Prep Hoops Iowa Top 250 Expo: Top 40
With over 150 athletes coming out to the Prep Hoops Iowa Top 250 Expo and making it an awesome event, I’ve watched back every game of the event and want to highlight the top 40 players in four different article…
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Continue ReadingWith over 150 athletes coming out to the Prep Hoops Iowa Top 250 Expo and making it an awesome event, I’ve watched back every game of the event and want to highlight the top 40 players in four different article segments. When I was watching these games I was watching players in different ways such as a shooting, scoring, rebounding, defending, effort, and decision-making. Coming up with this list was hard, and there were a lot of players on the fringes, but ultimately these are the 40 players who I felt played the best on Saturday during the Expo:
(This list is in no particular order)
Guard/Wing Adam Mattes Adam Mattes 6'3" | SG Newton | 2022 State IA – Newton High School
Prep Hoops Iowa Players Ranking: #23 in Class of 2022
Adam Mattes Adam Mattes 6'3" | SG Newton | 2022 State IA was really good in spurts at the Expo, but impressed me with the way that when he inserted himself into the offense he made things happen. He went on a nice individual scoring run in the first game getting buckets by shooting the 3 and getting the cup. I did want to see Mattes be more assertive when it came to the ball, but did like the way he moved without the ball making the defense keep track of him at all times. He can effect the opponents on defense with his length, and did a nice job of moving the ball after making an initial offensive move. I do believe I saw Mattes stretching out a knee so that could have effected his game, but he dealt with it well in good minutes on Saturday.
Guard/Wing Hunter Caves Hunter Caves 6'0" | PG Alburnett | 2021 State IA – Alburnett High School
Prep Hoops Iowa Players Ranking: #67 in Class of 2021
I really liked what Caves brought to his team at the Expo in the way he looked to post up defenders and used good fakes and spin moves to score the basketball. Caves can handle the ball, but played in more of a lead guard role when he had it to initiate the first pass or first movement to get the defense going. I liked the way he played defense for his team as well as he guarded opponents of all sizes and gave them a hard time. His rebounding and effort stuck out the most to me, as he was just playing and helping his team be as competitive as possible throughout the entire day, even when things may not have gone his way offensively he was good about moving onto the next play.
Wing Trevion Labeaux Trevion Labeaux 6'3" | SF Ames | 2022 State IA – Ames High School
Prep Hoops Iowa Players Ranking: #7 in Class of 2022
What we know of Trevion is he has really good athleticism to pair with a strong upper body to fight off opponents and play good, tough defense. What we learned at the Expo is that the development of his jumpshot is coming along. Labeaux hit 15-22 feet jumpers efficiently and consistently over the course of Saturday’s event. He showed an improved shooting stroke that will only help him take his game to another level. In regularity Labeaux also put on display his athleticism and strength per usual. He uses those attributes well on the defensive end of the floor blocking shots, muscling out offensive opponents and getting into passing lanes to create turnovers. He’s a good rebounder and I’ve liked what I’ve seen from willingness to go into the post and get to the bucket at will.
Wing Parker Elder Parker Elder 6'4" | SF Pella | 2022 State IA – Pella High School
Prep Hoops Iowa Players Ranking: #25 in Class of 2022
Elder came out in the first game looking to attack the rim and dunk anything that he could. He was slashing off of cuts to the basket and creating off the dribble in order to get into the lane and finish around the hoop. He started off slow in efficiency and converting his chances, but as the day went on he got better. He started expanding his game out to the 3 point line as defenses were playing off of him because they knew what he could do around the rim and converting perimeter shots. Parker is a high flying, bouncy athlete that effects shots around the rim on the defensive end as well and plays bigger than his 6’4 frame even shows. He was at his best in transition at the Expo when he’s in space able to attack the basket and he displayed that on Saturday.
