Top Prospects from Week 1
Going in chronological order, here are the most impressive performances from college prospects that we saw this week. We attended three games and have saved our takeaways until now. As always, the players are our focus here, but it’s important…
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Continue ReadingGoing in chronological order, here are the most impressive performances from college prospects that we saw this week.
We attended three games and have saved our takeaways until now. As always, the players are our focus here, but it’s important to provide a bit of context on each game. For example, the Tuesday game at Fairfield Union was much different than the next night at Dayton Dunbar. Vastly different styles of play and atmosphere, which affects stat-lines and what we could truly learn about the prospects.
So, as you scroll through, you’ll need to read the brief game descriptions to understand the whole picture.
Also, check out Sneaky Difference-Makers from Week 1 for a look at the X-factors from the three-game slate.
Fairfield Union over Ready, 68-64
Very solid game. Not a ton of fireworks and mostly played in the halfcourt. The separation between the best players and the ninth and tenth guys on the court was wider than usual. Ready relied on stars, whereas the ball hardly ever stuck for FUHS. The top Falcons made their mark within the flow of possession.
Chase Poston (2020) | 6-4 SG | Fairfield Union
stats: 24 points, 2 rebounds
Poston is one of those players who is far better in structure than in AAU format. His quick-twitch athleticism is dynamic when he catches on the wing with space. Consistently blew-by defenders with his first step and showed pop as a one-foot leaper. The Malone signee’s high-release allows him to shoot it over defenders. Terrific elevation on his pull-ups. Slight of frame but the room to grow makes his potential very intriguing.
Poston exceeded our expectations more than anyone else we saw in week one.
Darius Parham (2021) | 6-3 SG | Ready
stats: 31 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists
Parham flashed excellent offensive ability in spurts. When he’s taking efficient shots attacking the rim or pulling-up after two dribbles or less, he’s money. Creative with the ball mid-air on finishes. Volume scorer. Parham played a lot of primary ball-handler, therefore taking several less-efficient shots after 10+ dribbles, too. The junior wasn’t as effective in those situations. His quickness allowed him to occasionally make plays on defense but Parham too often fell asleep away from the ball, freeing his matchup up for quick buckets.
Huston Harrah (2020) | 6-5 PF | Fairfield Union
stats: 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
Harrah’s strength was a mismatch. He got directly to the rim without much resistance on crab dribbles and shoulder turns. He both scored and made clever kick-outs to shooters from the post, making the right decision consistently.
Garrison Budd (2021) | 6-0 PG | Ready
stats: 15 points
A confident shot-taker, Budd’s presence alongside Parham is paramount for Ready. Very confident in his catch-and-shoot ability. Uses a thick body to go finish through the body inside. He used english off the backboard occasionally. As a slasher, Budd threw in a change of pace to get past his man.
Dunbar over Stivers, 91-83
Wild game played at a break-neck speed, which afforded everyone to operate with immense space, especially Dunbar. There was nearly a fight after the first quarter. While Stivers had to operate in the halfcourt, they relied on one-on-one heroics from their guards and only had one guy (Allen Lattimore) even thinking about passing. Stivers senior Trevon Ellis wasn’t at the game.
Allen Lattimore (2021) | 6-1 PG | Stivers
stats: 20 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
Playing with controlled aggression, Lattimore’s ability to make plays in such a high-stress environment impressed. He showed off his terrific jumper. Furthermore, he was the only player on the floor who consistently made good reads as a passer. He got rid of the ball before double-teams trapped him and dropped a couple dimes in the half-court, too. Defending quick ball-handlers, Lattimore consistently chose to swipe at the ball, opting to play defense with his hands instead of moving to stay in front.
Toledo St. John’s over Findlay, 54-36
Toledo St. John’s pitched a no-hitter in their season opener, dominating what was supposed to be a tightly played contest. Their preparation, focus, and attention to detail were elite. Findlay saw less than a handful of open shots all night. Meanwhile, St. John’s created high-percentage looks with ball movement and constant motion. Players who missed the game: Chris Strzempka and Max Roth for Findlay, Jaedyn McKinstry for St. John’s.
Sam Swift (2020) | 6-1 SG | Toledo St. John’s
stats: 14 points, 1 rebound
Swift was the leading scorer in a pretty balanced St. John’s offensive attack. He cashed in several 3-point field goals, hitting catch-and-shoot jumpers against man and zone. Swift has sound shooting mechanics that are consistent when he shoots his balanced one-dribble pull-up. On defense, he deflected several passes by keeping his hands active when his matchup picked up the ball.
Thomas Zsiros (2021) | 6-3 SF | Toledo St. John’s
stats: 2 points, 4 rebounds
Zsiros, a three-star wide receiver recruit with MAC offers, has the athleticism suited to defend a go-to wing such as Findlay’s AJ Adams. Zsiros used his combination of foot speed and strength to stay in front of Adams’ post-ups and drives. Excellently defended ball screens, either fighting through or switching without a hiccup. He strives to make plays as a passer, looking towards the basket for cutters when he catches it.
Brady Lichtenberg (2021) | 6-2 PG | Toledo St. John’s
stats: 10 points, 2 rebounds
Lichtenberg, a three-star quarterback recruit with several offers across the Midwest, orchestrated their offensive attack by controlling pace and making timely passes. Although we didn’t tally his assists, Lichtenberg likely dropped upwards of five on Friday. He used clever ball fakes to deek the defense before throwing it to a cutter. Showed patience against pressure and is comfortable playing with his back to the action versus small guys who want to pressure. Shot it well.