Phhoenix Prep at Hillcrest Prep standouts
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On Wednesday February 10th I attended the Phhoenix Prep Fire at the Hillcrest Bruins. Here were some of the varsity standouts of the game: Phhoenix Prep 112 Hillcrest Prep 92 (unofficial stats) PHH Prep Javon Ruffin Javon Ruffin…
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Continue ReadingOn Wednesday February 10th I attended the Phhoenix Prep Fire at the Hillcrest Bruins.
Here were some of the varsity standouts of the game:
Phhoenix Prep 112 Hillcrest Prep 92 (unofficial stats)
PHH Prep
Javon Ruffin Javon Ruffin 6'5" | CG Phhoenix Prep | 2021 State #239 Nation AZ Phhoenix Prep (27 pts 7 rebs 10 asts 1 stl 1 blk)
-An incredible all-around performance showing everyone in attendance how good this kid is. The son of former NBA player Michael Ruffin is a 3-level scorer, good strong defender and passer plus one of the calmest players in the state during a game. He is very hard to speed up and he is going at a different speed then everyone else defending him using his skill and mind. His 3-ball has become a weapon and changes speeds to get into the lane and can pull-up or go all the way. His strength, skill and IQ were clicking.
Jason Elder Jason Elder 6'6" | SF Phhoenix Prep | 2022 State AZ Phhoenix Prep (25 pts 9 rebs 3 asts 1 stl)
-An elite motored forward showed all his talents in this one. He defended every position on the floor and hit shots from the 3. He is tough inside to score it on hook shots and grabs out of area rebounds consistently. He is a good passer and plays like a versatile point forward who can defend. His versatility is one of the main reasons this team has been successful.
Brett Hardt Jr Brett Hardt Jr 6'4" | PG Phhoenix Prep | 2021 State AZ Phhoenix Prep (14 pts 1 reb 3 asts 1 stl)
-The DePaul commit played well the first 3 qtrs or technically 1 and ½ halves of plays as he went out with an injury. They played 20 minute halves like college basketball which led to the high scores and stats. He shot the ball well from the 3, but really made nice passes to his teammates and played unselfish yet shot it when he needed to. He also took his man off the dribble and scored it in the paint among the trees. He is very crafty to not get blocked.
Isaiah Shaw Isaiah Shaw 6'6" | SF Phhoenix Prep | 2021 State AZ Phhoenix Prep (19 pts 5 rebs 3 stls)
-The lefty has a clip. He has a super fast release and plays like a son of a coach would. He makes all the correct reads with the ball and is a versatile defender despite being a little thinner. He is best off the catch and made three 50/50 plays that were important during the game.
Ricardo Sarmiento Ricardo Sarmiento 5'11" | PG Phhoenix Prep | 2021 State AZ Phhoenix Prep (20 pts 4 rebs 1 ast 1 stl)
-Started slow but was nearly unstoppable in the second half. He got in a rhythm from the perimeter. He hit two mid-range pull-ups (what he is known for) plus two 3’s and a couple drives. He collected some clutch rebounds in traffic and made some plays for his team.
Hillcrest Prep
Mike Foster Mike Foster 6'8" | PF Hillcrest Prep | 2021 State #17 Nation AZ Hillcrest Prep (26 pts 11 rebs 5 asts 2 stls 4 blks)
-One of the top players in the state and nationally ranked backed it up. He imposed his will down low and scored with his skill and strength but he also showed a nice handle and passing ability. He made plays for others as he drove and kicked plus grabbed any rebound near him. He also is an intimidating shot blocker. His shooting range is legitimately at the volleyball line and he seems to of hit his stride as the season has gone on. Is it possible that his stock is up as the #1 rated player?
Jamiya Neal Jamiya Neal 6'6" | SF Hillcrest Prep | 2021 State AZ Hillcrest Prep (12 pts (6-7 FG) 1 reb 2 asts 2 stls)
-A wildly athletic wing is a star in the open court. The faster the game goes, the better off he is. He is like a track runner in the open court and makes highlight reel dunks look easy. He also has a nice handle and can drive and kick it like a point forward. He is great in the passing lanes and he had an impressive stretch of 8 straight when they were trying to mount their comeback.
Chianti Clay Jr Chianti Clay Jr 5'10" | PG Hillcrest Prep | 2021 State AZ Hillcrest Prep (16 pts 2 rebs 2 asts 3 stls)
-A deep shooter with a shifty handle. He has some serious range and a very quick release. He is quick on the ball defensively with fast hands and quicker feet. He is undersized but crafty to get into the lane.
Duke Brennan Duke Brennan 6'10" | C Hillcrest Prep | 2022 State #219 Nation AZ Hillcrest Prep (10 pts 5 rebs 1 blk)
-A rugged post player scores it efficiently around the hoop. His body has come a long way and keeps getting a little more athletic every year. He is a space eater and paint defender. The closer to the basket the better he is. He can shoot it with some range and is a good rebounder in his area.
Max Kunnert Max Kunnert 6'3" | SG Hillcrest Prep | 2021 State AZ Hillcrest Prep (8 pts)
-A spot up shooter is very skilled. He is a catch and shoot type but is slowly improving his ability to pull-up off the dribble. He has the 1-dribble pull-up and moves without the ball and relocates to open spots.
Mouhamed Cisse Mouhamed Cisse 7'0" | C Putnam Science Prep | 2022 State NLG Hillcrest Prep (4 pts 1 reb-in very limited playing time)
-A long and fluid post player has good athleticism and runs the floor well. He rebounds and blocks shots in his area and is somewhat raw on offense but can score it inside. He had one drop step move that was impressive. He has been playing on a grapefruit sized ankle and is playing through it.