NIAA State Tournament Preview: Top Sleepers Vol 1
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The NIAA state playoffs begin this Thursday, February 24th. The 4A, 3A, and 1A state titles will be decided in Las Vegas at the Cox Pavillion. Winning a state title is the dream of every player, and for all the…
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Continue ReadingThe NIAA state playoffs begin this Thursday, February 24th. The 4A, 3A, and 1A state titles will be decided in Las Vegas at the Cox Pavillion. Winning a state title is the dream of every player, and for all the participants that dream lies just two wins away. These games provide a terrific opportunity to see some players who I rarely get to lay eyes on. In this article, we take a look at our top Sleepers at the State Tournament.
Joshua Valencia Joshua Valencia 6'3" | C GV Christian | 2023 State NV 6’3 C Green Valley Christian 2023 – Excited to see Valencia play. The big body post has racked up impressive numbers over his first two seasons. He leads GVC in as a 1 seed in the 1A bracket. If his size, strength, and rebounding are on display, he should be fun to watch.
Jake Soleman Jake Soleman 6'6" | PF Hug | 2024 State NV 6’4 PF Sage Ridge 2024 (#43PHN 2024) – Got a good look at Soleman this summer and I liked him. Looks like his play has transitioned to the high school season. The skilled lefty was one of the leading scorers for the youngest teams in the state.
Carson Kingston Carson Kingston 6'3" | SG Fernley | 2022 State NV 6’2 SG Fernley (#51PHN 2022) – Kingston has been one of the most under-the-radar players for the past couple of seasons. The sharpshooting senior brings Fernly into Vegas as the 2 seed from the North. He’s a capable scorer that averaged almost 14ppg this year.
Gavin Douglas Gavin Douglas 6'7" | SF Boulder City | 2022 State NV 6’7 SF Boulder City 2022 (#37PHN 2022) – Douglas is one of the top R&J guys in town this weekend. The athletic forward comes in off a remarkable season for Boulder City. The stage has an opportunity to be a coming-out party of sorts for the senior. Douglas has the ability to impact his bracket, with his slashing, rebounding, and defense.
Martin Thompson Martin Thompson 5'11" | PG Boulder CIty | 2022 State NV 6’0 SG Boulder City 2022 (featured image) – I love Martin Thompson Martin Thompson 5'11" | PG Boulder CIty | 2022 State NV . A card-carrying member of my all pitbull team, the rugged guard will provide the Eagles with much-needed toughness. Along with his intangibles, the gritty senior guard impacts games with his scoring and rebounding. Thompson finished second on the team in both.
Michael Klekas Michael Klekas 6'3" | SF Elko | 2022 State NV 6’3 SF Elko 2022 (#11PHN 2022) – It’s odd to label a player as good as Klekas as a sleeper, however very few have gotten to lay eyes on him. When they do, expect jaws to drop. The highly skilled senior forward is a playmaker, capable of knocking down tough shots, rebounding, and creating for teammates.
Isaiah Dahl Isaiah Dahl 6'4" | SG Elko | 2022 State NV 6’3 SG Elko 2022 (#29PHN 2022) – Keep an eye out for Dahl this weekend. The senior sharpshooter is one of the best of the move shooters we have in the state. Dahl has good size for his position and possesses a fundamentally sound shooting game. His mere presence on the floor takes the pressure off Klekas as Dahl has the ability to quickly change the scoreboard if left open.
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