Top Overall Performers from the 2021 Grassroots Showcase
LOUISVILLE, KY.- What a weekend it was at the Kentucky Expo Center and Freedom Hall for the 2021 Grassroots Showcase. Who stood the tallest in the biggest stage of 2021? Let’s take a look at the elite top performers from the action.
There wasn’t a better guard in the entire event than Trimble. When the game was on the line, he was at his very best. Phenom University went 4-0 on the weekend and had to take some action to the very edge of competition. Trimble was outstanding in the clutch and seemed to turn his action up to a level that few could do. The class of 2022 point guard group has some depth to it and judging by the production that we saw from Trimble, you have to consider him one of the top 10 lead guards in the country in his class. His body of work justifies such an opinion. On this weekend, he was the best point guard in a 600-team event. That’s saying something.
From a total skill package, Black was as good of a player there was at the Grassroots Showcase. The Dallas area prospect continues his national narrative as one of the true elite wings in prep basketball. We’re buying all of that stock and staying true to that belief system. For starters, Black is one of the best defenders in the class of 2022 nationally and saw that from him at the Grassroots Showcase. He’s elite when it comes to stopping his opposing player. Elite. He takes long strides with his dribble and covers a heck of a lot of ground when he attacks from the wing. Black is a hard player to match-up with. We think he’s vastly underrated on the national level, according to the other dot com pundits. Black plays each and eveyr game like a top 40 national prospect.
The big man was effectively productive throughout the action for Mean Streets and lived up to the billing that he entered in with as a five-star elite big man in prep basketball. Washington showed an array of post moves on the offensive end of the floor that allowed him to convert at the rim with ease. He hit face-up jumpers. He scored at point blank range and with little trouble. His game stretched out to the three-point line. We saw all three levels get converted. On the glass, he was on it. Terrific weekend of work all around from the Gary, Indiana big fella.
The big fella was a presence on both sides of the floor in the time the Texas team was in Kentucky. He’s a problem on the defensive end because of his length and his defensive length was simply unmatched. The big man from La Lumiere pulled out the defense with his shooting touch, something that we didn’t see too much from him on the high school scene. That’s a scary thing to see - a long near 7-footer - that can step out and shoot all the while being a menace inside.
With stages like we had at the Grassroots Showcase, you had to come with the toughest warriors within your program. The stage was big and the lights were bright and the country was watching closely. Some are built for such a moment. For Team Thad, the ball was in Jackson’s hands and when the moment was his to control he controlled the situation.That’s what winners do and Jackson did it very well. He’s so big and strong and hard to stop when he’s driving into the rim. With this talented and deep Team Thad group, Jackson glues it all together so nicely. He knows how to tie his group together so effortlessly. When we talk about Memphis guards and the value they bring to the table, Jackson should fit the bill for the type of player that you want to have out of his basketball tough town.
The Thompson twins of Florida PRO were also our top overall top performers from the event. They will be featured in our HoopSeen Association Top Performers story coming out later on Monday.
