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Nike EYBL: Team United 66 California Supreme 57

May 3, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Team United pulled off the upset of the day by giving California Supreme their first loss of EYBL league season. Team United is now 6-3 while California is 8-1. Coming into the contest, California Supreme garnished the most buzz as one of the elite level teams in the EYBL but someone forgot to communicate that to the coaching staff and team members of Team United.

Another story line was the matchup between 6’9 Marcus Lee of California Supreme and 6’9 Kennedy Meeks of Team United. With the recent accolades of teammate Sindarius Thornwell, Kennedy Meeks was like a forgotten man or placed in the witness protection program as he was getting little to no love. In addition, conventional wisdom would have given the advantage to California Supreme and 6’9 Marcus Lee who had become one of the hottest prospects in the country. That being said, Team United executed their game plan to perfection and left many in attendance scratching their heads. Team United was led by 6’9 Kennedy Meeks with 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 block shots while 6’2 Matthew Howard continued making a name for himself by scoring 15 points and 6’4 Sindarius Thornwell finished with 13 points. 6’3 Jordan Mathews led California Supreme with 14 points while 5’9 2015 PG Parker-Jackson Cartwright finished with 12 points. 6’9 Marcus Lee was held in check and seemed frustrated by the size of Meeks and ended up with 5 points and 4 rebounds.

6’9 2013 Kennedy Meeks (Team United) if the contest between Meeks and Lee were a boxing match, it would have been a clear TKO! Meeks completely dominated this game from start to finish and made a believer out of me. First of all, he recorded a double-double against one of the hottest names in the country. He scored 17 points going 7-9 from the floor and 3-4 from the FT line. He also knocked down two 15 foot jumpers after a well executed “pin down” screen where Meeks rotated near the top of the key. My concern in the past has been whether Meeks could play with more energy and a higher motor. While Meeks will never be that high energy guy, he does have a game that resembles former UNC star Shaun May who won a NCAA National Championship. One thing is for certain, Meeks is a winner and he wins at every level. His high school team has won a state championship and he is winning on a good, but not great Team United squad. At 6’9 and 280 pounds, he does occupy a lot of space and he is excellent at using it to his advantage.  While he doesn’t sport great bounce, he does position himself rather well and does something very few big men do today; he BOXES out on both the offensive and defensive end of the court! He is a two handed and may we add “sure handed” rebounder where he possesses the best outlet pass in high school or even college. Yes, he is that good at the outlet pass and was tremendous at the “pitch ahead” pass to open teammates in transition. He is patience on offense and uses a steady diet of pump fakes and up and under moves against taller and more athletics players. Since Meeks doesn’t elevate much on his jumper, one would think many of his shots would get blocked, but not one shot was blocked by the more athletic 6’9 Marcus Lee.

6’4 2013 Matthew Howard (Team United) while he lives in the shadow of teammate Sindarius Thornwell, coaches need to take a good long look at this athletic WG from Columbia, South Carolina. While he doesn’t have the flash to his game, he is one of those “glue guys” that is often needed on championship teams and against California Supreme he was tremendous and efficient. He scored 15 points going 6-8 from the floor (1-2 from the 3 point line) and 2-2 from the FT line. He has the ability to stretch the defense and take his man off the dribble. While he was really good offensively today, I really was more impressed with his defense. He is tough as nails on the defensive end of the court. While he may not have high level skill sets, he would be a great find for mid major schools.

6’4 2013 Sindarius Thornwell (Team United) came into the contest as one of the hotter prospects from the EYBL, but in the game against the California Supreme he was solid, but not spectacular.  Thornwell scored 13 points going 4-10 from the floor and 5-6 from the FT line. He didn’t attempt any 3 pointers. While his shots were not falling as efficiently as previous games, you have to give him credit for attacking the rim and drawing fouls. He is a very talented WG that simply knows how to score and his suitors at the high level will continue to surge.

6’9 2013 Marcus Lee (California Supreme) simply stated, it wasn’t his day at the office and we were completely surprised in the outcome of the game and the matchup against Meeks. That being said, it is easy to understand why he is becoming a hot commodity. He is a 6’9 athletic WF/PF that is highly skilled and oozing with potential.

