Three Players Emerge at the Edmond Open
The 2017 Edmond Open started with a bang on Thursday with four great games. Prep Hoops went into the tournament knowing a lot of the players on the teams. Three players emerged above the rest with their stock rising performances on Thursday. CJ Parks, Jacob Thionnet and CJ Rice were the three players that had terrific opening performances.
CJ Parks 2018 Muskogee Post
Parks is the real deal on the block at 6’7 for Muskogee. He had himself a day scoring 19 points with his skills on full display. He moves really well for a Post and can even handle the rock pretty well. There are not a ton of big men in the state Oklahoma especially not skilled Post players like Parks. JUCO coaches dream about players with the height and skill set of Parks as he could develop into an NCAA Division I player at a JUCO. Coaches take note of Parks he is headed into our top 35 in the Oklahoma 2018 Class. Parks has great upside.
Jacob Thionnet 2019 Edmond Memorial Wing
Thionnet was a great surprise watching him for the first time on Thursday afternoon. At 6’5 Thionnet has some game to him. When the big moments came Thionnet was there stepping up making plays on the Wing for Edmond Memorial. He has a solid jumper and dominated getting to the rim. I loved that he did not take bad shots but was very efficient in scoring his 13 points. In my five years of covering the state of Oklahoma, I have never heard a player communicate as well as Thionnet did. When things got rough you could never tell by the body language and attitude of Thionnet. His play on the court stood out but the leadership qualities he displayed were even more impressive. Thionnet is a player we will keep close tabs on. If Thursday was any indicator Thionnet will become a well-known name over the next two years.
CJ Rice 2019 Northwest Classen Point Guard
Rice has developed a ton as a player and shined bright on Thursday night leading his squad to a huge win. Early in his high school career, Rice played primarily off the ball. That phase is over as Rice has blossomed at the Point Guard spot creating for his teammates and himself. Rice scored a team-high 19 points in their big victory over Norman and nearly finished with double-digit assists on the night. He controlled the pace well and was the engine behind Northwest Classen’s offense.
For more information email Matt@prephoops.com