2021 All-Grassroots 1st Team
This summer, I made it a point to see as many players as possible. I went to as many tournaments as I could. Saw and went to as many underground runs and workouts as possible and added hundreds and hundreds…
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Continue ReadingThis summer, I made it a point to see as many players as possible. I went to as many tournaments as I could. Saw and went to as many underground runs and workouts as possible and added hundreds and hundreds of miles to my car. After watching and evaluating scores of new talents over the past few months, we have updated our rankings updates and also included new players, particularly to the class of 21’ to prepare for their upcoming senior season. Here are the players who really stood out for me that I had the opportunity to watch in person this summer.
All-Grassroots 1st Team
Ben Bowen Ben Bowen 6'5" | CG Mountain Vista | 2021 State CO – Colorado Hoops Academy
Boston Stanton Boston Stanton 6'4" | SG Denver East | 2021 State CO – Knights Elite
Amondo Miller Amondo Miller 6'6" | CG Valor Christian | 2021 State CO – Colorado Miners
Keegan Phillips Keegan Phillips 6'7" | SF Douglas County | 2021 State CO –Knights Elite
Brayden Carter Brayden Carter 6'8" | PF Seiling Ok | 2021 State CO – Colorado Hawks
Bowen –When he was playing, he was winning. Bowen turned plenty of heads and silenced many doubters this season and turned that into one of the top performers this summer. Bowen takes every matchup personal and gets after it on both ends of the floor. For Colorado Hoops Academy, he excelled in the PnR, which turned into him going down hill and attacking defenders in isolation. He won every individual matchup this summer and showcased his athleticism with multiple highlight dunks. He is still growing and has pushed out to 6’5 and uses the length to his advantage. Bowen has improved as a shooter and ball-handler, which has opened up the rest of his game. He was one of the very best this summer, and the University of Wyoming commit is poised for a big season.
Stanton is as competitive as they come and does not have many weaknesses at all to his game. He is a two-way star that scores as easily as anyone in the state. He is lethal with the ball in his hands, and although he went into the summer as a top-5 player, he has improved on every part of his game. Stanton went into the summer with a mission to get stronger and has added on that strength and has seen his game elevate. He is stronger, faster, and more focused and after sitting it down for the latter part of the summer due to an injury but seems to be playing his best basketball. Stanton shoots the ball extremely well, has an improved handle, and also is willing to make the extra pass. Stanton is the top unsigned senior in the state that is getting Division I interest and will surely have more schools looking for him.
Miller was one of the most versatile players in the state this summer, and he put it all on display in various tournaments. The takeover was there as the Miners split up, and he took on the pressures of being the go-to guy. Miller used his 6’6 frame as he sprouted a bit from the past season and still remains a deadly playmaker. He was the team’s primary ball-handler and looked comfortable with the ball in his hands. Miller’s weakness heading into the summer was the 3-point shooting as opposing teams tried to pack the paint and slow him down. Well, that proved ineffective as Miller clearly put the time in to work on his game. He was shooting the 3-ball consistently, getting out in the open court, finishing at and above the rim as well as setting up teammates. Miller is an ultimate teammate that makes others around him better, and it is no surprise that schools are giving him looks right now.
Phillips was the newcomer of the summer and made the biggest jump of anybody in the class. In private runs, he has been the MVP of the summer as he is a gym rat that is one of the best scorers each time out. Phillips is a sniper from deep with a college-ready body, is always ready to shoot, and can get it off with a defender in his face. What separates him is his ability to score both inside and out efficiently. Phillips uses his 6’6 frame to his advantage, has a game that will translate to the next level, and is an elite athlete. He easily makes our 1st team for Grassroots after consistently being a top player at every single event that he was at.
Carter is a player that made a huge jump in our rankings after a great individual season, and the way that he played this summer, solidified our decision. Carter is one of the states best forwards and is a walking double-double that is comfortable with the ball in his hands, but also can play alongside another great big, and we saw that with the Hawks. Carter has a deadly mid-range pull-up, rebounds in bunches, and also protects the rim. He uses his 6’8 frame to make it difficult to score on him and creates advantages on offense as a talented weapon. Mullen should take a step up this season as their best player will look to duplicate what he had last season and hope it translates to wins.