6’3 2013 Jordan Mathews (California Supreme) is the son of UCLA assistant coach Phil Mathews and on Sunday against Team United, he was without question the best player on the California Supreme team. He is a highly skilled WG that has a nice arsenal of offensive moves. He finished with 15 points going 6-8 from the floor (1-2 from the 3 point line) and 2-2 from the FT line. He was scoring off the dribble with the pull up jumper and was aggressively taking it to the rim. Although he only took two 3 point shot attempts his technique was “right on” While we only watched California Supreme for one full game, I was surprised he was not getting more buzz and attention. In addition, he handled the ball extremely well and led the team in assists with 3. I can’t help but think his stock will continue to rise.

5’7 2014 Parker-Jackson Cartwright (California Supreme) enjoyed solid and productive game going for 12. No question, he is quick and crafty and has a high basketball IQ. He scored 12 points going 4-10 from the floor (2-3 from the 3 point line) and 2-2 from the FT line. He dished out 2 assists and had 2 turnovers.

5’10 2013 Darren Williams (Team United) came off the bench and enjoyed a solid game. He scored 9 points going 3-5 from the floor and 3-4 from the FT line. He dished out 2 assists, but it should be noted he had 2 big steals against Parker-Jackson Cartwright (one which was a big time rip at mid court) More importantly, Williams has outstanding quickness of his own, but is much stronger than PJC of California Supreme and one has to give credit where credit is due and Williams did not allow little to any dribble penetration by the young California Phenom PG.

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Nike EYBL: E1T1 69 Metro Hawks 54

May 3, 2012 by Leave a Comment

E1T1 cruised to an impressive 69-54 victory over the Metro Hawks. After two sessions of the EYBL, E1T1 now sits with an 8-1 record while the Metro Hawks fall to 1-8. Simply put, E1T1 is loaded with talent and especially the youngsters that are playing up from the 2014 class and even 2015 class.  While the Metro Hawks fought to make the game close, E1T1 is talented at every position and if they are able to keep this group together you are talking about one of the stronger teams to play in the EYBL for the next two years.

E1T1 were led by 2014 7’0 Dakari Johnson with 16 points and 8 rebounds while 6’6 2015 Kejuan Johnson recorded a double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists, and 2014 6’1 Joel Berry finished with 12 points. The Metro Hawks were led by6’4 2014 WF Desi Rodriquez who recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds while 6’3 2013 Isaiah Lewis chipped in 10 points. The storyline in this game was not the score of the game, but the potential of the 2014 and 2015 underclassmen.  Johnson is a future lottery pick while Berry will be chased down by many of the elite level colleges. That being said, we came away impressed with 6’6 2015 Kejuan Johnson. This youngster is playing up two age groups and already has a college ready frame.

7’0 2014 Dakari Johnson (E1T1) for a player that didn’t play high school basketball last season, he looks like he hasn’t missed a beat. Johnson is multi-talented and multi-skilled and one day will become a multi-millionaire. He has a great understanding and feel for the game for a rising junior; yes he is just a rising junior. Johnson scored 16 points going 5-9 from the floor and 6-9 from the free throw line. He has a nice repertoire of offensive moves in the post. He sits and establishes position extremely well for his frame. He can utilize the deadly jump hook shot or can easily showcase his beautiful drop step move. More importantly, he is not a black hole in the post and doesn’t consume every entry pass into the post. He is patience and if he doesn’t like the situation, he passes out well and re-establishes his presence on the low post. The highly skilled center also sports a soft shooting touch as he went 6-9 from the free throw line. While those may not be great stats, he does have a soft shooting touch with excellent ball rotation and spin. It’s hard to imagine this young man has two more years of high school basketball and then one year of college.

6’6 2015 Kejuan Johnson (E1T1) it’s really hard to fathom this youngster is only a rising sophomore. Johnson has a physically mature body and could pose for a publication of some muscle magazine. That being said, Johnson has the ability to become one of the high elite level players in the 2015 class. We are talking about a bruising PF that has advanced ball handling skills. In the game we watched, he made a beautiful “inside out” one handed cross over move that was big time! For the game, Johnson recorded a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, but get this, even dished out 4 assists. This young man can handle the rock and also has a great feel for the game. Talk about being explosive and impeccable timing, Johnson had a crowd in a tizzy with his one handed put back dunk off the miss shot. From our viewpoint, his hand looked even with the top of the white square! Johnson has both a power and finesse game. He has unbelievable body control in transition, but more importantly has a nice shooting touch. He has a high release and with the proper extension and follow-through. In addition, he elevates nicely on his jumper. (Did I tell you he is only a rising sophomore?)

