AAU Preview: Oregon Prospects 16U
AAU basketball is starting to ramp up and as always, PrepHoops Oregon has you covered. It’s time for our yearly team previews and today we start digging into the Oregon Prospects, a new squad with familiar faces in charge. Program…
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Continue ReadingAAU basketball is starting to ramp up and as always, PrepHoops Oregon has you covered. It’s time for our yearly team previews and today we start digging into the Oregon Prospects, a new squad with familiar faces in charge. Program director Kendall White comes over from Jordan Team Fly to join forces with James Johnson of The Hoop Salem to form the prospects, which will feature many of the elite players in the state at the 17U, 16U, and 15U levels.
Our first preview is of the top 16U squad which is loaded with the top-ranked players in the state in the Classes of 2022 and 2023 – and one that should make significant noise in any event they participate in. If the grouping seems familiar, you’re not mistaken – many of the players on the roster were with the Rose City Rebels last year.
“They are all physically strong for their age and have played for the most part together for a couple of years,” White said. “They have more talent than you can believe. If they commit to playing defense and trust each other on offense they can be really dang good.”
Here’s a look at the roster:
Marquis Cook Marquis Cook 6'6" | SF AZ Compass Prep | 2023 State #6 Nation AZ (2023 Jefferson) – Thanks to the current state of affairs, Cook won’t be traveling to play with a California-based AAU squad but instead run with the Prospects – for which he will be playing up at 16U. That shouldn’t be a problem at all for the athletic do-it-all 6-foot-7 rising sophomore and as one of the nation’s top-ranked players in the Class of 2023, he will headline this group. Cook doesn’t need to score to be effective as he will contribute everywhere on the floor, on the boards and on the defensive end as a help-side shot-blocker.
Lamar Washington Lamar Washington 6'4" | CG AZ Compass Prep | 2022 State #128 Nation AZ (2022 Jefferson) – Washington is the top-ranked player in the Class of 2022 and he has worked hard this off-season reshaping his body. Now more trim and more athletic – the 6-foot-4 rising junior has added the dunk to his game – Washington can still overpower defenders to the hoop or sink daggers from well beyond the arc. With his passing he’s developing as a point guard and can really get after it on the defensive end. No player has seen as much action with his recruitment this off-season than Washington.
Luke Johnson Luke Johnson 6'8" | PF Central Catholic | 2022 WV (2022 Central Catholic) – Johnson will be the key guy inside for this Prospects squad and at 6-foot-8, he is a mobile big man who runs the floor well and finishes. Offensively, he has a soft touch on his shot and can hit open jumpers with range. Johnson isn’t afraid to get physical and doesn’t back down from bigger players in the paint – not a surprise given his football background.
Kahlil Singleton (2022 Fort Vancouver) – Singleton joins the Prospects from Vancouver where he was a scorer deluxe as a sophomore. He has a physical frame at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds and uses it to his advantage on the drive and finishes at the rim. Singleton also has an outstanding shooting touch from distance.
Max Von Arx Max Von Arx 6'5" | PF Grant | 2022 State OR (2022 Grant) – von Arx has been a starter since day one at Grant where he’s largely served as an undersized post. He’s long-armed at 6-foot-4 and very active around the hoop, but has been developing a more consistent face-up shot out to three-point land. von Arx is also a solid interior passer.
Jordan King Jordan King 6'3" | SF Central Catholic | 2022 State OR (2022 Central Catholic) – King’s future will likely be in football where he’s a standout for the Rams but he’s a threat on the basketball floor too. The 6-foot-3 wing excels at the catch and shoot from three but has the strength and ability to create and finish off the dribble.
Connor Hills Connor Hills 5'6" | PG Barlow | 2022 State OR (2022 Barlow) – Hills may lack size – he’s generously listed a 5-foot-8 – but there’s no doubt the rising junior knows how to play the game. He shoots it very well from deep and has great smarts and a good feel for the game with his handle and his passing.
Caden Harris (2022 Summit) – Harris could be the surprise of this group. He’s a long and lanky 6-foot-4 wing and shoots it fairly well from deep. He didn’t play this past season at Summit due to a knee injury after transferring in from Mt. Si in Washington, so this will be his first chance at real competition in awhile.