Big Shots VA Tip-Off Standouts (Part 4)

<p>This past weekend I headed to Hampton to work the Big Shots VA Tip-Off at Boo Williams Sportsplex, broadcasting on the championship court on the CBG Live Network. There were quite a few talented teams including the entire Boo Williams organization, and were lots of talented players across the board. Here’s a look at part four of the many standouts throughout the event.</p> <p>You can check out the stream and every game on court one of the event on the <a href="https://cbglivenetwork.com/">CBG Live Network</a>.</p> <p><strong>Tawain Hardy | 6’2” WG | DH2B/Wicomico ’22</strong></p> <p>Hardy and his DH2B team came in looking for all the smoke as they played some of the best teams in the event and pushed them to the limits, and Hardy was a huge standout as he showed the ability to score it in bunches in isolation situations. He’s quick and shifty off the bounce and was able to get to the rim when he needed to, and he also showed the ability to make tough contested shots from all over the floor. Against teams with division one players on the floor he was able to score with the best of them and showed great energy and a good motor throughout the event.</p> <p><strong>Jordan Butler | 6’6” WF | DH2B/Cross Christian Academy ’22</strong></p> <p>Butler is a very intriguing prospect from the Salisbury, MD area that has good versatility and a ton of upside moving forward. At 6’6” he was one of their biggest and most athletic players so he had to guard the biggest guy on the other team, but he also showed that he can handle in transition and take guys out on the perimeter and make shots from multiple levels. He’s a good athlete who thrives in transition, rebounds well on both ends and can guard multiple positions when he was on the floor.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="999649" first="Etienne" last="Strothers"] | 5’11” PG | BWSL EYBL 16U/Menchville ’23</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Strothers-Etienne.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1165648" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Strothers-Etienne-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Strothers was the leader of the BWSL 16U group that went on to win the 17U championship beating a very good Prospect U team in the championship game, and he’s set to become one of the top guards in the 757 over the next few years. He has a mix of athleticism, overall skill set and craftiness with the ball in his hands, as he’s able to create off the bounce for both himself and others and he can score it in a number of ways with the ball in his hands. He’s still growing and becoming more explosive, and he’s able to create space and make shots from deep and around the rim both in isolation situations and within the flow of the offense.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="999642" first="Justin" last="Boggs"] | 6’0” CG | BWSL EYBL 16U/St. Andrew’s ’23</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Boggs-Justin.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1165651" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Boggs-Justin-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Boggs is an electric guard who brought good energy and a scoring punch for BWSL throughout the event, as he was one of their most consistent players throughout the event. The 6’0” combo guard showed a lot of moxy on both ends as he’s a good athlete with good quickness and explosion, he sits down and guards and is great in the press and he showed consistency from deep off the catch, making a number of shots from deep in every game. He’s able to play both on and off the basketball and showed good feel as both a scorer and a distributor as well.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="999635" first="Josh" last="Sime"] | 6’7” PF | BWSL EYBL 16U/Western Albemarle ’23</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Sime-Josh-BWSL.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1165652" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Sime-Josh-BWSL-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>As I’ve said before, Sime is one of the most underrated guys in the 2023 class and the Charlottesville big man showed that he can play with the best of them as he provided a presence inside on both ends for them. He’s long and athletic with a good motor making plays at the rim on both ends, he’s a good shot blocker and can switch onto wings and guards and he’s fundamentally sound on the offensive end as he can score in the post with a number of fakes and counters. He continues to develop nicely and should fill out and get stronger in the post, and he’ll be one to keep an eye on moving forward.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1114026" first="Ty" last="Mason"] | 6’7” PF | Big Shots Prospect U 17U/Bishop Walsh ’23</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Mason-Ty-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1165654" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Mason-Ty-2-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Mason showed his potential playing up with a Prospect U team that is full of collegiate prospects, and his ability to play inside-out makes him a tough matchup for anyone. Mason has good size and length allowing him to guard in the paint, and he has great touch out to the three-point line creating driving lanes for his guards and is great in pick-and-pop situations. The lefty big is still developing but he shows a great base skillset and should continue to see college interest over the next few years.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="957033" first="Malik" last="Bowman"] | 6’5” WF | Big Shots Prospect U 17U/Bishop Walsh ’23</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Bowman-Malik-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1165656" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Bowman-Malik-1-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Bowman is perhaps the most intriguing prospect on this Prospect U team, as he has a frame and athleticism well beyond his years and still has a ton of room to develop over the next few years. He has some toughness to him, as he thrives as a slasher who can finish around the rim through traffic and can bring it defensively with his length and athleticism as well. He’s a good shooter from deep, he’s explosive and thrives in transition and he should see his stock shoot through the roof in the next season or two as he has the tools to be a nationally ranked player in the 2023 class.</p>