6’1 2014 PG Joel Berry (E1T1) the best way to describe Berry is “solid.” He isn’t flashy, but simply gets the job done on both ends of the court. He has a strong physique and we were impressed with his on the ball defense. He has excellent lateral quickness and sits down low on the defensive end of the court and also sports active hands defensively. Offensively, he has good open court speed and his strength and body control are strong assets. He is excellent at reading screens and has the ability to pull up if the defense does not “hedge” out or he can simply split the double team if trapped. He is comfortable going left and passes extremely well off the dribble and utilizing the one handed push pass off the dribble effectively. Berry scored 12 points, but was very efficient going 4-7 from the floor (1-1 from the 3 point line) and 3-3 from the FT line. The next step in his development is to increase his assist to turnover ratio.

6’4 2014 Des Rodriquez (Metro Hawks) he was the bright spot for the Metro Hawks. Rodriquez also recorded a double-double by tallying 15 points and 10 rebounds and in my book that is a pretty good day at the office. He too was efficient going 5-9 from the floor and a perfect 5-5 from the FT line. Unlike many players at this position, he didn’t live on the perimeter settling for jumpers, but he attached the rim at every opportunity and wasn’t afraid to go right at 7’0 Dakari Johnson. He also enjoyed a mix tape highlight dunk challenging the big fellow once in transition with a left handed jam. As Bill Raffery would say, “put it down big fellow” and indeed he did!

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Nike EYBL: Texas Titans 70 Georgia Stars 60

May 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

The match-up between the Texas Titans and the Georgia Stars was between two teams going in different directions. The Texas Titans are now an impressive 8-1 after the second session of the EYBL while the Georgia Stars are a dismal 1-8.

The Texas Titans enjoyed a balanced attack with Duke verbal Matthew Jones was sensational with 24 points while 6’9 Julius Randle had an impressive double-double. Randle had 14 points and 14 rebounds. 6’9 Damian Jones finished with 10 points and made a great impression with his play while PG Marquan Botley played an outstanding overall game with 11 points.

While the Georgia Stars received balance scoring with 6’4 Donte Clark chipping in 15 points, Jalen Lindsey added 11 as did reserve Kyle Doyle. Unfortunately, the Stars needed a stronger effort out of 6’10 Jarquez Smith and he struggled to find his shot in the game we watched.

6’4 2013 SG Matthew Jones (Texas Titans) the best word to describe his game is smooth and clearly was one of the top shooters this past weekend. While he excels in the catch and shoot situation, we were equally impressed with his ability to shoot directly off the dribble drive. He has excellent elevation and lift on his jumper. He is advanced in reading the screen and roll and carefully picking his opportunities to know down perimeter shots. Jones finished with 24 points going an efficient 9-14 from the field (3-5 from the 3 point line) and 3-3 from the FT line. He is under-rated as a passer and made some nifty push passes off the dribble leading the post on the pick and roll situation. He was active on the boards and grabbed 5 rebounds. This was our first impression of Jones and he is the perfect fit for Coach K’s system at Duke.

6’9 2013 PF Julius Randle (Texas Titans) clearly is the most skilled and gifted player for his size in the 2013 class. His blend of skill, fundamentals and athleticism at 6’9 makes him one difficult player to defend, especially with his advanced ability to put the ball on the floor. He can easily take his man off the dribble, but is nearly impossible to defend on the interior. His footwork in the post is outstanding and we love his patience on the block. His unique body control with constant pump fakes is constantly getting the defender off their feet. Outside of the countless pump fakes utilized, he has one of the best “up and under” moves at any level. That move is powerful, quick and effective! Randle enjoyed a double-double of 14 and 14. He went 5-10 from the floor and 4-6 from the FT line. His anticipation and aggressive rebounding makes him one of the country’s best rebounders. Defensively, we were equally impressed with his fundamentals and IQ. He was active on defense and played the screens like a pro. He hedged and rarely allowed the opposing team to run the pick and roll effectively.

6’9 2013 PF Damian Jones (Texas Titans) was basically an unknown coming into this event. He scored 10 points going 3-9 from the field and 4-4 from the FT line. The long and athletic PF has a quick first step and a definite bounce to his step. His favorite move on the interior was faking one way and turning back the opposite for the big time 5-10 jump shoot shot. More importantly, he was advanced in setting both the traditional screen and had been well schooled in setting the “flat screen.” Whether he was setting the traditional or flat screen, Jones rolled correctly each and every time with his hands in position to catch the pass. While this seems immaterial, very few players know how to properly pick and roll. When Jones rolled back to the ball, he securely got his hip and posterior on the opposing player. As Jones continued to grow physically and hit the weight room, he will soon become a priority for high major schools. Defensively, he was active in the post blocking or altering shots by the opposing team. He is a real diamond in the rough!

