MakePlayz Breakout Classic: Top Underclassmen
The first annual MakePlayz Breakout Classic went down on Saturday in Richmond, Virginia and brought in some of the best talent from within the state, along with those form the DMV and North Carolina. While there were a lot of known ballplayers like Aamir Simms and Ejike Obinna, a few committed recruits like Demonte Buckingham and Bruce Moore, and others unknowns that made headways like Ben Stanley and Kris Monroe, the day couldn’t have been much better in finding the best of the best out of the Mid-Atlantic. Highlighting the top underclassmen performers include Rasir Bolton, Brayden Gault, Chase Coleman, Judah Jordan, and Johnathan McGriff.
Rasir Bolton, PG, Millwood School, 2018: I swear, each time that I get a chance to check out Bolton, he grows another inch. Now topping 6-foot-1, the Millwood School guard is able to score the ball at different levels on the floor but has some innate toughness to him at the lid. After picking up an offer from Penn State a few weeks back, Bolton is primed to break out this school season. He suffered from a concussion during his freshman campaign but now fully healthy and his game hitting full steam, Bolton is one of the best all-around lead guards in 2018 on the east coast and is about to be recruited as such.
Brayden Gault, SG, Battlefield High School, 2018: If the 2016 presidential race was not for supremacy of the United States but for supremacy of the term ‘toughness,’ then Brayden Gault would be the clear front runner. The 6-foot-4 guard, by way of Indiana, defines grit on the hardwood where he scores through the contact at the basket, is more than willing to get on the floor for the loose ball, and comes up with his fair share of rebounds within the trees. While no offers have been received just yet, Brayden Gault looks to be a quality off guard in the 2018 class and someone that will buy in from day one at the next level.
Chase Coleman, PG, Maury High School, 2019: The speed and quickness out of Chase Coleman is as good as it gets. The younger brother of Matt Coleman, a top tier guard in the 2017 class who recently enrolled at Oak Hill Academy, loves to get out and push the pace at any given chance. The lefty still has some time to grow a bit further but at this stage, the Maury freshman has a quality feel for the game, brings a mature approach to the half-court setting, and a quick release on the lefty pull-up jumper. With Old Dominion already jumping in with an offer, Chase Coleman looks primed and ready to represent the 757 over the next four years down in the Hampton Roads area.
Judah Jordan, CG, Capitol Christian Academy, 2019: The combo type was a nice find on Saturday as the freshman can really shoot the ball from deep but also run his team in the backcourt. Confidence sure isn’t an issue with the tough-nosed Baltimore native as he doesn’t mind the bump on the attack to the basket and even showed the ability to pass the ball to the teammate on the drive to the basket. Definitely more of a score first guy out atop of the key, Jordan looks like he could grow a bit further and thus, see a nice college recruitment in the coming years.
Johnathan McGriff, PG, Bishop McNamara High School, 2019: When it comes to having some wiggle to ones handles, no one can top McGriff. The lead guard out of the DMV is nearly impossible to contain with the ball in his hands and buys into being a distributor in creating for easy looks for his teammates in the half-court setting. However, where McGriff brings even greater value to the floor is on the defensive end where he can pick his man up for the entire 94-feet and speed any opponent up and take it the other way for the easy lay-in. While his size can be a detriment at this time, McGriff is only a freshman and the talent is already in store for McNamara product to be a quality recruit in the upcoming years.