PH Hard Work Region Finals 15U: Top Wings
With all of the Prep Hoops Circuit Region Finals this past weekend, there were tons of high-level prospects competing across the country. At the Hard Work Region Finals, there were so many great wing prospects to watch. These five guys…
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Continue ReadingWith all of the Prep Hoops Circuit Region Finals this past weekend, there were tons of high-level prospects competing across the country. At the Hard Work Region Finals, there were so many great wing prospects to watch. These five guys are the ones that I thought showed the most potential or had the best performances.
Owen Waldoch– 6’3″ wing- MN Heat PBJ/Forest Lake
Owen had a really good weekend shooting the basketball. He’s got really good balance whenever he catches the ball on the perimeter. Once he’s knocked down a triple or two, then he looks to attack off the catch. He showed off a nice mid-range game by knocking down multiple pull-up jumpers and seemed to stay in attack mode. He’s a good cutter with a high-level understanding of spacing so he’s never clogging up driving lanes and is consistently finding open spots on the floor. I want him to work on getting to the rim more and finishing. He’s long enough and strong enough to finish inside, and it’ll allow him to get to the free-throw line more often. Overall, he showed off a ton of scoring ability that he can build upon this winter with Forest lake
Keaton Frisch– 6’6″ wing- WI Academy Elite/Waunakee
Keaton is a prospect that has the chance to be really good. He already stands 6’6″ with super long arms and legs, as well as great agility and athleticism for a kid his size. A lot of kids that are that long and tall aren’t coordinated and can’t really handle the ball too well, but Keaton has a good handle and is very comfortable operating on the perimeter. He didn’t have the best shooting weekend, but the shots he took were high-level shots that he seemed very comfortable with. He needs to get a bit stronger as it seemed like he’d get to open spots and then just leave the ball a little short or he’d get bumped off his driving lane as he attacked. His length helps him defensively and he’s oozing with potential on that side of the ball. If he continues to develop and adds some strength and consistency, he’s going to have every chance to be a scholarship college basketball player because of his length, athleticism, and ability to play the wing.
Jaden Morgan– 6’3″ wing- MN Select Altenhofen/Henry Sibley
Jaden hopped on with Select Altenhofen for the month of July and he clicked very well with their play style. He’s 6’3 with super long arms and great athleticism. He played mostly the 2 and 3 this weekend, but he’s got the handle and decision-making to slide to the point as well. He finished well around the rim by showing off a bunch of crafty moves which are only made easier by his body control and how quickly he can leave the floor. He’s really good at using off-ball screens to free himself up and his footwork on moving catch-and-shoot opportunities was outstanding. His release is very smooth and consistent, which helped him knocked down multiple midrange jumpers and corner threes. He’s got good defensive anticipation and his long arms are perfect for jumping passing lanes. I really like his skill set and I think he can be a high-level prospect if he adds a bit of muscle to his frame.
Caleb Purcell– 6’3″ wing- MN Fury Zurn/Annandale
Caleb is another Fury Zurn guy and I think the theme for all the prospects from that team is tough and steady. He doesn’t get rattled if he misses a shot or makes a mistake. he just moves on and looks to make the next play. Caleb’s specialty is catch-and-shoot three-point shooting. He’s got good balance, clean form, and a quick release. All of which equates to a very consistent shot from deep. Not only that, but he does a great job of using screens and relocating to the basketball. It felt like the defense always lost track of him, which is amazing considering he knocked down multiple threes in pretty much every game I watched him play in and he wore a bright yellow arm sleeve all weekend. All jokes aside, Caleb is a solid shooter who can finish around the rim and play quality positional defense. He’s a very coachable kid who will be fun to watch develop going forward.
JJ Hernandez– 6’5″ wing- Swish Chicago/Glenbard North
JJ has really great size and strength for a player of his age and position. His downhill attacks are forceful and he takes hits on his way to the rim like he’s a football player. He’s a very confident shooter and is unfazed if he misses a shot or two. His form is very consistent and he can knock down shots from deep off the catch or off the dribble. On the defensive end, he’s a solid on-ball defender. He moves his feet and really bothers opponents with how strong he plays. His length allows him to match up with slower forwards but he’s quick enough to guard smaller players, making him very versatile. I think he got a little handsy at times, which lead to some unnecessary fouls but I appreciate how physical he’s willing to be as a defender. As he matures, I think his shot selection and consistency get even better and his measurables are already really good.