5’9 2013 PG Marquan Botley (Texas Titans) is another player that is flying completely under the radar. Against the Georgia Stars, he was simply a model of consistency. He tallied 11 points going 5-6 from the floor (1-3 from the 3 point line) In addition, he dished out 4 assists and grabbed 4 rebounds; not a bad day at the office! (Not to mention only committing one turnover for the game) IMO, these are stat lines that are worth reporting and this young man executed the offense with authority and patience. He should see his recruitment pick up from his performance this weekend.

6’10 2013 PF Jarquez Smith (Georgia Stars) simply had an off game against the Texas Titans. He finished with 7 points going 2-12 from the field (1-6 from the 3 point line) and went 2-2 from the FT line. There is no question; Smith is a matchup problem for opposing teams with his ability to stretch the defense. Smith prefers to live on the perimeter rather than posting up on the interior which is understandable with his 180 pound frame and the matchup against Jones and Randle was not in his advantage. Jones and Randle both have the mobility to guard him 20 feet from the basket and when Smith decided to take them down low, he had a tough time finishing. The Georgia Stars needed a big time effort from him and unfortunately he was not at the top of this game against the Titans.

6’4 2013 WG Donte Clark (Georgia Stars) we have been touting Clark in the Phenom Hoop Report over the past month and we really like his blend of athleticism, skill and overall understanding of the game. He finished with 15 points going 3-10 from the floor (2-4 from the 3 point line) and 7-7 from the FT line. He does have excellent range and his jab step and pull up from the 3 point line was borderline crazy. Clark was off in his midrange pull which is usually his strong suit, but he constantly gave maximum effort and got to the FT line often. While Clark is forced to play PG position, his strongest position is at the scoring guard position. He feels more comfortable and confident being in an attack mode from the wing position. He is truly one of the more athletic players for his size/position and is easily a top 100 player nationally. Look for his stock to continue to rise!

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Nike EYBL: Howard Pulley 86, Indy Speice 80

May 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Without question, this was the most enjoyable and entertaining game the entire weekend. Both teams played at a high level and this was one instant where all the high level players played like high level players.

Howard Pulley had five players in double figures and connected on an impressive 12-24 three pointers while Indy Spiece had four players in double figures. Indy Spiece enjoyed a shooting exhibition as well as they connected on 10-24 three pointers.

Leading the way for Howard Pully was sophomore sensation PG Tyus Jones. Jones tallied 18 points and dished out 10 assists and clearly showcased why he is considered the best PG in the country regardless of class. Rounding out the scoring for Howard Pulley was Dion Bradley with 18, Quinton Hooker with 17, Anders Broman with 15 and Jamal Davis with 13. For Indy Spiece, their roster is filled with tremendous talent in the 2014 class and 6’10 230 pound center Trey Lyles tallied 16 points and 11 rebounds while Bryson Scott finished with 17 points and backcourt mate Trevon Blueitt ended up with 14 points.

This game went back and forth as each team made big runs throughout the game, but it was the final run late in the game that put Howard Pulley in the victory column. On paper, Indy Speice had more talent, size and athleticism but the play of Jones making his teammates better is intangibles that are hard to measure. Indy Speice is now 6-3 in league play while Howard Pulley is 5-4.

6’1 2014 PG Tyus Jones (Howard Pulley) the best word to describe Jones is special! What is really amazing about Jones is his overall skill package, basketball IQ and fundamentals. He is mentally advanced beyond his peers in his approach to the game. Jones will not overwhelm you with jet like speed or tremendous athleticism and his game clearly approaches that of NBA great Chris Paul. Jones enjoyed a game high 18 points going 7-15 from the floor (1-6 from the 3 point line) and 3-4 from the FT line. He dished out 10 assists and only turns the ball over one time during the course of the game. More importantly, he doesn’t demand the ball and allows his teammates to bring the ball up often and it is ability to make his teammates better that was so impressive! He is a master of reading the pick and roll where he is eager and ready to pull the trigger or make quick one hand push passes off the dribble. He changes speed extremely well, but it is his ability to utilize the left to right between the leg dribble that is his signature move. A lot has already been written about Jones and he is definitely one player that deserves all the accolades that comes his way. (And then some!)

