Mr. May 17u: Fourth Team
Who were the best AAU players in the month of May? Read about players that both played exceptionally but also attracted the most college attention. Today, we feature the fourth five by position on our Mr. May 17u FOURTH TEAM. Our state is loaded with great guards, but this team must resemble a team: Guard, Guard, Guard/Wing, Wing, Forward.
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Fourth Team
PG
Phil Dotson
Phil
Dotson
5'11" | SG
Collierville | 2022
State
TN
G
Will Biven
Will
Biven
6'3" | SG
Knoxville West | 2022
State
TN
G Ryan Oliver
F
Braden Ilic
Braden
Ilic
6'10" | PF
Morristown East | 2022
State
TN
C
David Craig
David
Craig
7'1" | C
McCallie | 2022
State
TN
PG
Phil Dotson
Phil
Dotson
5'11" | SG
Collierville | 2022
State
TN
, Hoop City Elite 17u
Overall State Ranking: 33
Phil Dotson Phil Dotson 5'11" | SG Collierville | 2022 State TN was the original Arlington High star! Dotson III preceded the coaching change, the influx of talented transfers, and you might even remember he earned 2019 PrepHoopsTN Combine MVP. Through all the changes at Arlington and now a new AAU team (Hoop City Elite) Dotson proved he can score and shoot the basketball. He earned All-State honors from TSWA. Dotson III impressed Courtney Smith Memorial Day weekend too. Hoop City Elite will resume in July. July 2021 will have more impact on his college future than any other month in Dotson’s 17 years.
SG
Will Biven
Will
Biven
6'3" | SG
Knoxville West | 2022
State
TN
, BMaze-Biven Elite 17u
Overall State Ranking: 35
Last year Will Biven Will Biven 6'3" | SG Knoxville West | 2022 State TN and his mates played under the TN Fury moniker. Now, they are BMaze-Biven. The numbers don’t lie..39 wins in 42 games! BMaze-Biven just wins games and now tournaments. They captured the crown in the Ball in Bluegrass thanks to Will Biven Will Biven 6'3" | SG Knoxville West | 2022 State TN , Walker Kyle, Tai Cates Tai Cates 5'11" | PG South-Doyle | 2023 State TN (2023), Gabriel Pastrana Gabriel Pastrana 6'0" | PG Knoxville West | 2022 State TN , and Dillon Atwell. Biven, the player, makes shots in the mid-range like players of yesteryear. His strength is a strength and there is a classic-ness to his game. Biven’s first college offer came from University of Alabama-Huntsville.
G Ryan Oliver, PSB-Nashville 17u
Overall State Ranking: Unranked
The only unranked player to make any of these Mr. May teams (1st through 4th), Ryan Oliver is finally stepping out from the massive Brandon Miller Brandon Miller 6'8" | SF Cane Ridge | 2022 State #18 Nation TN shadow. Cane Ridge High needed the scrappy Ryan to hunt down loose balls and prolong possessions in their abbreviated 2020-2021. PSB-Nashville affords him the chance to prove he can A) run a team and B) create his own shots. Frankly, Ryan did not do B every game out, but he did display the initiative to try. His slashing is certainly better than the average Class AAA guard. Offensively, Ryan Oliver was more eager to set up teammates and take the occasional open jumper. At his best, Ryan Oliver is tracking down offensive rebounds and outworking opponents. He can be more than Mr. Hustle, but with his quickness and rebounding instincts that will be his way to get that foot in the college door.
F
Braden Ilic
Braden
Ilic
6'10" | PF
Morristown East | 2022
State
TN
, BMaze Elite 17u
Overall State Ranking: 9
Braden generally starts for the BMaze Elite team, unless they elect to go small. Pairing alongside Handje Tamba has been a beautiful opportunity for Braden to extend his range in game scenarios. Ilic earned that Appalachian State offer a year ago. East Tennessee State University is his second D1 offer. Expect more from this pack to extend offers within the coming months: Liberty, George Washington, Belmont, Lipscomb, Virginia Tech. They have all been in contact for half of a year or more. Ilic needs to do better defending whilst avoiding the whistle. Smart guards will get into his body at the college level. Bigs are obviously more valuable on the floor than off. Braden’s May was strong and despite starting for Morristown East as a freshman, Ilic is still improving and growing as a player.
C
David Craig
David
Craig
7'1" | C
McCallie | 2022
State
TN
,
Tennessee Tigers
17u
Overall State Ranking: 51
David Craig David Craig 7'1" | C McCallie | 2022 State TN is now scoring the basketball with consistency. Always tall yet somewhat rigid and raw, Craig is now consistently sealing his man and showing off improved footwork around the rim. You can’t teach size and David Craig David Craig 7'1" | C McCallie | 2022 State TN is a wonderful piece of clay to mold for McCallie Head Coach David Conrady. Beyond his upside potential and gift of size, Craig is a high-academic recruit. Craig is still not a finished product. He needs to improve his end-to-end speed and also continue to expand his post package.