My brother coaches in the Wake County Rec League in his spare time between work and studying for his CPA exam. Throughout his career he has shared the court with numerous NBA players, major D1 players, played for state championships. His credentials speak for themselves, so when he says a league (or a player) is pretty go, I listen to him.
With the schedule having back to back games throughout the day, we came out this weekend to catch his game and see what all talent was in this league.
Best Player We Saw
5’5” 8th Grade Gavin Steptoe
Steptoe is a compact guard who plays with explosion and the ball on a string. He got anywhere he wanted on the court off the bounce. He finished at the rim, was very crafty and had great vision, getting his entire team involved. It will be interesting to see how tall Steptoe ends up, because he has a complete game as a point guard. In his game on Sunday, Steptoe finished with a robust 38 points, 17 rebounds and 7 assists.
The Rest of the Standouts
5’11” 8th Grade Hagan Aderhold
Aderhold has good size from the point guard position. He has great length and is incredibly skilled, playing both the point and wing. Aderhold is great in pick and roll situations, he finishes around the rim with both hands and he has good range on his jump shot. He has the look of a player who is still growing and is one to watch from year 1 at Cary Academy.
6’3” 8th Grade James Marshall
Perhaps the most intriguing prospect in the league, Marshall is a 6’3” guard. He played the point for this team, but his long-term position is the wing. He has a solid handle from the wing and soft touch, with range on his jump shot. Off the bounce, Marshall was able to get to the rim. Marshall’s father is 6’8” and his mother is also over 6’. Marshall will attend Millbrook High School next year and is one to start watching now.
6’7” 8th Grade Nolan Ford
Ford is noticeably taller and bigger than everyone else in the league. Walking onto the court, he immediately catches your eye. On the first play of the game, Ford stole the ball and took it in for a dunk. Ford is a very unselfish passer and has good footwork on the block. Ford will be intriguing watching moving forward because if he can get to be 6’9” and continue to get his body right, he could be a high major player. He is said to be going to Sanderson High School next year. Good player.
5’7” 7th Grade Braxton Rushing
Rushing is a punishing defender, and perhaps the most naturally athletic player in the league. He plays an off guard who can play on the ball in a pinch. He rebounded well and he shot the ball with deep range. Rushing is at Wake Forest Middle School and has the look of someone who could be a very good football as well. Rushing is a lock down defensive player who is really doing well offensively in his team’s free flowing style. He finished his game with 19 points and 9 rebounds.
5’1” 8th Grade RJ Grant
Grant walks on the floor and you don’t think much of him. He starts to play and you realize he has some sauce to his handle and some deep range on his jump shot. Grant went up against Steptoe in the game we saw, so he had some trouble defensively, but as the game went on he was able to get his shot off. He finished with 16 points on 4 made threes.