Rolling into a gym last December, Phenom Hoops was on deck to watch the showdown between Southlake Christian vs. Providence. Jonathan Kurtas was one of the targets to watch but we were able to find another gem that had gone under the radar.
That was 6’11 Micah Handlogten.
We had this to say then about Handlogten:
“Still raw offensively, he shows early signs that he is comfortable stretching the defense around the perimeter and has solid vision on the floor. With intriguing size and mobility early on, keep track of the young sophomore.”
We then saw him again at the Phenom Hoops NC Phenom 150 a few months later, where we had this to say about his game and improvements.
“He’s a long, wiry post prospect with phenomenal size and fluidity, especially for his age. Handlogten showed touch with either hand, great rebounding instincts, and the ability to protect the rim at a fairly high level. He’s tougher and more aggressive than opponents tend to think, which allows him to control the paint quite effectively on both ends of the floor. Handlogten moves well without the ball, makes the extra pass whenever available, and simply knows how to maximize his role on the court.”
Now, it seems that the 6’11 rising junior has continued to elevate his game and is starting to attract some eyes his way. So far playing with Upward Stars 704, Handlogten has found a lot of success and showing that he continues to make steady improvements in his game since we saw him last December. He continues to show that he can score the ball when needed but also play unselfish basketball, while also continuing to protect the rim and defend. He also would admit that the biggest growth that he has seen in his game is that he has been putting in work in improving with his left hand and his 3-point shot.
The first school to show interest his way was an ACC program in Virginia Tech.
“They told me that they were going to keep watching me and that I was on their radar,” Handlogten told Phenom Hoops. “They told me that I have the potential to become a great player.”
Handlogten checks off a lot of boxes when you look at him and there still is room for him to grow and develop his game, which is why more coaches should start tracking him for the 2022 class.