1038162" first="Tommy" last="Brascia"], and [player_tooltip player_id="859643" first="Shane" last="Thomas"]. Outside of Gorman V Coronado, you rarely see this kind of in-state talent all on the floor at one time. </li> </ol> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/7outzbballclub1">Follow Prep Hoops </a></p>