Sunday’s Best at Mokan Fall League
High school hoopers all across the Kansas City metro area have been competing weekly over the past seven weeks to showcase their skills and prepare for the upcoming basketball season. The Mokan Fall League has been the headquarters for this…
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Continue ReadingHigh school hoopers all across the Kansas City metro area have been competing weekly over the past seven weeks to showcase their skills and prepare for the upcoming basketball season. The Mokan Fall League has been the headquarters for this pool of talent. I was able to catch some games this Sunday to see what the hype was all about, I was not disappointed. Here’s who stood out on October 25th:
Robin Lucas III, 5’7 Frosh Guard, Blue Springs South
Don’t blink or you’ll miss this lightning quick guard zipping up and down the court. Looking to hold his own in his freshman campaign this season, he doesn’t back down from any challenge on the court. He plays with a toughness that you don’t usually see from a freshman before his first official high school game. He showcased an impressive sequence in his second game of the day with a lightning quick crossover to blow by his defender, euro-stepped around the help defense, and finished with his off-hand. He’ll look to play up this season at Blue Springs South.
Monzell Blake, 5’7 Frosh Guard, Olathe East
Monzell is the point guard you can trust to run the offense and control the speed of the game. On Sunday, he played at his pace and was able to get to his spots whenever he wanted. He has the traditional PG skill set allowing him to get his teammates involved, and he’ll usually be a step ahead to see a passing opportunity before anyone else on the floor. He has tremendous court vision and awareness to be only a freshman. You can’t sleep on his scoring ability either, because he can get downhill to the basket in just a couple dribbles.
TJ Marshall, 6’2 Frosh Guard, Truman
TJ plays with a poise and toughness that is very rare from a freshman. I noticed his strength right away as he bullied his way to the basket at will. He attacks the basket strong, absorbing the contact, and was rewarded with several and-one’s in Sunday’s games. Did I mention he’s lefty? Making it even tougher to stay in front and guard his drives downhill to the basket. He has a soft shooting touch, makes his free-throws, but most importantly he plays defense like an upperclassman.
Israel Randall, 5’10 Sophomore Guard, Lincoln Prep
It is hard to take your eyes off Israel in transition as a player, coach, or fan because he’s exciting to watch and he can effortlessly breakdown your defense. He displays a diverse offensive package with good ball handling, advanced dribble moves, pocket passes under control, and good all around fundamentals. He disrupts players with his defense, keeping his hands active looking for steals.
Kanye Montgomery, 6’2 Sophomore Forward, North Kansas City High
Kanye can be deceiving with his speed and quickness. I noticed a few times he would lull his defender to sleep just long enough to explode past them with his sneaky first step with the ball or fighting for rebounds. Defense can seem very bothered by his length, and he’s not afraid to give up his body diving on the floor for loose balls. In the midst of all that, he has a soft touch in the mid-range, plays unselfish, and passes well from the high-post.
Brandon Kingharper II, 6’1 Senior Guard, Olathe North
You will notice Brandon doesn’t take a play off on either end of the court. He plays hard every possession. He’s a nuisance on defense, forcing turnovers and gathering steals at will. There’s an energetic bounce in his step which makes him hard to stay in front of or take your eye off him when guarding this explosive senior guard. He showcased some shifty moves getting downhill, mixed in some euro steps, and pulled up on a dime in transition. He looks very comfortable heading into his final high school season.
Byan Willard, 6’1 Senior Guard, Staley
Extremely good hustler with a passion for playing hard and making the right plays. You can tell he’s comfortable and experienced heading into his senior year. He can dominate his position by playing tough, aggressive, diving on the floor for 50/50 balls, clapping with intensity to hype up his teammates, and mixing it up on offense. He shoots with a soft touch, handles the ball well, and looks to attack the basket every chance he gets.