Prime Time Top 40: Top Performers
The 4th annual Prime Time Top 40 took place at Franklin High School in Southeast Portland and as expected, it was a day full of talent and great competition. After some drill work, the 48 players in attendance split into…
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Continue ReadingThe 4th annual Prime Time Top 40 took place at Franklin High School in Southeast Portland and as expected, it was a day full of talent and great competition. After some drill work, the 48 players in attendance split into four teams of 12 and faced off in round-robin format with each squad playing three games. A number of guys stood out with their play but here are our picks for the five man all-showcase squad.
Nolan Hickman (2021 Eastside Catholic-WA) – Most Outstanding Player
Hickman came into the event with one of the top resumes out of anyone in the gym and he more than lived up to billing. The 6-foot-2 point guard was truly in command whenever he had the ball and while he pretty much did whatever he wanted to with the basketball, he didn’t necessarily force the issue. Hickman simply took what the defense gave him and performed everything a certain smoothness. His jumper was effortless and pure, his passing was on target, and his handle was tight. We polled a number of coaches and observers after the event and Hickman was a near unanimous pick as Most Outstanding Player.
Nathan Bittle (2021 Crater)
The highest-ranked player nationally in the gym was none other than Bittle and there’s no question he got everyone’s best shot as opposing big men especially went at him hard. But the 6-foot-11 post never wavered, calming doing his thing. On the defensive end, he was a shot-blocking maniac as always and the ones he didn’t block near him he certainly altered. Offensively, Bittle knocked down threes but also had some strong finishes near the basket. He was also one of the top rebounders at the event and it was all-around a performance that would have been worthy of MVP honors had it not been for the presence of Hickman. Bittle was also mentioned by everyone we polled.
John Hart (2020 Rainier Beach-WA)
One of the top explosive athletes in the state of Washington, Hart showed at the PT40 that he’s got some great skill level as well. A big-time scorer, what impressed us about Hart was the fact that he showed some great playmaking skills not just for himself but for others. He was one of the event’s leaders in assists and some of the dimes he dished out were the result of great court vision and awareness. Hart certainly did his share of scoring as well, whether it was knocking down long jumpers or completing creative drives to the basket.
Nate Rawlins-Kibonge (2021 Jefferson)
Game in, game out you’re always going to get the same from Rawlins-Kibonge – full effort, toughness on both ends of the floor, boards, blocks, and a “dog” mentality. That was no different on Sunday as the 6-foot-7 post showed all of those qualities. One of the most physically developed players in the building, he certainly used that to his advantage in finishing plays inside, grabbing boards, and guarding the rim, but one thing he showed was a soft perimeter jumper, knocking down an open three.
Kam Robinson (2021 Jefferson)
Robinson’s game continues to evolve and that was definitely the case at the PT40. Instead of camping out on the block, the 6-foot-8 forward spent a lot of time facing the hoop – and was effective even in that position. Robinson did a good job attacking the hoop and creating, finishing around the hoop and as always crashing the offensive glass. He was unstoppable underneath and when fouled, did a great job of knocking down his free throws.
For a Second Team, here are our picks:
Mutdung Bol (2020 Edmonds-Woodway-WA)
Bol was Mr. Energy the entire day. The 6-foot-3 wing may be skinny as a rail but his effort more than makes up for his lack of bulk. He was all over the court on both ends and offensively was scoring at all three levels.
KeShawn Hall (2021 Jefferson)
The 6-foot lefty point guard was a wizard with his ball-handling and used his strength to really get into the lane and finish. He did a good job finding open teammates and even stepped out and knocked down a couple of threes.
Tanner Toolson (2020 Union-WA)
Toolson quietly put together a rock-solid day. The 6-foot-4 wing knocked down shots from beyond the arc, converted on some tough drives to the hoop, and finished off some plays with a jam – all while not forcing the action.
Noah Pepper (2021 Selah-WA)
Pepper was a mismatch for opponents with his rock-solid build at 6-foot-4 and his ability to go both inside and out. He was very active around the basketball, converted buckets inside, but also stepped out and knocked down threes.
Jesse White (2020 Barlow)
White really didn’t get many touches in the first two games as he was largely playing off of the ball. But in the third game, the 6-foot senior reminded us why he’s a big-time scorer as he got scorching hot from the outside.