Grassroots Update: Hoop Salem High Academic 17U
The Hoop Salem has several squads out on the circuit this summer and one of their teams is dedicated to players looking at high academic pursuits – the High Academic team. Coach Brian Stamme recently caught us up on the top players from this 17U squad and what sort of college recruiting interest they are currently generating.
Here’s a look at main players on the roster the rest of this month in July:
Drayton Caoile (2019 West Linn HS) – Caoile has been playing with the top Hoop Salem 17U squad but will now shift over to the High Academic squad with the return of Skinny (Jaden Nielsen-Skinner) from the EYBL. The shift will give Caoile more of a leading role as the main point guard, where he’ll be able to show off his floor leadership and shooting abilities. Chaminade continues to track him heavily and other interest has come from the D1, D2, and D3 levels.
Luke Arzner (2019 McMinnville HS) – Arzner is a versatile player who can play any one of the three backcourt positions with some size at 6-foot-3. High Academic has utilized him some at the point as he’s capable of bringing the ball up the floor against pressure and setting up the offense. But where Arzner has been most utilized is with his athleticism. The team runs about five to six alleyoops to him every game that he’s been able to successfully finish. A whole host of D2, D3 and NAIA schools are showing interest – including hometown Linfield – and in Oakland schools such as Cal State East Bay and Holy Names were tracking him.
Parker Spence (2019 McMinnville HS) – Spence is a solid 6-foot-3 wing who has been deadly from the outside with range. Like his teammate Arzner, he’s capable of playing at the point although he’s not as adept against pressure. Hometown Linfield has been tracking him, as have a number of D2, D3, and NAIA schools.
Caden Dickson (2019 Tualatin HS) – Dickson is a scoring guard who can fill it up from the mid-range back to beyond three-point range. He can hit the spot-up open shot but also create for himself off the dribble. Dickson recently put up some good numbers in Oakland, but because of his size and he doesn’t really play the point, his college interest has largely come from the D3/NAIA levels.
Brian Brown (2019 Bend HS) – Brown anchors the middle for High Academic. At 6-foot-5, he’s undersized but he is a big body that backs down to no one. He isn’t just a brute in the paint though, as he has good hands and he finishes well around the hoop. D3/NAIA colleges have shown the most interest in Brown who carries a 3.1 GPA.
Hoop Salem High Academic 17U will be in action this weekend at home at the Premier Summer Championships at The Hoop in Salem.