Colorado Elite Camp: Day One Standouts
The Colorado Elite Camp on Saturday, run by Colorado Chaos at Green Mountain High School, came at a good time. With the start of official high school basketball practices in the state, now less than two weeks away, players are…
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Continue ReadingThe Colorado Elite Camp on Saturday, run by Colorado Chaos at Green Mountain High School, came at a good time. With the start of official high school basketball practices in the state, now less than two weeks away, players are beginning to play with urgency as they aim to round into form. That made for some solid performances at the camp on Saturday. Here is a look at some players who stood out. I’ll have another post later about some under-the-radar players who showed some promise, and Brock Laue will provide coverage from the CEC on Sunday.
Austin Fritts, 6-foot-3 guard, 2016. Green Mountain. Fritts, one of the top players in the 2016 class, played like a guy who wanted to show who was boss on his own home court. Fritts is highly athletic with great leaping ability. He seemed to have a good-natured competition with Umar Jalloh, his teammate on the day, as to who could throw the most dunks. But Fritts is not just some slasher. I was surprised just how consistent he is with his perimeter jump shot. His smooth, lefty stroke was on all day. Fritts is uncommitted and says he’ll wait until the spring to make a college choice. He could bring a lot to a program. Fritts and Jalloh, by my estimation, were the most consistently productive players throughout Saturday.
Umar Jalloh, 6-foot-6 wing, Lincoln, 2017. Jalloh doesn’t dunk. He punishes the rim. It’s part of the edge that the Lincoln junior plays with. He loves to compete, isn’t afraid to throw his body around and has displayed a growing skill set that could allow him to be a productive wing at the next level.
Ravel Moody, 6-foot-5 wing, Thomas Jefferson, 2017. Moody has fantastic length and uses it to get a high-percentage shot nearly any time he wants. His energy defensively on Saturday also stood out. Moody is a very intriguing prospect, whose combination of skills and athleticism should help him get a lot of looks this season.
Colin Rardin, 6-foot-1 guard, Rocky Canyon, 2017. Rardin is a kid that plays very hard and continues to improve because of it. Rardin has a very solid mid-range game, and he had a nice turnaround jumper that he used with efficiency several times Saturday. It’s nice to see a guard go down on the block and now what to do with the ball when he gets there.
Antonio Capley, 6-foot-11, Ralston Valley, 2016. Capley brings intrigue as perhaps the state’s tallest player. (It would be interesting to see him and Arvada West’s Dallas Walton stand back to back.) Ronnie DeGray and the Billups staff have worked very hard with Capley on developing his skill-set, and his footwork has made noticeable strides. As has a mid-range jump shot he went to often Saturday. Consistency with those aspects of his game could make him a productive Division I player if given the chance.
Connor McCord, 6-foot-8 forward, Legend, 2016. McCord, who recently returned from an unofficial visit to Southern Illinois, continues to impress because of his motor. He plays hard and both ends and runs the floor very well. If he can bring that to the floor every night this winter, Legend will have a chance to compete for a state title.
Jervae Robinson, 6-foot-1 guard, Overland. Attack, attack, attack. That was what Robinson did early and often Saturday. He has great speed and athleticism that helps him get to the rim consistently. If he can develop a consistent mid-range jump shot, he could really become a complete offensive player.
Rene Melendez, 6-foot-3 forward, Lincoln, 2016. Melendez is a scrapper who hustles on every possession. Picks up a lot of points in the paint on loose balls and works tirelessly to create extra possessions. The kind of toughness to really benefit what could be a sneaky good Lincoln team. Also like the impact of 6-foot-9 Lancers junior Noe Dadila.
Cameron DeHart, 6-foot-7 forward, Fossil Ridge, 2017. We were impressed with DeHart at our Prime Time Prospects Combine in September, and he continued to bring it on Saturday. DeHart runs the floor very well, competes underneath the basket. He could stand to gain more weight, but many young athletes at this stage could say the same. Is able to step out on the perimeter and knock down a 3-point shot.
Daylen Kountz, 6-foot-5 wing, George Washington, 2018. Kountz always competes regardless of the situation. No more so on Saturday than when he chased down a breakaway from halfcourt and produced one of the most emphatic rejections I’ve seen in months. His athleticism is eye-popping. To add the motor to that is what makes Kountz special. George Washington will be special because of the way they compete. Jon’il and Calvin Fuggett compete with the same energy as Kountz. That sets a great tone.
Matteo Busnardo, 6-foot guard, Mullen. Busnardo has a fantastic perimeter jump shot. Effortless stroke that found the bottom of the net consistently Saturday.
Morgan Murray, 6-foot guard, Ellicott, 2016. Playing at Ellicott, Murray flies under the radar, but the guard plays solid in all phases. Certainly a kid who could compete at a bigger high school.
Braxton Bertolette, 6-foot-1 guard, Fossil Ridge, 2017. Bertolette is one of the best I've seen in Colorado at getting into his shot. He has superb ball-handling skills and glides into position for a quick-release jumper. Bertolette's shot wasn't quite falling Saturday the way it normally does, but his confidence doesn't wane.