CBG Winter Series II: 2021 Standouts (Part One)

<p>Sunday marked the second session of the CBG Winter Series, a club team event that was started by the Commonwealth Basketball Group to give kids and teams that don’t have a chance to play high school ball this year a chance to compete in front of a live stream for college coaches and other media. The event featured 12 teams from across the state of VA, and each team played two games with 20 minute running clock halves.</p> <p>There was tons of talent in the building with some teams returning from session one and some new ones as well. We will take a look at the standouts and need to break them up due to the amount of talent in the building.</p> <p>We start by taking a look at part one of the top seniors in attendance, and believe it or not all of these guys are still available!</p> <p>Anyone wishing to watch the replays of the game can check it out on the CBG Live Network at <a href="https://cbglivenetwork.com">https://cbglivenetwork.com</a>.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="798698" first="Quentin" last="Livingston"] | 6’4” SF | Peanut City 460</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1122074" align="alignnone" width="238"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/01/Livingston-Quentin-PC.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1122074" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/01/Livingston-Quentin-PC-238x300.jpg" alt="" width="238" height="300" /></a> Photo: Lancaptures[/caption] <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Livingston has been a standout in CBG events in the past and has proven time and time again that he’s one of the top available prospects in the state, and while he dealt with some foul trouble in a very physical matchup against CBG East in the first game he bounced back to have a terrific game in their second game against 522 Warriors. He showed his versatility as he played and guarded multiple positions throughout the day, he was productive in a number of ways on both ends and he showed his importance as his team won the game he was able to stay on the floor in. He finished with 20 points on 7-for-13 shooting in their win, chipping in 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks as well.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="798749" first="Jakari" last="Wilkins"] | 5’9” PG | Circle Sports</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/Wilkins-Jakari.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1107906" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/Wilkins-Jakari-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Wilkins continues to impress as one of the better available senior guards and one of the more unknown guys as well, as he has been putting on a show in the CBG Winter Series so far. A super quick and shifty guard off the bounce, Wilkins is a guy who has blazing end-to-end speed, can create for himself and others in isolation situations off the bounce and he’s a pesky defender on the defensive side of the ball as well. He’s a guy who may get overlooked by his size but he makes a big impact on the game every time he’s on the floor.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="957897" first="Cam" last="Edmonds"] | 6’2” G | Chesapeake Jaguars</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/Edmonds-Cam-CBG.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1062316" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/Edmonds-Cam-CBG-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Edmonds was the high scorer in session one of the Winter Series as he averaged 28 points per game in those two games, and he continued to show he’s one of the top scorers in the state as he averaged 26.5 points per game in the second session against two very good teams in the 522 Warriors and CBG East. While he wasn’t quite as efficient this time, he still showed his ability to work on and off the basketball to get open, his ability to knock down shots from deep with deep range and his ability to get in the lane and finish through traffic or get to the free throw line regularly. He’s not just a scorer though as he made plays defensively jumping passing lane and hit the glass well for a guard his size.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="957890" first="Xzavier" last="Long"] | 6’6” F | VA Academy</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1122076" align="alignnone" width="237"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/01/Long-Xzavier.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1122076" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/01/Long-Xzavier-237x300.jpg" alt="" width="237" height="300" /></a> Photo: Lancaptures[/caption] <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Long is one of the top available players in the state, and it’s a shame that not many people know about his versatility and ability to impact the game in a number of ways at his size. He’s a guy who can do a little bit of everything as he can guard multiple positions, he can handle and initiate the offense and is an unselfish playmaker and he can score from multiple levels both on and off the basketball. He showed he can post smaller guys and make plays in the paint, he has incredible vision for a guy his size and he’s a strong and good athlete that can play above the rim. He stuffed the stat sheet in their first game against CBG 434 finishing with 12 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals and was effective in their second game against Blue Magic as well, and his impact on the game goes beyond the stat sheet as a leader and a guy who makes plays that don’t show up there as well.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="798719" first="Dana" last="Woodley"] | 6’4” SG | Blue Magic</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/Woodley-Dana-CBG.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1072251" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/Woodley-Dana-CBG-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Woodley has been a standout at all of the CBG Series dating back to the Fall Series, and he continues to show that he’s one of the best available guards in the state and looks more mature every time I see him play. “Woo,” as he’s known by teammates and coaches, is an elite athlete who can play above the rim on both ends and brings great energy to his team, and he’s been a steady scoring option as a shot maker from multiple levels that can work off the ball to get open and can get to his spots with the ball in his hands as well. Blue Magic opted to play many of their younger guys this weekend with the games not counting against their record, but Woodley still averaged 12 points a game in just 25 minutes per game, and he showed good leadership as he encouraged his teammates and was very vocal throughout the day.</p> <p><strong>Ty Lacey | 6’5” SF | Blue Magic</strong></p> <p>Lacey is a guy who often gets overshadowed on a Blue Magic team that’s loaded with division one talent, and we even mentioned in the broadcast that if he were to be playing at another public school in the area he would likely be a better known commodity that could show what he can do on both ends of the floor. A late bloomer who has seen a big growth spurt over the past few years, Lacey is a long and athletic glue guy that brings it on both ends and makes winning plays for his team that don’t always show up in the stat sheet. He plays a gritty style with a great motor and is a good athlete, he has a good IQ and he brings it on both ends and is willing to accept the role that he needs to in order to help his team win.</p>