2020’s Big-Time Scorers
With the 2019-20 high school basketball season officially over, we take a look back at the season that was. These five players were able to make an impact this year and helped lead their teams to constant victories. Here are…
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Continue ReadingWith the 2019-20 high school basketball season officially over, we take a look back at the season that was. These five players were able to make an impact this year and helped lead their teams to constant victories. Here are five scorers that a school could add to their roster and make an immediate impact.
Kai Bertram – Littleton
Bertram was one of the top scorers in the 4A Jeffco League, and that is all while being the second option. Bertram is a guard that understands where to be on the court and is a high IQ scorer that knows how to play off of another great scorer, and that will take him a long way as a player. He understands when to give the ball to the hot-hand or work hard enough to get open himself, and being able to do both opened up easier scoring opportunities. Bertram can score from anywhere on the court as he shot 35% from beyond the arc but also got inside and made things difficult for the defense. In Bertram’s senior season, he averaged 17.6 points a game and also was the team’s primary ball-handler. He got the team in their sets and ran the offense while also creating for himself. He can get it done in a variety of ways on offense, but his shooting from the outside is one of his best attributes as I feel the numbers don’t tell the real story. He is a tremendous three-point shooter from the catch but has a well-rounded game. Bertram is a guard that I would vouch for at playing at the next level, and with how he played this year is a stock booster.
Jackson Romero Jackson Romero 6'1" | CG Resurrection Christian | 2020 State CO – Resurrection Christian
I’ve openly talked about Romero being one of the underrated gems in the state. He truly epitomized sacrifice and grace as he went from being one of the best scorers in all of 3A to being a well-rounded guard that put the team’s success first. Romero is a 1,000 points scored achiever as he has played meaningful basketball since his freshman season. As a senior, Romero controlled the game as a point guard should as he was one of the better passers in all of 3A. He averaged 9.2 points and 5.6 assists a game. Romero is not only a solid passer but is capable of hitting big shots, and he put that on display in the few close games that Resurrection Christian had. Romero helped lead Resurrection Christian to an undefeated season as they went through most of the season as the No.1 team. Romero finished off his career with 1108 points and 371 assists and is one of the first guards I would recommend to a lower D2 or juco. Romero came into the season as the No.81 player in the class but is easily 20-30 spots higher than that at seasons end. Romero had quite the career for the Cougars
Jalen Ashley Jalen Ashley 6'3" | SF Rock Canyon | 2020 State CO – Rock Canyon
Jalen Ashley Jalen Ashley 6'3" | SF Rock Canyon | 2020 State CO came into the season as the No. 33 ranked player in the class, and that was before being unranked a season before. By season’s end, he would have jumped a few spots as he put up a solid senior season to cap off a great career at Rock Canyon where he rose. Ashley was the only Rock Canyon player to average double figures this season as a high-scoring wing. He put up 15.7 points a game as the team’s primary ball-handler, and despite being the player that teams focused on was able to still do whatever it is he wanted. Ashley is a three-level scorer that shot 35% from beyond the arc while also attacking the rim for dunks and easy finishes. Ashley hits the mid-range, grabs the board, and starts the break and also has the strength and size to finish inside as well. Ashley is not only a stock-booster but one of the best remaining unsigned seniors that I would highly recommend to a juco school that needs a scorer.
Isaac Jessup – Resurrection Christian
Jessup was a man on a mission this year as he proved to be one of the best combo-guards in the state and is a Top-5 unsigned senior still on the board. There were not many things that he could not do as he helped lead Resurrection Christian to a 25-0 record as the No.1 team in 3A. Jessup is as complete a player as there is as he can score from anywhere on the court, and he played with extreme confidence and under control. The 6’3 guard put up a balanced stat line of 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists a game, and if that were not enough was one of 3A’s best perimeter defenders as he excelled in the passing lanes coming up with 4.9 steals a game. Jessup is a two-way player that will surely help a team at the next level as he helped keep Resurrection Christian as one of the most dangerous teams in the state. If a school is looking for a 44% shooter with a high basketball IQ that you could build around, look no further as this hard worker is genuinely one of the best players in the state. Not playing throughout his tenure is the only reason he was not ranked, but he would have been in the top 30 had we did one last update.
Andrew Duquette – Silver Creek
Duquette was one of the better-kept secrets this season. At least to the rest of the state, opposing teams knew what they were getting themselves into. He is a creative playmaker that plays with a flair for the game as a player that can score in isolation. Duquette has excellent ball-handling skills and can shoot it on the pull-up, which opens things up. Duquette had back-to-back highly productive seasons and, in his senior year, blossomed into one of the conference’s best scorers. The 6’0 guard put up 18.2 points a game as he lit teams up both inside and out as he shot 42% from beyond the arc. He also helped on the boards at just over three rebounds a game and was the player that Silver Creek had defending the opposing team’s best guard. The future is bright if a school is still looking for a combo-guard as this Northern League 1st Team All-Conference player checks off plenty of boxes but can light it up from anywhere.