#GritSZNKickOff 15U All-Tournament Teams

<p><span style="font-size: 1rem;">There were 15 teams who participated in the 15U division at the Grit SZN Kick Off in Louisville this past weekend, and I got a chance to watch at least a little bit of each. There were three teams who emerged undefeated, although they were all pushed hard in those wins. The high level of play made it difficult to narrow these teams down to just ten players, but in the end, we settled on these ten standouts:</span></p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">First Team</span></strong></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1068238" first="Timothy" last="Carpenter"] III</strong> PG - Team Flyght Ohio 2024 ; Trotwood HS (OH)</p> <p>Team Flyght Ohio’s undefeated weekend was powered by the freshman point guard’s excellent play. The 6’3" guard made great decisions with the basketball, especially in transition. His awareness as a help defender was the most impressive part of his game to me. At times he played free safety without really guarding anyone in particular, but it made life difficult for opposing offenses.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1091943" first="Jywon" last="Boyd"]</strong> PG - Alabama Celtics 2024; Charles Henderson HS (AL)</p> <p>Boyd was one of the best at getting in the lane thanks to his reliable handle and quickness. He was more than willing to share the rock once he reached the lane, and his teammates received several open looks as a result of the collapsed defense.</p> <p><strong>Ian Senn</strong> CG - Auburn Raptors 2024; Ariton HS (AL)</p> <p>The midrange is where Ian Senn did his offensive damage. He has a reliable floater which he used to finish over shot-blockers. He was not afraid to post up smaller guards, and when he did he utilized a nice baby hook with the right hand.</p> <p><strong>Trevante Palmer </strong>F - Auburn Raptors 2024; Bullock County HS (AL)</p> <p>Palmer is a strong, athletic wing with positional versatility. His passing and ball-handling ability allows him to control the ball more than most bigs on offense. He was a menace on defense, especially as the final line of defense in the Raptors’ 1-3-1 full court press.</p> <p><strong>James Franklin </strong>F - Tri-State Knicks Elite 2024; Middletown HS (OH)</p> <p>The best defender I watched at the event was James Franklin. He got up high to block shots and disrupt lob attempts, he played tough in the post, and denied the ball on the perimeter and blew up handoffs. He showcased his versatility in all four games on the weekend.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Second Team</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Juan Cranford Jr. </strong>CG - Team Flyght Ohio 2024; Trotwood HS (OH)</p> <p>Cranford Jr. confidently shot the three off the dribble and the catch. He put a lot of pressure on the defensive big in pick and roll, as he can quickly pull up if they drop, and attack the rim if they take that away.</p> <p><strong>John Reinhart </strong>PG - Griffin Elite 2024 Hatton; Lexington Catholic HS (KY)</p> <p>It was clear Reinhart read the floor at a high level. His passing impressed, as he exploited gaps in the defense at precisely the right time. He possesses tremendous length which showed up big on the defensive end.</p> <p><strong>Jayden Johnson</strong> F - Griffin Elite 2024 Hatton</p> <p>It was not until after the event that I had realized Johnson was in the 2026 class. He played up, but absolutely belonged. He bombed several tough three-pointers, put the ball on the floor to attack the rim, and was able to grab the rebound and push it quickly up the court himself. Johnson is a talented player at 6’4".</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1160827" first="Nelson" last="Shinkle"]</strong> PF - Mid Mo Elite 2024; Knox County HS (MO)</p> <p>A crafty player who brings touch, passing skill, and shooting ability to the court. He was efficient inside, but could venture out to the high post to run offense, and out past the three-point line to stretch the floor.</p> <p><strong>Deon’dre Tillery </strong>PG - Tri-State Knicks Elite 2024; Lakota East HS (OH)</p> <p>Tillery controlled the action on offense for the Knicks all weekend. His pullup three-point shooting gave them a spark, and his defense set the tone. </p>