Isaiah DeLeon-Mares Showdown: Who stood out?
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I had the chance to pop over to Gold Crown Field House on Memorial Day to catch some action of Reebok’s Isaiah DeLeon-Mares Mile High Showdown. I was just stopping by to support a player I coach and in the…
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Continue ReadingI had the chance to pop over to Gold Crown Field House on Memorial Day to catch some action of Reebok’s Isaiah DeLeon-Mares Mile High Showdown. I was just stopping by to support a player I coach and in the process learned about the selfless and impactful life of Isaiah DeLeon-Mares. Read about him here!
I also saw some solid talent and had to share:
Alexei Trujillo Alexei Trujillo 5'3" | CG Westminster | 2023 State CO – Westminster – 2023
17.1 PPG as a sophomore? Alexei, widely known as Lex, scored her 171 points on just 156 shots for Westminster HS this season. The Colorado Hoopsters standout provides the energy you want on a fast-paced and positive team. I think of the legendary Metro State coach and NBA veteran, Coach Mike Dunlap, repeating in his defensive coaching videos and clinics, “Get into the ball!” He’d love Lex’s hustle.
For teams that value threes and layups (who doesn’t?), Trujillo is the next Pythagorean: 35 + [76 * (WE+ET)] = 17.1 HM PG. For us non-math majors, 35% behind the arc plus 76% at the line, enhanced by the work ethic and energy of Trujillo equals a 17.1 point-per-game all-state honorable mention point guard.
Evenyce Gutierrez Evenyce Gutierrez 5'4" | SG Mullen | 2022 State CO – Mullen – 2022
Evenyce is moments away from leaping into a big senior season with Mullen. She’s been buried on Mullen’s depth chart behind a dominant cohort and will now have the chance to show her underrated skills by feeding the ball to their tops-in-the-state lineup while shutting down top guards like she does in every game with Colorado Hoopsters. Evenyce is a really good, high pressure defender and an outstanding passer. More importantly to college coaches, she’s a vocal leader for her teams. When you catalyze Mullen’s lineup with her 3:1 assist to turnover ratio, 68 other 4A coaches will be shaking their heads.
Kaitlin Kyle Kaitlin Kyle 5'11" | SF Ponderosa | 2022 State CO – Ponderosa – 2022
Combo guards who are 5’10.5″, can handle the ball, can no-look assist, and are such consistent shooters with a really quick release are hard to find. Kaitlin Kyle Kaitlin Kyle 5'11" | SF Ponderosa | 2022 State CO is a standout who has hit 130 threes, 37%, in her career at Lutheran HS in Parker and at Ponderosa HS. When Kyle was given an inch of space in a game with Lady Lightning she pounced at the opportunity to hit consecutive threes to start the game and get her team out to a nice lead. She doesn’t look mean until she hits a three in your face and then crosses you over and finishes left when you try to get up on her shot.
Trinity Grambusch Trinity Grambusch 5'11" | PG Smoky Hill | 2021 State CO – Smoky Hill – 2021
A fired-up, long, lean slashing guard from Lady Lightning was injecting noticeable energy onto Court 2 so I leaned over to the gentleman next to me and said, “Who’s #30?”
“That’s my daughter, Trinity. She just graduated, has some opportunities but hasn’t signed.” He was modest; there are at least ten programs interested in Grambusch. In a game of lead changes it was fun to watch Gambusch’s process. She sees the game well, at one point cutting for a mid-post catch in traffic, stepping through and finishing left through contact, and-one, with an emphatic scream to fire up her teammates. She’s a sparkplug. Smoky Hill’s record has been down so it’s easy to overlook Grambusch. Listed as a 6’0″ point guard, she really does it all, scoring nearly half her team’s points at 12.8 ppg in her school season. In Phoenix two weeks ago she exploded for a line of 22 points, 10 boards, 7 assists, 5 blocks, and 2 steals. She is getting better and better.
Essynce Contrerez – Holy Family – 2024
With Holy Family graduating so much backcourt talent, look for Essynce to shoot way up the charts for 2024 prospects. Selfless, athletic, and creative, Essynce is the pass-first type of player who really makes everyone else better. Her 38 assists and only 7 turnovers as a freshmen with Holy Family are a glimpse of the success she’ll have over the next three years for the Tigers and Colorado Hoopsters.