Prep Hoops 250 Expo: 2020 New Names
The Prep Hoops 250 expo hit Colorado this past weekend and what a turnout it was. It was an event that had plenty of returning faces but what really stood out was the new faces that made stood out from…
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Continue ReadingThe Prep Hoops 250 expo hit Colorado this past weekend and what a turnout it was. It was an event that had plenty of returning faces but what really stood out was the new faces that made stood out from not only Colorado but other states as well. In the article we take a look at some of the new names that jumped on the scene and are now making us have to rank them.
Phillip Harrison Askey – Denver Eagles –2020
Harrison Askey showed off his strength at the event which ended up as him being one of the standout defenders on the day. He was not moved around, had a couple of blocks and moved his feet well to stay in front of defenders that tried to score on him inside. He also made sure to crash the boards which led to him getting the rebound or tipping it out to a teammate for a fast break opportunity. Askey is a player that you can put in and he is going to make plays. This smooth lefty showed off his shooting stroke and was also sneaky athletic as he had a few finished that he could have just turned over for a dunk. He is a natural scorer with range and can play both inside and out and is a player that showed he belonged. Good day for him.
Jon Mitchell – Mountain Range – 2020
Mitchell was one of those players that showed me that he can truly score the basketball from wherever. He had soft touch and knocked down a couple of mid-range jump shots, he went inside and put his back to the basket to score and he also knocked down a 3-pointer. People underestimated his speed with his size and he made them pay as he punished them inside and kept finishing. What stands out is his IQ. He kept finding the holes in the defense for easy finishes and also when he got the rebound he went straight up. His soft touch near the rim also allowed him to get the friendly bounce when throwing it up there and he also timed rebounds perfectly as well.
Evan Laraby – Middle Park – 2020
Laraby showed that he is a tough player that plays the right way. He is a fierce competitor that was meeting guards at half court and staying in front of them the entire time. He did not back down to the competition and was a leader on the offensive end as well. Laraby held it down for the 3A schools as it was not too fast for him and he showed that he is a player no matter the classification. What I enjoyed was watching how selfless he was. He made sure to find the open man, he had a few no look passes that freed his man up and he shows that he is a true point guard that should be on radars now. His best play on the day was him going at one of the state’s best rim protectors and finishing with confidence despite the player being a foot and a half taller than him. I’ll tell you what, I am a fan.
Valentinas Ulinas – Overland – 2020
Ulinas is also a player we had no idea about heading into the event and he also started out a bit slow but after watching more and more of him you come to the realization that—he is a really, really good basketball player that is going to help Overland win some game this season. He is a complete player that does so many of the little things so well that you look up and do not realize that he also has double digit points and rebounds as well. Ulinas is not a player that stands out with great size or athleticism but he is affecting the game in so many ways. At the event he scored a ton, specifically near the rim and off of the dribble, he had a few put back lay ups from being in the right spot and he also played rock solid defense on some of the best ball-handlers at the event. Ulinas is a player that I am excited to see play next season as I feel as if he is a player that is hard to take out of the game because of all of the great plays he is making despite not being a go-to player in the offense. He will have some offensive high scoring nights where you will look up and say, “I do not remember him putting up that many points.” Solid day for him.
Tim Huston – DSST Green Valley –2020
Huston is not a player that I had known going into the day but I am glad that he came to the event as he really stood out for the entire day and jumped onto the scene. Huston is a player that got switched around to multiple teams on the day which was interesting to watch but what really stood out was he went straight in and played his game no matter the unit. He has good size and is a difference maker on the defensive end and it is easy to come together with him on the floor as he makes winning plays on that side of the ball which makes it easy for him offensively. On offense he was one of the better finishers on the day inside. Big men could not stay in front of him and guards were not big nor strong enough to compete as he scored at will. Looking at his stats after the event it is easy to see why he put up over 14 points and eight rebounds a game and now we have a player we have to figure out where to rank as he showed that he is one of the better two-way players in the state that has a complete game.