State Tournament: Seven 4A/3A Standouts from Day II
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Day 2 of the state tournament was filled with giant performances across the board, and plenty of emerging stars in the state at the 4A and 3A level have been putting on a show and making their presence known, here…
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Continue ReadingDay 2 of the state tournament was filled with giant performances across the board, and plenty of emerging stars in the state at the 4A and 3A level have been putting on a show and making their presence known, here are seven of yesterday’s top performers:
Jayden Stevens Jayden Stevens 6'8" | SF Gonzaga Prep | 2022 State WA , 6’7, Forward, Gonzaga Prep, C/O 2022
Another major riser in the state tourney has been 6-foot-7 high-flying forward Jayden Stevens Jayden Stevens 6'8" | SF Gonzaga Prep | 2022 State WA . Gonzaga Prep bowed out to Curtis in the 4A quarterfinal matchup, but Steven put forth a heroic 26-point, 8-rebound effort and proved he’s one of the best forwards at the Tacoma Dome and why he’s commited to Oregon State next season as a Division I player. With a wirey and athletic body, Jayden Stevens Jayden Stevens 6'8" | SF Gonzaga Prep | 2022 State WA can take a lot of contact and be able to push through and score on his drives to the hoop, as well as pull up in the mid range, and spot up from deep.
Zoom Diallo, 6’3, Guard, Curtis, C/O 2024
Zoom Diallo put everybody on notice at the Tacoma Dome, he’s one of the most versatile guards in the state and has a bright future ahead of him. Curtis (No. 2) advanced into semifinals today to face Union (No. 3), and Diallo put up a masterful 24-point, 4-assist perfomance, going 9-for-15 from the field and scoring in every way possible. In the second half, Diallo held off Gonzaga Prep using a variety of dribble moves to blow by defenders and finish on floaters, scoop shots, and dribble pull-ups. He showed he has an impressive repertoire with the ball in his hands and he did it against a top-of-the-line Bullpup team.
Zaveon Jones, 6’3, Forward/Post, Mountlake Terrace, C/O 2024
As a straight tank, Zaveon Jones has showcased time and time again this year that he is not an easy cover in the painted area. As the season has gone on and the competition has gotten stiffer, Zaveon keeps on bullying opposing bigs when he gets underneath the hoop. With incredible footwork and pivot moves, he muscles through just about anyone if they don’t send help to stop him. He throws defenders off balance with his soft touch around the rim with his left hand. Because of this, he draws a lot of fouls, and is capable of capitalizing at the line (5-for-6 from the line against Mt. Spokane). On the glass, he can box out and uses positioning to grab boards.
Luke Browne Luke Browne 6'6" | SG Gig Harbor | 2023 State WA , 6’6, Forward/Post, Gig Harbor, C/O 2023
One of the biggest risers of the tournament, Luke Browne Luke Browne 6'6" | SG Gig Harbor | 2023 State WA is turning into an elite stretch forward for Gig Harbor. At 6-foot-6, He steps out on the perimeter with ease and knocks down shots with defenders in his face. Chalking up 18 points and four 3-pointers against Rainer Beach in the quarterfinal matchup, he hit all 4 3s in the first half and was a thorn in the Vikings side the whole game. His athleticism doesn’t turn heads, but he is a highly skilled player and sets himself up in the rights spots on the floor for success.
Will Landrum, 6’6, Guard/Forward, Gig Harbor, C/O 2023
Will Landrum might be one of the longest players left in the tournament. With a lanky and thin frame at 6-foot-6, Landrum gets up and down the floor well and has long strides. A crafty shot maker, he’s able to get to his spots by squeezing and spinning around the defense and elevating for his buckets. Going 8-for-11 towards 19 points and 5 rebounds against Rainer Beach, he gave them fits on the offensive end by nailing off balance shots and skying past others for put-back finishes.
Maverick Sanders Maverick Sanders 6'5" | SF Mt Spokane | 2023 State WA , 6’5, Forward/Post, Mt. Spokane, C/O 2023
An excellent big man, Maverick Sanders Maverick Sanders 6'5" | SF Mt Spokane | 2023 State WA does a lot of the dirty work for this Mt. Spokane team. Sanders dominates the glass, especially if he has the size advantage. Against a particularly undersized Mountlake Terrace team, he put in the work, grabbing 13 rebounds (12 in the first half), adding 11 points and 3 blocks, providing the presence needed in the paint to stop their title run in the quarterfinals. He positions himself well in the post and stays available for his guards to dump off passes for him to finish.
Myles Daymon, 6’1, Guard/Wing, Rainer Beach, C/O 2023
The Rainer Beach Vikings have a treasure trove of guards on their roster, all of whom provide different skillsets to the squad, and it seems like each game its a different one who steps up. In Beach’s 65-60 edge over Gig Harbor, it was Daymon who provided them with a nice spark off the bench to steady the offense (11 points in 19 minutes). He plays both guard positions and can create his shot when the offense seems stagnant by getting by perimeter defenders and pulling up in the mid range. He is smooth and under control when coming down the lane and does a fantastic job at squaring his shoulders and plain knocking a shot down when his team needs it.