Hard Work Finals: Wisconsin’s Underrated Standouts
Despite being placed into the Gold bracket, striking out with 8:00 a.m. matchups, or playing in auxiliary venues, a handful of Wisconsin’s underrated talent displayed prospect potential at the Hard Work Finals.
Keyonte Jones, WI Starz 16U: I stumbled upon his game midway through the first half, and shortly after that, found myself scribbling down jots on “number 32”. His strength and athleticism were gaudy traits, and he flaunted it with three blocked shots and gritty defense. Offensively he incorporated that as well, attacking the cup with ferocity and explosiveness. WI Starz would find themselves in an overtime bout with Minnesota Heat, largely because of Jones’ ventures down the stretch.
Davonte McAlister, WI Starz 16U: As McAlister beelined to the hoop on a steal-and-score for his eighth point of the first half, it was lost one nobody that he was a legit prospect. The guard is a pure scorer, capable of smooth yet aggressive drives to the hoop. He drew contact while shooting three times in their game versus Minnesota Heat and started the second half with a deep pull-up three. Not only that, but he was a solid playmaker (McAlister averaged 3.2 assists per game last year) and looked comfortable in the role of a floor general.
Cameron Mauel, Wisconsin Blaze 16U: The three-star, high-major players littering JFK this weekend could only dream of averaging 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. But it was the Clintonville junior who, statistically, may have paced the tournament with that stat-line. The guard thrived as a slasher and punctured open avenues in the defense. He’s an ambidextrous finisher around the cup and possesses an arsenal of crafty finishes, up-and-unders, and layups through contact. If he emerges as a scorer with even half the firepower he showed this weekend, then he could become a solid prospect to follow.
James Randolph, Wisconsin Surge Elite 17U: The lengthy forward is nothing if not a high potential player. Randolph averaged 17 points and 14 rebounds this weekend, but it’s hard to think he’s done more than scratch the surface of his potential. He has freakishly long arms that brushed the nets as he reached for boards. He also has a nice knack for putt-back layups, a product of instinctual offensive rebounding and getting position down low. Last season, the Hartford big man averaged 5.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in a conference featuring Nicolet and Homestead.
Amari George, ABC Young Lions 17U: George has the length to profile well at the next level. He was a defensive asset for ABC Young Lions, chasing down players for blocks and disrupting shots in the paint. On offense, he was wary for put-backs but has room to grow in that area. If he develops more of a back-to-the-basket game and adds some post moves to his arsenal, he could land on a college roster.
An Aside: Nick Feller and Massimo Malterer were also deserving of a spot. See what I wrote about them here.