Pittsburgh: Steel City Standouts from 1/26-2/2
It’s been blisteringly cold in Pittsburgh, but the high school basketball scene has stayed scorching hot with some incredible performances by some standout players. I witnessed firsthand some of those stellar showings by a few players that particularly caught my…
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Continue ReadingIt’s been blisteringly cold in Pittsburgh, but the high school basketball scene has stayed scorching hot with some incredible performances by some standout players. I witnessed firsthand some of those stellar showings by a few players that particularly caught my eye over the week.
– Josh Kapcin, Sr. Penn Trafford
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- A strong driver going to the basket, Kapcin was the main scoring option for his Penn Trafford team, and was a hard guard to cover. Kapcin displayed great confidence when going to the rim, finishing through contact numerous times and maintained great body control all the way to the tin. He caught several defenders off-guard by moving incredibly well without the ball, setting up his man for back door cuts that led to multiple layups. By developing an in-between game, Kapcin will elevate his game to another level and has already showed the ability to shoulder the scoring load.
– Logan Pfeuffer, Sr. Peters Twnshp
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- Another great player who does exceptionally well off the ball and has a knack for setting up his man for a multitude of cuts. Although he was fairly cold from three, he showed a confidence to extend his game outside, but he lived along the baseline with the countless backdoor cuts. He showed one of the best abilities to walk his man towards the ball, and then released very well from his man to get freed up for a layup. On an evening that he doesn’t miss from three, and is running circles around defenses off the ball, Pfeuffer has the potential to be a constant scoring nightmare for opposing teams.
– Ben Myers, Jr. Penn Trafford
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- Strong big that had a natural ability for the pick and roll, and always went to the basket hard. His screens were set with a fairly wide base, and was the recipient of numerous over the should passes for easy layups. Myers is strong going to his left, but he has room to improve with his right hand. He didn’t show much of a perimeter game, but was a strong rebounder down low and crashed the boards hard every possession. If he can get a ten to fifteen foot jumper and improve his off hand, he can be a force down low.
– Nick Crum, Jr. Peters Twnshp
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- Another off ball nuisance for opposing defenses, Crum ran laps around teams in the half court, freeing himself up for what seemed to be layup after layup. Didn’t display a flashy style of play rather, he played incredibly well within himself, finding any and all ways to impact the game for his team whether it was offensively or defensively. Showed a smooth jumper, but didn’t utilize it much, which I believe could become a secret asset to his game. Extending his game outside of fifteen feet can make Crum an even bigger threat than he already is.
– Aaron Brula, Jr. Peters Twnshp
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- The first word that comes to mind when watching Brula is simple…Energy. He played with a fierceness, and showed a motor that seemed to never stop. Although he isn’t a big perimeter threat, he extended many plays by tapping the ball back out to teammates, or chasing loose balls out of bounds. Brula ran the floor hard, beating his man down the floor a couple of times and getting easy breakaway layups. Brula needs to refine his skill set, but the intensity, energy and hustle are all there, he can easily add the fundamentals with another year at Peters.
– Gavin Cote, Jr. Peters Twnshp
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- Great face up shooter with a nice compact form and solid elevation on his jumper. Cote stared down many defenders and was able to elevate quickly not only off the floor, but also his shoot with a very quick and high arching release. He did struggle at times when he had to put the ball on the floor, but if you leave your hand down he will make you pay. Adding this extra dimension of his game will increase his level of play and also his overall scoring ability.
– Connor Spratt Connor Spratt 6'3" | PG Seton LaSalle | 2023 State PA , Soph. Peters Twnshp
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- Spratt is a young guard with a tight handle that changes direction easily. He showed an ability to handle pressure both in the full and half court. Spratt also handled contact well, as he found himself carving his way to the cup and gathering and one layups with ease. He didn’t show much of a perimeter game, as he seemed to be the playmaker on his Peters Township team. Spratt has only one way to go and that is up, and if he can add a consistent jumper to his game, he’s going to be a problem for the next couple years in Pittsburgh.
– Randy Wilkerson, Soph. Central Catholic
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- Smooth stroking shooter that although is undersized, makes up for it defensively with toughness. Wilkerson had one of the best jumpers I saw over the week, and knocked down several long threes, but also one dribble pull-ups. Wilkerson defensively also had a way of timing shots perfectly, as he came up with a few blocks with great anticipation. His driving abilities were non-existent, as he tended to float around the three point line and tried to find open holes in the defense to come around for two point jumpers. The addition of a dribble drive game by Wilkerson will make him an absolute headache for teams trying to cover him.
– Ty Iwanonkiw, Fr. Central Catholic
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- Iwanonkiw’s height is going to do wonders for his career in the long run. Listed at 6’9, the freshman has a high releasing jumper that is nearly impossible for smaller guards to contest. He hasn’t perfected an inside game quite yet, but with already gaining significant experience at the varsity level, his game can see a drastic jump sooner rather than later. Iwanonkiw lived by the three point line, and knocked down several shots both contested and uncontested. As he grows in maturity and his tall frame begins to fill out, it’ll allow him to go down low more and make it nearly impossible to stop him.