Standout Juniors from November (2/2)
This is a list of the standout players of the 2023 class that I got to see in person over the first month of the season. Be on the lookout for them to have some break out games here to…
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Continue ReadingThis is a list of the standout players of the 2023 class that I got to see in person over the first month of the season. Be on the lookout for them to have some break out games here to finish the high school season!
Larry Lyon 2023 6’4 Dawson High School
Larry is an athletic wing/ combo guard who is great at running the floor and finishing at the rim. He fits right into Dawson’s high energy system and he loves running the fast break. He even displayed some impressive explosion in the half-court, throwing down a nasty dunk over a defender who did not want to jump with him. His willingness to continually cut and be a threat flashing to the rim frees up space for his teammates. I would like to see continued development with his ability to shoot off the dribble from the mid range and beyond the arc.
Taylan Johnson 2023 6’1 Bryan High School
Taylan is an impressive three level athlete with the ability to take over any game. I was most impressed with his ability to get to his spots at all three levels of the floor, especially in the midrange. He is a weapon on the fast break with the ability to make you pay at the rim or beyond the arc if the defense is not set in time. I was most impressed with his hangtime in the air. His athleticism allows him to make fancy double clutch layups, use the extra time he has in the air to make a play defensively, or pick apart defenses with his passing. I would like to see him be more patient with the ball and look to create more off the pick and roll.
Braden Baum Braden Baum 6'6" | SF Boerne-Champion | 2023 State TX 2023 6’6 Boerne Champion High School
Braden was a stand out shooting guard at the showcase for his ability to shoot the basketball from beyond the arc. He finished the tournament with eleven three pointers, and five in one game alone. When his shot did not consistently fall from the outside, he put the ball on the floor and could get to the mid range, attack the basket and move off the ball. He was willing to be the decoy on offense and allow his teammates to work on the back side. I would like to see him be more confident with a live dribble and work on creating for his teammates as he draws double teams, there were a few instances in which he could have made cross court passes but had to pass the ball around the arc.
Jaylen Benard Jaylen Benard 6'3" | CG Cypress Ranch | 2023 State TX 2023 Cypress Ranch High School
Jaylen is a skilled wing that is great at going coast to coast. He uses his frame and size well to battle for rebounds on the glass, on both sides of the court. He has good skill in the post and got to many shots using a plethora of moves to move his defender around. He showed great skill utilizing the up and under and got his smaller defenders to bite on shot fakes, and also rose over them for easy bunny hooks in the paint. He is great at creating for himself with a live dribble and showed a good ability to not only go coast to coast but to get to a pull up jumper from the mid-range and behind the arc.
Jaylen Corcker- Johnson 2023 6’7 Warren High School
Jaylen is an impressive player who knows how to use his size and strength to his advantage. He dominates in the paint on both ends of the floor and has an impressive amount of agility for his size. I was blown away by his ability to run the floor as a rim runner or as the primary ball handler. He consistently made the right reads every time down the floor. He scored at a consistent rate in the mid-range and beyond the arc which allowed the paint to be that much more open for him to dominate later in the game.