Memorial Day GASO: Team of the Weekend
TexasHoops analyst Lyndon Cook names the 5 players who stood out the most to him with their performances over the course of the Memorial Day GASO.
Trevor Passmore - PB Nation 16u
Passmore showed out right when PB Nation needed him in a semifinal matchup with HD Toros, going on a 23-point barrage to help his team clinch a spot in the championship game. Passmore was lights out from 3 on Monday especially, and when he was run off the line would get into his pull-up game to continue his scoring output. He has a quick release and shoots it with confidence. Honestly there’s a chance that we could look back after this summer and point to the Memorial Day GASO as the start of Passmore getting noticed on the recruiting trail, especially with the kind of eyes PB Nation will have on them come July.
Eli Stephens - YGC36 2021
Stephens served as the heartbeat of YGC36’s NBA Red division championship team, and was always a nuisance on the defensive end. Stephens is a ballhawk on defense, jumping passing lanes with great anticipation and using some quick hands to pilfer the rock for easy points at the other end. He also showed nice awareness on the drive and will really push defenses in transition. The China Spring product has lots to look forward to in recruitment if he can keep moving his game in this highly productive direction.
Preston Aymond - Texas Impact 4:13
Aymond’s weekend was highlighted by a strong scoring performance in the NBA Blue division semifinals, where he put up 19 to help Texas Impact to the championship game. Aymond is a forward that can stretch the floor with his shooting, and is very adept at the spin-and-seal to ask for a lob in a high low look. While not a great leaper, he still makes his presence felt on the glass with good instincts and positioning. Aymond’s stock was certainly boosted this weekend.
Tige Johnson - Vipers Academy Elite
This is the second straight GASO I've been impressed with Johnson, as he helped his team make the quarterfinals after knocking off Lone Star Elite in the earlier rounds. Johnson has a playing style that's easy on the eye with a smooth offensive game out to 15 feet. His rebounding stood out throughout the weekend, just as his defensive ability did in a tough matchup against LSE's Cedric Kelley. Johnson may be the most recruit-able 2020 prospect out of the Rio Grande Valley and it will be interesting to see how his recruitment stacks up come July.
Kamryn Waites - Mudiay Elite
Kam Waites breaks the mold of the 6-foot-11, offensive lineman type interior player with just how skilled he is at this age. Waites has lots of finesse to his game, and a nuanced game with his back to the basket, using some nice double moves and a fadeaway jumper with a soft touch to score. Waites was still effective as a dump-down post, using a drop step to get to the rim, but proved himself as an option to score feeding it into him on the block. He will certainly have schools circling his name when the July Live Period rolls around.