Nike Hoop Summit Spring Showcase: Top Performers
The Nike Hoop Summit took place last weekend and for most of the teams in the Pacific Northwest that were not playing on the adidas and UA shoe circuits, it was an opportunity to play against some of the other…
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Continue ReadingThe Nike Hoop Summit took place last weekend and for most of the teams in the Pacific Northwest that were not playing on the adidas and UA shoe circuits, it was an opportunity to play against some of the other top teams in the region.
We got a chance to drop by and check out some of the action between some of the top teams in attendance – including the AAU season debut of Seattle Rotary’s EYBL squad – and here are some quick observations on some of the players we watched.
Paolo Banchero (2021 O’Dea) – The tournament was the debut of Rotary on the AAU schedule this year and of course, Banchero was one of the headline players given that he’s ranked as one of the top five players in the country in the Class of 2021. The 6-foot-9 forward certainly didn’t disappoint in the action we caught him in. So skilled and polished for his age, he was posting up strong, hitting face-up jumpers, and finishing with authority. On defense, he was contesting shots and grabbing every rebound in his area. We fell in love with Banchero’s game last summer and he looks even better now. Truth be told, we personally haven’t seen a frontcourt player this skilled at this age in the Pacific Northwest since Kevin Love and the sky is the limit with Banchero.
Kamron Robinson (2021 Jefferson) – If you saw what Robinson looked like last year at this time, it’s a world of difference. The Jefferson standout has completely remade his body and while this started happening during the school year, it’s still be remarkable to see. Robinson is lighter on his feet, moves up and down the floor quicker, has more hop in his step and is in general more athletic. At the tourament he showed good hands and solid footwork, a soft touch on his shot, and the willingness to go and grab rebounds. One of the special traits Robinson has is the great ability to follow up his own shot attempts; he has a great sense of where the ball is going off his misses and can grab the offensive board and follow up with a make.
Ben Gregg (2021 Columbia Christian) – Gregg continued to grow as a player his sophomore season at Columbia Christian and one of the main differences is that he’s gotten tougher. At times he used to back down from opponents and at this tournament he wasn’t afraid of getting physical inside. In the game we watched, he showed toughness going to the hoop and while the full game we watched he wasn’t hitting his jumper in the first half, he certainly made up for it in the second stanza. We fully expect Gregg – who will be going to a new school next fall – to have a big spring and summer.
Kaden Perry (2021 Battle Ground) – We had heard many great things about Perry this past year but this was the first time we really got to see him in game action. What stood out about the 6-foot-9 post right away is his athleticism as he’s a good run and jump athlete. Perry operates well with his back to the basket and can also face up and hit some mid-range jumpers as well. This is Perry’s first year playing big-time AAU basketball so it will be baptism by fire for him in the EYBL even at the 16U level.
Darius Gakwasi (2021 Central Catholic) – Gakwasi is extremely skilled as a perimeter player and in the past, may have settled a little too much for three-point shots. In the action we saw, he mixed things up a lot more. While there’s no doubt Gakwasi still loves the long ball, he was active in creating off the dribble – and not just for himself but also finding others. The 6-foot-5 wing was great grabbing defensive rebounds and immediately pushing the ball up the floor looking to create. The key for Gakwasi is consistency and decision making and he seemed to display both in the tournament.
John Hart (2020 Rainier Beach) – Banchero has several talented supporting cast members with Rotary and one guy who may deserve more recognition than he might normally get is Hart – who had a similar role at Rainier Beach this past season. What makes the 6-foot-2 combo guard is his motor. Hart was constantly in motion on both ends making things happen, showing off good quickness with his hands and athleticism with his finishes in transition.
Nate Rawlins-Kibonge (2021 Jefferson) – Rawlins-Kibonge is playing on a brand new squad this year in Team P.U.S.H. and suited up for the Black team at the Hoop Summit tournament. The main player with any kind of size, the 6-foot-7 sophomore largely played down low where, like high school season went this past year, he controlled the paint on the boards and on defense. P.U.S.H. is filled with guys who can fill it up from the outside so Rawlins-Kibonge didn’t get many touches on offense, but in the game we watched he did get the opportunity to take a couple of short jumpers – both of which he hit.
Tyson Degenhart (2021 Mt Spokane) – In all honesty, Degenhart didn’t have the greatest of outings in the game we watched him play, a rough loss to the Rose City Rebels 16U squad. But it was clear right away why he’s considered one of the top sophomores in the state of Washington. At a well-built 6-foot-7, Degenhart passes the look test and his frame is such where he could easily put on more weight and strength. He played aggressively inside and while his shot wasn’t falling, he showed a good looking form on his shot release on his face-up shots that went past the three-point line.