PHI Freshman Showcase: Top Guards
This past Sunday the 5th annual PrepHoops Freshman Showcase took place at Fishers High School. At that event, 120 of the top freshman in the state of Indiana were able to showoff their skills and what their potential is. The…
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Continue ReadingThis past Sunday the 5th annual PrepHoops Freshman Showcase took place at Fishers High School. At that event, 120 of the top freshman in the state of Indiana were able to showoff their skills and what their potential is. The families, coaches, and other spectators saw just how special the class of 2023 is going to be. Over the next coming days and weeks, we at PrepHoops Indiana are going to help recap that event and talk about the players that stood out among the rest. Here is a look at the top guards from the Freshman Showcase.
Dylan Hall – 5’11 G Hamilton Southeastern: Even though Hall is not the biggest player on the court, he does whatever it takes to contribute to his team. He showed great court vision and was able to get the ball to the open man for an easy basket. On the defensive side he made it a point to steal the ball and score in transition any chance he could. You can tell by watching him that he is tough-minded and does whatever he can for his team. Do not ever underestimate Hall this coming high school season and beyond.
Kyron Kaopulki – 6’0 G Carmel: This lengthy guard is going to be a great asset for Carmel for the coming years. Everything about Kaopulki’s game is just so smooth. From his outside shot to his drive to the basket, he just does it with such poise and composure. He is also an extremely good rebounder and matches up well with almost any position because of his length. Since he will mostly be playing the guard position, he will make it tough for opposing guards to score. With all that said, Kaoplulki is also a great teammate and will be an important piece for Carmel.
Kaden Oliver – 6’1 G Madison: Oliver is a complete package for a guard. He has a great shot from almost anywhere on the court. From watching his game, you will notice that he is a floor general meaning that he demands the ball and wants to get the best shot up. On the defensive side he was one of the more aggressive guards that participated in this showcase. On top of all of that, he is a very coachable player. He makes the necessary hustle plays and wants to get better. He is on track to make an immediate impact for Madison.
Zane Moravec – 5’7 G Columbus East: Moravec was one of the smallest players that played in the Freshman Showcase. However, he did not play like he was. Even with his size, he was not afraid to take it to the basket against the bigger forwards. He showed no signs of being afraid and was able to create shots for not only himself, but for his team. He has some of better handles and keeps moving to create great space on the offense. Though his defense may be a struggle, he has the ability to make himself better even with his smaller frame.
Jamie Hodges Jr. – 5’7 G Michigan City: Hodges Jr. had one of the most efficient perimeter shots out of all the players in the Freshman Showcase. If given just a little space, he was able to get his 3-point shot off and make it almost every time. What is so great about his shooting ability is that he is so patient about getting his shot off. He knows when he needs to shoot and when he needs to pass. Going into games this coming high school season, defenders will need to almost be glued to Hodges Jr. If not, he will make them pay with his lights-out shooting.
Merrick Macaluso – 6’1 G Brebeuf Jesuit: Macaluso was one of the better defenders out of all positions at this event. Being one of the taller guards, he made it tough for opposing guards to score on him. On top of that he played very aggressively on both ends of the court. On offense he did most of his damage near the 15ft range. We would like to see him take it to the basket more being how big and strong he is for a guard. Other than his post play as of right now, Macaluso has a great upside to his game.
Darrius Roach – 6’0 G Crown Point: Roach has a really nice offensive game in his skill set. He is fast and that allows him to be extremely good in transition, like he showed this past Sunday. He was able to beat everybody on that fast break and thus score an easy layup. When not in transition, he plays at a controlled pace. He waits patiently to either pass the ball or create the open look for himself. He will need to improve his defense but as far as his offense goes, he is one of the best freshmen in the state.
Devon Woods – 5’7 G Pike: Woods was one of the true point guards that was seen at the Freshman Showcase. His court vision was one of the best while he was on the court. He was able to see things that a great point guard should notice while playing. Because of his great court vision, he was able to make the right passes that his team needed in order to make buckets. To add to that, he has some of the better ball handling skills out of the all the guards as well. Pike should be very excited to have a point guard like Devon Woods entering their program.
Jaxson Gould – 6’1 G Warsaw: Arguably the best guard to play in the Freshman Showcase, Gould is a tremendous player all around. On offense he can do pretty much whatever is asked of him to do or whatever he wants to do. He has a beautiful shot and can take it to the basket with ease. He has a pure stroke and is one of the best shot creators for his age in the state. We would like to see a little more from him on the defensive side but other than that, Gould was super impressive. Keep your eye on Jaxson Gould moving forward.