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LEBANON, Mo. — The inaugural SWMO Basketball Future 50 Showcase brought together many of the region’s top players last Sunday at Lebanon High. Here is a look at the Class of 2022-23 players at the event. The players are listed by the team they played on and their jersey number.
Team M — CAROLINA BLUE
0 — Chanler Sisco, Alton, 2022
Sisco is a thin forward who handles the ball like a point guard. He can find his way through trouble and slip to the basket in transition. Some of his transition baskets were scored with two or three opponents surrounding him. Kid can rebound, too. Many of his best plays came from his effort when the ball went up. He is good at boxing out and can jump high to meet the ball.
1 — Brantley Morris , Joplin, 2022
Morris is a good role player who does the little things at a high level. He’s very scrappy, a guy who will fight for the ball and even score when he has the look. Morris earns respect through his hustle. He stays on the move and isn’t one to step back from a challenge. The little we saw, we liked. But we know he’s got more to give.
2 — Jayden Bullock , Bunker, 2023
A shorter guard who likes to be on the floor. Bullock was a team favorite and a player who knew where to pass and where to go in a motion offense. He put up a few shots and wasn’t afraid to take on a defender from the top of the key.
4 — Sam Moreland, Ash Grove, 2022
A feisty guard who can sink shots with a handle the ball. Moreland has good footwork and an eye for plays. He looked to pass ahead and find teammates who are working hard to get open. He is good at bringing the ball up the floor and filling out the shooting guard position.
5 — Christian Marsh, Nixa, 2022
A Nixa athlete who enjoys being in the gym. You can tell he has experience as he jumped off from the start and played at a good speed. He’s a thin kid who keeps a good pace and looks to the right spot on fast breaks. He finds the middle of the floor well and kick it off to a teammate or take a shot if he has the space.
7 — Elijah Whitley, Carver, 2022
Whitley is an impressive athlete who can finish around the rim and defend at a high level. He’s a physical player who can take a beating down low and apply enough pressure to get in his opponent’s head. Kid has a good future if he stays after it. He’s quick, and he makes good decisions on the move.
8 — Zack Howell, Catholic, 2022
Howell is an efficient guard who can take it to the hole or shoot it from deep. He has good height for his position, a guard who has the body of a forward and the rebounding skills of a center. Guy can hustle. He comes off screens well, has a good jumper and good feel for the floor. A player who needs to be on the floor when a close game is going down to the last second.
9 — Tyler Harmon, Ozark, 2022
Harmon is a tall guard that knows how to separate himself from defenders. He reacts to situations, rarely spending much time to think about his next move. Harmon can fill gaps on the squad without the ball, but he looks comfortable when he plays the point. He can zip through traffic, finish around the glass and even pull it back for a deep 3-pointer when time is running out.
NN — Harrison Doenning, Cherokee, 2023
A good-sized player who can handle contact. Doenning got bumped some early and immediately bumped back. He’s a quiet player, but he can make noise through his actions. He is good at rebounding and taking space down low. He boxes out and puts a lot of effort in the little things. Doenning earned his stripes by playing hard on the glass.
NN — Brady Herring, Weaubleau, 2022
Herring did well when his team went small and relied on their guards to pass shoot quickly. He contributed off the ball setting screens and popping up to find the ball on the wing. Herring also has good shooting mechanics and a high release.
Team N — IRON GREY
0 — Garrett Snyder, Forsyth, 2023
Snyder is a guard who can shoot, pass and run the lanes. He fought for the ball and got down low and boxed out taller, stronger players on occasions. He has a high basketball IQ and he made passes that looked simple but were on time.
1 — Keegan Tipton, Winona, 2022
Tipton is a spot-up shooter who will not let you down. He has a sweet spot on the wing and he sinks the shot almost every time he has the ball there. He’s a sneaky player. He can disappear behind taller players and be on the opposite side of the key looking for the ball and an open look. Tipton also hustles on defense. He is very quick to get back, point out his man and stay with him until the end of the possession.
2 — Weston Hafer, West Plains, 2023
Hafer was placed in several positions and asked to do a lot. He hustled, fed the ball to shooters and got in the mix in the paint some. Hafer also got back on defense quick. He didn’t look for handouts. He shot some himself, and played tough defense. Hafer also has good shoulders.
3 — Peyton Mitchell , JEB, 2022
Mitchell likes the 3-ball from the top of the key. He has a smooth shot that looks good and goes in. He can create for himself, something he’s a lot of experience at. When he doesn’t have the ball, Mitchell showed us he can get open and make defenders pay if they leave him space. He doesn’t need much room to get his shot off. He’s not the quickest guard on the floor, but he knows his game and how to get on the board.
4 — Blake Mepham , Conway, 2022
Another determined player who contributed productive minutes on the floor. Mepham is good with the ball in his hands and can make things happen for his teammates. He is confident bringing the ball up the floor and taking on top players on the defensive end.
5 — Tyren Hendrix, Carver, 2022
Hendrix is quick and athletic. He looked fine to start, but he improved the more he played. He can handle pressure well down low and can take on those who play his physical style of play. Good things coming from Hendrix.
