Battle @ The Villages: Day 1 Standouts

<p>The 2020 Battle @ The Villages got underway Monday at The Villages Charter High School in The Villages, Florida. The tournament, now in its 7th year, features team from across the state and has previously hosted a host of top players. This year, the tournament kept with tradition and invited 8 very competitive teams to compete for 3 days for the title of champion. Here are the Day 1 Standouts:</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/ven-allen-lubin/">Ven Allen Lubin</a> - OCP, 2021 6’7”</strong></p> <p>Lubin has been a Florida standout in both of his previous seasons with Orlando Christian Prep, and this year will be <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/BattleAtVIllages1-rotated.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1107739 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/BattleAtVIllages1-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>no exception. Lubin showed off every tool in his box in OCP’s commanding 69-56 win over Columbia High. He has the size of forward and the strength of a forward, but with the jumper and the skillset of a guard. His athleticism and fluidity have improved as well, catching two solid dunks that shook the gym. He finished the game with 14 points despite playing almost no minutes in the 4th quarter. Defensively, Lubin served as his team’s rock, disrupting passing lanes and serving as a good post defender. He’s a junior, so there’s still time for this young man to get better, which should be a scary thought for opposing teams.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/charleston-ponds/">[player_tooltip player_id="1068721" first="Charleston" last="Ponds"]</a> - Columbia, 2021 6’4”</strong></p> <p>Ponds was fun for the spectators, but not as fun for his opposition. The 6’4" senior guard has something you can’t teach: length. Ponds’ build is great for the high school and collegiate level. He’s got enough length to aid him in finishing and defense but not too skinny so that he is easily bullied inside. OCP had trouble defending his length and rebounding over him despite him being a few inches shorter than OCP’s big men. He also proved to have a reliable jumper, knocking down 3 triples over the course of his team’s 69-56 loss. He finished with 14 points and was the driving force behind the Lions’ offensive bursts. On defense, Ponds was great at getting in passing lanes and trying to minimize the impact of Ven Allen Lubin, a task that is much easier said than done. He proved to be a real threat for this season and is an underrated guard that could make a difference at the next level. </p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/miles-stewart/">[player_tooltip player_id="818742" first="Miles" last="Stewart"]</a> - Lake Highland Prep, 2021 6’7”</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="818742" first="Miles" last="Stewart"] was not just great for Lake Highland Prep in their nail-biter 71-68 win over West Nassau, he was necessary. The team was without star guard [player_tooltip player_id="712136" first="Brice" last="Sensabaugh"], who has served as the team’s main source of offense over the past 2 seasons. Stewart came out swinging and gave the Highlanders a fighting chance against a great West Nassau team. He showed ability to knock down 3s and finish around the rim. His 15 first half points were vital to keeping the short handed Highlanders in it. In the second half, Miles defensive effort and work on the glass was apparent as LHP tried to stave off a late game drive by [player_tooltip player_id="527374" first="Deebo" last="Coleman"]. He’s a big who can stretch the floor and play solid defense, both on the perimeter and in the paint. He will prove to be a great second option when Sensabaugh returns and will be a key cog in a well-oiled LHP machine.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jared-berry/">[player_tooltip player_id="814925" first="Jared" last="Berry"]</a> - Lake Highland Prep, 2022 5’10”</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="814925" first="Jared" last="Berry"] became a fan favorite from the moment he stepped on the court at the Villages. His hustle is elite and unmatched! Berry did everything he could to get a stop, frustrating offenses with his relentless defensive pressure and jumping for every ball in the air. His size didn’t slow him down at all, Berry has mastered the art of drawing fouls and left the West Nassau team winded with his non-stop driving and aggression on the floor. To top it off, Berry’s offensive skills were flowing. He knocked down a pair of 3s and was finishing at the basket with ease. His elite quickness and shifty ball handling was evident every time he had the ball on offense, and he was one of the main reasons LHP was able to beat a great West Nassau team despite being short handed.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/deebo-coleman/">[player_tooltip player_id="527374" first="Deebo" last="Coleman"]</a> - West Nassau, 2021 6’6”</strong></p> <p>There’s a reason Georgia Tech commit Dallen "Deebo" Coleman is ranked as the 32nd best player in the country for the class of 2021, and this game showed it better than any. Coleman contributed his season high of 35 against the Highlanders in West Nassau’s 71-68 loss. Coleman was money from 3, knocking down 4 triples to lead his team in scoring. Coleman was getting to the line with ease and was able to break a fair amount of the double teams that came his way whenever he was on the floor. Despite early foul trouble and a lackluster 8 points first half, Coleman was able to shake it off and pick it up in the second half. Coleman scored 17 points in the 4th quarter and showed his mix of skill and strength, muscling his way to the basket several times. He was clearly the best player in the gym and fought hard until the final buzzer to try to keep the Warriors in it.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jakobe-williams/">[player_tooltip player_id="1068619" first="Ja’Kobe" last="Williams"]</a> - Paxon, 2021 6’2”</strong></p> <p>Ja’Kobe is the definition of athlete. His bounce is incredible, leading to a pair of great dunks and a load of offensive rebounds and tough finishes. He’s unafraid to draw contact and will go at players much larger than him. He was relentless on boards and was a serious offensive threat. However, he seemed to show his worth on the defensive end even more. William was a headache, forcing turnovers and getting in passing lanes to stop fast breaks. Add his freak athleticism in there, and you found yourself playing against a shot blocking guard who can get steals at will. His hustle defense was the driving force behind Paxon’s win over the home team Buffalo, 51-47.</p> <p><strong>Jacory Jackson - Villages, 2022 6’1”</strong></p> <p>While the Buffalo struggled to put points on the board, Jackson proved as a light in the darkness. Jackson contributed 21 of the Buffalo’s 47 points, mostly from great rebounding and running the floor. Jackson found himself on the end of many offensive rebounds and was able to put them back up for easy points. With Nas Mann and Nari Jordan both sitting for extended periods of time after colliding with each other, Jackson took advantage of the lack of height on the floor and starting rebounding and keeping the Buffalo in it. He was the only Villages player in double digits and was the anchor for the Buffalo offense. </p>