Under Armour Finals Day 2 Standouts
EMERSON, Ga. — Day two standouts from the Under Armour and UA Rise Finals… Jalen Cook – 2020 – PG – Lousiana Elite Cook was simply outstanding in a loss to Wisconsin Playground Club. Helping Louisiana Elite overcome a…
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Continue ReadingEMERSON, Ga. — Day two standouts from the Under Armour and UA Rise Finals…
Jalen Cook – 2020 – PG – Lousiana Elite
Cook was simply outstanding in a loss to Wisconsin Playground Club. Helping Louisiana Elite overcome a 15-point halftime deficit, Cook just went to work and rallied his troops. In the fourth quarter, Cook was deadly in isolation settings, getting to the rim at will. Up until the final possession, PGC had no answer for the LSU commit. Cook pulled the ball out, waited until the shot clock ran down, and just made things happen. He had his team up late, but they were unable to hang on and will have to try and secure a berth in the UA Finals championship bracket on Saturday.
Gradey Dick – 2022 – SF – KC Run GMC
There’s a reason why this kid already holds big time scholarship offers. The 6-foot-5 wing went crazy against Wisconsin Playground Club, leading KC Run GMC to a blowout victory. Dick can do a little it of everything offensively. He’s a terrific 3-point shooter, can put it on the deck and attack, play down low on the block, was a menace in transition. Dick is a skilled, high-IQ prospect with surprising bounce. He took it right down Main Street a few times with no regard for human life. Also a willing defender, Dick did a tremendous job of keeping some quality wings away from the rim and frustrating them on that end of the floor. Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa State, Wichita State, and Nebraska have already extended offers to this young talent.
Luke Haertle – 2022 – SG – Wisconsin Playground Club
This kid continues to have a really nice month of July. He plays at a small school, Lake County Lutheran, but Haertle hasn’t been fazed by the big time environments here in Georgia. Facing a strong D.C. Premier squad, Haertle showcased his all-around scoring ability. A 6-foot-2 sophomore with great upper body strength, Haertle bullies people in the paint. While he’s a guard, Haertle has the versatility to play in the low post and has advanced footwork on the block to create mismatches. He’s also a strong spot-up shooter with an in-between game as well. A hard-nosed, blue collar prospect, Haertle has without a doubt boosted his stock over the last two weeks.
Jadin Johnson – 2021 – PG – Martin Bros.
Love the way Johnson pushes the tempo. A very quick and explosive point guard, Johnson can absolutely fly in transition. He’s got advanced vision and drop dimes while still slinging the ball across the floor. When Johnson is knocking down his jumper, he becomes a handful to contain. The 6-foot-3 floor general prefers to get to the rim, but given his speed, often gets an extra step or two of cushion from defenders. Also a terrific leader an intense defender, Johnson is always talking and flying around. He finished with 13 points and a handful of assists during Martin Bros. win Friday morning.
Sam Kick – 2021 – PG – Wisconsin Playground Club
The stat box might not say a lot about Kick’s performance Friday night, but for him, it could be a potential turning point. One of the knocks on Kick is that he’s too unselfish to a fault. He’s very skilled, but he almost won’t look to score unless he has to at times. Against Gateway, Kick seemed to break out of his shell and scored some key buckets for PGC to help them pull out the victory, including the game-winner with under a minute to go. A high-IQ point guard with great ball handling skills that allow him to handle pressure and probe in high percentage areas, Kick has the tools to be an exceptional point guard prospect. Now, we’ll see if he can continue to become a little more unselfish and start to take on more of a scoring load for this team.
Donovan Newby – 2020 – PG – Illinois Wolves
Newby tore Canada Elite apart during a win Friday afternoon. The senior point guard killed the opposition in late shot clock situations. When it looked as if the Wolves didn’t have anything going, Newby hit some contested triples and also finished off some acrobatic shots in traffic to beat the shot clock. A strong and shifty lead guard, Newby does an excellent job of playing under control, while still changing pace to keep defenders off balance.
Cameron Palesse – 2021 – G – Wisconsin Playground Club
Putting together his best performance of the week, Palesse was terrific in a Friday night win over Gateway. The Waukesha West standout scored a game-high 16 points in a very efficient effort. Palesse had his mid-range game working throughout. Once he got into the paint, he left defenders in the dust with some nasty spin moves. While he’s a scoring point guard, Palesse can also facilitate. He had some gorgeous assists on Friday, threading the needle in traffic to his bigs for easy dunks and layups.
Clark Slajchert – 2020 – G – West Coast Elite
Slajchert gave Wisconsin PGC all sorts of problems during a finals pool play victory. The opposition just couldn’t stick with the slippery guard off the ball and he made them pay. Slajchert (6-0) isn’t overly big or athletic, but understands how to utilize screens and bait defenders into guessing the wrong direction. Putting together a solid scoring effort, it felt like every time West Coast Elite needed a bucket, they were able to get Slajchert a look and he often delivered. When he was tightly defended, Slajchert made PGC pay by getting defenders in the air with shot fakes and drawing multiple trips to the line off jumper attempts.
Terrance Thompson – 2020 – PF – Wisconsin Playground Club
Mid-majors need to be flocking to whatever court Thompson is on. There are always limited quality bigs and it’s tough to get a like Thompson at that level. The 6-foot-8 power forward can control the glass on both ends and has intriguing length and transition ability. While he’ll throw down big dunks and make highlight blocks, Thompson is effective in the halfcourt as well. The La Crosse Central product continues to improve his 3-point stroke and knocked down two triples during a loss to West Coast Elite. He’s also gaining confidence with his back-to-the-basket game.