Players to Watch from the Mayhem in the Plex
As the Prep Hoops Circuit sessions continue around the United States, some players have set themselves as “ones to watch”. A few of those players were participants during the Mayhem in the Plex. After taking a look at the players…
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Continue ReadingAs the Prep Hoops Circuit sessions continue around the United States, some players have set themselves as “ones to watch”. A few of those players were participants during the Mayhem in the Plex. After taking a look at the players below, their continued improvement during the Circuit should be helpful for their grassroots teams and their high school teams once they return.
Troy Dunn Troy Dunn 6'5" | CG East Ascension | 2022 State LA (6’3″ | Hustle Hard Elite ’22 | 2022)
Dunn is one of those players who did everything well on the floor offensively. He rebounds in the paint, runs the floor, and does not mind shooting the mid-range. Dunn played as a big for Hustle Hard but you could not tell from the crossovers and ability to handle the rock. While he did struggle in the game I saw defending a player with equal size and more quickness, he competed on that end as well. Dunn has the offensive game to take over a contest. Given the opportunity, he may just do that.
Uriyah Evans (6’1″ | Drive Nation Austin ’22 Black | 2022)
Evans is a scrappy guard who does not mind jumping into the fray to mix things up. He plays aggressively on defense and offense by going hard to the cup or picking up baseline to baseline. Evans can also shoot it from deep. His combination of toughness and shooting may come in handy as the grassroots season evolves.
Dylan Lineberger (6’3″ | Drive Nation Austin ’22 Black | 2022)
Lineberger is a hybrid wing who can post on the block or shot the rock from deep. He has soft hands and seems to catch passes well when the ball is passed to him off penetration. His hands also help him catch passes that are slightly off when he prepares to shoot behind the arc. Lineberger is not fast but he knows how to get open because of his positioning and footwork.
Brandon Hardison (6’0″ | BYG Elite 2021 Black | 2022)
Hardison can really stretch the floor for a guard scrapping six feet. He spent a lot of time off the ball and knew how to sprint to spots and prepare early for passes. I think he may be better served on the ball actually. Hardison displayed a quick, but controlled, handle and can get into the lane with it. The release on his jumper is quick as well when he is not being deliberate from distance. If he continues to evolve into a playmaker with the ball in his hands while keeping that shooting stroke, he may hurt a lot of feelings as the grassroots season continues.
Johnny Salazar (6’0″ | Beast Elite ’22 | 2022)
Salazar is another smaller guard who can fill it up from deep. He has a pure shooting stroke and will shoot the ball at anytime. During play in Fort Worth, he also showed a lot of resilience and determination when competing on offense and defense. Salazar is a player where players must bring their lunch when they play against him. He gave his best on both ends of the floor and can definitely put the ball in the basket from three.
Corleone Dandridge (6’4″ | B.O.L.D ’23 | 2023)
Dandridge displayed and inside and outside game during his time in Fort Worth. Not only did he shoot the ball from deep, he ran the floor rim-to-rim like a traditional big man. Dandridge handled the ball like a point guard and attacked the rim when he had a chance. Using his athleticism, he showed enough versatility in his game where he should be comfortable playing on the wing going forward. Dandridge is a talent that has “impact player” written all over him.
Hampton Hall (6’4″ | Arkansas Heat Elite ’22 | 2022)
Hall was the inside presence for Arkansas Heat Elite during Mayhem in the Plex. While he had several rebound and rebound putbacks, he was more than just that. Hall showed a good touch from the corner while shooting the three and he was fabulous at running rim-to-rim in transition. If Hall begins to put the ball on the deck and take it to the hole, he will be very dangerous as the Prep Hoops Circuit continues.
Devin Beal (6’4″ | Texas Takeover Elite ’22 (Greg) | 2022)
Beal is as versatile as it gets for a wing that has to play post as well. He was constantly active and was very good at making himself visible for passes when guards penetrated. Beal also displayed some quality leaping ability on a couple of alley-oop situations and rebounding the ball in general. He is a fantastic shooter from 18 feet in and found much success at that range. He did not handle the ball much. However, he knows how to find his spots and to score when given the opportunity. Beal and his continued growth will be worth watching the rest of the grassroots season.
Mickey Hunnicutt Mickey Hunnicutt 6'8" | C Springer | 2022 OK (6’7″ | Oklahoma Eagles Elite ’22 | 2022)
Hunnicutt was one of the few traditional big men during the weekend in Fort Worth. He was very impressive on the weekend running the floor and cleaning the glass. Hunnicutt took advantage of his height and made short hooks and drop step layups when given the opportunity. He also made a difference in the paint blocking and altering shots. Hunnicutt used his height to his advantage and looks like he will be a force at future circuit events where his Oklahoma Eagles are playing
From shooting guards, to multifacted wings, to space eating bigs, this list of players is a good sample of the quality of players on the Prep Hoops Circuit. This group did a good job of testing out new aspects of their game or continued to improve on things they did well. If they continue their maturation, these 2022 players will make a mark on the PH Circuit and their high school team as well with their continued skill development.