Live Period II: 2020/2021 Standouts
The second live period has come to a close and coaches are back at the respective schools, we are back at home, and prospects are fielding calls from those interested in them from their play. Today, we take a look back and see who played well and who some new names are from this weekend. While I mostly watched 2019 kids, I also saw a couple 2020 teams play. This is a breakdown of the standout 2020 and 2021’s that I saw on the weekend from the Spring Classic and UA Midwest Showcase.
Jake Wadding | 6’4 SG | 2020 | Indiana GAME | Chesterton (IN)
Wadding is a tough nosed kid who plays with a ton of energy. He has a ton of length which helps him contest shots and finish at the rim. He is really versatile with his toughness and is able to score at all three levels. A really solid kid who with confidence could be unstoppable due to his skill.
Pryce Punkay | 6’3 SG | 2020 | Champaign Heat | The Champaign Central (IL)
Punkay is a thick wing who has the ability to shoot it from deep as well as score the ball inside. He has decent handles but needs to get stronger with his left hand. He’s a guy who could be a role player at a D3 school or a solid NAIA player. It’s all about whether or not he develops this year.
Dain Dainja | 6’8 PF | 2020 | Grassroots Sizzle | Park Center (MN)
Dainja is a guy who I really enjoyed watching as he is a power forward, but has the ability to handle the ball in space. He was playing the lead guard role of bringing the ball up the court for his team during the game. He has a shot that looks pretty solid for his size. Going to be a highly coveted recruit because he is pretty versatile.
Nico Mannion | 6’3 PG | 2020 | West Coast Elite | Pinnacle (AZ)
I loved Mannion’s game this weekend. He is a super active lead guard who has great court vision and ability to pass the ball. He has a great looking outside shot and can cut his way to the rim without much effort. Mannion is a guy who is highly sought after by almost everyone in the country and if he grows a few more inches he will be one of the best players in the country, if not the best.
Chet Holmgren | 6’11 PF | 2021 | Grassroots Sizzle | Minnehaha Academy (MN)
Holmgren is a super thin forward who has a bit of touch around the rim and can move pretty well. He needs to focus on gaining some weight before next year so he can get used to playing with a bit of weight on his body but overall he was pretty decent. He has a jumper from the outside that he can use but needs to be able to score inside more often rather than rely on his outside shot.