Hustle Finals: Saturday Top Performers
The PrepHoops Circuit Hustle Region Finals continued on Saturday at the spacious and Momentous Sports Center in Irvine with a full slate of bracket games, and we had the opportunity to watch some hot – literally and figuratively – action.…
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Continue ReadingThe PrepHoops Circuit Hustle Region Finals continued on Saturday at the spacious and Momentous Sports Center in Irvine with a full slate of bracket games, and we had the opportunity to watch some hot – literally and figuratively – action. Here’s a look at the top performers we observed.
Nick Bowden (2020 St Bernard HS) – Bowden was arguably the performer of the day. The 6-foot guard is an electric scorer and ball-handler, capable of dropping in long bombs or taking it hard to the hole and making buckets in creative ways over bigger defenders. Bowden dropped 35 points in the first game of the day for Los Angeles Elite Hollingsworth and then balanced it out with getting his teammates involved in Elite’s tight second win of the day. He’s quick and skilled, but also plays with a moxie and swagger that is extremely fun to watch.
Owen Koonce (2020 Centarus HS) – The Colorado Titans came into the tournament as the #1 overall seed and they showed why, largely because of the play of guys like Koonce. The 6-foot-4 wing/forward played inside and out, showing advanced footwork around the basket and a very smooth mid-range game. Koonce noted that he’s been hearing from Metro State in his college recruitment while Division I schools such as Colorado and Colorado State have touched base with his coaches.
Christian Johnson (2021 Lynwood HS) – Johnson is a power guard, make no bones about it. At 6-feet, 175-pounds, he has great physical strength and the ability to get to the basket and overpower smaller players for buckets inside. He relentlessly attacked the hoop in The Truth EYBL’s win against Legion of Hoops on his way to 24 points, including the final go-ahead bucket which was credited to him after a goaltend.
Tanner Poeschl (2020 Skyline HS) – Poeschl and his Legion of Hoops team lost a tough one to The Truth EYBL, but the 6-foot-7 forward certainly made an impression. He’s extremely long and lanky but has the ability to finish around the basket in a number of creative ways. Poeschl ran the floor very well, getting out in transition for some easy buckets. He’ll need to get stronger but with his length and motor he’s got the potential to be a Division I player.
Jack Schultz (2020 Temecula Valley HS) – Long and lanky at 6-foot-4, Schultz is a shooter with size. He was impressive in Gamepoint Island Empire’s over Nevada Hard 2 Guard in the Sweet 16, hitting jumpers both off the catch-and-shoot and also on one or two dribble pull-ups beyond the arc. A high-academic student, Schultz noted that he’s getting looked at by Division III programs on the West Coast and elsewhere nationally.
Guy Littlefield (2020 Forest Grove HS) – The lone member on Nevada’s Hard 2 Guard squad from the state of Oregon, the 6-foot point guard ran the show extremely effectively. In one game he focused more on scoring, using his strong frame to get to the basket. In another game, Littlefield focused on getting his teammates involved and finished with about a dozen assists. In all, he made solid decisions with the basketball and exhibited some true point guard skills.
Wayne McKinney (2021 Lake Oswego HS) – We decided to take in a little 16U action on Saturday, so why not look at the #1 seed in that bracket, Coast Elite Slayers – who just so happen to feature an Oregonian at point guard in McKinney. The 5-foot-11 guard looked as explosive as we have seen him at Lake Oswego, taking it strong to the hole while really setting up his teammates for easy scores either on the drive and dish or drive and kick out for open threes. We will be posting an individual update on McKinney on the network soon.