6’10 2014 C Trey Lyles (Indy Spiece) what’s not to like about a 6’10 230 pound rising junior that has the complete big man package. Lyles is a monster on the low post. He uses his posterior well by sitting down on the defender and using his size and strength to push players underneath the basket. He has some of the best low post moves in the paint and he is only in the 2014 class. He has long arms and is active on the boards. Even when he cannot secure the rebound, he has a knack of getting his hands on the ball and keeping it alive. Lyles finished with 16 points going 6-11 from the field (1-1 from the 3 point line) and 3-4 from the FT line. He has range and good fundamentals and technique on his jumper and has advanced passing skills for his size/position/ and class. He collected 11 rebounds which is equally impressive especially since both teams shot a high percentage.

6’0 2013 PG Dion Bradley (Howard Pulley) Bradley and Jones tied for team scoring honors and the southpaw was clicking on all cylinders in the game against Indy Spiece. Bradley scored 18 points going 6-8 from the field (4-4 from the 3 point line) and 2-5 from the FT line. Bradley hit 3 consecutive 3 pointers in the 4th quarter to put his team back in the lead for good. While he is somewhat overshadowed by the presence and play of Jones, mid majors should really take a hard look at this young man. He had ice water running through his veins this game!

6’1 2013 PG Quinton Hooker (Howard Pulley) is a scrappy and determined player that maximizes his entire skill set which was on display Saturday. He enjoyed a solid overall game by scoring 17 points going 7-12 from the field and 3-5 from the free throw line. His midrange game was effective and didn’t attempt a 3 point shot during the game. That being said, he was able to dribble penetrate effectively throughout the course of the game. He plays hard and loved his on the court demeanor.

6’2 2013 PG/SG Anders Broman (Howard Pulley) Another solid guard for the Howard Pulley team. Broman enjoyed a stellar performance from the scoring and passing column. He tallied 17 points going 7-12 from the floor (3-7 from the 3 point line) and also dished out 4 assists. Coming into the contest, Broman has a lofty reputation for being one of the premier scorers in Minnesota high school history. He has the DNA of a scorer and a confidence level that states I can play at any level. He is a talkative teammate that shows positive emotion and energy during the game. We love his approach to the game and his overall fundamentals and basketball IQ. While many look at Broman as an undersized SG, we strongly feel he can transition to the lead guard position.

6’1 2013 PG Bryson Scott (Indy Speice) the 6’1 180 pound PG is physically mature and currently has a college ready body/frame. He showcased his skills by knocking in 17 points and 5 assists. Known as a big-time scorer, Scott didn’t disappoint in his performance against Howard Pulley. Scott went 6-13 from the (1-5 from the 3 point line) and went a perfect 4-4 from the FT line. Scott’s strongest attribute is his ability to score and make plays. He utilizes his strength to his advantage and has tremendous body control.

6’5 2014 WF Trevon Blueitt (Indy Speice) Blueitt is one of the top young players in the Indiana class of 2014. He is a strong and rugged WF has the combination of strength and finesse. In the game against Howard Pulley, Blueitt knocked in 14 points going 6-12 from the floor (2-6 from the 3 point line) we like the blue collar workmanlike approach to his game as he competes extremely hard on every trip down the court.

6’5 2014 PG/SG Jayquan Lyle (Indy Speice) Lyle is one of the premier players nationally in the 2014 class and few players this young has his size and skill set at the PG position. Widely considered a combo guard, Lyle has advanced ball handling and passing skills. He is excellent in transition and has superb court vision. In the game against Howard Pulley, he was more concerned getting his teammates open looks than manufacturing his own shot. He had 7 points going 3-6 from the floor (1-2 from the 3 point line) and also dished out 6 assists. While he didn’t take many shots in this game, we really like his shooting fundamentals and technique. Lyle seems more concerned of taking shots that were in the framework of the game and didn’t rush shots or passes. He was in complete control and ran his team effectively against the matchup zone by Howard Pulley. Unfortunately, Indy Speice caught a red hot team from the 3 point line and came up a little short in their efforts.

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Nike EYBL Session II

May 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

This past weekend, the Phenom Hoop Report traveled to Hampton, Virginia to watch Session II of the Nike EYBL.  This was the second and final weekend of the new April “live period,” and this event was well represented by college coaches at every level.

We decided to take in less games and spent more quality time watching and studying teams/players for an entire game. While it is important to give thorough evaluations, we strongly feel little reporting is done on the overall success of the team.

We hope to capture both areas in our report. It is no secret that players today are playing countless games and tournaments and coverage of these events are based entirely on “individual success” rather than team success.

Too often, young players are often seen playing for rankings and the overall success of the team has been diminished.

