2019 Class: Trending Up Players To Watch At State Tournament
Continuing on with our preview of the Idaho state tournament, we move our focus to the 2019 class to gauge what sort of impact some of the top juniors will have this week in the Treasure Valley.
As with the 2018 class and their assumed motivation to turn it on in front of onlookers this week the same can be said for the 2019 class who will be looking to make a statement regarding their overall recruitment by showing up and putting up big numbers while also leading their team to a hopeful state championship. There is no better way to set yourself up and make your name known moving forward than by balling out on the state’s biggest stage this week.
With that said, here is our top 2019 Trending Up players to watch for this week at the state tournament.
It’s a guard thing
The top of the 2019 class is dominated by excellent guards and many of them will be on hand in the Treasure Valley this week. Beginning first with our second ranked overall player, Genesis Prep’s Jonny Hillman enters the week hot and fresh off a district title. Hillman has took home a PHID POTW award earlier this season and has been nominated a handful of times. He can put up big points in a hurry and also dominate other statistical categories.
Most recently, Hillman posted 22 points in their win over Lakeside. If Genesis Prep plans to repeat as state champs, it will be in large part because of Hillman.
Two Treasure Valley players who have been red hot and will be players to key in on will be Borah’s Ellis Magnuson and Vallivue’s Amoro Lado. Both can impact the game in a number of ways and both play the game with intense passion. We love how each of these kids battle and always show their toughness when driving in the paint. We expect each one of these guards to have an excellent showing this week.
Declo’s Keegan Duncan had a 28 point game recently and remains one of his team’s greatest strengths. Duncan has had a great junior season and will look to keep things going at the tournament. Another guard who has went big in the points category is North Fremont’s Garrett Hawkes. Despite losing in his team’s district tournament title game, Hawkes went for 40 points and put on a show. Hawkes will need to keep up that kind of production if he wants to take his team far in the tournament.
We have also been really impressed by the recent play of Moscow’s Gabe Quinnett. Quinnett is averaging 24 points in his last two contests so he is coming in with a hot hand to the tournament.
It’s Michael Ure’s world, we’re just living in it
Ririe’s Michael Ure has had a tremendous junior season, he was a fixture in our PHID POTW nominations and for good reason. Against North Fremont recently Ure went for a cool 26 points, 13 rebounds and 3 steals. That sort of stat line has become the norm for this 6 foot 7 forward. Ure has been a problem for opposing teams all season and he has demonstrated his ability to take over a game this year on multiple occasions.
Entering the tournament Ure is carrying averages of 19.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.4 blocks, 2.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
Will they keep on rising?
We have seen a number of 2019 prospects climb our rankings during the season and we expect that to continue being the case as the state tournament unfolds. Century’s Deshun Harwell will get an opportunity to showcase his stuff when he and his team face off against Bishop Kelly on Thursday night. The Boise State connection is an interesting one here as Max Rice will be a walk-on next season for the Broncos and another Harwell, Malek Harwell is currently on the Boise State squad. Will Harwell take the opportunity to showcase his stuff against one of the state’s premiere talents in Rice?
Boise’s Cole Alton has been an excellent player to watch and follow this season. Alton can impact the game in so many ways and has shown an ability to play tough defense for his team, which has hung their hat on that sort of play. Boise went through a rough stretch to get into the tournament but as we all know, once you’re in anything can happen. Alton could put together a series of strong games and continue his move up our rankings in time for our final release at the end of the season, we shall see.
One of the most interesting prospects not just in the 2019 class, but in the entire state has to be Genesis Prep’s Kon Ajang. Once again, here is a little taste of what the forward with ridiculous upside can do…
Kon Ajang ‘19 of @GPA_Jaguars at @TP_HdayClassic pic.twitter.com/JtdVp773TZ
— NateThoreson (@NateThoreson) December 30, 2017
Ajang comes into the tournament on a series of strong games including his last performance as he went for 19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks and 3 assists in his team’s win over Lakeside. Could there be more above the rim action from this leaper at the state tournament? We hope so!
Another potential dominate big is Twin Falls Mitchell Brizee, we like what we have seen from as of late and with his size and in the right sort of tempo, his impact could be immense if Twin Falls is able to make a run this week. Staying with Twin Falls, one of their leaders guard Faust Ystueta has been noticeably hot entering the tournament and we expect a big game from his as they square off first against reigning back-to-back state champs Preston.
A number of these aforementioned 2019s will no doubt leave their mark this week at the state tournament as well as a few others we haven’t mentioned. Regardless, the young crop of talent in Idaho will be on full display and we can’t wait!