Battle in Bullhead: 1st Team
The 2nd Annual Battle in Bullhead has concluded. Much like last year, there were some prospects whom many might not know about but are capable of playing at the next level. Further, there were a couple of prospects at the event whom many are quite aware of. Below are the prospects who performed at a high enough level to be placed on the 1st Team recognition list.
MVP
Dominic Gonzalez 6’3 PG/SG 2020 Ironwood
Gonzalez and Bailon Black were the two top prospects on the day by far. Gonzalez showed that he can score the basketball from anywhere on the court at a high level. One of the biggest question marks from college coaches has been his strength. While his build is long and lanky, he is extremely productive and able to get into the paint at will. Further, he has a deadly mid-range jumper that he can connect on from all over the court.
On the defensive end, Gonzalez has good lateral quickness and does a good job of not letting the ball go middle. He rotates well in help side and cuts off opposing dribblers.
Battle in Bullhead: 1st Team
Bailon Black 6’3 PG 2021 Ironwood
Black was the top 20 game MVP without a doubt. He shot the basketball better than any prospect at the event. The distance did not matter to him whatsoever. Black is confident and long. Further, he is shifty and shoots the basketball at an extremely high level from deep.
Defensively, Black is incredible at anticipating and drawing charges while guarding the basketball. Despite it being a showcase event, Black took multiple charges while guarding the basketball by beating the offensive player to the spot. Black will be one of the top guards in 5A this upcoming season.
Cenk Esinduy 6’2 PG/SG 2019 Orme Shool
Esinduy performed well at the Top 250 Expo. However, at this event, he was even better. He got to the rim at will and finished at a more consistent rate. On the defensive end, he used his strength and solid lateral movements to do a good job of guarding multiple styles of guards and wings.
Esinduy is a solid prospect. While he clearly prefers to live in the paint and be a playmaker, he is a capable shooter from deep. The Orme school should be prepared to have a solid year with him at the point.
Tucker Humble 6’3 SF/PF 2019 Kingman
Humble really impressed me at the event due to his length and athleticism. He showed that he could score the basketball in an array of ways as well. While he excelled on the block, he also demonstrated that he could be a wing.
His ball handling skills were solid which enabled him to attack the rim from the perimeter. Moreover, he shot the basketball well from deep and mid-range. While he will primarily be a 4/5 for Kingman, Humble showed the athletic tools and skills to be a wing at the next level.
Kade Juelfs 5’11 PG 2019 Lee Williams
Juelfs was solid throughout the day. He did not do anything flashy. Rather, he did everything solid. He shot the basketball well from deep, demonstrated an ability to get into the paint and make good decisions, and he did all of the little things needed to win games.
Juelfs is a selfless point guard who can adapt to different roles and have a lot of success. He did just that at this event. His team was guard heavy, but when he was the primary guard, he was a solid playmaker. Further, he was able to play off of the ball and extend the court from deep. Defensively, he was stout as well. He was constantly in the right help side gaps and keeping the basketball in front. Juelfs is a college level prospect whom many may not have heard of at this point.
JJ White 6’3 PG/SG 2021 Ironwood
While White’s team struggled to score the basketball and finished without a win on the day, little of that was due to his performance. He shot the basketball well from deep and was one of the top on ball defenders at the event. He did a good job of guarding the top player for the opposing team and limiting their success.
As White continues to grow in his ability to dominate a game on the offensive end, White will see a huge jump in his stock. His shooting form looks improved and he is on the verge of becoming an elite defender due to his instincts, strength, and athleticism.