After coaching AAU for over 10 years, I have seen firsthand how players have it backward. I’ve always had the philosophy that team success is equivalent to individual success. It is no secret that many young players are simply playing for themselves. I have to think college coaches also want young players that know how to play and more importantly know how to win.

That being said, we will give you a recap of each game with the top players and key commentary of the players as well.

Also, you can check out the current standings.

Game reports:

Texas Pro 74, CP3 66

Baltimore Elite 54, Team Takeover 51

Boo Williams 67, King James Shooting Stars 65

CIA Bounce 64, Jackson Tigers 49

Howard Pulley 86, Spiece Indy Heat 80

Texas Titans 70, Georgia Stars 60

E1T1 69, Metro Hawks 54

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Nike EYBL: CIA 64 Jackson Tigers 49

May 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

On paper, this game was a mismatch and it was also a mismatch on the court as well. CIA Bounce simply has too many weapons at every position and was on cruise control from start to finish. CIA Bounce won going away by the score of 64-49 Leading the way for CIA Bounce was 6’7 2014 WF Andrew Wiggins who is clearly the most talented and skilled player in his class. He scored 19 points while 6’4 2013 SG Xavier Rathan Mayes tallied 12 points. 6’8 2013 PF Janarius Middleton and 6’8 2013 PF LaDerrrick Scott chipped in 15 and 12 points respectively for the struggling Jackson Tigers. CIA Bounce moves to 9-0 in league play while the Jackson Tigers are now 2-7.

6’7 2014 WF Andrew Wiggins (CIA Bounce) There is not much I can said that hasn’t already been written, but I will give it a try. The most impressive attribute about Wiggins is his patience and poise for his age/grade. He plays within the framework of the offense and rarely hunts and tries to manufacture his own shot and this is coming from a player that could score at will if he chooses to do so. While Wiggins is a highlight waiting to happen, you can tell he doesn’t go out of his way to “showboat” and his approach and attitude is completely refreshing! Wiggins went for a quiet 19 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. He went 7-12 from the floor and showcased his outstanding range on the perimeter by going a perfect 2-2 from the 3 point line.

6’4 2013 WG Xavier Rathan Mayes (CIA Bounce) Mayes is a highly skilled SG that has outstanding range on his jumper. He is effective in the catch and shoot situation or able to generate his own shot by the dribble drive pull up. He is physically mature and has solid athleticism, although not elite level by any means. That being said, he knows his strengths and shooting the rock is his biggest attribute. There is no mistake about it, Mayes is highly regarded as one of the top SG‘s in the country. He has a quick release and gets off the floor quickly for his patented jumper. Against the Jackson Tigers, Mayes struggled to find his range. He scored 12 points going 4-16 from the floor (1-7 from the 3 point line) and 3-3 from the FT line. Another strong attribute is his ability to rebound his position. He has excellent anticipation and doesn’t mind getting and mixing it. His aggressive mentality shows he will battle you hard on both ends of the court.

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Nike EYBL: Boo Williams 67 King James 65

May 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

In a game that was painful to watch at times, Boo Williams picked up a nice come from behind victory over the winless King James team at the time and it was the timely shooting 6’4 Travis Hester and 6’7 Brandon Stith that enabled the Boo Williams team to squeak out this win. The big three of Al Freeman, Troy Williams and Anthony “Bigcat” Barber simply have not enjoyed the on court chemistry that was expected of these highly ranked and touted prospects. Boo Williams was trailing the majority of the game and seems dead in the water, but reserveTravis Hester came off the bench and knocked crucial shots. He finished with 9 points going 3-4 from the floor with 2-3 coming from the 3 point line. In addition, with less than a minute to go and trailing 64-60, 6’7 Brandon Stith rebounded a miss shot after hustling his butt off to get the foul. He calmly made the two free throws and keeps them in the game. Boo Williams trailed by one point with less than 20 seconds and the King James PG made an ill advised move to the basket and threw the ball away. ‘6’7 Troy Williams anticipated nicely and stepped into the passing lane to slam home the errant pass for the dunk and the “and one” opportunity. While King James literally threw the game away, credit goes to the reserves on this one! Boo Williams is now 4-5 in league play while King James is 1-8.

