Hustle in the Rockies: 16U Day-1 Standouts
The buzz at Gold Crown Gym started well before tip-off as parents and hoop fans were lined up before the doors even opened. The holiday weekend got off to a bang as soon as the first games tipped off, and…
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Continue ReadingThe buzz at Gold Crown Gym started well before tip-off as parents and hoop fans were lined up before the doors even opened. The holiday weekend got off to a bang as soon as the first games tipped off, and the fireworks didn’t stop all night. A full slate of 16U action gave a quick taste of what’s to come the rest of the weekend. Full disclaimer here, I wasn’t able to catch every team play Friday night, so I will be seeing some teams play for the first time on Saturday. From the games I was able to see, a few players really stood out:
Ryan Leopold 2023: Mile High Magic
Versatility is the name of the game here. Ryan did a little bit of everything, except for scoring, which he did a lot! He exploded with 7 points in the first 4 minutes of the game and didn’t look back finishing with a game-high 29 points. What impressed me was his nose for the ball, he was always in the right place to be in the action. He did a great job rebounding the ball, easily securing a double double. He scored in the post against smaller guys and was aggressive all night earning multiple trips to the FT line. I like how he used both hands to score in the paint and showed his athleticism with a huge breakaway dunk.
Mike McNair 2023: Gamepoint Inland Empire
Mike showed why the college scouts were watching his game right away. Using his quickness, size and athleticism, he was able to create easy buckets in the half court by getting in the paint and elevating over the top of defenders. He showed his range knocking down a pair of deep 3’s, but was at his best in transition. He’s a coast to coast threat each time he rebounds and has the ability to exploit any seam the defense gives him on the fast break. Really looking for him to have a huge weekend and to set the tone for the rest of his summer.
Parker Steffen 2025: Gamepoint Inland Empire
It’s easy to see why Parker feels so comfortable playing up two classes, he plays the game a different speed than anyone else on the floor. Like Tony Parker did with the Spurs when he led the NBA in points in the paint all those years, Parker simply blew by defenders at will getting to the rim for easy scores. I loved his activity on defense as well, easily getting 6 steals and deflecting at least ten more. Ask any college coach, deflections on defense are a great indicator of defensive activity and translate directly to the winning column.
Zach Uyemura 2023: Colorado Chaos
The Platte Valley High School guard really impressed me with his passing ability. He showed next level ability not only setting up his teammates for easy scores, but I absolutely loved how well he manipulated the defense with his eyes to create the space to deliver the ball to his teammates at the perfect moment. Using his speed to get in the paint, he created easy looks for the Chaos all night by delivering the ball to shooters in perfect rhythm for easy looks, and dropping dimes in traffic to his big men down low. After the game I asked Zach how many assists he had, “Enough to win, Coach” was his reply. Spoken like a true Team-First Point Guard.
Simon Kibbe 2023: Colorado Chaos
Simon’s court presence is immeasurable for a couple reasons: his physicality won’t show up in a stat sheet every night, but his impact on the floor sure will. Physical box outs, solid screens and rim protection, make Zach a throwback big man who can dominate the paint on both ends of the floor. He showed he good footwork and patience around the rim, but I walked away from the game talking about his energy, effort and motor. I didn’t get a tally on his blocked shots, but he seemed to alter everything in the paint. I love his no-fear, hard-nosed, high-energy playing style.
Luke Fenn 2023: Colorado Premier
If you were curious about what all the noise was during the last game of the night, it was the bench and crowd going nuts watching Luke get hot from the outside. While his 17 points looks good on any stat sheet, I was really impressed with his poise as he hit multiple HUGE shots in crunch time down the stretch of a close game. Really looking forward to watching him the rest of the weekend.