Coach’s Take: Quincy Sanders
Jalen Sanders, 6-4 junior guard, Valor Christian: “He does everything for us. Jalen can play multiple positions, he’s a very smart player, he’s a great passer, he can shoot the ball from deep, and he can score from anywhere on the court. He has to get stronger and his ball-handling has to get a little bit better. For the next level, he also has to show he can guard an athletic three.”
Elijah Blake, 6-2 junior guard, Rangeview: “Elijah is a very, very athletic kid. His basketball IQ is high, just like Jalen’s. Once he is able to get downhill and attack the basket, a lot of things open up for him and his teammates and he’s starting to get more comfortable doing that and making the correct play as he’s moving to the basket. Some of the things he may have to work on is his outside shot becoming more consistent and not to overthink the game.”
KJ Sapp, 5-9 junior guard, Cherokee Trail: “In-state, I don’t think I’ve seen a quicker guard than KJ. The guy is lightning fast. He is also a great defender on the ball. He creates a lot of havoc for a lot of guards. When his shot is dropping, he’s very tough to guard. With all the kids, they have to get stronger. With KJ, he also needs to learn how to slow down a little bit and let the game come to him.”
Keisan Crosby, 5-11 junior guard, Valor Christian: “Keisan is another kid who has to get a little bit stronger. He’s a great defender. A lot of people think that Keisan can’t shoot from deep, but he has worked very hard on his mid-range game and he’s developed a really good mid-range jump shot off the dribble. He’s very good at finding the open man. He knows where people are on the floor and is another savvy basketball guy.”
Jaizec Lottie, 5-11 junior guard, Cherokee Trail: “Jaizec is another very smart player. He may be the best pure point guard in the state. He can do everything to break his man down, he can get to the basket, and he can see the play before it develops. He shoots the ball pretty well and he’s a pretty good defender. I would say for him to guard an athletic smaller guard, I would like to see him get better at that. He also has to get his jump shot more consistent.”
Josh Randle, 6-4 junior forward, Valor Christian: “We played him at a bunch of different spots. He played everything from the two through the five. He’s a smart kid, he’s long, he can handle the ball, and he can pass the ball. He’s not as aggressive as we would like him to be. He’s a very, very good basketball player and when he decides to be more aggressive, I think the kid can be a very tough player. He can defend the three, the four, and the five. He just has to get quicker.”
Kyle Lukasiewicz, 6-3 junior guard, Arapahoe: “When he first came to us we saw him as a jump shooter. He really, really can shoot the ball. His shot is starting to come more consistent. Kyle really bought into the way we play defense. He has started to evolve defensively. Before, he wasn’t the greatest defender, but as the summer went on, he was an in-your-face defender. He has a mean streak and he doesn’t want to back down from anyone. Offensively, with his jump shot, we would like to see him be able to shoot it a little deeper. He’s able to get to the basket in one or two dribbles from the wing and he’s a pretty good finisher, as well. He has to work on his ball-handling.”
Ravel Moody, 6-4 junior guard, Thomas Jefferson: “Ravel is a very, very long kid. His upside is humongous being that he could become a 6-foot-4 point guard. He can finish with either hand at the basket. Unfortunately for Ravel he broke his hand in June. It was a plus and a minus. It was a minus, because he didn’t get a chance to do the things he wanted to do in July, but it was a plus, because his left hand got stronger after he broke his right. Once Ravel gets downhill, he’s tough to defend. He spends a lot of time at the free throw line. He’s another kid that has gotten a lot better at in-your-face defense.”
Brian Read, 6-5 junior forward, Fort Collins: “Brian is maybe 6-foot-5. He plays a lot bigger than what he is. We asked him to play some fours and fives during the summer and he did a great job of it. Brian shoots the ball pretty decent. He does a lot of dirty work. He’s a big, strong physical kid who doesn’t mind banging. I would like to see Brian just not take plays off.”
David Simental, 6-2 junior guard, Pueblo West: “David is a great shooter. He can shoot from deep, he can shoot free throws well, and he shoots the mid-range. If you get this kid in transition, I don’t think there’s anyone in the state that can stop him. He’s a great defender. David does a lot of things well offensively and defensively. It’s hard to find kids that can play both ends. He gives it everything he has. I would like to see him be able to see the floor better. He scores the ball so well that sometimes he misses an easier play.”
Kayle Knuckles, 6-5 junior forward, Valor Christian: “Kayle has been playing basketball now for only two years. He has come a long way. There’s a lot that he doesn’t understand, but there’s a lot that he does. Wherever the ball is, that’s where is. He’s a ball-hawk. He’s like a magnet to the ball. He’s athletic and he jumps well. His upside is tremendous. He shoots it pretty well from deep.”
Alex May, 6-6 junior forward, Chatfield: “Alex is a big kid. He works his butt off. He likes to post up and he likes to move. He can finish around the basket, he has no problem banging against bigger guys. He had no issue dealing with 6-foot-9 big, strong guys. Alex does need to work on his hands. Being able to see some of those passes being thrown from Jaizec, KJ, Elijah, and some of those guys, he just didn’t have his hands ready. Other than that, he did a great job this summer.”