July Live Period: Breakout Performers
Brian Goracke (Cascadia Hoops)- Hailing from Oregon, Goracke was a player I hadn’t seen prior to last weekend. He blew me away throughout the UAA Finals, averaging just over 25 PPG for the tournament. In the 3 games I watched,…
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Continue ReadingBrian Goracke (Cascadia Hoops)- Hailing from Oregon, Goracke was a player I hadn’t seen prior to last weekend. He blew me away throughout the UAA Finals, averaging just over 25 PPG for the tournament. In the 3 games I watched, he hit 12 combined 3’s, averaging 27 PPG and a healthy number of rebounds. He is a legit 6’5” with a textbook outside shot that looks good even on misses. His high-level shooting stands out quickly, but Goracke is an exceptional athlete also. He is an especially good leaper off one foot, converting on multiple contact dunks throughout the week. Goracke is pretty skilled off the dribble and can connect on a variety of different shots in the paint. He uses his strong body well and has good touch to finish over smaller defenders. He’s just a really good all-around player and I find it hard to believe he doesn’t have any offers yet. Goracke should have lots of MM programs on him going forward.
Zach Sloan (Renegades Elite)- Going against a God’s Property team with a Division 1 post player and numerous other college prospects in 2020, the Renegades jumped on GP early with Sloan leading the charge. In their 67-46 win, Sloan went for 24 points and made 4 3’s, producing for the full length of the game. He also contributed 5 steals and 6 rebounds, playing big on the glass and forcing tons of turnovers. Sloan’s confidence as a scorer was evident from the start of the game, and understandably so. His opponents did not have much of an answer for him, which was particularly impressive considering he’s a 2021 player who was playing up. Sloan and the entire Renegades team played with energy and intensity that GP just couldn’t match in that game and it showed.
Blaise Beauchamp (Howard Pulley)- I’m not sure I saw a better single-game performance last week than Beauchamp’s explosion against Team CP3 on Thursday. He went for 34 points, which included an outstanding 7 made 3’s. Beauchamp was feeling it from the start of the game, hitting a deep ball on the first possession and staying aggressive throughout. Once he hit a dry spell from the outside, Beauchamp showed he can score in other ways. He was able to finish numerous smooth, crafty layups in the paint. He found his shot again later in the 2nd half, with a stretch of multiple made 3’s from well behind the line that proved to be crucial in the Pulley win. With high-value placed on shooting, look for Beauchamp to keep adding to his offer list. Siena and Southern Utah both offered him as a result of his play at the PIT.
Dylan Carter (Atlanta Wolfpack)- Carter showed flashes of some good things when I watched him in June, but it was Jake Craft and Brandon Sherer who stood out for Forsyth Central in the particular game. Last Saturday, after not scoring in the 1st half, Carter absolutely dominated the 2nd half of the Wolfpack’s game against Team Impact. He scored 24 points in the 2nd half alone and was the main reason they won by 20 after the score was tight at halftime. Carter is extremely active and aggressive on both ends. He flies around and uses his athleticism to impact the game in a variety of ways. He had a ton of tough finishes in traffic and played through contact well. Carter can also knock down 3’s and handle the ball for the Wolfpack team. Forsyth Central should sneak up on some people and have a very good season in Forsyth this year.