Las Vegas Live Platinum Bracket Previews

After 3 intense days of pool play, the brackets are set for this year’s Las Vegas Live. I have really been impressed by the upper echelon teams in the tournament as Bigfoot hoops has put together a nice collection of talent, which should make for some entertaining Platinum bracket games. 17U Platinum Bracket: The Favorite: Dallas Showtyme – They have about 7 guys that will probably receive scholarships to play basketball somewhere. Their depth and pressure d is perfectly suited for a format like this where teams will have to win multiple games on Sunday to win the championship. If they need a bucket, they have multiple guys that they can go to down the stretch. If they lose it’s going to be because of their offense and lack of perimeter shooting, as they have shown a tendency to go long stretches without scoring in this tournament. The Sleeper: Aussie Prospects – They would have to win two games on both days to be crowned Champions, however if any team in this tournament is built to do that, it is them. They have size, consistent point guard play and just enough perimeter shooting to force teams out of zones. They play well together and unlike many grassroots teams they run an actual offense. Between Daniel Foster, Adebayo and Triplett, they have guys that can get them a late game bucket. I’m really hoping to see a Quarterfinal match-up between them and New Mexico so I can watch Reece Bray and Ricky Lujuan go at it. Player To Watch: Donte Houston Dallas Showtyme– Houston is built for a tournament like this. He’s a high major prospect big, in an event that lacks them. Typically in bracket play, the defensive intensity is ratcheted up and points become tougher to come by. Having a guy that you can throw it into to or that can get you a 2nd chance bucket could be the difference between winning and going home. 16U Platinum Bracket: The Favorite: Team Skywalker Black France – This should be the most competitive bracket, you could make a legitimate case for about 7 out of the 8 teams, however at the end of the day, I believe that single elimination tournaments are won with bigs, shooting and point guard play. The team that is the most complete to me looks like Team Skywalker. Between the shooting of Cebrion and the rim protection of Yomi- Kemayou I believe they have just enough to survive the bracket of death. The Sleeper: Team RWA – When you talk about a team no one wants to play, it’s this one. They have depth, length and talent across the board. They are clearly the best looking team, with several long, bouncy athletes. They also have great winners in guys like Ola Ajiboye and Ty Walters. They survived several dogfights to get out of their pool, so they are clearly battle tested. The question for me is can they get consistent outside shooting from Ryan Sucha and Jaden Terrell, if they do, look for them to be a problem. Player To Watch: Ahmad Tims – The 6’5 Tims is a long defender, who can cover up perimeter breakdowns as well as force turnovers that lead to easy buckets. Where I think he can be a difference maker is on the offensive end. He is the most explosive player in a bracket filled with several good athletes. If he can stay out of foul trouble and stay active on the offensive glass and make good decisions when he gets his post touches, he is the type of athlete that will make enough “wow” plays to stand out. 15U Platinum Bracket: The Favorite: Dallas Showtyme Rise- Similar to the 17U team, they have all the ingredients, depth, talent and length, however unlike the 17U squad they also have consistent shooting with Chauncey Gipson and Caleb Alexander. They have a stud in Arterio Morris, who can either go get them a bucket, or drive, draw and kick for a good shot when they need it. Throw in Kyron Henderson, and Justin Haire’s down low, and this team has no real weakness. Sleeper Team: New Zealand Basketball Academy – Not sure if possessing two of the top players in the tournament makes you a sleeper, however because of the unknown factor, that’s the position that NZBA is in. I know, they have talent, I know they have depth and I know they have rim protection. What is unknown to me is how Gold and Tafar Gapare will play when finally matched up against players of similar size and skill sets. Player To Watch: Tafar Gapare New Zealand Basketball Academy - This was probably the easiest one of them all, Gapare, looks the part. At 6’7 with a ridiculous wingspan, he is simply taller and longer than most kids he plays against, however I don’t expect him to be able to dominate this bracket off of his athletic ability alone. It will be interesting to see what type of offensive skill set he has. Will he be solely a catch and finish guy, or can he show the ability to create some offense for himself? If he does, he has a chance to lead his team to the title and greatly improve his stock.