Colorado Top 250 Expo: Top 2018 & 2019 Performances
Nearly 100 juniors and seniors brought great energy to the Gold Crown Fieldhouse on Sunday morning during the four-hour Top 250 Expo. Both in individual drills and the team games that followed, there were a number of players who put their best foot forward. That made the task of selecting top standouts for the camp (in no particular order) a difficult one. But accounting for effort on both ends, playmaking, efficiency in drills and several other factors we made our list, which also includes some honorable mentions.
MVP: Daylen Kountz, 6-4 2018 guard, Denver East
Kountz had verbally committed to the University of Colorado only a few days earlier. He could have spent Sunday with his feet up. Instead, he found an opportunity to compete and took it, a lesson for players who don’t possess his talents. You have to choose to get better every day, and it’s clear Kountz has done that. He’s become straight up deadly from 3-point range. It seemed you could count his long-range misses on one hand Saturday. He dominated while also finding teammates. Kountz has a state title and a player of the year award in his sights for his senior season. It’s why he keeps putting in the work we saw Sunday.
Jon’il Fugett (pictured), 6-0 2018 guard, George Washington
What impressed most about Fugett was his defensive effort didn’t wane as the day dragged on. He remained engaged through each of the three games he played and simply controlled the game at the point guard spot. He’s ball-handling has come a long way, and he’s determined to get his long range shot in rhythm. He knocked down shots with great consistency Sunday.
Xavier Cooper, 6-3 2018 guard, George Washington
This is probably as good as we’ve seen Cooper look since his sophomore year, when he was at Thomas Jefferson. He sat out his junior season after transferring to GW, and he was quick and mobile Sunday. He’s trimmed his frame and was moving well on the court. Cooper has a strong upper body and is great at finishing through contact. He was force in the open court on Sunday.
Andre Sepeda, 5-8 2019 guard, Greeley West
Sepeda was a scoring machine throughout Sunday’s game. He got baskets in bunches, both with his ability to get into the lane and finish against taller defenders and hit from the outside. His jumper was falling consistently, and when he has that going, it’s hard to stop him. Sepeda’s task as a junior leader at G-West this year will be to continue to work at making his teammates better, setting them up for easy baskets. His high IQ with the basketball makes him dangerous as a playmaker, and he consistently stood out with his quickness and playmaking at the Expo.
Tanner Giles, 6-1 2019 guard, Chaparral
Giles is just a heady player who makes great decisions with the ball. What we liked Sunday was how he always seemed to be in perpetual motion. In other words, he rarely picks up his dribble and he’s constantly cutting and moving when he didn’t have the ball in his hands. Doing that constantly put pressure on defense, and that motor helped Giles continually make plays. He’s a deft ball-handler and can really knock down shots when he gets into his rhythm. He’s one of the biggest risers in his class right now.
Ja’Shawn Chisel, 6-4 2018 guard, Denver East
Buckle up. That was the reaction every time Chisel came tearing down the floor. That’s because seemingly every time Chisel was heading downhill to ward the basket, he was usually preparing for liftoff. He must have approached 12 dunks by the time the day was done, including one dunk that was as much of a poster as we’ve seen in two-plus years closely covering the Colorado hoops scene. Chisel is among the most athletic players in the state, and he proved that he can do major damage if you don’t account for him on the break.
Chase Hettinger, 6-5 2019 guard, Castle View
Hettinger created constant mismatches with his size. He’s quick enough to get by even smaller guards, and he can be a load to handle when he gets to the rim. He shot it with good consistency during drills and played with a consistent motor throughout the games.
Hunter Shkapich, 6-1 2019 guard, Valor Christian
The athleticism was on display during not only games, but breaks in the action as well. Shkapich put on an impromptu dunking exhibition during periods in between games. He has great elevation and can finish above the rim with ease. But it’s also clear he’s working to refine other parts of his game. He hit with consistency from 3-point range during the event and created some havoc as an on-ball defender. After two years at 3A Colorado Academy, we’re eager to see how Shkapich fares as he elevates his competition with the move this year to 4A Valor Christian.
Justin McCaw, 6-2 2018 guard, ThunderRidge
McCaw plays with excellent energy. He’s constantly putting his body on the line on both ends of the court. He controlled the games with his aggressiveness. He’s also got nice skill and did a nice job finding his teammates — on time and on target — in the open court. He’s got good physical strength and uses it to finish effectively through contact.
Levi Dombro, 6-2 2019 guard, Grandview
Dombro is a natural scorer whose game has taken off over the last few months, thanks in large part to the confidence he gained over a strong spring and summer in which he was asked to be a featured scorer with the Colorado Chaos. Dombro is nearly automatic from the mid-range. He’s great at finding the holes in defenses with pump fakes and one-dribble pull-ups to get to his most effective shot.
Michaleke Baker, 5-10 2018 guard, Gateway
Baker is a well-rounded, plus athlete who affects the game in multiple ways. He can dunk the ball off a standing vertical at maybe 5-10, so that speaks to some of his explosiveness. On Sunday, he was also one of the top rebounders. He just goes after the ball and wills himself into making plays. He also has a good demeanor and stays even-keeled throughout the game.
Bryson Becker, 6-8 2019 forward, Platte Valley
Becker was the best big man in attendance, using an improving repertoire of offensive moves to produce one of the best overall scoring performances at the camp. Becker seems to be constantly improving his agility as he gets more comfortable with his footwork. With size 18 shoes, it’s likely Becker still has some physical growth to do. As he continues to hone his passing and shooting skills, that will only help him be more versatile.
Honorable Mentions
Jaren LaCabe, 6-3 2018 guard, Vista Peak; Brandon Williams, 6-4 2018 guard, George Washington; Blake Williams, 6-6 2018 guard, Rock Canyon; Sebastian Zehnder, 6-2 2018 guard, Platte Valley; Noah Martinez, 5-11 2018 guard, Falcon; Brock Lane, 6-4 2018 forward, Strasburg; Jackson Lamb, 6-0 2019 guard, Dakota Ridge; Kevin DiMarco, 6-7 2019 forward, Coal Ridge; Caleb Davis, 6-5 2019 forward; Grand Junction Central; Jaedon Bowles, 6-6 2019 forward, Manual; Earl Boykins, 5-6 2019 guard, Douglas County; Avery Rembao, 6-5 2019 forward, Loveland; Blake Whitelaw, 6-7 2019 forward, George Washington.