2022 Grassroots Basketball Finale: 16U Standouts, PT II
VIRGINIA BEACH—If this weekend was any indication, 17U divisions will be filled with plenty of hoopers to discuss throughout next spring and summer. We already hit on some of the standouts from the 16U division from the Grassroots Basketball Finale, and we’re back with some more stars that caught our eyes.
To put it as simply as possible, Hopkins is a bucket. The lefty guard can fill it up in a hurry. He showed off his range by shooting the lights out all weekend. In a game against Team Loaded, Hopkins went for six 3-pointers and 22 points. Hopkins is more than a 3-point specialist though. He can fill it up from all levels and has a bag of moves that makes him a tough guard to stick with. He’s a lethal scorer that burst onto my radar in a big way this weekend. - Josh Tec
Sharpe was a major part of the Tennessee Tigers’ success over the weekend. He brought length, athleticism, and versatile scoring punch that helped drive the Tigers to some dominant wins. Sharpe’s a wing that can make a killing when slashing to the basket, and he can keep teams honest by being a consistent outside threat too. Sharpe has a lot of tools to work with, and he could emerge as a guy who takes major steps forward by this time next year. He ended his time in 16U on a high note, that’s for sure. - Josh Tec
Booker left an impression on me when he exploded for 21 points against Team Push. He’s a slithery guard with size and length on his side. He eludes defenders well when navigating towards the basket and can put someone on a poster with this athleticism. Booker can get it going from distance with a good-looking jumper. He’s an intriguing prospect that I expect to hear more of in the future. - Josh Tec
Fuhrmann has so much upside. The long, 6-foot-5 wing is difficult to stop when he gets going. He’s an athletic slasher and a strong finisher at the rim. He’s a reliable 3-point shooter as well. From the wing position, Fuhrmann is a strong rebounder and does his part in helping out on the glass well. Team Push was dominant in the 16U division, and Fuhrmann certainly contributed plenty to their impressive run. - Josh Tec
I’ll take a guy like Maddux Routh on my team any day of the week because he’s a guy that goes out there and makes plays and impacts the game in a variety of ways. He’s a wing that crashes the glass hard and doesn’t mind mixing it up down low. Routh doesn’t need plays run for him to be productive because of his willingness to chase after loose balls and his ability to pull timely boards. He’s an example to use when making that argument that playing hard leads to good things. Routh showed off his scoring and shooting prowess at the beach with regular double-digit scoring games. - Josh Tec
