A Scout’s Take: Ron Massey FHC (Shooting Guards/Part 1)
A Scout’s Take: Ron Massey FHC (Shooting Guards/Part 1)
NORWALK, Ca.—Dinos Trigonis, one of the pronounced Grassroots pioneers, orchestrated yet another epic Fall Hoops Classic—now named after former Long Beach Jordan Head Coach Ron Massey.
In a field that was loaded with much of Southern California’s elite programs, it would be Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) that would bag the championship with impressive wins over Harvard-Westlake, Mater Dei, and Bishop Montgomery. Bishop Gorman’s electrifying junior Noah Taitz would bring home the MVP as he lit up the score board in a variety of ways.
Noah Taitz (Bishop Gorman/NV)
2020, SG, 6-foot-3, 185 pounds
Joel’s Take: Taitz was arguably the most dominant scorer at this event. He shot it with confidence, exploded to the rim in transition, and competed at a high level—at both ends of the floor. His jump shot off the catch (great lift) was tight all weekend as was his ability to get to the rim off the dribble (quick 1st step).
Johnny Juzang (Harvard-Westlake)
2020, SG, 6-foot-6, 190 pounds
Joel’s Take: Juzang is one of the more gifted scorers in the West. However, his shot was streaky this weekend and his shot selection was a bit forced at times. He is tough to deal with in the open court with his innate ability as a bucket getter. His range on his shot is way beyond the arc and he can score at the rim as well. However, learning how to change speeds with the dribble and getting his teammates more involved will elevate his stock.
Aidan Prukop (Mater Dei)
2020, SG, 6-foot-3, 175 pounds
Joel’s Take: Prukop got lost in the shuffle last season as a sophomore, but it appears now that it’s his turn to be one of the focal points on offense. He can shoot it from deep (low release), has improved his ball handling against pressure, and most importantly, his confidence appears to be at an all time high. Prukop’s patience is beginning to pay off for him because it appears he is poised for a breakout season.
Derrick Hollinger Jr. (Foothills Christian)
2019, SG, 6-foot-4, 175 pounds
Joel’s Take: Broad shoulders, long arms, and a nice dose of explosiveness describes this lethal scorer. Hollnger Jr., who is committed to Montana, can score from all three levels and has an innate ability to finish in traffic. He can knock in shots from all areas of the court, rebounds in traffic and appears to be always engaged.
Jaden Hardy (Coronado/NV)
2021, SG, 6-foot-4, 180 pounds
Joel’s Take: After watching Hardy play this weekend, if point guard is his future, his approach needs refining. Yes, I get it, he needs to score for his team to compete against some of the elite teams, but his shot selection and overall decision making needs to mature. That being said, he is a talent who can score from all three levels and he is quite explosive while attacking the basket. His scoring prowess was impressive, but in order for his game to continue to grow, he needs to tighten up his handle (carries the ball), get his teammates more involved, and advance the ball in transiton.