Arizona Fall Shootout – Top Shooters
Gerry Freitas put together a very good weekend of competition at Williams Field High School for his two-day Arizona Fall Showcase. Each team had four games to showcase their wares in front of several regional scouts, as well as college…
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Continue ReadingGerry Freitas put together a very good weekend of competition at Williams Field High School for his two-day Arizona Fall Showcase. Each team had four games to showcase their wares in front of several regional scouts, as well as college coaches in attendance.
This report focuses on the top shooters we saw on the weekend:
Keatten Smith Keatten Smith 6'1" | CG Santa Fe Christian | 2021 State CA-S , 6-3 2021 SG, Gamepoint 17u Elite
Very few shooters can get off their shots with as little space as Smith needs. Known as one of the top spot up shooters in his class, Smith is improving as a ball handler and playmaker, becoming a more complete guard in the process. But his elite skill is still his shooting, especially off of curls and pin-down action.
Will Richards, 5-9 2021 PG, Gamepoint 17u Select
Richards doesn’t pass the eye test, but he is a creative point guard on offense who can shoot off the catch and bury pull-up jump shots off the dribble in pick-and-roll. If I choose to highlight point guards in a future article, Richards might be featured, as he passed the ball as good as any guard on hand this weekend.
Joe Mpoyo Joe Mpoyo 6'4" | SG Meridian | 2021 State ID , 6-4 2021 SG, Idaho Premier 17u
Mpoyo took — and connected — on big shots all weekend for Idaho Premier. Not much of a ball handler, Mpoyo’s value comes from his movement without the ball, sprinting hard off of screen action to free himself for jumpshots. With both feet set, he’s almost automatic.
McKay Anderson McKay Anderson 6'0" | PG Meridian | 2021 State ID , 6-0 2021 PG, Idaho Premier 17u
Anderson was the catalyst of Idaho Premier’s near comeback from an 18-point deficit against Coastal Elite. He hit shots from all over the court — both off the catch and off the pick-and-roll — and in transition would pull up from well beyond the college three. The only shot he missed in a 5-minute stretch was a shocker — a free throw that would have tied the game with under a minute to go. Anderson has a ton of savvy with the ball and makes plays for others, but his shooting is special.
Caleb Nelson Caleb Nelson 6'7" | SF Carlsbad | 2021 State CA-S , 6-7 2021 F, Coastal Elite Slayers
Another player who doesn’t need much space at all to get his shot off is Nelson, an athletic forward who shoots it with the best of them. If you give him even an inch of space on curl action, Nelson will make you pay with his jump shot, getting great elevation and picture-perfect follow through. Nelson is also the one player on this list who effectively drives to the rim (straight line drives) and can finish above the rim with regularity.