Top of the Rockies: Impactful producers
The Top of the Rockies went on this past weekend and had some of the state’s best talent all battling it out at Gold Crown. The Top of the Rockies is a wonderful event put on by the Colorado Chaos…
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Continue ReadingThe Top of the Rockies went on this past weekend and had some of the state’s best talent all battling it out at Gold Crown. The Top of the Rockies is a wonderful event put on by the Colorado Chaos that pits together some of the best organizations across the state to go at it. Here are some standouts whose impact goes beyond the scoreboards.
Kaleb Chaney – Colorado Hawks
A guard that really stepped up and proved themselves in the Top of the Rockies was Chaney. Chaney is a player that thrives in Grassroots season as he has the freedom to do what he wants and is a high IQ player that does all of the right things. He is willing to dive for a ball, he plays hard-nosed defense, he runs the offense well and is a player that knows the importance of small things that go a long way such as great entry passes as well as hitting his cutters and shooters in stride – it is the little things that goes a long way and he makes sure that every time out that he is going to do everything that goes beyond the scoreboard. Chaney is a guard that often times goes overlooked because he is not out putting up huge scoring games but the things that you do notice is hustle, energy and execution. In the Top of the Rockies he was able to showcase a bit of both as he was the lead guard that brought it on both ends of the floor. He scored a bit more as he was asked to do a bit more and fulfilled that void left due to injuries and also kept the same intensity on the defensive end of the floor. Chaney had seven points and six rebounds in the semifinals and then had his best game of the tourney in the championship game when he put up 18 points to lead the Hawks although they did lose. He rebounds well for his size and makes game changing plays and is a guard to take a look at moving forward.
Kwaheem Brown – Colorado Hawks
Brown was welcomed into this Colorado Hawks team and has fit in seamlessly as a go-to scorer that is willing to go get his. Brown excels in ISO situations as he is able to free himself up with a perfect blend of speed and strength and once he feels the defender on his is able to make a smart move at the basket. With this Hawks team Brown will be the option from the wing spot with so many other talented bigs and his work on slashing and knocking open shots on the kickout will be pivotal to the team’s success. He is able to shoot the ball a bit, is a down-hill runner in the open court with the ability to finish it with a highlight reel dunk but his scrappiness is what will make him a better player. In the Top of the Rockies he was straddling the fence on times where he is trying to choose if he should take over or stay in the system. He had eight points against the Chaos and made some big plays that will not go on the scoreboard and also finished with 13 points in the championship game. What he will have to do for the rest of the summer is play a bit freer as he creates a ton of mismatches with his athleticism. He will have to step up to his full potential on the offensive end as the summer progresses and remember that the Hawks will need him to be him. A player that is able to score when he wants while making the right plays, reading the defense and attacking relentlessly.
Wade Jones – Colorado Chaos
Jones is a guard that plays on a very talented Cheyenne Mountain team so the focus is not on him to score the basketball a ton – but that does not mean he is not capable of lighting up the scoreboard. In the Top of the Rockies he was able to really get it going on the offensive end and has plenty of intangibles to get going in other ways and make a huge impact on the team. The game that stood out was a big outing where he put up 26 points to lead the game in scoring and as if that were not enough he had 14 big rebounds to go along with it. Jones is a 6’3 wing with a bit of range but he is also capable of going inside and grabbing boards and starting the break. He is a high IQ player that does not have to force much, plays within the system and is willing to outwork his opponent and that is what stands out most. Look for Chaos to keep featuring the standout young wing on the offensive end and his high motor and energy to keep putting them in better opportunities to score a bit more.
Donta Dawson – All In 1
Dawson is a we guy. Not a selfish player as he is out there doing anything he can to make the right plays and often times he does. He is a very hard worker on the defensive end that has the ability to guard multiple positions but he is a machine on the offensive end that has many things in his arsenal. Dawson is a big man in size but has shown the ability to be a wing that can put it on the floor, shoot it from deep and also use his strong stature to create mismatches down low as one of the most difficult players to guard in the state. In the Top of the Rockies he showcased his versatility on the offensive end as he had it going. He led All in 1 in scoring and got it done in various ways. He is not going to be outworked, makes things difficult as he applies pressure for the full duration of the game and he dares you to jump with him when he gets in the lane as he had one of the most impressive dunks on the weekend. Dawson is a player that I am excited to see as the summer continues as I have not gotten an opportunity to see what the hype is about but from what I have seen – he’s worth every compliment. Make sure you get a chance to see him before the summer is up.