6’2 PG 2013 PG Anthony “Bigcat” Barber (Boo Williams) is widely regarded as one of the quickest and fastest PG’s in the 2013 class. He is exceptional in dribble penetration and kicking out to open shooters. While Barber doesn’t have the buzz that surrounded him last year in the EYBL, make no mistake that he will be a big time target of high major schools. While not a consistent perimeter shooter, he is excellent in beating his man off the dribble and more importantly can easily create his own shot off the dribble. We love his midrange pull up jumper. Barber finished with 13 points going 5-13 from the field and knocked down key free throws in the 4th quarter. (3-3 from the FT line) While Barber has been known to be loose with the ball at times, he had a solid floor game and rarely turned the ball over against King James. Overall, a solid performance by the highly touted PG.

6’7 2013 WF Troy Williams (Boo Williams) struggled to find his range from the perimeter and actually shot 3 air balls from the perimeter. Williams did finish with a game high 14 points going 6-11 from the floor with the majority of his makes coming from transition dunks or put backs from his offensive rebounding. While it wasn’t a spectacular game for Williams, one has to love his high motor and tenacity on both ends of the court. He did play extremely hard. Williams will have to tighten his handles and decision making in the half court as he was saddled with 5 turnovers for the game. He was active on the glass and finished with 8 rebounds. While 14 points and 8 rebounds is usually a nice stat line, the bar is raised a little higher when your finalist is UK and UNC.

6’4 2013 SG Al Freeman (Boo Williams) performance has been like a roller coaster ride over the past few weeks. He has enjoyed outstanding games and also games where he has absolutely disappeared from the offense. There is no question Freeman has a college ready frame and skill set that will be coveted from the elite high major colleges in the country. While he has a physically mature body and surprisingly quick lateral movement, he was impressive in putting defensive ball pressure on the opposing guards. Against King James, he simply had a quiet day at the office. He finished with 5 points going 2-9 from the floor (1-5 from the 3 point line) and had 0 assists to 3 turnovers.

6’7 2013 PF Brandon Stith (Boo Williams) would have been my MVP of the game today. Stith finished with 10 points going 3-3 from the floor and 4-4 from the FT line, but garnished 4 rebounds down the stretch for his team. More importantly, Stith was just active and aggressive and even when he couldn’t grab the rebound, he constantly got his hand and tipped it around often and gave teammates opportunities to get the rebound. Stith is one of those players that just get the job done. It may not always be the prettiest, but his workmanlike attitude and approach to the game is refreshing. When you have a team of 3 top 25 players, sometimes you have to have role players and kids that are trying to make a name for them. While Brandon Stith is not a household name and not on the national radar, he is definitely a glue guy that is needed on this Boo Williams team? He elevated his play this weekend and should be receiving more minutes/playing time and especially interest from many mid major colleges.

6’4 SG 2013 Travis Hester (Boo Williams) was the sparkplug off the bench that propelled Boo Williams team to this important win. The lefty has a beautiful shooting touch and once he gets his feet and shoulders set, he is almost automatic. His play this weekend should garnish serious attention from mid major schools that is looking for a SG with size and ability to be efficient and effective.

6’8 2013 PF Mark Williams (King James) we really liked the game displayed by the 6’8 240 pound PF. We are talking about a physically mature PF with long arms with a nice arsenal of offensive moves. First of all, he sports a nifty jump hook shot and can easily use his off hand as effectively as his strong hand. He has a patented reverse spin power move to the rim and has tremendous footwork in post. Offensively, he is very patience and utilizes a powerful “up and under” move around the rim. Williams went 3-8 from the floor and 5-6 from the FT line for 11 points.

6’6 2013 WF Aaron Jackson (King James) is your typical “blue collar” worker that hustles and competes on every play. He plays with a high motor and can contribute on the interior as well as the perimeter. He finished with 12 points going 4-10 from the floor (1-2 from the 3 point line) and 3-3 from the FT. In addition, he tied Troy Williams with game high 8 rebounds and was totally active on the offensive glass. He does have adequate ball handling skills and could tighten up his dribble going left.

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Nike EYBL: Baltimore Elite 54 Team Takeover 51

May 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

After 2 full sessions, Baltimore Elite record is 6-3 while Team Takeover is at 4-5. While Team Takeover and Coach Keith Stevens are not as talented as previous years, the cupboard isn’t exactly bare either. That being said, Baltimore Elite was able to take bragging rights for the Baltimore/Washington DC area. Leading the way for Baltimore Elite was 6’7 Jamel Artis with 21 points while 6’3 Daxter Miles and 6’3 Kameron Williams tallied 10 and 8 points respectively. Leading the way for Team Takeover was 6’5 Stanford Robinson with 11 points while6’9 Beejay Anya and 6’5 Josh Hart scored 9 and 8 points respectively. It was a quiet game for 6’6 Ishmail Wainright had 4 points and 4 rebounds. It wasn’t the prettiest game to watch, but effort was there by both teams and at the end of the day, that is all you like to see, two teams competing hard.

