University of Denver Team Camp: Observations, Part I
The thrill of the July live periods are right around the corner. Three huge weekends for prospects to prove themselves in front of college scouts are on the horizon.
But there was a matter of high school team business to take care of first this weekend with the running of the University of Denver Team Camp. Prep Hoops Colorado was on hand to catch some of the action Saturday and Sunday and we’ve created a two-part series going over our observations from the event.
Here’s the first part, which takes a look at two 4A teams to watch:
Pueblo South may be title contender
You are unlikely to find a team in 4A that has two frontcourt players as collectively athletic, strong and versatile as Pueblo South has in Jeremy Cody and Marcel Barbee. Both are rising seniors and both are highly athletic players who can finish above the rim with consistency.
Cody and Barbee both played with the Colorado Chaos during the spring and will do so again in July, and the run against national competition seems to have boosted both players. Cody and Barbee were both impressive Sunday in helping the Colts win the top bracket of the tournament. Cody (6-7) and Barbee (6-6) averaged a combined 24 points per game last season. Expect that total to take a leap this season behind improved confidence.
The Pueblo South program has practice jerseys with the phrase “It Begins With Defense” on the front, above their numbers. Cody and Barbee both personify this effort. They are among the most athletic players in the classification — Cody is the 4A state high jump champion — and when they’re engaged defensively, they can use that to their advantage.
The Colts made an impressive run last season to the 4A Final Four, knocking off defending champion Pueblo West in the process. With the duo of Cody and Barbee leading the way, this team has the tools under coach DJ Johnson to bring home a championship trophy. They beat a very talented Lawrence Free State program from Kansas to win the championship. Plenty of work remains, but this group could be special.
Thompson Valley could surprise
When evaluating darkhorses in the 4A race next season, don’t discount the Thompson Valley Eagles. They have a good deal of players returning who have been a part of back-to-back playoff squads. This may be its best team of all of those. The Eagles put a good scare into 5A Eaglecrest on Sunday in the semifinals of the gold bracket.
The Eagles are led by a talented rising senior guard in Justin Wiersema. He led the Eagles in scoring (15.1 points per game) and rebounding (7.0) last season. At 6-3 with a strong handle and a deceptively quick downhill attack, Wiersema sets the tone. He’s got really long arms that can be disruptive on defense. At one point Sunday he deflected a pass at midcourt, ripped down the court the other way and finished with a breakaway dunk. He’s smart with the basketball and knows how to get into scoring position. He has the look of a productive two or three at the next level, be that Division II, III or NAIA.
Thompson Valley also has an intriguing big man in Jared Kasprzak, a 6-7 forward with some promising skills. Kasprzak has a good base knowledge of the game. He can come out and grab the ball in the high post and let players move around him while being strong with the basketball. He’s got a decent mid-range jumper and runs the floor well for a guy who looks like he could play offensive tackle.
Thompson Valley is a team that doesn’t make a lot of mistakes and rarely gives up anything easy on the defensive end. They ultimately ran out of gas in the second half against Eaglecrest but played tough with the perennial 5A power.