What we saw. What to expect pt.1
TexasHoops/GASO Analyst Blue Zertuche is putting together a series of articles noting some of the state's top players from GASO and what to expect when watching them in the weeks to come as recruiters hit the valuable April open periods.
Kaden Archie · Urban DFW Elite 17 Jazzy
About 6-weeks have passed since the end of the high school season and Archie already looks bigger and stronger. During the Great American Shoot-Out, Archie slipped through defenders as he made his way from the wing to the paint and initiated contact. He can play all phases of the game, but his passing ability is and was the one aspect that stood out. Archie has range past the arc and handles it on the perimeter to make his way from point A to point B, but it's the way he sets up his teammates that makes him complete. Look out as Archie climbs up the TexasHoops charts.
Grayson Carter · Dallas Showtyme Elite
It is hard not to continue to rave about the play of Carter and his turnaround as a player. There definitely were some question marks coming into his junior year, but he showed and played willingly as a player who didn't mind getting his hands dirty as a paint player.
Carter displayed that he could play with his back to the basket, and gave a young Guyer team a big target inside. Playing with fast guards and good shooters, Carter could keep himself planted inside.-But now, with Showtyme, Carter has added back some of his perimeter skills to his game in a bigger way. He is shooting the ball with confidence and within the flow of the game. By the end of the spring, we could see Carter as a true inside/out prospect with a high ceiling, but TexasHoops.com/GASO already feels that he is reaching another huge point in his game.
L.J. Cryer · Basketball University Gold 16
Seeing Cryer for the first time in person you could tell he understands the speed of the game. The Morton Ranch HS guard uses speed and quickness to get up the court and maneuver through traffic. Once he breaks the timeline, Cryer can go to work to get his own shot. He also does a good job of playing off the ball and hitting jumpers from inside the arc. Like any freshman, Cryer needs strength to bounce off his more mature opponents, but ball handling, scoring, and on the ball defense is already shaping up.
Brock Cunningham · Urban ASAK 17
You may need an acquired taste for Cunningham because his style of play may not be for everyone, but this Urban ASK/Austin Westlake prospect is tough and high-major programs are crawling with players with Cunningham's strengths. He simply beats down his opponents. When he steps out onto the court he immediately gives you an advantage with his blue-collar style of play.
It goes without saying that he is a tremendous rebounder and worker on the defensive side of the ball. -But offensively, he is a sneaky-good shooter creating opportunities stepping away from the basket because he can beat a bigger defender to spots. The shot isn't pretty, but he always gets it off and makes shots. Inside the paint, Cunningham is a warrior and a crafty scorer.
Carson Hughes · 3D Empire
Hughes was a big part of his Keller High School's state-run this past season and he continues to move along nicely with his shot making ability doing the talking for him. In no way does he have an intimidating presence, but the 6-foot-5 shooter brings his hard hat to the court.
You may not expect it but give him a lane and he can throw it down. Give him a clear view of the rim and he will Drain the three. However, the most impressive part of his game is rebounding. Hughes is long and thin (though he has packed on muscle) and he loves mixing it up with the big boys. It should come as no surprise that the 3D Empire prospect will consistently hover around the double digit mark on rebounds.
Jaedon LeDee · Texas PRO 17
After watching Jae Ledee, his strength is in the middle of the paint. He has a mature college ready body and when he gets position he can move opponents out of the way.
His arms and upper body strength is too much for defenders to handle and he sniffs out the ball for rebounds whenever he is around the rim. Ledee is a "tweener" at the forward spot, but he is too valuable to sit on the perimeter. He has the make-up of a power forward, and add a dash of skill to his game and you have a 6-foot-9 man-child who can take the ball 15 feet away from the basket and make space for a jumper.
Ledee impacts the game down low and is a double -double threat. He has a soft touch around the rim and an effective jumper.
Darius McBride · Urban ASAK 17
You can check off the boxes with McBride as he is a young athletic wing who has been one of the state's top sophomores. At 6-foot-3, McBride will take the defender off the dribble and absorb the contact from his opponents once he is near the rim. A quick off the dribble scorer, McBride will drive by his man and hit short-range jumpers.
McBride shows that he will go toe-to-toe with his opposition no matter the name or status of that player. He is known for his big game offensive outputs in central Texas, and fans and colleges programs will like what he brings to the game.
Darius Miles · Urban DFW Elite 16 - Galen
So many things to like about the Urban DFW/Lancaster big man. First, Miles has noticeably trimmed down and the 6-foot-10 prospect says he has lost over 60 pounds. Secondly, he is light on his feet, moves in the paint and has a long frame. A third point is Miles is needing strength and to be more aggressive, however, only a freshman Mile's can score around the rim, protect the paint on the defensive side of the ball and run the floor. Expect high-major coaches to line up to get an evaluation.
Marek Nelson · Lone Star Elite
We can call Nelson a success story as he left a few scholarships on the table last summer (low-mid major offers) to test the waters and see what his senior year would bring him. Nelson is now sitting on an offer from Kansas State and the 6-foot-7 slender forward showed why he would receive such an offer.
He is skilled and slides through cracks in the defense to score. He can play both forward spots and plays with instincts. Around the rim, he gets his hands on putbacks and has a soft floater. Away from the ball, Nelson will nail the three-pointer off the pick and pop. He is a pure athlete with raw abilities. He has shown vast improvement on many fronts and we should know more about the Plano, TX native's future in the upcoming weeks.
Zach Nutall · Texas PRO 17
Nutall, an unknown among the TexasHoops/GASO staff and the state, but he introduced himself with his aggressive style of play. The 6-foot-2 wing makes his way to the rim as he gets in attack mode during a game. Besides being a great athlete, Nutall showed he could handle the ball and knock down perimeter shots. There is a lot to like about his overall game, and Nutall is about to explode onto recruiters list.