5 Takeaways From The Hustle Season Kick-Off

<p>Circuit season got started on the West Coast this year. It’s going to be a summer jam-packed with events, so it was great to open up in Sunny California. The Season kick off took place in Irvine California at the Momentous Sports Center. In all, a total of 45 programs kicked off circuit season. and we had several outstanding individual performances. After two days of watching games, here are my takeaways from the Hustle Season Kick-Off. </p> <ol> <li><strong>Who Is Eagles Academy?</strong> - While doing my Prep for the event I found out that Eagles Academy was a mixture of kids for a small 1A school in Washington called Life Academy. That was the extent of what I knew about the squad. They have all the tools to hold the Circuit crown when it’s all said and done. The combination of Chae Haynes, Yusuf Kibira, and Riley Kretzer provided them with unique depth, and the shooting of their guards allowed the floor to stay spaced. They not only went 4-0 on the weekend but did it in convincing fashion. </li> <li><strong>Is [player_tooltip player_id="986955" first="DJ" last="Thomas"] Underrated?</strong> - The entire time I watched Thomas play, I kept thinking, how odd it would be to finally watch him competing against players his own age. His poise and decision-making, make you forget that he’s never played an official H.S basketball game. He showed great shot selection, knowing just the right time to take a 3, or hit the roll man on P&amp;R action. He plays with terrific pace, keeping defenders off balance with his ability to stop and start. </li> <li><strong>Multi - Levels 1-2 Punch.</strong>- Got to know a little about Multi-Level from their time on our Next Circuit. Their H.S squads had similar talent. The class of 2023 squad was lead by the inside-outside combo of Nate Simon and Christian Wilson. Simon the smooth shooting combo guard, managed to get buckets with his shooting and slashing, while Wilson commanded double teams down low.</li> <li><strong>Game Of The Weekend Was Clearly...</strong> - When you come back from 18 down in the second half for an OT victory, you’re definitely going to be in the running for game of the day. That’s exactly what NBBA Black did against South Bay Supreme. Several players shined in the game including Xerian Anderson and Jackson Wimberly of SBS. The show was stolen by [player_tooltip player_id="1116178" first="Dom" last="Girish"], who banged home 7 treys, sparking the furious rally. He finished with 29, however, it was a Will Logue steal and finish that sent the game into overtime. From there NBBA hold on for a 3 point victory. </li> <li><strong>A Surprising Number Of Bigs</strong> - The one thing coaches are always on the lookout for is quality bigs. I’m never sure what to expect as most events go only as well as the quality of the big men participating. I was pleasantly surprised with not only the quality but also the depth of Bigs at the Hustle Season Kick-Off. There were quick jump athletes like Jordan Williams and the aforementioned Yusuf Kibira. You had bangers like Chae Haynes and [player_tooltip player_id="946532" first="Harry" last="Nauci"], mid to high major bigs like [player_tooltip player_id="787643" first="Joshua" last="Jefferson"], and [player_tooltip player_id="859649" first="Aaron" last="Price"], and young bigs like Christian Wilson. All levels were covered, going only to establish Prep Hoops and the PH Circuit as the leader in hyperlocal high school basketball recruiting. </li> </ol> <p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CNMQf6hhbbk/?hl=en">View Hustle Region Recap Video Now</a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/7outzbballclub1">Follow Prep Hoops</a></p>