GRMC Top 16U Post Players

<p>While there were dozens of high-quality guards at the Grind Region Memorial Classic in Kansas City last weekend, there weren’t a ton of big men. But the ones who were there impacted the game with their size, presence inside, and scoring abilities in the post.</p> <p>Here are some of the top post players at the GRMC 16U tournament (in alphabetical order):</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1070096" first="Evens" last="Appolon"], 6-foot-9, MPJ Elite, Tolton HS (pictured):</p> <p>Perhaps the biggest player in the 16U ranks at KC, Applon catches your eye immediately. He’s 6-foot-9, with a physically developed frame. He’s not thin or gangly. He’s coordinated, powerful and flat out large. He runs the court and plays hard. He is a force in the low block, and is developing a more full repertoire. Appolon is downright frightening to drivers. He blocks several shots per game.</p> <p><strong>Fernando Gracia</strong>, 6-foot-5, 816 Burch, Olathe North HS:</p> <p>Gracia was a shot-blocking machine at KC. He’s got really long arms and moves gracefully through traffic to get to shots in the air. Gracia runs the court and chases down plays in transition. He has a pretty well-rounded game. He showed off his 3-point shooting and ability to catch and score on the move.</p> <p><strong>Owen Padgitt</strong>, 6-foot-7, Missouri Flight, Glendale HS:</p> <p>Padgitt is a tall, long center who works hard and impacts the game without demanding the ball be in his hands all the time. He sets screens, passes and rebounds well. Padgitt really crashed the glass in KC, giving MO Flight a tough presence in the lane against bigger teams.</p> <p><strong>Will Pryor</strong>, 6-foot-5, State 38 Rocky Mountain HS:</p> <p>Pryor is option #1 for State 38, and the team really fed him the ball in the high and low post. He can put the ball on the floor and make moves to the goal. Pryor likes to shield defenders with his body and flip the ball one-handed – with either hand – up on the rim. Pryor scored a ton of points in KC because he’s effective down low and draws a ton of fouls.</p> <p><strong>Jailen Thompson</strong>, 6-foot-5, United Basketball, Free State HS:</p> <p>Thompson’s athleticism stood out amongst the bigs at the GRMC. He can put the ball on the floor and get to an open shot, usually at the rim. He can run and has a great sense of space, finding openings in the lane. But Thompson is not just a finesse player. He made several strong finishes and pulled down some rugged rebounds too.</p> <p><strong>Luke Vanourney</strong>, 6-foot-6, MO Thunder, St. Dominic HS:</p> <p>Vanorney made some really nice power moves to the goal in Kansas City. He is tough and never shies away from contact. He battled to record some tough rebounds in traffic. He is a shot blocker who can get out and run and thwart shots in transition. He also busts it down the court when MO Thunder has the ball, making himself an option on the run.</p>