Section-7 Finals: 2022 standouts

This weekend I attended the Section-7 Finals at Brophy Prep in Phx, AZ. There were only 36 invited teams instead of the first Section-7 with 190 teams.   There were also four teams who made the Summer-64 Final-4 who ended up at Brophy Prep to play in front of the college coaches.    I viewed around 10 local teams this weekend and here were some 2022 standouts:  Dylan Anderson Dylan Anderson 7'0" | C Perry | 2022 State #46 Nation AZ Perry -Anderson shot the ball fairly well and showed some different wrinkles to his game. He has range on his 3 and loves the mid-range J. He posted up and created fouls for the other team and has a polished hook shot. He went baseline and finished off a contested reverse layup. Defensively he boxes out for rebounds and grabs boards with two hands high above the crowd. He will block shots in his area and once he gets stronger, he will be even more effective.   Patrick Chew Patrick Chew 6'3" | SG Brophy Prep | 2022 State AZ Brophy Prep -A very consistent player over the last two weekends. He is becoming a very reliable player. It starts with his big motor to compete. He defends the 1-4 for them and rebounds out of area. His catch-3 was clicking in every game and he stuffed the stat sheet with steals, rebounds, blocks, assists and points.  Foune Doucoure Foune Doucoure 6'8" | PF St. Mary's | 2022 State AZ St. Mary’s -The big man missed last weekend but was back for the Section-7 Finals. He was super active on defense using his strength and length to block shots and rebounding out of area or in a herd of players. He rim runs, gets layups on put backs and even stepped out and hit a 3.  Tanner Pate Tanner Pate 6'3" | SG Mountain Pointe | 2022 State AZ Mountain Pointe -The teams floor spacer had some nice showings in the games I viewed. He has range on his 3pt shot and he keeps improving his handle. He can pull-up off the dribble from mid-range and he had a nice In and out dribble to get into the lane and finished it off with a floater. He is best off the catch from deep but his strong play will be vital to the Pride’s success this season. Reginald Mickens-Orr Reginald Mickens-Orr 6'3" | SG Millennium | 2022 State AZ Millennium -The lone senior on the roster has been very important. He hits catch-3’s and he can euro his way to the basket to score or get fouled. He is very fast in open court and has quick hands on defense to collect steals. He is turning into the teams glue player and he is producing on both ends of the court.   JP Musselmann JP Musselmann 6'6" | PF Brophy Prep | 2022 State AZ Brophy Prep -Another Bronco with a good showing. He shot the ball well from the 3pt line and cuts to the basket for easy scores. He has a hook shot he can use in the paint and uses his girth and athleticism to rebound. He plays a cerebral brand of ball and comes with skill and toughness.  Matix Arnett Matix Arnett 6'1" | PG Highland | 2022 State AZ Highland (Pictured left)  -A pure PG who throws darts to teammates and is the engine that runs the team. This is a very underrated team and could be a 6A contender with Arnett making plays. He is super strong and has a quick burst to get into the lane. He is tough on the ball defensively and scores it in traffic through contact. He is a capable perimeter shooter but prefers to get downhill.  AJ Riggs AJ Riggs 6'2" | SG Highland | 2022 State AZ Highland  -One of the purest shooters in the class is a sniper from deep. He has a quick release and seems to get it off before he even catches it. The Hawks win games with floor spacing and effort and AJ is one of the main reasons behind it. His IQ for the game and court awareness are super high and you rarely will see him take a bad shot or turn the ball over.   Mason Knollmiller Mason Knollmiller 6'2" | SG Highland | 2022 State AZ Highland (Pictured right)  -An athletic marvel is a fun watch. He seems to be a step faster then anyone in the AIA on the break. He takes off from the near the FT line and then hangs in the air and finishes off tough shot in traffic. He grabs way out of area rebounds to give his undersized team extra chances to score. He is a smart passer and he will win most 50/50 balls.    Liam Thompson Liam Thompson 6'5" | PF Sunnyslope | 2022 State AZ and Quinn Thompson Quinn Thompson 6'5" | PF Sunnyslope | 2022 State AZ Sunnyslope -The twins are so pivotal for the Vikings. You may not see it on the scoreboard but these two are defending multiple positions, handling the ball when needed, facilitating, rebounding out of area and doing a lot of the dirty work. They usually battle with bigger players and clearly hold their own, since the team wins a lot of games. They play as point forward types who will defend.