Proving Grounds: Saturday Backcourt Impression-Makers Part 1
As teams from virtually every bordering state converged on LakePoint’s facility in Emerson, GA for Proving Grounds this past weekend, we saw standout play from a variety of teams and players, here’s a look at some backcourt gems. [player_tooltip player_id="1020689"…
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Continue ReadingAs teams from virtually every bordering state converged on LakePoint’s facility in Emerson, GA for Proving Grounds this past weekend, we saw standout play from a variety of teams and players, here’s a look at some backcourt gems.
Tayden Owens Tayden Owens 5'9" | PG Cherokee | 2023 State GA (Atlanta All-Stars 15U, 5-9, PG, Cherokee) – I was looking forward to seeing Owens once again as he injured a wrist it appeared at A-Town and was limited in the game I saw them, may not be the purely electric scorer that Chattahoochee’s AJ White AJ White 5'11" | PG Chattahoochee | 2021 State GA is but at a similar size I see a lot of positive similarities, the ability to get offense in bunches from all 3 levels, a fearlessness in getting to the basket, a pure shooting stroke, and a fantastic natural handle with the ball that makes him very tough to guard, also an elite defender and a rising prospect that has enormous upside in my eyes.
Mason Etter Mason Etter 6'5" | SF Etowah | 2023 State GA (Atlanta All-Stars 15U, 6-3, SG/SF, Etowah) – Etter (pictured above) too was injured and held out for precautionary reasons when I dropped in on the All-Stars at A-Town, but it was good to see the rising sophomore-to-be do his thing against a solid Alabama Celtics team Saturday morning, can clearly see his body has changed since last winter, allowing him to be much more physical in creating offense for himself and others, his ballhandling has improved noticeably as well and that combined with his crafty and polished ability to find the bottom of the net from virtually any spot on the floor makes him among this summer’s biggest risers in the 2023 class.
Jakeith Carr (PG, 5-9) and Hayden Bates (SG, 6-4, both Alabama Celtics 15U) – Certainly among the best backcourt combos I saw in the 15U division, Carr is your prototypical modern PG possessing a slick handle and very good strength, can shoot it from deep but more comfortable pushing the pace and getting to the rim, elite athlete with great defensive ability, Bates has plenty of size and length, showed terrific on-ball defensive skills as well, had the full all-around offensive package, long-range shooting and plenty of confidence at the rim.
Elijah Breadwood (SG, 6-0) and Gabriel Pastrana (SG, 6-0 both TN Fury Gold 16U) – Hard to single out just one or two players from this team that cruised to the 16U Hard Work bracket title, as they had it all in spades (shooters, passers, low block talent, defenders), as well-drilled a team as I saw all weekend the talented twosome at SG of Breadwood and Pastrana were eye-catchers, Bredwood has the advanced scoring game already, a plethora of moves off the bounce, a deadly eye from 3-land, a gifted and unselfish passer, sees the game and finds opportunities, Pastrana has a little more bulk and found himself getting buckets closer to the basket, but he also showed deep shooting range and great vision, he like all the Fury ran the floor relentlessly and finished at the rim with authority.
Stephon Richards (Rod Howard Select 17U, SG, 6-2) – Richards was one of the best players I saw all weekend at any position, just loved his all-around game and particularly his vision, playing off the ball he still acted the role of the point man for much of the game against Team Strap, he made some scintillating feeds to teammates both on the break and in the half-court, he clearly showed that innate eye that some players have to see the threaded opening, his unselfishness notwithstanding he also put the ball in the hole himself from both beyond the arc and closer in to the basket, nice looking lefty stroke, he was also Select’s best defender, able to guard multiple spots because of that game savvy and a physical frame, a rising star on the North Carolina scene.
Avion Young (Team Strap 17U, SG, 6-4, Salem) – Really good size and athleticism make Young a tough guard, he has great range out well beyond the arc but also an understanding of scoring in the mid-range, like Richards showed unselfishness and excellent vision from the off-guard spot, can easily play 3 spots with that size and shooting and is player to watch out of Rockdale County.