6 — Carter Harrell, Greenwood, 2022
Harrell is a solid forward who can stretch the floor when he has the ball. He has the height of a center or power forward, but he enjoys playing the point and shooting guard. Harrell can get a step on defenders and take it in the paint. He is also good at passing the ball out, using his body to create space and defending tall players who are headed to the basket. A lot of talent to work with.
7 — Ethan Foster, Weaubleau, 2022
Foster is a scrappy player. He is good at staying in the moment of play, his head is always in the right place and is observant on the floor. He filled in gaps where they were needed for his team. He contributed buckets, extra passes and strong defensive pressure in full court action.
8 — Brayden Howell, Carver, 2022
A hard-nosed defender who can play physical ball in the paint. He’s a stout forward, someone guard don’t want to run into in the paint. He can swat the ball and play against taller forwards when they come his way. Howell may not be used to the run-and-gun style of offense, but he can handle his own on the floor and back defenders up when he has the rock down low.
NN — Cole Feuerbacher, Pershing, 2023
A thin player who hustles and runs well. Overall, he made good decisions with the ball. He took it to defenders and stayed back with he didn’t like the matchup. Feuerbacher can mix things up on offense and keep his feet moving on defense. He played through some rough games that got very physical. Has a good head on his shoulders. He fought for the ball and was a good teammate.
Team O — WHITE
0 — Tyler Hackworth, S Reynolds, 2022
Another player who can take it to the basket and finish against taller players. Hackworth held his own on a talented team of players who can finish when it counts. He’s a hard-nosed player who likes to make things happen in transition. He runs ahead of the ball and looks for opportunities close to the basket.
1 — Liam O’Reilly, Catholic, 2022
An impressive baller who can play both guard and forward positions, O’Reilly got things going for his team early on offense and continued to impress until he left the floor with a minor injury. He’s quick, agile and has a good motor. O’Reilly can spot up for jumpers, create his own buckets, and fight for position down low. A lot of eyes on O’Reilly. He has big shoes to fill and the work ethic to make things happen.
2 — Brandon DeWolf, Alton, 2022
A guard on the second crew for team White who listens to his coach and makes adjustments when they are suggested. DeWolf was vocal on the floor and eager to get the ball and put up shots when he had the look.
3 — Wyatte Cotrel, Plato, 2022
Cotrel showed spectators he can sink a 3-pointer and handle pressure when the game starts winding down. He doesn’t rush his play and lets thing unfold naturally through the motion offense. His coach told us he plays well when his team goes small ball, but he doesn’t tire out on plays where the ball is away from him.
4 — Brett Hall, Willard, 2022
Hall filled the wing spot out fine for the second crew on team White. He may not have the height as some of the players in his grade, but he’s a good shooter who doesn’t mind being three feet behind the line when he lets it fly. Hall brings an unselfish attitude and the confidence to play above his listed height. He has a good head on his shoulders, too.
5 — Jaiden Falls, Carver, 2022
Falls is an agile guard who only knows one speed. He is usually a step ahead of his opponent and can chase down anyone who thinks they have an easy basket on a fast break. He plays well as the team’s point, someone willing to make the right pass and push the tempo up the floor off a steal. Falls likes to create off the dribble. He is a fine shooter and likes to take it in and pass out to teammates for a wide open 3-pointer.
6 — Heston Miller, West Plains, 2023
Miller showed up on both sides of the floor. He is a consistent shooter and a fine defender. He size and speed allows him to play a bit of everything on the floor, a person who can bring the ball up and score on one possession, then fight for rebounds under the basket the next. Miller has some fight to him. A guy who will find a way to make an impact, one way or the other.
7 — Eric Wilson, Hartville, 2022
One of those Hartville kids who can do a little bit of everything. A scrappy player who can knock down jumpers and hold his own in the paint. Wilson has the athleticism of a guard, but he follows his shot and fights for plays under the basket. He plays well on the move, someone who can contribute buckets, rebounds and make smart cross court passes look easy. Wilson is sure to find a place wherever he’s needed.
8 — Ty Cooper, Reeds Spring, 2022
Cooper is an excellent rebounder who is capable of taking it all the way to the other side. He’s quick, tall for his age, and can force opponents to make mistakes if they dribble his way. What makes him special is his unselfish nature when he has the ball. He likes to pass and give others their chance to score. That said, Cooper can put his chin down and score on anyone. Just a great combo for any roster.
9 — Andrew Dalton, Ava, 2022
Dalton is an athletic big who sets great screens, plays tough defense, and can score easy buckets off second chance baskets. He’s a talented kid who plays a similar style to Nevada’s all-everything forward Clay Gayman. Dalton can make it look easy. He gives just as much effort to rebounding and staying in front of his opponent as he does to his offense. He went on to capture one of two MVP awards at the event.
NN — Zay K’wan Henderson, Pershing, 2023
Henderson saved the goods for the final two games Sunday night. Sporting uncommon shooting mechanics, he let it fly from deep to great effect. Henderson dialed in his shot and was accurate across the floor. He made jumpers, 3-pointers, floaters and scoop shots with defenders all around him. In parts of his third and fourth game, Henderson was nearly unstoppable. When his shot didn’t get the bounce, he spaced the floor and passed well.