Prep Hoops Top 250: 2020 Standouts
The Prep Hoops Top 250 came to Hanover High School on Sunday, where the talent pool was deep, and the games competitive. Here we continue our coverage of the event by highlighting seven juniors who stood out.
Tee Bryan | 6’4” WF | Patrick Henry
Bryan stood out in a number of ways with his high motor and athleticism. The first thing you notice about Bryan is his terrific frame at 6’4”, and his strength allows him to play and guard multiple positions. He has a decent handle, it’s better in transition than in the half court, but he has springs and uses them on both ends of the floor to rebound and he finishes above the rim offensively.
Mitchell Burns | 6’6” PF | Patrick Henry
Bryan’s high school teammates, Burns was impressive as an inside-out four man who isn’t afraid to bang in the post but he can also step out and shoot the three. He isn’t the most athletic guy but he has a sturdy frame, he works on the block on both ends and he can step out and shoot the three ball. He worked hard on the glass on both ends and showed that he can finish with both hands.
Christian McLeod | 6’2” PG | Life Christian Academy
McLeod is one of the more underrated point guards in the Richmond area, but if he plays the way he played Sunday for LCA this year they’ll have a solid option at the one. He’s super athletic which he showed on the defensive end on the glass, and he showed improvement in his jump shot from deep as well. He has a toughness and a high motor that’s infectious to his teammates.
Kai Kuper | 6’8” PF | Middleburg
Kuper, who hails from Germany, told me he was a little nervous because they don’t have anything like this in Germany, but once he got settle in you saw tremendous potential. He’s long and mobile, he can run the floor and he has good ball skills for a guy his size. He needs to put on weight and get a little tougher moving forward, but he has a great skill set that’s inside-out and he should cause some mismatches this season.
Ben Li | 6’5” WF | Middleburg
Kuper’s teammate over at Middleburg, Li is one of a number of Canadian kids that transferred into Middleburg this year. At 6’5”, he’s strong and stocky but he’s also a good athlete, so he can play on the perimeter if they want to go big or on the block if they want to go small. He has a very nice looking jump shot, he works hard on the glass on both ends and he can finish above the rim in the paint.
Martin Kawa | 6’2” WG | Colonial Forge
Kawa has the perfect game for a camp setting. At 6’2”, he plays much bigger than he is with great ups, a strong upper body and a good motor on both ends of the floor. He’s a slasher who can drive in straight lines, play in transition and he’s strong enough to finish through contact around the basket.
Anthony Darren Melvin Jr. | 5’7” PG | Chancellor
Melvin was far from the biggest guy at the event, but he showed out with his craftiness, great handle and never say die attitude. Checking him off the bounce proved to be a problem for everyone who tried, as the compact guard kept it on a string, got in the lane and showed a variety of layups, floaters and the ability to kick out for others. He’s an under the radar kid who should be a major problem in the Fredericksburg area.