NHR State Tournament: Max's Day Two Standouts

Six of the prospects who stood out on Saturday at the NHR State Tournament!    Alec was all over the floor defensively for [program_tooltip program_id='2075310' first='Northstar' last='Titans'] against Comets Elite. He was a big reason why it was such a low scoring game, as the 6'1 wing guarded just about every spot on the floor with success. Alec could move his feet with smaller guards, make plays in the passing lanes out on the wing, and fought to really limit a 6'8 big in the paint. His effort, athleticism, and IQ to be in the right spots at the right times make him a high level defender     Peyton is another player who impressed on the defensive end last night. [program_tooltip program_id='2859102' first='Hoop' last='Habits Elite'] often puts out 4-5 guards at a time, meaning they don't have much size to put on opposing bigs. With these smaller lineups, Peyton does a great job on the help-side to get in and double-team forwards, while still being able to closeout hard if the ball swings back his way. He was fighting for every rebound in his area, and made the extra effort plays to hunt down any loose ball he could get to. Peyton's effort on the offensive glass led to some good looks inside, and he was always sprinting the floor for transition opportunities. Showing he's much more than just a shooter this spring.     Kobe continues to impress with his [program_tooltip program_id='2075808' first='Powerhouse' last='MN'] team this spring, showing why he could jump into the varsity rotation at Tartan as a junior. Against [program_tooltip program_id='2075674' first='Minnesota' last='Heat'] he shot the lights out from three, showcasing range that extended to well beyond the three point line. He's dangerous handling out of the P&R as he makes smart decisions with the ball, can pull-up from three if his man goes under, and has the accuracy to thread the needle to his big rolling to the hoop. Plays with good poise on the ball and never looks sped up under pressure.     Thomas went off for an impressive 25 points to lead his [program_tooltip program_id='2821775' first='Buffalo' last='Legacy'] team to a win over [program_tooltip program_id='2075674' first='Minnesota' last='Heat'] to avenge an earlier loss this month. Though he's typically been more of a low-post threat in the previous games I've watched, he came out and hit back to back threes to start off the game, letting the defense know they have to step out and guard him on the perimeter. Even playing up a year, he showed no fear playing with physicality against opposing bigs, and was constantly getting into tie-ups for loose balls or rebounds. Plays with the strength to go right through forwards around the rim, but also has the footwork to create angles to finish around size.     Daniel is one of the top guard prospects I've seen this weekend. He's shot up to about 6'4-6'5, while having the skillset to play either guard spot. Daniel is a bouncy guard who gets impressive elevation on his jumper from three/mid-range, and can finish above the rim with ease. Sag off of him and Daniel has no problem simply pulling up for a jumper. Good movement off the ball to beat his defender with a hard cut to the rim. Has the combination of size, athleticism, and skill that colleges like to see in guards.     There wasn't a height listed for Tracell, but he looks to be about 6'4-6'5 with a long and agile frame. Going up against a 204 Elite team loaded with talented size, Tracell showed a lot of fight to come out on top consistently in the paint. He's stronger than he looks with his lean frame, battling for rebounds and finishing through contact on multiple occasions. Tracell is relentless on the glass, and has a quick first step to beat opposing forwards with one/two dribbles to the rim. Throughout the day Jackson was sprinting the floor hard in transition, and used his length to disrupt shots around the rim. All of this while playing up at the 16u level.

Six of the prospects who stood out on Saturday at the NHR State Tournament!