Freshman Showcase – Tony’s Standout Wings
Prep Hoops Indiana – Freshman Showcase
Standout Wings
Andrew Kroft – 6’2” | Fort Wayne North Side
Andrew Kroft showed out with his versatility on the wing yesterday. He attacked the basket strong in transition and almost had two highlight reel finishes above the rim through contact. Kroft put together spurts where his athleticism and skills were on full display and he dominated the game. His jump shot is showing improvement and he looked comfortable knocking down the long ball off of a drive and kick. Andrew understands his positioning on the floor and found open spaces early and often.
Luka Balac – 6’1” | Munster
Luka Balac was the best finisher inside the paint at the showcase. He is extremely creative with his footwork and continued to get inside possession after possession. Luka loves the spin move back to his left hand to finish with finesse. He has a floater package in his finishing arsenal and knows how to get his shot off around longer defenders. Balac will be a player to keep an eye on in Northern Indiana in the coming years (https://twitter.com/PrepHoopsTony/status/909131132184285184). Strong framed guard who is lethal from fifteen feet and in.
Pierce Thomas – 6’4” | Brownsburg
Pierce Thomas was by far the best athlete in the gym yesterday. The 6’4” wing is bouncy around the rim and thrives in transition. He had a few dunks that turned some heads at the event (https://twitter.com/PrepHoopsTony/status/909135119058948102). He shot the ball well from deep yesterday and showed that he can open up the floor to create driving lanes. Pierce is one of the top players in the Class of 2021 in the State and is showing no signs of slowing down. His upside is off the charts and he is quickly improving his skill set. He will be one of the heaviest recruited prospects in the coming years. Pierce Thomas is definitely a name to become familiar with.
Thomas Latham – 6’4” | New Haven
Thomas Latham is a high IQ wing with a complete package on offense. He took advantage of his length and size down low, stepped away from the rim and shot the ball at a high rate, and attacked one-on-one off the bounce. Thomas was one of the most complete players at the showcase. He has length, size, and good feet for a developing wing. Latham has strength to go with his length and will continue to be a matchup problem in the future. Keep an eye on this prospect as he may start turning heads with his abilities.
Michael Eley – 6’2” | Fort Wayne Snider
Michael Eley played above the rim all afternoon yesterday. He got out in transition and finished time and time again with dunks. His length and athleticism was on display on defense as he blocked shots and caused multiple turnovers. He was more comfortable as a slasher and attacking the basket but showed that his jumper is still a weapon. Eley was one of the better on ball defenders on the day and will fit nicely into the Snider program in the SAC. He has good ball skills to attack off the bounce and mixes it up a little bit on rebounds.
Jayden Brewer – 6’2” | Avon
Jayden Brewer had a slow start to the day but started putting together a great showcase by the end. The long lefty wing likes to break his man down off the dribble and create going to the basket. He stepped back to his jumper on occasion but is definitely a more effective weapon going to the rim. Jayden bothered opposing guards by getting into passing lanes and closing down gaps. He showed his ability to finish above the rim out on the break and will be a prospect that could develop nicely throughout his high school career.
Sam Strycker – 6’3” | Fort Wayne Carroll
Sam Strycker already has a frame built for a college program. His hands and rebounding abilities are two of his attributes that stood out over and over again. He positions himself extremely well to be in the mix on both backboards and uses his strength and strong hands to coral rebounds. Sam can finish with his back to the basket and is starting to look like a true wing, developing a perimeter game. High IQ stretch forward that is working on getting to the basket off the bounce in the half court.