Standout players from #ThePlatform Pt. II
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Submitted by Terry Drake Here is part 2 of standouts that I saw at #ThePlatform in Birmingham, AL. Just like part one’s players, this bunch did not disappoint. Josiah Butler/ 6’3 / Combo Guard / Wisconsin Crusaders 17U Premier 2022…
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Continue ReadingSubmitted by Terry Drake
Here is part 2 of standouts that I saw at #ThePlatform in Birmingham, AL. Just like part one’s players, this bunch did not disappoint.
Josiah Butler/ 6’3 / Combo Guard / Wisconsin Crusaders 17U Premier
2022 / Fox Valley Lutheran High School (Appleton, WI)
Instagram: J.osia.h
Josiah had one of the smoothest jumpers I saw all weekend at #ThePlatform. He has excellent shooting mechanics and touch from all levels. He knows how to get to his spots on the floor, and his ability to elevate makes his pull-up J challenging to defend. Scoring is the strength of his game, and at times he made it seem effortless. He has a nice pace to his game, and not once did I see him get rushed or hurried. He handled defensive pressure and displayed a brilliant floor game under constant pressure. He was impressive in his ability to draw fouls on the D and get to the line. He poured in a game-high 21pts in a 75-62 win over the Auburn Raptors 2022. Opportunities for Growth: Continue working in the weight room, getting his body ready for an opportunity at the next level.
Isaiah Carr/ 6’11 / Power Forward & Center / D1 New Mexico 2022 / Las
Cruces High (Las Cruces, NM)
Instagram: isaiahcarr.24
Isaiah has good size and a nice wingspan, and it was a great benefit on both ends of the court. As expected, he contested and altered shots in the paint and at the rim. He played with his back to the basket and had a nice face-up game out of the post catch. He was most efficient on the right block, which seemed like his comfortable place on the court. He also showed a nice spin move that he has in his toolbox when on the low block. He has a nice mid-range J that he used to put points on the board. He has a nice arsenal on the offensive end of the court, and he knows how to score in the paint and at the rim. In a tough 66-68 loss to SSA Hoops Elite 2022, Isaiah dropped 21pts. Opportunities for Growth: I would like to see Isaiah assert himself more and be more dominant on both ends of the court. At times it looked as though he was trying to use his length to make up for plays that he did not give maximum effort. He is too good of a player not to give his all each possession. Continued work in the weight room, getting ready for the next level.
Mekhi Collins/ 6’4 / Small Forward / MN Fury Wilde 2022 / Mankato
West High School (Mankato, MN)
Instagram: mekhi.collins
What got me watching Mekhi was his activity on the defensive end of the court. He is very instinctive, and his help defense was some of the best played at #ThePlatform. He plays the passing lanes exceptionally well and has excellent technique coupled with quick hands and quick feet. He has a lot of versatility on D and can defend multiple positions. His strength allowed him to defend the post against taller, leaner bigs. He has the capacity to be a lockdown defender. Mekhi played big on the defensive end, but his game did not shrink on the offensive end. He moves well without the ball and creates offense by attacking the rim. He can score the rock, and against Team Teague (Turner), he impacted the game late with some huge buckets, helping to keep Team Teague at bay. I really liked Mekhi’s grit and toughness and his demeanor of just going out and handling business. In the game against Team Teague (Turner), Mekhi finished with a team-high 17pts. Opportunities for Growth: Continued work from behind the arc. Continue work on his strength, speed, and quickness as he seeks an opportunity at the next level.
Antoine Arnett / 6’5 / Combo Guard / NEBC 2022 / Sterling High School
(Somerdale, NJ)
Instagram: a.glocc
For those of you that have never met Double-A on the court, let me warn you that he is looking to catch a body. He will rise up on you and will try your attempt to block his shot at the rim. He plays at and above the rim. He has freakish athleticism. He attacks the rim with a high level of aggression, is a tough guard off the bounce, and gave on-ball defenders fits as they tried multiple ways to defend him, all seeming futile. He has a repertoire of offensive moves that he uses to produce. With the ball in his hands, he is a playmaker that creates his own shots and creates shots for others. He had some electric moments in a game against Old School Wings 2022. In that game, Double-A finished with 17pts, as his team fell 73-87 to OSW. Opportunities for Growth: Continued work on his production from behind the arc. Continued work in the gym, getting his body ready for an opportunity at the next level. I would also like to see him continue to increase his play coming off-ball screens.
Reggie Bass/ 6’5 / Combo Guard / Team Teague (Turner) 2022 / Arsenal
Technically High School (Indianapolis, IN)
Instagram: Thereall.reggie
I’ve had the opportunity to watch Reggie for a couple of years now, even before I started covering events from a media/scout perspective. He has consistently increased his pedigree and improved his physical tools. His game has matured in so many ways over the years, and he has put himself in a position to finish his high school career strong and have an opportunity at a nice career at the next level. He is an all-around player that does so many things well on the court. He can score, facilitate, rebound, shoot the 3 with range, play in ball screen action and make high-level decisions as the ball-handler, has vision and accuracy when it comes to dishing the rock, can handle the rock, has a high-level IQ, and the list could go on and on. He has grown into a mature player, and the game has really slowed down for him at this age and stage. He was a steady and stabilizing factor for Team Teague throughout #ThePlatform tourney. Against Georgia Stars, he finished with a team-high 16pts. Against Minnesota Fury (Wilde), he finished with a game-high 29pts. Opportunities for Growth: Getting his body ready for the next level. Studying players of his similar body type and type of play that had good careers at the next level.
There has been a lot of basketball on deck this month, so I will make sure I get my final article from #ThePlatform out to you quickly!