2023-24 Breakouts from Spring Tryouts

<div dir="ltr"> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">With the entire 2020-21 WIAA season shifted to a May opening, tryouts for this spring and summer grassroot squads are happening BEFORE the high school season. This means players in the class of 2023-24 who have played zero or limited minutes of high school ball are having to be selected with much less evaluation than in the pre-covid seasons. There are a few informal "underground" leagues, private workouts, and of course out-of-state tournaments and during this time, I have found seven young players who have vastly improved their stock and are sure to make a big splash on the AAU circuit this summer. Hopefully we will be able to watch them play for their high school teams in May and June as well.</span></div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">From the class of 2023 <strong>Parker Gerrits</strong> is the best player who is new to me<strong>.</strong> Gerrits is a 6’1” combo guard from Olympia High School.   </span></div> </div> <blockquote> <div dir="ltr"> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As a freshman he played limited varsity minutes on the talented 4A Olympia Bears who placed 4th in state, led by the likes of McDonald’s All-American and UW commit [player_tooltip player_id="611188" first="Jackson" last="Grant"] (2021) and Western Washington Freshman, [player_tooltip player_id="929590" first="Kai" last="Johnson"]. Although a role player his freshman year, <strong>Gerrits</strong> showed the ability to put points on the board. He scored 27 points in a single JV quarter while going 6/6 from 3....yes, 27 in an 8 minute quarter! </span></div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This August at a Crash The Boards Tournament in Nampa ID <strong>Gerrits</strong> had 36 in the semis and 25 in the finals to help secure a championship.  Then later in November <strong>Gerrits</strong> led an Olympia Hoops club team with 26 in a win vs. Heritage Academy in the  Desert Challenge tournament put on by Monarch Sports. </span></div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More recently, <strong>Gerrits</strong> has been a dominant player in the Nelson Home Court League with his most impressive performance being a 40 point game vs a quick Bremerton squad last month.</span></div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Rise Academy basketball trainer Dominic Hunter likes <strong>Gerrits’</strong> ability to score, his understanding of the game, his motor, his attitude, and how unselfish he is.</span></div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Academically <strong>Gerrits</strong> is a 4.0 student and scouts are just now just realizing how special of a player he can be.</span></div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Washington Supreme has recognized his talent. He will be playing for their 16U program this Spring and Summer alongside a group other talented players. With 70 players in a gym it is hard to stand out but <strong>Gerrits</strong> did just that.</span></div> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"> <div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Another class of 2023 player who is showing great overall improvement and is turning heads is [player_tooltip player_id="923104" first="Isaiah" last="Afework"] . The 6-4 <strong>Afework</strong> seems to get stronger and quicker with the ball every time I watch him. Not sure if he ends up being a big point guard or a wing player but <strong>Afework</strong> is savvy and has always been a physical defender. His ball skills and finishes at the basket have grown in variety and effectiveness. His competitive yet calm demeanor give <strong>Afework</strong> an ability to play with talent and make clutch plays.</span></div> <div dir="ltr"> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A third class of 2023 playmaker is <strong>Jackson Floyd, </strong>a 6-0 point guard from Ferris High School in Spokane. <strong>Floyd</strong> is the son of former Gonzaga Bulldog Ryan Floyd and started for Coach Shawn Mallon as a freshman. Mallon is a former Zag himself.  Mallon is very high on <strong>Floyd</strong> as a point guard who as a freshman ran the show, showed of a pure shooting stroke, and displayed a physical and mental toughness to make him a prospect at the next level. <strong>Floyd</strong> has been making the trek across the state each week-end and will also be a member of the Washington Supreme squad.</span></div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> </div> <div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In the class of 2024 <strong>Cade Orness</strong>, a 6-3 point guard from North Kitsap (and son of head coach Scott Orness) has shown that he has all the tools to become a highly recruited player. <strong>Orness</strong> hopes to help his high school team defend their 2020 2A state championship. He has great floor vision, an innate sense of where everybody on the floor is and an ability to anticipate where they will be next. His unselfishness, feel for the game, and confidence with the ball make him a leader on the floor. <strong>Orness</strong> is bouncy enough to have had a few in game dunks and should he considered amongst the top Washington players in this class.</span></div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">Also in the class of 2024 is <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Cory Conner, </strong>a 6-3 wing from Eastside Catholic. <strong>Conner</strong> is a big, strong, physical player. The best way to describe his game is that he plays like a veteran high school player. He does not hunt for shots but is capable of getting one whenever his team needs him to. <strong>Conner</strong> is athletic enough to be effective defensively and shoots it well enough to be a match-up nightmare.</span></div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Vazoumana Diallo</strong>, 5-11 combo guard with a nice feel who plays smart and finishes well at the basket but also has the ability to hit from the outside. "Zoom's" ballhandling is his greatest strength right now and he has the ability to slash to the basket. He has good athleticism, is fearless and has a nose for the ball which allows him to be great rebounder for his size.</span></div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Cooper Campbell </strong>will be playing for his father Scott at Elite Prep in Issaquah where he and his older brother [player_tooltip player_id="843726" first="Cobi" last="Campbell"] (2021) are sure to make an immediate impact. Like his older brother, <strong>Cooper Campbell</strong> is a talented shooter with a good basketball IQ. </span></div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> </blockquote>