Prep Hoops Top 250: Top Scorers
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 scorers we saw on Saturday.
2021 Landon Eiland (North Scott)
The 6-5 wing is going to be asked to step into a much bigger scoring role this season for the Lancers after averaging 3.5 points a game last season as a sophomore. And he showed that he should be more than capable of doing so on Saturday, showing the ability to get scorching hot from the arc, and allowing that shooting ability to open up everything else in his offensive arsenal. He’s a terror in transition, with explosive leaping ability and a want to dunk on anyone who gets in his way. A long, athletic wing capable of scoring from all three levels, he should have a big year for a North Scott team that looks like it should be one of the best in 4A again.
2020 LJ Henderson (Camanche)
A transfer to Camanche via Clinton, Henderson is a hyper athletic, slashing guard who finishes at the rim effectively with either hand. His new high school coach, Josh Davis, told me this summer that he thinks Henderson will lead 2A in free throw attempts this season, and it’s easy to see why. He’s constantly looking to attack the rim, both in transition and in the halfcourt setting. After cutting his teeth against the likes of DJ Carton, Cortaviaus Seales and Dylan Peeters in the MAC, he’s moving down to the River Valley, where he’ll be one of, if not the best, athletes in the league, and he should be a dominant offensive force. He’s a capable shooter from distance and mid-range as well, but it’s his constant attacking of the bucket that makes him such a dangerous scorer.
2021 Spencer Hixson (Knoxville)
Another transfer on this list, Hixson made the move to Knoxville from Des Moines Christian. The 6-5 wing showed the ability to score from all three levels, showing a smooth stroke from deep and the ability to shoot both off the catch and the bounce. He played well in the pick-and-roll, showing the ability to turn the corner and get to the rim, find the roll man, or pull up and drill a jumper. But perhaps the most impressive shot he made was a catch on the left wing, a few hard dribbles to the left, then a stepback jumper with a hand in his face – nothing but net. It was a high-level shot. He should make a major impact with the Panthers this season.
2022 Austin Hilmer (North Linn)
Like older brother Jake, Austin is so quick with the ball, it’s almost impossible for defenders to stay in front of him. And also like older brother Jake, Austin is a tremendous finisher around the rim with either hand, even at remarkably tough angles. He’s a solid shooter from the mid-range and the arc, but where he really excels is when he’s playing downhill and using his quickness to get into the paint for finishes. He has excellent footwork around the rim. With lots of scoring punch gone this year, look for Hilmer to have a big scoring season for a Lynx team that is looking to defend their 2A title.
2020 Jaxon Smith (Ankeny)
The 5-10 Ankeny guard was one of the most highly regarded prospects in the gym on Saturday, and he showed why, scoring the ball efficiently from all three levels. Like Hilmer, Smith is remarkably quick with the ball in his hands, and does a nice job changing speeds and directions. He showed a smooth stroke from the arc, with a high release that helps make up for his lack of size. He looked like a much better shooter than the 32.6% he shot from the arc last season for the Hawks, so expect to see that number rise this season. But, like Hilmer, he’s at his best when he’s playing downhill and attacking the rim, using that quickness and ball handling ability to his advantage.
Other top scorers who were written about in other articles: 2021 Michael Duax (Hempstead), 2021 Trey Shearer (Montezuma) [Both were written about in the Top Performers article]