Guard/Wing Lucas Lorenzen Lucas Lorenzen 6'4" | SF Okoboji | 2022 State IA – Okoboji High School
Prep Hoops Iowa Players Ranking:#14 in Class of 2022
Lorenzen was the straw that stirred the drink for his team on offense, as he was effecting it both on and off the ball. He came out firing in the early going, attacking the basket off the bounce every time he touched the ball but settled into the game after the for the rest of the day. Lorenzen has good athleticism that allows him to twist and turn into space around the basket to convert baskets, but also has nice touch out to the 3 point line. He showed a nice burst of quickness this weekend in transition when the ball turned over, he was the first one down the court running lanes to get easy buckets or leading the break because he caused the turnover. Lorenzen was solid on Saturday.
Guard Keeon Hutton Keeon Hutton 6'3" | SG Sioux City West | 2022 KS – Sioux City West High School
Prep Hoops Iowa Players Ranking: #50 in Class of 2022
One of the more impressive players on Saturday was Hutton as he showed that he doesn’t need to always have the ball in order to effect the game. He was good at shooting the ball off the catch from the perimeter but what he did well was used his athleticism to crash offensive boards and create extra possessions for his team or get a put back basket. There weren’t many, if any, defenders who could stay in front of Hutton which created really good offensive movement where Hutton could pass it or get all the way to the cup. He is a good on-ball defender who stays in front and creates fits for the offensive player with his length as he continues to grow into his body. Hutton will be overdue for a rankings bump in our next update if he continues to show play like he did on Saturday.
Wing/Forward Padraig Gallagher Padraig Gallagher 6'5" | SF Beckman Catholic | 2023 State IA – Dyersville Beckman High School
Prep Hoops Iowa Players Ranking: #15 in Class of 2023
Kind of an unknown commodity going into the Expo on Saturday, Gallagher impressed with his maturity of the game as only a Sophomore with not a lot of varsity time yet. Gallagher will be in a position to not only get more time on the court this winter, but be a productive piece. Gallagher had it going from all three levels and finished down low through contact the best. He showed he can be a reliable scoring piece this weekend as he was a big part of the offensive numbers his team put up. Gallagher blocks shots around the rim but will need to continue to develop his defensive game when it comes to on-ball defending. He contributes well on the boards though and can take it in transition as he makes good-decisions with the ball about when to speed up or slow it down.
Wing Spencer Hixson Spencer Hixson 6'5" | SF Knoxville | 2021 State IA – Knoxville High School
Prep Hoops Iowa Players Ranking: #57 in Class of 2021
Spencer Hixson Spencer Hixson 6'5" | SF Knoxville | 2021 State IA displayed his sweet shooting stroke from everywhere on the floor this past Saturday and was truly at his best with a defender in his face . At 6’5 his ability to shoot over defenders stretched arms is an ability that will always help Hixson score the ball. His shooting touch is one of the better ones I’ve seen in the state. He doesn’t backdown on defense either and with the length he provides can impact the game because he can guard multiple positions. His rebounding was an asset to his team as well getting in good positions to board and go with it. If defenses lose sight of Hixson it could be a long day.
Forward Tyvin Garrison – Springfield High School
Prep Hoops Illinois Players Ranking: #68 in Class of 2021
Garrison was a quiet player in the first game, but effected the game on the defensive end of the floor with block shots and making it tough for offenses to score. He also put in a couple of inside buckets, but as the day wore on he became more and more versatile. He was catching on the wing and driving hard to the basket using his length to finish at the hoop, knocking down a few jump shots, and even catching on the block and running offense through his post game. As has been highlighted his length provides problems for the opponents on both ends as he can finish above the rim and get into passing lanes to create turnovers.
Guard Jevin Sullivan Jevin Sullivan 6'5" | SG North Polk | 2022 State IA – North Polk High School
Prep Hoops Iowa Players Ranking: #10 in Class of 2022
Sullivan came out all guns a blazing in the first game, and struggled from the field, but as the day went on he seemed to settle into the game and found different ways to impact the game. Sullivan had success going towards the basket and finishing around the hoop. He’s a strong, 6’4 guard who does a little bit of everything on the floor. He’s a good guard rebounder and can be a tough on-ball defender. He has the ability to make good decisions with the ball and displayed that later in the day this past Saturday, but will need to develop a better understanding of where the ball needs to go on offense and more off-ball movement. Once he puts it all together Sullivan could be a complete player and has physical attributes to do so, but overall I liked the way Sullivan played at the Expo.