#PHTuneUp: 16U Most Impressive Rebounders
Irving, Texas — The Tune Up , presented by Prep Hoops was another stop on the Prep Hoops Circuit that brought out the best of the best competition, this time from all over the South. Teams and their fans came out…
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Continue ReadingIrving, Texas — The Tune Up , presented by Prep Hoops was another stop on the Prep Hoops Circuit that brought out the best of the best competition, this time from all over the South. Teams and their fans came out in droves all the way from North Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, San Antonio, Houston, and many more, ready to battle it out. This event was an action-packed thriller filled with buzzer-beaters, slam dunks, ankle breakers, you name it. Here we’ll take a look at a few prospects that showed an outstanding feel for the game from Prep Hoops Tune Up.
De’Andrick Toy – Power Forward – Drive Nation 2023 Black
Drive Nation forward, De’Andrick Toy is a prospect filled with raw skills and untapped potential. His very strong and physical nature allowed him to do an exceptional job being competitive down low, not only by protecting the basket, but also by controlling the boards to the point that it seemed like there was no competition for De’Andrick, every rebound he desired was his. Toy had some of the best set of hands in the gym, a great rebounder in traffic, phenomenal timing, doesn’t shy away from contact down low, and aggressively pursues the ball off the rim. Solid leaper but impressively explosive, Toy got plenty of air when he elevated off the ground. De’Andrick Toy fiercely went after rebounds on a consistent basis, it was as if he wanted the ball more than everyone else.
Akintola Akinniyi Akintola Akinniyi 6'7" | PF Denton Guyer | 2023 State TX – Center – Team United Texas 2023 Black
Akinniyi was an absolute physical specimen, built like a brickhouse, incredibly strong, huge hands, with a long-standing reach. Akintola used his strength, his length, and his athleticism greatly, guys were nearly hanging off of him when attempting to compete for a rebound, Akinniyi simply overpowered his opponents over and over again. Terrific offensive rebounder, this center was the cause for plenty of second-chance opportunities for Team United Texas, Akintola displayed a tremendous vertical leap along with an impressive second jump. Akintola Akinniyi Akintola Akinniyi 6'7" | PF Denton Guyer | 2023 State TX was a freak of nature and showed flashes of dominance in the low post.
Noah Cooper – Forward – Arkansas Mavericks
Operated well offensively and defensively both out on the wing as well as in the post, but his biggest impact came on the offensive glass where he was a major threat to create second-chance scoring opportunities for his squad. Cooper showed a knack for keeping possessions alive and turning rebounds into two points even in a crowd. Noah Cooper has a nose for the ball that really made a difference, he was great at anticipating where the ball would come off the rim and land, Cooper reacted quickly when rebounding his teammates’ misses, showing great timing as he cleaned up their missed shots.
Josh Zakaria – Power Forward – BBSS Blue 2023
Josh Zakaria was one of the most dynamic rebounders from the 16U division. Zakaria possesses a great feel for rebounding, his timing was excellent, his anticipation was fantastic, and his hands were impressive. Josh was a beast on the glass, a very physical rebounder that made sure to put a body on a man each time a shot went up. The BBSS Blue forward crashed the boards at a high rate, going hard after rebounds and playing aggressively, hustling all over the court, the young man can cover a lot of ground quickly. Josh Zakaria and his ability to beat everyone to the ball and also predict exactly where it will come off the rim stood out in a big way.
Corey Upkins – Center – Top Achievers Elite 2023
Corey Upkins did all of the dirty work down low, battling through multiple guys for rebounds on both ends of the floor, often coming up successful, especially on the offensive end where he was able to create second-chance buckets. This kid has the potential to dominate the offensive glass, Upkins displayed terrific rebounding instinct along with the length to grab any board in his vicinity and quickly go back up with it. Corey had a special way of tipping the ball out to himself or to where only he could get it. Corey Upkins showed a large amount of potential as an all-around low post threat, someone to surely keep track of going forward.