6’7 2013 PF Jamel Artis (Baltimore Elite) in this particular game, Artis was simply the best player on the court and his numbers speak for themselves. He went for a game high 21 points going 7-14 from the field (2-2 from the 3 point line) and 5-7 from the FT line. Not a bad stat line for a rugged and physically mature PF. Artis doesn’t have elite level athleticism, but the powerful PF simply knows how to play the game and more importantly knocked down crucial and timely free throws down the stretch to secure the victory for Baltimore Elite. Artis can be a real match up problem on the offensive end of the court. He has the muscle and strength to overpower less physically mature WF, but the ability to step out and knock down jumpers with the best of them. In addition, he exhibited advanced ball handling and passing skills for his size and position. Defensively, we liked the way he anticipated passes in the passing lanes and competes hard on both ends of the court. While the Baltimore Elite team doesn’t have the numbers in the higher elite level players, they are currently 6-3 in EYBL play and Artis is a big reason for their success.

6’3 2013 SG Daxter Miles (Baltimore Elite) at 6’3 and 180 pounds, Miles is a strong and powerful SG that has a beautiful and textbook jumper. That being said, he wasn’t his best day at the office as he went 4-8 from the field (0-3 from the 3 point line) and only 2-6 from the FT line. While he may have missed more than his fair share of 3 pointers and free throws, that didn’t deter him from playing aggressive on both ends of the court and the often efficient scorer was more impressive on the defensive side of the ball. Although Baltimore Elite played zone the majority of the game, Miles was active with quick feet and rotating nicely in the zone.

6’3 2013 SG Kameron Williams (Baltimore Elite) listed at a generous 6’3, Williams came into the contest as a “flat out scorer.” Like Miles, Williams does sport a textbook jumper with excellent fundamentals. Against Team Takeover, he had quiet day from the floor going 3-7 from the floor (0-2 from the 3 point line) and 2-2 from the FT line. Williams has excellent speed and quickness and could transition nicely to the PG position at the next level.

6’4 2013 WG Stanford Robinson (Team Takeover) is a high elite level player that excels in attacking and finishing at the rim. He has a quick step and utilizes the “crow hop” effectively in avoiding bigger defenders which is one of his most effective moves. Robinson is excellent in transition, but this game featured very few transition opportunities and settled into a half court game. Baltimore Elite sat back in the zone for the majority of the game and dared and even double dared Team Takeover to shoot 3’s including Robinson. Team Takeover only took 8 threes for the game while Robinson missed his only 3 point attempt. That being said, Robinson knows his strengths and knows them well. Outside of the miss 3 point opportunity, he went 5-5 from the floor and grabbed 7 rebounds which are strong numbers for his size/position. The next step for Robinson is to become more confident in attempting midrange and 3 point shot opportunities and that will come in time.

6’9 2013 Beejay Anya (Team Takeover) is a physically imposing player with a wingspan that is endless. While Anya enjoyed a solid game, we expected a little more from the nationally ranked Anya. He chipped in 9 points going 3-8 from the floor and 3-5 from the FT line. While the stats had him down for only 3 rebounds, we thought that was somewhat misrepresented. Anya did show flashes of his lofty ranking at times, but the next step for him is consistency on both ends of the court. At 6’9 and a 7’5 wingspan, we expected more activity from him in terms of dominating the offensive and defensive boards. While Anya will not overwhelm you with jaw breaking bounce off the floor, he does have the physical maturity, size and strength to dominate the post area.

6’5 2013 SG Joshua Hart (Team Takeover) has excellent size for his position and one of the most overlooked attributes is his ability to rebound. Hart was efficient from the floor going 4-6 for 8 points, but was the leading rebounder for the game with 11.  Like teammate Stanford Robinson, he has great size for his position and is excellent in attacking the rim and finding the spots in the zone for dribble penetration. We were impressed with his aggressive ability to rebound but would like for him to take the next step in his development and becoming a confidence shooter from the perimeter.

6’6 2013 PF Ishmail Wainright (Team Takeover) came into the game with a lot of buzz and excitement. Not always known as a flashy player, but certainly known as a “blue collar” guy that simply gets the job done by doing the intangibles and dirty work on the court. His performance against Baltimore Elite was solid but not outstanding, but we do like his understanding of the game and high basketball IQ. He only attempted 3 shots for the game making two of them for 4 points and also 4 rebounds.

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