by: Ethan Reece
2027 Travien Williams (TSB)
It's not unusual for the most dominant athlete to be able to get whatever he wants on the court, especially with younger teams. And in this case, Travien is also the biggest. His team has a lot of overall height which allows him to be the point guard, where he uses his big body to muscle in drives finishing through contact. He also knocked down three threes to propel them in their win, a true point guard in a power forward's body.
2026 Jordan Jenkins (Ascend Ballers)
You don't see many younger teams center their game around a big man, but Jordan is the clear offensive focus for this group. He's a big time athlete who earns his living inside going to work in the post and battling around the rim. What I liked most though, was that even though he was versatile enough to do things on the perimeter, he didn't overdo it and fully embraced his importance of being the workhorse in the paint.
2026 Fisher Leftwich (Foothills)
The whole Foothills team has impressed me, but Fisher stands out as a clear offensive initiator. It's one thing to practice the moves, but to pull them all off consistently like he does is impressive. He has a great ability to read and react like a switch, keeping defenders guessing because he always seems to be one step ahead of them. His team doesn't settle for threes either and he gets a lot of his work done the 'old fashioned' way at the basket where he makes plays within the screen n cut system they run.
2024 Ben Miller (NC Spartans)
From where I saw them start a month ago, Ben is clearly make a big difference for this team as a new addition. He's got a perfect situation to get in reps with his East Forsyth point guard, and the initiative to be a leader for this squad. When the big man chases down someone for a block by himself, you tend to follow the tone he sets. He's bringing a tough rugged game and will be intriguing to follow as he continues to develop both here and with the Eagles next year.