Five players who stood out in the Gold Crown Fall League
The final day of the Gold Crown Fall league was Thursday evening, and had some good games with our chance to see players that we either have not seen or it had been awhile. Here are five players that stood…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe final day of the Gold Crown Fall league was Thursday evening, and had some good games with our chance to see players that we either have not seen or it had been awhile. Here are five players that stood out for their squad.
Jarmell Johnson Jarmell Johnson 6'3" | SG George Washington | 2021 State CO — George Washington
Johnson did what he wanted in both games and seems to be playing at his own pace. It just looks different for him. He was consistently hitting the 3-ball, getting out on the fast break for dunks, and gashing through defenses. The Patriots went 2-0 on the day, and it was behind Johnson. He has a college-ready body, and he was grabbing boards for multiple coast-to-coast finishes. He will make a big jump this season, and it was great to see him take over in this kind of setting.
Kadyn Betts Kadyn Betts 6'7" | PF Huntington Prep | 2023 #90 Nation CO — Pueblo Central
It was our first time seeing Betts in person, and he is going to be a player to watch for the next few years. Betts is one of the top-ranked 2023 players as he already has varsity experience, and seeing him in person, you can see why. He is already about 6’6 and uses his body. He has a great understanding of the game, establishes a position on the block, and uses his size to finish in traffic. He was one of the bright spots for Pueblo Central, and once he truly gets to understanding his body a bit more will be a difficult player to slow down.
Anthony Harris Jr. Anthony Harris Jr. 6'5" | PF Smoky Hill | 2022 State CO .—Smoky Hill
Harris Jr. is a human highlight and that will surely be on display this season. He was going for countless dunks on the night, and that was reverses and oops and anything you can think of. When he gets a head of steam, he is a problem as he is difficult to slow down. He is going to be in a situation where he needs to put the ball on the floor, step out, and shoot it and also create for others. The Buffaloes went 2-0 on the night, and that is with a Smoky Hill team we are not used to seeing. A play that stands out for me on the night is him creating some space and setting a screen for one of the team’s best shooters to get open and yelling,” Shoot it.” That’s leadership. Harris Jr. will have the opportunity to prove the type of player he is, and it will surely be his best season. Excited to see how he continues to progress this season.
Nick Basson Nick Basson 6'2" | SG Mead | 2023 State CO — Mead
It was our first time seeing Basson in person, and one thing for certain is, the pieces are there. Mead will be a team that gets shots up, and he was one of the better shooters on the night. He was hitting 3-pointers with a quick release, creating shots inside, and he has a great understanding of the game. He is jumping into a situation where he will have to be a primary ballhandler and playmaker, and he had one of the better passes on the day. He also had a couple of reads for steals and will be a fun 2023 player to keep up with as he will surely have one of the biggest jumps of anyone in 4A.
Alan Acevedo Alan Acevedo 6'2" | CG Colorado Prep | 2023 State CO — Golden
Acevedo is the No.7 player in the 2023 class, and when watching it in person, it makes sense that he is a top player. Acevedo does not play like anyone else in the class. He is a man amongst boys, and he plays as mature as anyone in the state. He gets by on IQ plays and will not be outworked. He uses his body to block guards off, creates space, fills in gaps, and was responsible for either scoring or assisting on essentially every play for the entire half in one of the games that I saw. Acevedo was playing with an injury, which shows off his toughness, and was still VERY effective. He is hitting the 3-ball, getting inside and finishing, making zip passes, and is a lockdown perimeter defender. Acevedo plays well above his age and is a player I truly enjoy watching. He had himself a day, and that was while not being at full strength.