Intriguing 16U Prospects at the SportsStable Invitational
The Colorado RoughRiders put together an invitational where they put some of the top teams in the state in the same gym and let them go at it. It was productive, fun, and competitive. Teams got the opportunity to get…
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Continue ReadingThe Colorado RoughRiders put together an invitational where they put some of the top teams in the state in the same gym and let them go at it. It was productive, fun, and competitive. Teams got the opportunity to get together in light of recent cancellations, and some teams and players stood out. Here are some intriguing 16U standouts from this past weekend that caught my eye.
Derik Pranger Derik Pranger 6'8" | SF Colorado Prep | 2022 State CO – Pro Skills
Pranger was the surprise standout for the opening day, and he carried that hot hand into the second day as well. Pranger could not miss. In a game that Pro Skills found themselves down by a significant margin, he was who brought the team back in the game with deep shots from all over the court. Pranger is an aggressive, offensive player that does not turn down many looks, makes sure to move on the offensive end, and with a 6’7 frame is a unique prospect that boosted his stock on the day. Pranger gets it done on the offensive end as a microwave offensive weapon that scores in bunches. Once he starts to understand how to involve others while also still getting his own, the sky is the limit for him. Pranger turned heads at the event with plenty of baskets and a strong presence, and if that is how he is going to play for the summer, I see a HUGE jump for him.
Tabor Robison Tabor Robison 5'10" | CG Horizon | 2022 State CO – Roughriders
When the lights shined brightest, Robison came alive. Tabor used his aggressiveness on defense and turned that into scoring opportunities for the Roughriders. In a game that went into OT, it was Robison that hit big shot after big shot to keep his team in the game. Robison’s 3-ball was on in each game, and he also used his speed to get what he wanted. Robison is a two-way guard that looks to score but also controls pace as well. He got in the open court and made plays, he played above his size, and he finished amongst the trees. It was a stock boosting event for the guard from Horizon.
Elliott Cravitz – Pro Skills
Cravitz is another player that not many have seen, but when you go up against him, you understand that he is a tough cover. Cravitz was one of the quickest guards at the event with the ball in his hands, and he has a pure jumper to match it. When the game started to get a bit sped up than what he is used to, it was great to see him start to take it in and move at his own pace. His outside jump shot opens up the rest of his game, and when his legs got tired on the shot, he got out in the frontcourt and used his speed as he finished with either hand. Cravitz jumped onto my radar and is one to definitely watch.
Coby Jimenez Coby Jimenez 6'2" | CG Horizon | 2022 State CO – Roughriders
Jimenez is entertaining to watch, simply because he plays the right way. He isn’t going to put up a massive scoring stat line, but what he is going to do is a bit of everything, and with that, he just might be the Roughriders most valuable player because of all of the positives that he brings to the team. He can put the ball on the floor, he runs the offense, knocks down open shots and also can defend multiple positions. Jimenez is a hard worker that plays extremely hard at all times and makes significant plays for the team. He’s had a great summer so far and will only continue to get more confident.
James Shiers James Shiers 7'1" | C Mead | 2022 State CO – Roughriders
Shiers is the tallest player in almost every gym that he goes to. And with that comes unnecessary pressure put on him to perform to a level that is beyond him. Shiers is not a traditional 6’11-7’0 big that you place in the paint, and he goes inside and dominates, he is a unicorn. Shiers was great to watch in the event because he got to play to his strengths. A stretch big with soft touch around the rim. One game, Shiers knocked down four 3-pointers and opened up the floor for the Roughriders. He rebounds and runs the floor well. Shiers has an excellent motor, and against the Hawks, he showed up on the defensive end. Opposing bigs try and go after Shiers, but he did a great job of using his length and also showed off some strength as he altered shots. He did not back down to the challenge and embraced it. Those are things to build on.
Brock Mishak Brock Mishak 6'3" | CG Fossil Ridge | 2022 State CO – Colorado Chaos
Mishak is a player that I circled as soon as I got rosters as a player to keep an eye on. For his high school team, he showed that he could score the ball in bunches and be relied on despite being one of the younger players on the team. With the 17U Chaos team, he did much of the same and also had an explosive game that turned heads. Mishak put up 33 points in one game as he carved up the defense both inside and out. Mishak got to the rim and was fouled, he finished over the trees and also had his shot working. Mishak hit four 3-pointers in the game and also hit a couple of mid-range pull-ups as well. In each game, he got out and ran and made it difficult for opposing guards to slow him down, and that was while also making smart reads with the ball in his hands as well. It was great to see him in this kind of setting, and he was a standout on the day.