2022 BCIAA Standouts Pt. 2

<p>The calendar is turning to December in just a few days and there is great anticipation across the state of Pennsylvania for the start of the 2020/21 high school boys basketball season.</p> <p>Players have been preparing for this season for the past nine months and with the unique circumstances surrounding the season, it makes for quite a crazy backdrop.</p> <p>Prep Hoops continues to profile and preview this season in this multi-part series, looking at junior standouts to watch this season in the Berks County Interscholastic Athletic Association.</p> <p><strong>Julian O’Brien, PG/SG Wyomissing:</strong> O’Brien has all the making of a quality combo guard for Wyomissing, that perfect mixture of passing, agility and clutch shooting. He doesn’t settle for the outside shot as much and really pushes the ball inside, working his way into the lane for an scoring opportunity right at the rim. He’s also someone to dish the ball off often and really looks good as a precision passer. When he’s back on defense, O’Brien is someone to disrupt an opponent and create absolute havoc.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="991222" first="Hector" last="Tiburcio"], PF Antietam:</strong> Tiburcio is the type of spot-up shooter that’s crucial on a team and for Antietam, he’s relied upon heavily to score in bunches. His shot selection is really something to watch as he will settle for the three if he has the open look, but he creates his own shots and creates space to get into the lane. He has really good handles and has an impressive shot fake. On defense, Tiburcio is pesky and picks up the opponent’s dribble almost instantly to then create a turnover if the opportunity presents itself.</p> <p><strong>Luke Seymour, SG/SF Schuylkill Valley:</strong> Seymour features well as a reliable three-point shooter who also has the ability to make things happen in the paint. He moves well off-ball, allowing him to get those open looks and knock down a long-range shot. He looks comfortable with the ball in his hands, including his release, and it looks easy for him. He’s not forcing up any unnecessary shots, but on defense, Seymour is doing just that, making him a wanted commodity for Schuylkill Valley.</p> <p><strong>Gunnar Wentzel, PF/C Kutztown:</strong> Wentzel is a force down low for Kutztown, using his 6-5 frame to dominate the paint and control the battle of the boards. His football background contributes to his physicality on the floor, which allows him to create space. He can back down defenders with the ball on offense and he boxes out players well and doesn’t allow anyone to back him down on defense, which just creates a lethal, dangerous combo that cannot be tamed and will be increasingly important for Kutztown this season.</p> <p><strong>Spencer Miller, PG/SG Brandywine Heights:</strong> Miller is a fantastic defender and has great closeout speed to prevent a basket on the other end of the floor. His athleticism shines in those moments, as it does when he has the ball at the top of the key and is making things happen on offense. He switches off well as a defender and does a lot of the dirty work, something uncommon for a guard, but he’s a reliable player for Brandywine Heights who is consistently producing. Miller has room to grow this season and expect him to really take that next step forward.</p> <p>Continue to follow Prep Hoops for more player previews and profiles as the 2020/21 Pennsylvania high school boys basketball season approaches.</p>