Prep Hoops Arizona Sweet 16: Top Shooters
There were plenty of playmakers in attendance this past weekend. With that said, there were plenty of knockdown shooter on display as well. Below are some of the top shooters from the event.
Top Shooters
Dominic Gonzalez
Gonzalez not only lets it fly from deep but he has one of the nicest mid-range jumpers in the state. He is able to score the basketball from all three levels at a highly efficient rate. Gonzalez’s ability to shoot the basketball from deep makes it hard for opposing prospects to guard him.
Gonzalez will be one of the top shooters in 5A this upcoming year. This past year, he averaged nearly three 3s per game while shooting the basketball over 40% from 3.
Malik Smith
While Smith shot it over 30% from 3 last year, he is not typically known for his shooting. Rather, it is his athleticism that makes him special. With that said, throughout the event, he was 7/7 from 3 in the three games that the team played.
All of Smith’s threes came off of drive and kicks. He was one of the strongest athletes at the event and a solid athlete. If he is able to shoot the basketball this way consistently, he could end up being a serious next level consideration.
Dylan McGirt
McGirt did a little bit of everything for Desert Mountain. However, his shooting was solid. He did it off of screens, the dribble, and in catch and shoot situations. He was not afraid to let it fly from deep early and often.
Moreover, in clutch situations, he did not shy away from the moment. In fact, his buzzer beater against Taylor Made Prep aided the team in going 3-1 on the weekend at the competitive event despite missing a number of key players. McGirt was one of the top guards at the event and his shooting matched that.
Payton Dickerson
Dickerson shot the lights out of the gym throughout the event. His ability to extend the floor aided the playmakers for Hillcrest in being able to get into the paint. It was really simple: If Dickerson’s man helped, kick him the ball and make the defense pay.
Dickerson hit most of his 3s in catch and shoot situations. One thing that makes him an intriguing prospect at the next level is his potential to be a pick and pop 4 or play the 3. Regardless, as he becomes more confident and comfortable shooting it off of screens, his stock will rise.
Giovanni De Le Fuente
De Le Fuente is a little bit of a one trick pony at this point. However, he is extremely skilled at that task. He shoots the basketball at an extremely high rate from three. He is a great balance for this team as he is able to extend the floor and let the playmakers do their thing.
His shooting has been key to the success of Taylor Made early on. Moreover, he is the most consistent shooter from deep on the team and plays the catch and shoot role extremely well.
CJ Cervantes
Certvantes did not play on the 2nd day of action. However, ask his opponents about his about his performance from day one. They should all emphatically note that he is a knockdown shooter. He let it fly off of the dribble and in catch and shoot situations.
Cervantes was not afraid to go toe to toe with the proverbial Goliaths. In fact, his shooting made the game between Hillcrest and Nogales quite interesting intiailly. Cervantes was one of the best shooters at the event.
Emmanuel Taban
Taban is a perfect compliment to the Apollo style of play offensively. With the dribble drive offense and the high caliber guards that Apollo possesses, they are able to get into the paint with ease which enables Taban to get a number of catch and shoot 3s off.
Further, he is more than comfortable dribbling into threes as well. Taban has not demonstrated an elite ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. However, he is elite when it comes to letting it fly from behind the 3 point line.
Jeron Artest
Artest is one of my favorite prospects to watch with Hillcrest. He is extremely skilled and one of the most college ready players on the roster. He is fundamentally sound, plays hard, and shoots the basketball at a high level.
Artest is able to shoot off of the catch, off of screens, and off of the dribble. He did all three this weekend at a high level. He will be a primary scoring threat for Hillcrest this upcoming season due to his ability to score the basketball at a high rate from behind the line.