Mile High Classic: Saturday Afternoon Standouts
The falling snow — two days from May? really? — couldn’t keep teams away from the second day of the Mile High Classic at the Gold Crown Fieldhouse on Saturday.
We took in several games and came away impressed with some rising talent. Here’s a closer look at some standouts:
Branden Bunn, 6-1 guard, Colorado Hawks 17U Prospects
Bunn is under the radar after transferring in from New York last November. His late arrival kept him from playing varsity at Eaglecrest. But the athletic, skilled guard is quickly demonstrating that he’s a force to be reckoned with in the 2018 class. Bunn is quick and decisive on the way to the basket and plays with toughness while moving downhill. But he’s also got a good feel and does a really nice job keeping his defender on his hip while changing his speeds, a trait we quite frankly don’t see too much of. Bunn also has a good shooting stroke and is a willing passer. Expect him to have a big senior season at Eaglecrest, but he should start to generate some college attention before he gets there. He’s worth a look for Division II/low-Division I programs.
Momar Fall, 6-7 2017 forward, Colorado United 17U
The unsigned senior is an aggressive and physical forward is built like a linebacker. He’s strong on the glass on both ends, and has a strong motor on defense. He’s not necessarily a high-level rim protector, but he’s a good positional defender in that he uses his strength and quickness to alter paths to the basket. Offensively, we saw Fall make strong strides with soft touch around the basket. We saw him Saturday putting the ball on the floor from the elbow and getting to the rim. He’s got a college-ready body and would be worth a look for a junior-college program still seeking a big late.
Sebastian Cole, 5-10 2020 guard, Colorado Hawks 15U Nations
After seeing a little bit of varsity time as a freshman, Cole appears to be ready to become a key player for the Bruins as a sophomore. Cole is among the more precise and dependable ball-handlers we’ve seen in his class so far. Playing against the Colorado United 17U team Saturday afternoon, Cole demonstrated ability to get by bigger defenders with his quickness. He doesn’t over-dribble much, making decisive moves with the ball in his hands. He’s got good vision and is often on the lookout for teammates, but he’s also got to the rim consistently.
Tyson Cruickshank, 5-11 2018 guard, Colorado United 17U
Cruickshank is simply a solid and reliable floor general who takes care of the basketball, makes the smart play and is unselfish with the ball. Time and again Saturday, the point guard, who helped ThunderRidge to the 5A quarterfinals last season, would beat his defender with penetration and then make the pass that would lead to an assist. He has a good understanding of the game, recognizing the play before the scoring play. He’s also a good shooter and, though he still needs to add size, competes well on defense. He was impressive Saturday by staying within himself and playing smart.
Morgan Brown, 6-4 2018 forward, Rocky Mountain Vipers
Brown is one of the more athletic players in his class. He’s long and and quick and moves around the court in a smooth glide. Brown is still a little bit raw, but he’s showing continued growth every time we see him. Of note Saturday was his ability to catch the ball in the corner or on the wing and turn a quick pump fake and a long first step into an easy opportunity at the basket. He really works hard on both ends and produces a lot of second chances with his effort on the glass.
Lian Ramiro, 5-11 2020 guard, Colorado Hawks 15U
Ramiro is a polished young guard who already was a major varsity contributor as a freshman at Manual. He plays with good pace and balance and shoots with the same smooth rhythm each time he lets the ball go. He’s quick in transition and sees the floor well.