GameChangers: Top 250 Showcase MVP and First Team
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Over 100 players descended on MidAmerica SportsCenter Saturday morning to compete in the annual Prep Hoops Kentucky Top 250 Showcase. Games were competitive all day and several players burst on the scene for the first time. Here’s a look at the camp MVP as well as the First Team selections.
MVP:
It was a tough decision between Robinson and Hayden Blakeman Hayden Blakeman 6’5″ | SF Green County | 2025 State KY for MVP honors but the Senior gets the nod. Keith was consistent all day long and does everything a team needs in order to get wins. The 6’5 Senior has infectious energy as a teammate and was a good role model for the younger players on his team. He showed he can score the ball at all three levels and his motor ran all camp long.
First Team:
Hayden had the first couple of buckets of the day for his team and never really slowed down after that. Blakeman knocked down perimeter jumpers and scored at the rim. He rebounded well and had several blocks on the defensive end. If anyone kept scoring stats from the day’s games, the Sophomore from Green County may have been the top overall scorer.
No one could stay in front of Smith all day long. I’m not even sure I saw Taveon take a single jumper over the course of the day and he didn’t really need to. Smith was able to get into the paint at will and excelled as a finisher, converting several And-1 opportunities over the course of 3 games.
Jakob played with the ball in his hands more than I’ve ever seen before and he was able to get downhill and finish. The big man also knocked down several jumpers. For being a “big”, the 6’8 Fredricksen rarely went into the post on Saturday and he didn’t need to as he showed he can be just as effective out on the wing.
Highlights
For geographical reasons, Saturday was the first extended look I’ve had at Finley and came away impressed. He gets to his spots on offense and knocked down a ton of shots on Saturday, including a game winner. Calloway County has a really good young core and Eli looks like a top Sophomore in the Western Kentucky area.
Gibson was the biggest participant at camp on Saturday and he took advantage of it by living around the rim on offense and being one of the day’s best rebounders. Sam was a mismatch for every opposing team and made the most of his post touches when they came to him. He continues to improve his foot speed and the 7 footer has a chance to earn scholarship offers in the near future.