Prep Hoops Top 250: Top Performers
The annual Prep Hoops Top 250 took place in Des Moines on Saturday afternoon. Throughout the week, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best players in the gym, in a series of articles breaking down the top…
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Continue ReadingThe annual Prep Hoops Top 250 took place in Des Moines on Saturday afternoon. Throughout the week, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best players in the gym, in a series of articles breaking down the top scorers, defenders, passers, etc. In this article, we take a look at the top five players we saw on Saturday.
2021 PG Trey Shearer (Montezuma)
Shearer is always great, and Saturday afternoon was no exception. The shifty guard can fill it up in a hurry with the ability to pull up from anywhere on the floor, and he uses his outstanding ball handling and quickness to get to the rim, where he’s a creative finisher with either hand. He’s a smart player who takes risks at the right time on the defensive end, with a knack for jumping passing lanes and getting easy buckets going the other way. He’s also a solid passer who gets others involved when the defense is really collapsing on him. The Truman State commit never backs down from anyone, and his scoring ability is unmatched by most in the state.
2020 G Caleb Haag (Waterloo West)
The 6-4 wing has always had plenty of talent, but he’s really starting to put everything together. He’s got a great frame, one of the strongest wings in the state, and an incredible athlete to boot. On his first possession of game play, he came around a screen, squared his feet and drilled a 3 off the catch, showcasing a much improved jumper. And if he has added a consistent jumper to his arsenal, watch out, because he’ll turn into a matchup nightmare. With his strength and athleticism, it’s nearly impossible to keep him out of the paint when he gets a head of steam going, and if you can’t sag off of him now, that’ll just make him even more dangerous off the dribble. Where he really shined, however, was on the defensive end, showing an intensity on that end of the floor that I haven’t seen before. In particular in his matchup with Cedar Falls’ Carter Janssen, he really picked up the pressure, picking Janssen up at half court and really making him work. If he’s taking pride in his defense and really locking in and playing at that level consistently, few players in the state will be as dynamic a two-way threat as Haag.
2021 F Jack Groeteke (Dowling Catholic)
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day was Dowling’s 6-8 combo forward. He was excellent in each of his team’s three games, showing a little bit of everything in his skill set. He’s incredibly long, and while he needs to add quite a bit of strength and weight to his frame, he can do everything on the floor. He showed some passing ability, both out of the post and from the perimeter, including a bullet that he threw to a cutting teammate from the top of the key after he turned the corner on a pick-and-roll. He handles the ball well and can get to the rim and is a switchable defender. But where he was really outstanding was with his shooting. He has a bit of a long release on his shot, but with his size he’s able to get it off without much issue, and he was knocking shots down left and right, from everywhere on the floor, off the dribble or the catch. In his final game, he buried three straight 3s in a 70 second span, each one coming from a different spot on the floor. He was dynamic on both ends of the floor, and with his ability to stretch the floor at his size, he’ll be a coveted prospect at the next level.
2020 G Zach Huff (Don Bosco)
Huff has a reputation as one of the state’s best shooters, and he didn’t disappoint in that regard on Saturday, routinely burying 3 after 3. He has a quick release with range well beyond the high school line, and is equally adept shooting it off the dribble or the catch. His frame is starting to fill out, and he looks noticeably stronger, which will help him finish more effectively at the rim. He also showcased some point guard skills, showing himself to be a willing passer with good court vision. His shooting ability is what will get him noticed and get him to the next level, but the rest of his skill set is rapidly developing as well.
2021 G Michael Duax (Hempstead)
The highest ranked player in attendance, it should come as no surprise that Duax was the best performer throughout the afternoon on Saturday. The 6-5 wing struggled a bit with his perimeter stroke, but was otherwise dominant, routinely getting to the rim and finishing, either in transition or in the halfcourt. He’s a good ball handler, has tremendous length, and finishes at a high level with either hand at the rim. He has great footwork and showed a willingness to post up smaller defenders. Also a willing passer, he routinely drove and kicked out to open shooters when the defense collapsed. He’s always under control, changes speeds well, and uses that change of pace to blow by defenders. Despite his shooting struggles, he’s a good shooter with great form and rotation on his jumper, and with his size and length, he provides all sorts of versatility on the defensive end of the floor as well. All in all, a really strong showing for the Hempstead junior.