Elite 14 Recap: Super Sophomores
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Many of Oklahoma’s current crop of sophomores already had strong varsity debuts during their freshman season. What are they going to do for an encore? Apparently soar even higher, if Saturday at the Elite 14 showcase was any indication. Here’s a group of four that college coaches are already and will be keeping tabs on.
David Castillo, 6’1 Guard Class of 2024, Bartlesville
It’s rare to have an Oklahoma sophomore as skilled as this Bartlesville Bruin. In past insistences this high skill level has been a sign of future success with names like Shake Milton, Trae Young and Bryce Thompson leaping to mind. They’re big shoes that Castillo is walking in, but so far he’s matching every step. Saturday was an another example of this. Bartlesville is a scrappy squad around the sophomore, but for most of them this was a step up in competition but not for Castillo. He did what great players do, they not only produce but they trust their teammates and elevate their team as a whole.
Castillo was a score first player in that game against North Crowley, for good reason. He’s able to get into the lane, where his strength and skill created space for floaters and strong finishing. He didn’t neglect his jumper either, as he can stop and pull up or stretch the defense with bombs from deep. But while focused on scoring, he didn’t stifle his teammates and trusted them to make plays as well. Which will have long term benefits for himself as a player and the Bruins as a team.
The University of Texas is the latest program to offer Castillo. They join a deep list of Power 5 programs vying for his college decision, which will surely only grow as Castillo continues to rack up the points for Bartlesville.
Dalen Fuller, 6’3 Guard, Class of 2024, Union
There’s probably not a better pure athlete in the sophomore class than Fuller. Maybe not in any class in Oklahoma from a vertical explosiveness standpoint. The 918 standout explodes when it’s time to attack the rim, and showed off with a very impressive windmill slam in transition. That elite athleticism translates to the rest of the game with his hair on fire playing style. Which is good, because he’s going to make plays happen off grit and athletic ability. But it can lead to him playing out of control and forcing off balanced jumpers and drives into traffic. Even with his immense athletic gifts, Fuller must improve his decision making on the offensive end and valuing the ball more.
Chris Mason, 6’6 Forward Class of 2024, Union
The Union Redhawk has one of the higher upsides in this class thanks to his combination of size and athletic ability. Still though, he got off to a slow start on Saturday before he crashed the offensive glass for an impressive tip dunk. That dunk kickstarted a strong performance in the second half of their scrimmage against Houston Christian. Mason spent more of the second frame of that scrimmage working in the post and using his size and strength and flying around with purpose. He recorded a big hustle block to prevent a jam, and started to crash the offensive glass with renewed vigor.
In an afternoon showing against North Crowley, Mason showed a little more versatility with a nice turn around jumper off a post up. Along with getting out in transition for multiple slams. With his combination of athleticism and power, the sophomore can already be one of the most dominant forces in Oklahoma this winter. And while he’s adding more skill to his bag is big for the long run, it’s important he continues to play hungry on the glass and as a defender like he did on Saturday.
Chiante Tramble, 6’0 Guard Class of 2024, Moore
Tramble is another player that stands out from a skill level and cerebral aspect. He’s savvy on both ends of the court and a competitor. This was evident in how he defends. Many young players still have habits of playing with their hands and not their feet, Tramble consistently used angles to bother the opposition and he takes pride in it. Even drawing a big charge, which looked to be the most excited he got in a match up against Allen.
On the offensive end, it’s similar with tight handles and strong moves to get into the lane and score. Long term, it’s going to come down to maximizing his athleticism to reach potential. Right now he’s not the most explosive athlete, and given his skill level he won’t need to be a mega athlete to be successful. It’s just about making sure he’s ready for the eventual jump in size and athletic ability that college will bring, which is what improving his quickness would do.