Here are a few standouts from session one of the Jr. Prelude…
Chris Rudolph (6'0/PG/'28/Arizona Grind) 5
IG: c5_totuff5
Chris is a physical lead guard who doesn't play with a lot of flash
but is highly productive. He is tough off-the-bounce with a
physical downhill attacking style. You're not going to see a lot of
massaging of the ball with Chris, as he is going to make a move
and attack in straight lines. His profile lists him at 6'0 which helps
him to even play a little bully ball off the bounce against some of
the opponents who looked to defend him during session one.
Chris is a relentless competitor at the PG spot as he constantly
attacks the basket with the ball in his hands. With his bully ball
mindset, which he plays with at times when he is attacking, he
often forces contact and draws fouls on defenders. He is a
headstrong player who will have to make a few adjustments at the
next level as he will not be able to physically impose his will over
upperclassmen who are stronger and faster. He has a lot of
potential but will need to study PGs whose game is similar to his
and learn tendencies that he can incorporate into his game.
Zuri McClure (6'1/G|F/'28/Memphis War Eagles) 1
IG: Cbg.zuri2.0
Zion is a wing with a good physical profile and was very physical
at times. He can be very dangerous when he has it going and is
scoring off the bounce and hitting shots from the perimeter. He is
hands down the alpha male on his squad, as he is highly
productive on the offensive end of the floor and a willing defender
on the defensive end. Not only is he a tough shot-taker at times,
but he is also a tough shot-maker. He showed versatility on both
ends of the floor, as he can play several different positions at this
level. He is not the most athletic in terms of his quickness and his
leaping ability. Still, he can be physically imposing at times with
his level of physical play, especially when attacking and getting to
the cup off the bounce. He brings a lot to the game, and he had a
good showing during session one.
Davuan Bates (5'8/PG/'28/Midwest Renegade) 12
IG: rn4lthump
X: @Davuan12Bates
Davuan is listed as a PG in his profile, but he can easily be
considered a combo guard at this level, as he spent just as much
time off the ball as he did on the ball, but at some point in the
possession, the ball always found him. He is a multi-level scorer
who was extremely tough off the bounce as he lived in the paint
and at the rim. Good things happened for his squad when the ball
was in his hands, as he either got good looks on his own or created
easy scoring opportunities for teammates. He is a talented
playmaker who impacts the game in a significant way. Davuan,
when you really break down his game, needs the ball in his hands.
He needs to continue polishing his ball-handling as it can
sometimes be loose. He is a player who can change the
momentum of a game at any given moment because he can score
in bunches quickly.
Igniire Muhammad-el (6'2/CG/'28/Reach Legends) 5
IG: Igniire
Igniire is a slasher who is very good at getting to the cup off the
bounce. He scores it really well in the paint and at the cup, and
very few defenders could contain him to keep him out of the paint.
His squad only had five players for the tourney, so he had to log
some heavy minutes while still putting his scoring prowess on
display. He can drive from either side, is very aggressive off the
bounce, and showed some crafty finishes at the rim. His middle
game was on display, as he was good at getting to his spots and
pulling up for the mid-range jumper. Igniire has a lot of tools to
unlock and unleash out of his toolbox, and that only makes him a
greater scoring threat than he already is.
Lee Steele (6'4/SG/'28/Team Grind)
IG: lee3steele
Lee was one of the most polished shooting guards during session
one. He had so many tools on display and made it look really easy
on the offensive end of the floor. He shot the ball exceptionally
well from deep, and he was tough to keep out of the paint off the
bounce. He showed that he was more than a shooting specialist as
he created offensive opportunities for his teammates, especially
when he was coming off the ball screen. He has good positional
size and was able to see over most defenders matched up against
him. He lacks some burst off the dribble when creating, and I
would like to see more energy and effort on the defensive end of
the floor. He will be a highly targeted player by coaches at the
collegiate level in the coming years.
Trey Newton (5'10/PG/'28/PA Coalition) 3
IG: trey.newton3
Trey is a skilled lead guard who showed his ability to run the
show. He handles the ball well and has vision coupled with
passing skills and court awareness. He controlled the tempo for
his squad and sometimes had to be more aggressive looking for
his offense. At the next level, his speed may make it difficult to be
the guy at the lead guard spot, but he is a heady backcourt player
who makes good decisions with the rock in his hands. Trey is good
at getting his teammates involved by driving and dishing. He is a
lefty with a nice shooting stroke, and defenders have to respect his
perimeter shot. Trey has to continue to work on his ability to
create space out of triple threat as he doesn't have the quickest
first step, so defenders can overplay him and crowd his space. He
is a budding backcourt talent who has a lot of potential.