17U under the radar gems that stood out at #PHLive
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The #PHLive event was a success in Kansas City, MO. There were hundreds of teams from across the nation all going at it with some big-name athletes in attendance. With all eyes on the star athletes, here are five players…
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Continue ReadingThe #PHLive event was a success in Kansas City, MO. There were hundreds of teams from across the nation all going at it with some big-name athletes in attendance. With all eyes on the star athletes, here are five players that did things that showed up beyond the scoreboard.
Jackson Loge Jackson Loge 6'7" | C Morris Area | 2022 State MN — Minnesota Fury
Fury is a player that jumped off of the page for me on Day 2 as he stepped up in the game with all eyes on him. Loge uses his size and did plenty of things that goes beyond the scoreboard while also scoring in bunches. Loge finished with 22 points in their game as he used his strong body to finish inside. He did not shy away from contact, powered through defenders, and had a couple of finishes above the basket. Loge is a player that patrols the paint, sets hard screens and rolls with a purpose, and also made smart decisions once he had the ball in his hands. He has a back-to-the-basket game, can score out of the post, and is a player that opposing guards did not feel comfortable going around.
Michael Woolridge – Tulsa Hawks
Woolridge is a big man who runs the floor well, finishes in traffic, and spaces the floor with his outside touch. That caught me a bit by surprise with his massive size. Woolridge is a big man that is not afraid to bang inside but can mix it up a bit, and that is what makes him a unique prospect. He did not clog up the paint with his bulky stature as his team had him playing on the perimeter. He used his size and hard picks, stayed out of the way, and ran the offense to perfection with fluid motion. Defensively, he is not a player that the opposing team felt comfortable going around; he plays a bully-ball style and rebounds in bunches. He keeps the ball high and gets rid of it quickly to get the offense going. Woolridge patrolled the paint on one end, and he as the biggest player on the court and played like it.
Tavari Johnson Tavari Johnson 6'0" | PG Lyons Township | 2022 State #171 Nation IL – Young & Reckless / KL Power 5 2022
Johnson played that Chicago brand of basketball where it is controlled chaos and everything is done with a purpose. In a highly anticipated matchup with all eyes on his team, he’s who stepped up and delivered a great performance. Whenever D1 Minnesota went on a run, he responded with a basket to try and gather momentum and gave his team to pick up a huge win. His team fell just a bit short, but that was not without him putting on a show. Johnson hit big shots and was under control with a slick game. He was never sped up and was a solid finisher both inside and out. The moment was not too big for him, and he countered every look that was thrown at him. He went on a mini-flurry of his own, and that play did not win him the game against D1 Minnesota, but set the tone for when his team picked up the win over a talented Team Lavine 3SSB 2022 team. He has a high IQ and runs the offense to perfection. He excels in situations where he has the freedom to create, and he did that in the two games I watched him in.
Mekhi Collins Mekhi Collins 6'5" | PF Mankato West | 2022 State MN – Minnesota Fury
In Minnesota Fury’s big win over RoughRidersGive, multiple players got into a rhythm as they had everything going and were locked in on both ends of the court. A player that stood out for me was 6’5 small forward Mekhi Collins Mekhi Collins 6'5" | PF Mankato West | 2022 State MN , as he was one of the most entertaining players on the weekend. Collins has excellent timing and anticipates plays before they happen. He had multiple steals in the game, played the passing lane, and turned that into highlight dunks on the other end. Collins is dangerous in transition as a downhill attacker and does a bit of everything. He showed off a bit of range, made plays for other teammates, and slashed for easy baskets. He is an interchangeable defender that plays with tons of energy and was a player to watch on Day 2.
Anthony Allen Anthony Allen 6'5" | SF Broken Arrow | 2022 State OK — Tulsa Hawks
While all eyes are on other players on Tulsa Hawks, the player that put his head down and made plenty of meaningful plays that went a bit under the radar was Anthony Allen Anthony Allen 6'5" | SF Broken Arrow | 2022 State OK . Allen is battling on both ends of the floor and broke loose for highlight aerial attacks. Allen gets way above the rim, and defenders know not to test him. He had multiple dunks in Tulsa Hawk’s big game against Dallas Showtyme, who has multiple 5-star athletes and was pivotal in his team making a late push to try and pick up the win. Allen is instinctive and springy. He used his 6’5 frame to battle inside and played above his size. He controlled the boards, got out in transition, and made plays happen. He has an excellent motor and is a solid two-way player that allows Tulsa Hawks to be great.