PrepHoopsTN Combine Recaptures: Part IV
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Late September’s PrepHoopsTN / AboveTheRim Gym Fall Combine featured many strong guards, among them Zion Swader (PrepHoopsTN #22), Jaylan Wetzel (PrepHoopsTN #41), Jaylen Pegues (PrepHoopsTN #27).
Siegel High School sputtered their way to a 16-12 finish in 2017-2018. Expect a much better season this winter with Zion Swader and Jaylan Wetzel growing into bigger, more impactful roles. Sunday SHS guards Swader and Wetzel played well with Zion Swader finishing the event as one of the top five players.
Both Jaylan Wetzel and Hillsboro guard Jaylen Pegues narrowly missed the top 20 All-Star Game. Both will be fine though as they have advanced skills for high school sophomores.
Jaylen Pegues 2021 Hillsboro Point Guard
As part-time starter for Hillsboro a year ago, Jaylen Pegues was welcomed with a little local notoriety. Pegues should be a three-year starter at the high school level. Sunday he handled properly and showed off some quickness.
Pegues needs to improve his vertical and lateral explosion. As a point guard lateral is the more imperative attribute. Pegues slithers through traps really well, but like all young guards, he needs to get faster with and without the basketball. Defenders speed up every year and he should be faster than college guards by his junior year. That would be a great, visually convincing element for recruiters to witness.
The height of Pegues is really encouraging (6’1″ with shoes) and he plays with nice posture. Pegues strengths are passing vision and dribbling through or around defenders. In the three-quarter court sprint JP recorded a really strong 3.49 with Coach Tony Thompson’s stopwatch.
“Love this kid,” said Coach Tony Thompson. “Quick and big upside.”
Zion Swader 2021 Siegel Point Guard
Maybe two point guards outplayed Zion in the entire camp. Zion’s explosion during the combine portion turned heads. The leaping and lane agility showed off the insane leg strength of this budding superstar. There are few weakspots in Zion’s game, but few players in the entire event have a higher ceiling than Zion Swader. When you can leap over 40″, handle like a yo-yo expert, and see the floor like a vet…the world is open to your ambitions.
Jaylan Wetzel 2021 Siegel Point Guard
A key member of the exceptional Siegel sophomore class, Jaylan Wetzel narrowly missed making the Top 20 All-Star Game. What Wetzel does well is obvious. Naturally athletic Jaylan is comfortable off the basketball. Left alone Wetzel will hit any jumper.
“Has great potential,” said Coach Tony Thompson. “Played well also. Attacks goal hard and played well.”
He has to display more hunger on the deck though. Jaylan too often allows teammates to get off. He looks like a young man capable of scoring 15 ppg at the high school level, but there is an uncomfortable willingness to defer that he must shake now.