Valley Christian at Rancho Solano Prep Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On Monday, Jan 20th I attended the match-up with #2 in 3A&nbsp;<strong>Valley Christian&nbsp;</strong>traveling to Scottsdale to take on #3 in 2A&nbsp;<strong>Rancho Solano Prep</strong>.Two of the best teams for the smaller schools in the state. VC was ranked #2 in the OPEN and RSP was ranked #8 at the time of the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I checked out two levels with Junior Varsity and Varsity.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Here were the standouts on the night&nbsp;</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Junior Varsity Game (82-28 Valley Christian won)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2432568' first='Cyler' last='Jessup'] Valley Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A long combo guard will score and make plays. He filled it up in this game with 23 points with and-1's in traffic, euro step moves, catch threes with real range, mid-range pull-ups, transition points after he outraced his opponents and deceptive hesitation moves to the basket. He will also pass it up the court to running teammates for assists and he is one of those players that looks taller and more athletic every time you see him. He may end up 6'3+ like his brother.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2333012' first='Devin' last='Morganfield'] Valley Christian&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A high motored power forward is athletic and will score. He will score with contact takes, drop steps, power moves, on the break and offensive rebounds put backs. He will rebound in and out of his area and runs the floor. He will be a bigger part of the varsity next season. He scored 17 points unofficially.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2552792' first='Mason' last='Tamlyn'] Valley Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A very quick scoring point guard is a little undersized but can blow past his opponents. He will touch the paint and drive and kick it to a shooter or rope it down the court for the dime. He has good pace to his game and he is quick in the passing lanes on defense. He scored 7 points.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2741030' first='Max' last='Johnson'] Valley Christian&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A quick on quick defensive point guard with real open court speed. He is a pest on the ball defensively and will thread the needle to his teammates. He can hit the three plus burst to the rim with his tighter handle.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2533645' first='Wyatt' last='Fulton'] Rancho Solano Prep</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fulton played the point guard role in this contest. He moves the ball quickly and whips it into a shooting pocket. He made an impressive live dribble pass after he wrapped it around his back. He will score off of hesitations to the basket with a sneaky burst and off the ball cuts. He scored 6 points with multiple assists.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Varsity Game (76-43 Valley Christian won)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1900362' first='Colby' last='Jessup'] Valley Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the top shooters in the junior class showed off to kick off the game with 3 parking lot ranged threes with a super quick release. He runs around without the ball and will let it fly off of screens. He can handle a bump to the cup and will use a spin move into a hook shot and cut off the ball. He will give a hard ball fake and dribble drive to the basket and rebounds well in his area. He will throw up the court passes on a dime to a running teammate and can thread it in during a half court set. He scored 23 points with 5+ assists and rebounds.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1379909' first='Carson' last='Grier'] Valley Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A versatile, bigger point forward type has advanced post footwork. He uses counter moves in the post, hook shots, ball fakes and will go up with contact, drive by's with reverse layups and offensive rebound put backs keeping the ball high. He will rebound and block shots in his area and thinks the game. He scored a game high 27 points with 10+ rebounds.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1379910' first='Kyle' last='Grier'] Valley Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A strong framed wing forward plays at a nice pace to the game. He has a super quick release on his three point shooting and he will cut off the ball. He rebounds well in his area using his frame and boxing out.&nbsp; He has a good feel to make a play. He scored 7 points with&nbsp; 5+ rebounds and 3 assists.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1768201' first='Paxton' last='Tamlyn'] Valley Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A scoring combo guard with some versatility. He is a sneaky good passer and will score. He has a nice euro step game and he made an impressive move in this game. He likes the mid-range jumper off the dribble and will score on run out layups. His on-ball defense was good all game long and he rebounds well. He will definitely breakout next season. He scored 8 points.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1366580' first='Justin' last='Garcia'] Valley Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Basha transfer gives one of the top 3A teams some veteran depth. He will defend and score off the bench. He will score with blow by layups and he can pick and pocket for a steal and lay it in at the other end of the court. His IQ, skill and confidence gives them a lift. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1432044' first='Ethan' last='Stokes'] Rancho Solano Prep</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An athletic wing forward can rebound and score. He is a very good rebounder using his length, bounce and frame. He will score with rip thrus and go to work with his right hand and kiss it off the glass. His sweet spot is his mid-range jumper with high elevation. He scored 5 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1373522' first='Andrew' last='Willis'] Rancho Solano Prep</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A taller scoring guard is the catch and shoot three point type with a nice looking shooting stroke. He has a quick burst getting downhill to score and always thinks the game. You will not see him take a bad shot. He scored 6 points.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1768204' first='Luke' last='Larrabee'] Rancho Solano Prep</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A sharp shooting combo guard has a strap. The lefty has deep three point range with a super quick release. He can also step back and hit the three off the dribble. He is also quick enough with the ball to get to the basket to create his own offense. He scored 11 points leading all players from RSP. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1580843' first='Jayden' last='Johnson'] Rancho Solano Prep</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A tough and physical power forward. He will score with driving layups in traffic and will grab out of area rebounds and score on put backs. His activity keeps plays alive on the glass. He can rip thru and spin off of his defender and score or get to the line. He scored 6 points.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2533646' first='Ryder' last='Brainis'] Rancho Solano Prep</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A pure point guard who can score. He is a very good on-ball defender with quicker feet and some toughness. He has plus court vision to slip it into traffic and will kick it to a teammate. He scores with ball fakes into a three and he can take it coast to coast to score with contact. He scored 9 points.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2326932' first='Pearce' last='Ramos'] Rancho Solano Prep&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A physical undersized power forward is a worker when he comes in the game. He will score with inside buckets simply just outworking his opponents. He uses ball fakes and takes contact with a nice frame. He is an out of area rebounder and brings a motor. He scored 5 points.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->