San Antonio: GASO Wrap Up
San Antonio - The third and final stop for the Great American Shoot-Out Fall Classic was in San Antonio as 37 teams participated in the one-day event. There was plenty of talent on hand for TexasHoops.com/GASO staff to take a peek.
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When looking for second tier players at the guard position, put San Antonio Johnson's Greg Bowie near the top of that list. Bowie's overall game is very smooth and under control. Everything he does on the court is within the flow of the game. Sinking jumpers, splitting the defense to get to the rim or finishing in transition is all within the framework of Bowie's game. The 6-foot-1 trim built combo uses body control to move around defenders once he leaves the floor. Bowie isn't overly athletic or explosive, but he does play with a burst. He has a high skill level and has an extremely good feel for the game. Defensively Bowie uses his long arms and quickness. He can turn and recover in transition.
Top 10 player in the state Victor Bailey of Round Rock McNeil has one of the sweetest mid-range games in the entire class of 2017. Bailey, a lefty, will pull up in transition and drain his open look and when he gets ahead of the pack he lets his athleticism take over and plays above the rim. At 6-foot-4 Bailey is a bigger guard that has a strong upper body and attacks the rim. As he enters the paint, Bailey handles the contact from his opponents.
Austin Westlake entered their second GASO of the fall, and Brock Cunningham was better than his previous outing and looked more comfortable and in the flow of the game. Cunningham was great on the boards for Westlake and pushed his opponents out of his way whether to grab a rebound or to finish. He was also dropping threes and mid-range jumpers. Cunningham's play is crucial for the success of the Chaps. There is a noticeable difference in the teams chemistry with the addition of Cunningham in the middle, and allowing players to play their natural positions.
Converse Wagner are young, and Jalen Jackson is the catalyst running the point guard position as a freshman. Jackson is strong and takes care of the ball racing through traffic and showing maturity as the primary ballhandler. He likes to get the ball in the half-court setting and put his head down penetrating to the basket. Jackson also initiates contact and plays physical, while defensively Jackson puts his quick feet and hands to work as he snatches the ball away from his opponents. Jackson gets ahead of his defenders in a hurry and scores in transition with lay-ins and will hit the pull-up jumper. If he isn't scoring off his penetration, then Jackson is looking for teammates, and DaRaun Clark was the recipient of countless assists from his point guard.
Clark is thin, but he has a nice stroke from behind the arc. He did a good job of running his lane and finding space on the perimeter to get his body squared. It was almost automatic for the 6-foot-3 shooting guard who also put the ball on the floor. Even with his thin frame, Clark still crashed the boards and started the break.
Leander Vista Ridge will lean heavily on a couple of juniors this coming season and the pair would be great pieces at any high school. Brandon Taylor is quite the athlete and if the athleticism didn't grab your attention maybe the continuous tip dunks over defenders did. Taylor is a lanky 6-foot-5 forward that runs the floor and looks to shoot the gaps to sneak his way to the rim. It's easy to lose Taylor on the court due to his quickness, and all he needs is a little daylight to get put backs and rebounds. He may not beat his opponents with his skill, but it's his instincts that do the trick. Taylor also showed the ability to block shots though he isn't a full-time interior player.
Running the point guard position for Vista Ridge is 6-foot Aaron Gregg who is a savvy player with the ball in his hands. Gregg is a shifty guard that can absorb the contact in the lane and finish. He has a nice stroke and will hit the open three. Handling pressure wasn't a problem for Gregg as he can get by defenders or hold them on his hip.
Copperas Cove will rely heavily on the decision making of senior point guard Devante Robinson, and that may be a good idea. Robinson is a next level prospect that will shake off his defenders to create for teammates or get the separation he needs to get his shot off. Robinson can weave through defenses and set up the Copperas Cove offense, and is good at breaking opponents down on either side of the ball.
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• Converse Judson is senior heavy, and guard Jarhen White and the inside presence of Lavaris Duncan was a nice combination for the Rockets. White nailed in three after three and shot the ball with confidence. Duncan is among the under-recruited players in the state. At 6-foot-7, Duncan is a load under the basket and has soft hands and good footwork moving in and out of the paint.
• Austin Anderson seems to be in good shape with what looks to be two future next level players. Forward Deondric Long and point guard James Wright have potential to be leaders for Anderson. Long is an athlete that runs the floor and finishes around the basket, and Wright is a bulldog. Wright sets up his teammates in the half-court and works to get the corner and score in traffic.
• A third Wagner player to keep an eye on is Justice Tolbert from the class of 2018. Tolbert is a slender inside player that scores around the rim with his long frame and reach.
• Westlake's Luke Pluymen is one to keep a close eye on as he is a true point guard and is a threat from behind the arc. Pluymen is skilled and has a high basketball IQ.
• An intriguing post player at Vista Ridge is Jalil Brown, who stands 6-foot-8. The senior is long and has a good body made for a paint player. He rebounds, runs the floor and gets trash buckets.
• Wyatt Behara of Copperas Cove uses old school fundamental moves to score. The class of 2016 big-man is 6-foot-7 and will take up the necessary space on the block and get wide.
• Uncommitted senior Aaron Sancho of San Antonio Jay is a slashing guard that can play multiple spots for the Mustangs. Sancho showed a surge in his transition game and finished above the rim.
• Avery Sullivan and Ahmad O'Neal are both juniors that showed some raw ability around the basket. Both measure at 6-foot-6 and are appealing for Pflugerville High.
• San Antonio Clark's Johnathan Reyes shows flashes of being a difference maker at the point guard position, but he needs to slow his game down at times. Reyes is flashy and super quick with the ball. He makes the new look pass knowing exactly where his teammates will be. Reyes is a creative scorer in the paint off penetration and will get the ball over bigger and taller defenders.
• Kobe Thompson from Leander High is a multi-dimensional forward that can be used on the block or out on the perimeter. The lefty squares his body and uses a soft stroke. He can extend his game to the three-point line, but he is most effective within 15-feet of the basket. Thompson plays with bounce and gets off the floor to grab boards.
Making a case for moving up in the rankings is senior wing, Davon Clare. Clare is an explosive athlete that makes plays in the open court and plays above the rim. In the half-court setting, Clare will drop the three or juke his defender on the perimeter to get into the lane where he finishes off the bounce.
• Make no mistake, Zac Saddler of New Braunfels is ready for the next level, and he has the body and the skill to prove it. Saddler can stretch the floor and get set for his shot as his teammates penetrate and dish to the 6-foot-6 forward. When he sees fit, Saddler will dive down to the block and go to work on smaller opponents or those of equal size.
• The Central Catholic duo of Nathan Payet and Nelson Richardson are both natives of France. The two give Central Catholic skilled players that can play anywhere on the floor. Payet is a great passer that sees the floor and will get the ball over defenders. He will also get on the glass and work hard to get lay-ins. Richardson is the bull that puts his head down and looks to score. Richardson is a bigger wing that is physical and will finish through contact.