OKC Top 250: senior stock-risers (East)
The needle-shifters mentioned below were among the biggest stock-risers at the Prep Hoops Top 250 Expo in Edmond last weekend. The list is not comprehensive of all players who played well, but is limited to five who stood out above…
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Continue ReadingThe needle-shifters mentioned below were among the biggest stock-risers at the Prep Hoops Top 250 Expo in Edmond last weekend. The list is not comprehensive of all players who played well, but is limited to five who stood out above the rest to the Prep Hoops Oklahoma staff.
Ian Hislop — Tulsa NOAH 2022 PG |
→ Hislop may have been the best or second-best passer in the gym, and spectators could see the visible joy he has in making plays for teammates. He produced eyes in the back of-his-head dishes all day, routinely drawing defenders with decoy pumps and clever eye-work to distribute the ball to cutters, and it appeared effortless. He has a great handle and displayed feel for the timing and development of offense, surveying the opposing defenses to find lanes and orchestrating plays out of the handle. Most impressively, he did it with unfamiliar faces on his roster, meaning he was able to establish trust with his pieces early in the day and elevated the play of all of his teammates in just three games on a Sunday. Hislop can also score it for himself, either by putting the ball on the floor or knocking down shots from the 3-point line.
Kyler Mann Kyler Mann 6'4" | SF Owasso | 2021 State OK — Owasso 2021 SF |
→ Mann has a lot more guard-skill than I realized; a trait that only makes him more effective in the paint. He has a lot of power in his 6-foot-4-inch frame still with mobility to match players much smaller than him, culminating into his astounding two-way presence. For the most part, Mann has always been more of a raw talent, though he started to show bursts of high-level play during his senior summer. Sunday, however, he showed signs that he may have ascended into a new tier of talent, utilizing the aforementioned traits with applicable capabilities. When it comes to his offensive game, you would not necessarily get as much multi-threat scoring skills with Mann, but you do get the most important ones; he can take the ball from the wing and finish high at the rim, he can score with his back to the bucket and he can contend near the rim with either hand. In the full-court, however, is when he can display his best perks, as his athletic prowess only increases exponentially when he has a gather behind him. Defensively, he is a very competitive-spirited rim defender with the utility to handle perimeter-scorers and stop the ball.
Jayden Bridgeman Jayden Bridgeman 6'6" | PF Sperry | 2021 State OK — Sperry 2021 PF (pictured in featured photo) |
→ Bridgeman has ideal explosive strength paired with a strong frame. He stands about 6-foot-6-inches but still moves pretty well in the interior. Offensively, he has a good set of post moves conducive to utilizing his strength, while his crafty hand-work gets the job done. He can also stretch the floor with surprising sharpshooting efficiency, usually from the corners, displaying sound technique. Defensively, Bridgeman was truly a nightmare matchup for most players in the paint Sunday. He is very fluid when protecting the rim, sliding to stop slicers and making plays on the ball while defending conservatively as to not load his foul count.
Bryce Journee Bryce Journee 6'4" | SF Owasso | 2021 State OK — Owasso 2021 SF |
→ Journee was one of the standout performers of the day, regardless of class or position. He has a lot going for him; standing 6-foot-5 with speed, fitness and a motor, Journee certainly looks the part, but it is his talent with the ball that sets him apart. He was able to get to the rack almost at will from the wing Sunday, and he got his forearm above the rim on more than one occasion. He plays very intuitively in the half-court, keeps his eyes up and is consistently ready to attack any compromised defender. Defensively, Mann’s energy is incredible. He has great footwork to keep himself between the basketball and the bucket with uncompromising adherence to players of all sizes and speeds at the perimeter. Near the rack, he elevates to keep opposing shots from reaching their destination.
Jackson Lawley Jackson Lawley 5'11" | PG Tishomingo | 2021 State OK — Tishomingo 2021 PG |
→ Lawley has a very smooth offensive game, though it took him some time to settle in on Sunday. He was among the craftiest scorers at the event, utilizing the mid-range game, a swift pull-up, floaters, situational awareness and instinctive scoring takeover abilities. He also shoots at a high rate from beyond the arch, and he can ensue on hot streaks once he feels comfortable — once he starts pulling and sinking shots from 30 feet, you know he is there. Though he lacks stature, he can elevate, but more importantly he can get around or under defenders with his smooth handle and hand-work near the rim. As a floor general, Lawley’s vision for the floor is exceptional as the witty guard is perpetually prepared to find teammates down-court or give a lob to cutting wings from the corner.
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