Elite Company: The Best of the Best at Section 7 PT 2

This past weekend brought out some of the top high school prospects from across the country, all in one building at the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa. The gym was packed wall to wall with fans, college coaches, media, and scouts locked in from start to finish. The energy was crazy, the competition was high level, and a lot of guys made statements on the big stage.   Let's take a look at some of the standouts from the event    One of the most impressive incoming freshmen at the event. Played with maturity, kept a tight handle, and consistently got downhill to create scoring opportunities. Knocked down shots from mid-range and three — both off the catch and off the bounce — and looked comfortable creating his own offense.   Finished well through contact and showed he doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective — constantly relocating into open space and staying ready to score. Plays with confidence and feel, and he's already showing signs of becoming a major contributor at the varsity level.     Got a super smooth handle — tight, low, and quick. That ball pops off the floor, and there's no wasted motion. Gets into his moves fast and looks real comfortable with the ball in his hands. Used a confident handle to get to his spots, especially off hesitations and quick crossovers that kept defenders guessing.   A true three-level scorer. Scored at the rim, hit tough pull-ups in the mid-range, and knocked down threes off both the catch and the dribble. Showed good touch around the free throw line — elevated clean and never rushed. Once he created space, he didn't hesitate. Got downhill and finished through contact — stayed aggressive all game.     Had the three-ball working in the second half against Desert Pines and showed he can impact the game in multiple ways. Got downhill with purpose, attacked the rim aggressively, and drew contact to get himself to the free throw line. Scored it efficiently and played with confidence throughout the weekend.   Was a big-time shot maker for Higley — especially effective spotting up and knocking down threes off the catch. Also showed the ability to put it on the deck and make plays when run off the line. Earned a few offers with his performance, and with the attention Higley's backcourt draws, he's going to continue getting open looks. The way he shoots it, he's a real weapon in that offense.     Explodes by defenders with ease. His burst off the bounce stood out all weekend — no wasted movement, just straight to it. Gets downhill with intent and doesn't hesitate once he sees a gap, finishing strong through contact. Has a natural feel for slipping through tight spaces and putting pressure on the defense.   Finished multiple drives with balance while absorbing contact. Adjusted mid-air to avoid shot blockers and showed he's more than comfortable finishing in traffic. Didn't need a clean lane — found angles, used touch, and made tough finishes look easy, whether it was around or above the rim. Also shot the ball well off the catch, knocking down open looks and keeping defenders honest.     Shot it with confidence and rhythm all weekend. Whether it was a spot-up three or a pull-up off a jab, he let it fly without hesitation. Looked comfortable from deep — feet set, smooth release, and ready every time. Knocked down threes off the bounce with a quick gather and didn't need much separation to get into his shot.   Had a clean handle into his pull-up and showed he knows how to get to his spots. What made him even tougher to guard was how well he mixed in both the jumper and the drive — hit from deep, but also attacked hard off the dribble and finished through contact at the rim. A complete scoring threat from anywhere on the floor.     One of the most dominant — if not the most dominant — players in the gym this past weekend. Standing at 6'11 and at least 225 pounds of pure strength, he was one of the toughest covers simply because of his size and physicality. A true rim protector who made it nearly impossible for the opposing team to get anything clean inside — blocked or altered just about every shot around the rim.   On the offensive end, he was a physical force. Moved defenders out of the way, finished above the rim, and grabbed every rebound in his area. Showed great patience in the post and soft touch around the basket. Controlled the paint on both ends and completely changed the flow of the game whenever he was on the floor.     Showed a quick release with good balance — got square fast and didn't need much space to let it fly. Knocked down shots spotting up with his feet set, hands ready, and looked comfortable from deep. Stayed shot-ready, relocated well, and punished late closeouts. Took smart shots and had the pull-up middy going too — just made it tough to guard.   Was super scrappy on defense — got into ball handlers and made it hard for them to get anything going. Brought energy on both ends and set the tone with how hard he played.

This past weekend brought out some of the top high school prospects from across the country, all in one building at the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa. The gym was packed wall to wall with fans, college coaches, media, and scouts locked in from start to finish. The energy was crazy, the competition was high level, and a lot of guys made statements on the big stage.