Spring Preview Team 8 Breakdown
(#2) JaMar Price, 2023, Guard: Price is a fantastic lead guard that knows how to run an offense. In transition, he’s great at pushing the pace and advancing the ball down the court. As a scorer, Price is deadly from mid-range. Price was a solid floor general for his team throughout the day. He sets up the offense, plays at a good pace, and creates for his teammates. He was most effective creating for himself in the midrange game.
(#5) Emaree Griffin, 2023, Guard: I enjoyed watching Griffin play because of the way he utilizes his jab step and shot fake. He was able to cash in on a lot of buckets in the paint by getting defenders off their feet. As a sophomore, he already has good feet.
(#25) Kevin Hicks Jr, 2023, Guard: Once he gets the ball in transition full steam ahead, watch out. Hicks is an aggressive guard that wants to get to the rim. He is really strong off the bounce from the perimeter and looks to get his guys going.
(#30) Gabe Guilford, 2023, Guard: Guilford is a player that can get his shot off in a hurry. He has good range and an improved handle that he utilizes to get inside the lane to create. On the defensive end, he uses his side to get up under defenders and cause them to turn the ball over. His defensive and shooting ability makes him one to watch as he continues to grow into his lanky frame.
(#60) Bryce Pittman, 2023, Wing: Pittman is good at finding the open spots on the floor and making himself available in those spots. He was able to get a lot of buckets just from being in the right place at the right time. He was also able to take care of the ball and make good decisions.
(#177) Rishard Money, 2023, Guard: Money is a do-everything guard. He rebounds, defends, and scores at all levels. One of his best attributes is his passing ability. He looks to facilitate to his teammates, and when someone is scoring well, he knows to feed them the ball.
(#179) Soloman Mustafa-Reid, 2023, Wing: Mustafa-Reid is a younger wing that already has tremendous size. His length can be bothersome on the defensive end, and it helps him snag rebounds. Mustafa-Reid has polished post moves, and he’s able to consistently finish around traffic. He’s able to lure post defenders out to the perimeter because they have to respect his ability to knock down shots from beyond the arc.
(#213) Nathan Rodriguez, 2023, Center: Rodriguez is an undersized center, but he plays the role well because of his toughness and knowledge of the game. He plays with a ton of energy on both ends of the floor which makes him a hassle to handle down low. Rodriguez has excellent footwork in which he uses to break loose and get to the rim.