2018 Class: Trending Up Players To Watch At State Tournament
It has come down to this week for a number of hoopers in the state of Idaho. One last chance to string together their best performances in hopes of grabbing a state championship. For the 2018 class it is especially significant as this is the final run at this level for this group.
A number of 2018 prospects have strung together impressive games as of late and seem to be hot at the perfect time for their teams. As a whole, in this 2018 group you can find leadership from a number of kids and also intense desires to win. Whether you’re looking for solid post play, electric shooting or high flying wing action this group will have you covered this upcoming week at the state tournament.
Below is our list of the trending up players entering the state tournament week and who we think will ball out and impress once again as these prospects look to end their prep careers with some hardware.
Crowded at the top
With the exception of 4 players in our top 20 ranked players for the 2018 class, the remaining bunch will all be on display at the state tournament this week. That is great news for onlookers who want to see these top talents tested in the most tightest moments of the entire season.
Beginning first with arguably the top team in the entire state, Preston will bring it’s duo of Brayden Parker and Derek Wadsworth to the Treasure Valley once again and in search of a three peat. Both players have posted 18 points in recent games (Parker vs Idaho Falls and Wadsworth vs Blackfoot) and both will look to carry the load for their team in their upcoming run at the state tournament. We are especially excited to see how Parker’s game has evolved this past season and how once again he will fend off opposing team’s defenses focused on slowing him down in the middle. For Wadsworth, we expect to see leadership, grit and flat out production.
Two of the Treasure Valley’s top players will be on full display as Jalen Galloway and Max Rice both will be competing this week. Galloway, a future College of Idaho Yote, still finished with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks despite losing in the 5A SIC district title game to Rocky Mountain and has really looked great rounding out the season. For future Boise State Bronco Max Rice, it has been much of the same all season for the do-it-all guard. In the 4A SIC district title game, Rice went for 26 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal, a stat line that we will likely see this week from the son of BSU head coach Leon Rice.
Another one of the Treasure Valley’s top 2018 players has been guard Steele Hadlock for Vallivue, however, in his team’s win over Emmett to ultimately punch their ticket to the state tournament, Hadlock posted just 1 point. It was unusual seeing that Hadlock went for 28 points in the game prior to that. In the game against Emmett Hadlock also had 7 rebounds 3 assists and a steal, and will likely be the team leader that he has been all season for his squad when they do battle against Burley on Thursday. A gifted shooter, Hadlock will be fun to watch.
Still staying in the Treasure Valley we have to mention perhaps the hottest team in Valley, Rocky Mountain and their stud Tyler O’Donnell. O’Donnell posted 19 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists in his team’s win over Mountain View to grab the 5A SIC district title and has been on a hot streak as of late. On the season he is averaging 14.9 points and will be a force to be reckoned with come Thursday as they open up play against familiar foe Boise.
A little bit of everything
Moving down our list of 2018 prospects to watch for this week we run into one of the most impressive seasons from a player we saw in the entire state. Dietrich’s Slade Dill enters this week as a heavy favorite to capture a state title which would be fitting to the senior season he has had. Dill has not scored below 20 points in his last three games, and can post double-digit rebounds and go for a heavy amount of blocks on any occasion. The focal point of a very good Dietrich team, look for Dill to produce this week.
Similar to Dill, Burley’s Ryan Bagley has also had a season for the books in his senior year. Bagley enters the week on fire and fresh off a 24 point performance over Twin Falls. Bagley can do a little bit of everything and remains one of the leaders for this squad under the guidance of first year head coach Trent Whiting. Their run could be a deep one this week.
Some other players who can get it done in multiple stat categories are Skyview’s Chris Kielman, who has been solid as of late including a 24 points, 9 rebound and 4 assist effort. Teammate Cayden Wright has shown the ability to put up well-rounded stat lines in helping his team to victories this season as well. Rocky Mountain’s Hunter Ranstorm is another Treasure Valley kid who can put up numbers and will do so this week. Ranstorm had a near triple-double against Mountain View in the 5A SIC district title game going for 11 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists.
Of course, Jake Pfennigs from Post Falls will be looking to put up a double-double and surely some blocks to add on top to his stat line when he laces them up at the state tournament. Pfennigs’s length, which is in large part conducive to his excellent pitching on the baseball diamond (which has him signed to Oregon State) allows him to be a force in the paint both offensively and defensively. He will be one to watch this week and won’t be hard to miss with his trademark flowing long hair style.
Don’t sleep on Mountain View’s Cooper Anderson, he can put up a heavy stat line as well and will look to do so as his team gears up for a hopeful run. Anderson had a 22 point, 9 rebound effort in the first round matchup of the 5A SIC district tournament proving he is a key factor for his team’s success.
Just get buckets
Some of the very best 2018 scorers in the Gem state will be on hand this week starting first with the only McDonald’s nominee in the entire state Lapwai’s Emmitt Taylor III. Taylor III is a long and versatile style scorer who has led his team to an outstanding season at the 1A DI level. We expect big things this week from him and he will surely not disappoint. Snake River’s Clancy Thomas is another small school scoring machine as the Colorado Mesa signee will look to keep his solid play going this week. At his level, his size and strength are difference makers and he could certainly be one of the top players we see all week.
Ambrose’s Ethan Christianson, another baseball standout (headed to Seattle U for baseball) scored an amazing 36 points over Liberty Charter recently and over the season has shown us all that he can flat out get buckets. He is averaging 23.8 points on the year and that includes his monster 56 points effort against Baker (OR) earlier in the year.
We have been impressed by the consistent scoring effort out of Grace’s Paycen Jensen whom recently finished with 28 points in his team’s win over Challis. Another small school stud who will look to make his mark on the tourney this week.
Kellogg’s Chase Jerome is a familiar name to those who follow prep hoops in Idaho and he has turned it on as of late once again just in time for tournament action. The six foot guard finished with 21 points in a recent win over Timberlake. Meanwhile, Sugar-Salem’s Chandler Pincock has been en fuego as well. Pincock has posted an average of 24.3 points in his last three games entering state and will be a force for Sugar-Salem in their upcoming run.
This is just a slice of the immense amount of quality talent in the 2018 class who will be on hand at the state tournament, we can’t wait to see these players try their very best to go out on style.