5A Wings to watch in the Chuck Williams Region
The 5A State playoffs get started this coming week and there are plenty of great matchups to get out and enjoy. Matchups we focus on here are the wings. Here are five wings to take a look at in the…
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Continue ReadingThe 5A State playoffs get started this coming week and there are plenty of great matchups to get out and enjoy. Matchups we focus on here are the wings. Here are five wings to take a look at in the Chuck Williams region.
Ben Grusing – Mountain Vista
Grusing is a 6’2 combo guard that has separated himself this uyear and has been the best player on the best team in the state. He has led Mountain Vista to top record in the state at 16 points a game and that is because he not only can shoot the ball a bit but gets others involved, rebounds well and is great around the basket where he scores a majority of his points. He uses his size to free himself up and can get going in the half-court set. He is great with the ball in his hands and has strong leader qualities. The game seems to come easy for him and he plays with great pace. MV is coming off of a big win against Thunder ridge in which he did not have his best game, I expect him to get that sour taste out of his mouth with a big showing after the bye and he get established early on in hopes of a big tourney run.
Kenny Foster – Smoky Hill
Crown him now. He is Mr. Basketball this season and it really has not been close. He has been absurd this season and the University of Wyoming is getting one of the best players the state of Colorado has to offer. He has stepped up on the defensive end, is the 5A scoring leader at 26.7 points a game, has helped in the rebounding department at 10.7 rebounds a game and has countless highlight plays this season that finished with a dunk at the rim. He has been a swiss army knife for the Buffaloes and his play has Smoky Hill as the No.7 seed in the playoffs and ready to send him off with a bang. Smoky Hill will be waiting for the winners of the Douglas County v. Far Northeast Warriors and that is where I expect Foster to be unleashed for his best post game performance of his prep career. This Smoky Hill team is special and it has been a pleasure to watch him over the past four years, with a field so wide open, big time players like Foster have a chance to win the title, they just have to show up and I expect big games from Foster on the way to the championship.
Joseph Urynowicz – Rocky Mountain
Joseph came into senior season as one of the top wings in the state as he has the ability to take over games with both his scoring and rebounding. On the season he is averaging 18.2 points and 7.6 rebounds a game and has Rocky Mountain in the playoffs ready to attempt to make a run. He has been one of the state’s most consistent scorers over the years and wants to go out in his senior season with a bang. He can shoot the ball from beyond the arc which keeps defenses honest but also gets inside and mixes it up. He is a leader that will be asked to do a ton and this is when he has to take his game to the next level. Expect a big opening round as he attempts to get win to open things up.
Jordan Whitaker – Smoky Hill
Whitaker is one of the most underrated players in the entire state as he is only a sophomore but does so many of the small things that leads to the success of this Smoky Hill squad. Whitaker uses his strong 6’3 frame to get things going on the defensive end as Smoky Hill is a unit that likes to go small and that leads to him ending up on big men where he holds his own. He is an X-factor for the Buffaloes because he spaces the floor with hitting timely shots, finishes at the rim, can run with the second unit and lead it and has progressed as the season began with stepping up in big games. What stands out most for me is his work as a slasher and also contributions on the boards as he fights every possession, is at the right spots and can be used in a variety of ways. Whitaker is not a big name just yet but has been a solid player that the Buffaloes have needed to step up and will see his stock grow in this playoff run, grassroots season as well as for years to come. He is one of the top sophomores in the state and has stepped into a role on one of the top teams in the state in unarguably the toughest conference night in and night out.
AJ LaCabe – Vista Peak Prep
Junior wing LaCabe is a smooth left that gets in the lane and creates havoc. He is at 12.6 points a game and is a shot creator that finishes at the rim and is tough to stay in front of. He has a very mature game that is patient and not too forceful. He can shoot it from the perimeter which causes defenders to have to close out but excels getting inside and finishing at the rim. He battles with the big men which you can see from his 5.5 rebounds a game and when he is hot is a tough player to try and slow down. When he is aggressive he is one of the most difficult players to slow down so hopefully against a pretty good Highlands Ranch team he makes sure to remain aggressive if Vista wants a chance at advancing.