#GritSZNKickoff: Scotty B’s Saturday Notebook

It was another full day of action at the #GritSZNKickoff in Louisville. Here is my recap of all the games in #GritSZNKickoff: Scotty B’s Saturday Notebook!   Early Morning 15U Action Between INB Platinum and Clarksville Crossovers Nice surprise to start the day as there was a contest between a pair of fun 15U squads. Jordan Lomax and Kaleb Tate held it down for INB. Lomax is a long and lanky small forward that brings projectability moving forward. Clean shooting stroke, runs the floor, and impacts the game on the defensive end. Went for 17 points. Kaleb Tate is a combo guard who made plays in the open floor netting 16 points. On the other side we were intrigued with big bodied wing Breland Morrison for Clarksville Crossover. Got to the line at a high rate and was a quality rebounder. Finished with 14 points.   [player_tooltip player_id="1055140" first="Billy" last="Bach"] Continues Hot Shooting Lyons Township 2022 shooting guard [player_tooltip player_id="1055140" first="Billy" last="Bach"] for Hoops Intensity Training was lights out Friday from deep and it continued over to Saturday. Plus shooter with size connected on threes in bunches again. Moves well without the ball to get open and is primed to emerge as a priority shooter at the small college level after another 20 point outing.   Backcourt Play Shines in Kentucky Defenders vs Blaze Select 17U Wings are where it is at in today’s game and there was a lot of quality play at those positions in this morning game. The Kentucky Defenders had a silky smooth off guard in Jeremiah Israel. He came out scorching hot taking it right at the defense off the bounce winning with assertive straight line takes. Did hit a three, but it was his driving game that stood out the most. He dropped 20 points. IE Blaze Select had two of them as well along with an intimidating post presence that helped lead to a 59-55 win. Koston McReynolds was McBuckets as the plus shooter rained in threes along with a mid-range jumpers for 12 points. [player_tooltip player_id="1152148" first="Marco" last="Fitch"] is a scrappy guard that got after it on the defensive end and turned it the other way for 12 points. Really liked what we saw out of 2023 big man [player_tooltip player_id="868224" first="JaQualon" last="Roberts"]. Legit size and strength at about 6’6” and he was a force defensively swatting shots and being a presence in the lane. Big time rebounder that snatched them in traffic and finished with thunder offensively throwing down some thunderous slams.   Trios Pop for Both Illinois T-Wolves and Griffin Elite 16U Griffin Elite Rogers had just too much for the Illinois T-Wolves in their 80-56 victory at the 16U level on Saturday. Several prospects stood out on both sides. Griffin Elite was pushed by Sam Parrish. The crisp ball handling lead guard works well around ball screens manipulating them into what he wants. Capable shooter and had the runner game going for 19 points. Ondre Wicks is a lanky forward that crashed the glass en route to 17 points. Reece Porter is a legit 6’11” five man that flashed feel around the hoop on a spin move and seal for 12 points. On the other side it was Quinton Hunter for the Illinois T-Wolves who made his arrival known. The Lockport point guard drained three from distance with a sweet lefty stroke and displayed some shake off the bounce on his way to 15 points. Tylon Toliver is a combo guard that has a ton of toughness and grit to his game. Did a nice job of winning off the bounce and scoring in the paint for 12 points.   RISE vs Auburn Raptors 17U Was Classic My last game at the Mid-American facility was this afternoon contest. It came down to the wire. The twins took over for Auburn Raptors carrying them to a win. [player_tooltip player_id="725181" first="Joshua" last="Paige"] and [player_tooltip player_id="725180" first="Caleb" last="Paige"] absolutely went to work on both ends. Joshua is an athletic 6’5” small forward that has three and D ability. Knock down spot up shooter especially from the corners. Runs the floor hard and made play after play down the stretch en route to 24 points. His brother Caleb also drained a pair of threes along with putting it on the deck and defending on the wings. He had 11 points. [player_tooltip player_id="996066" first="Dajuan" last="Bates"] was phenomenal for RISE. The Chicago De La Salle product is a wiry point guard that has a never ending motor. Plays with a ton of intensity and speed. He is so fast in the open floor juking defenders out of their shoes. His jumper has become such a significant weapon as he was consistent from beyond the arc draining three of them for 31 points. His backcourt mate in high school [player_tooltip player_id="996072" first="Jalen" last="Brown"] was a force on the defensive end with his in your face intensity. He had 9 points and a ton of assists as he set up his teammates all game long. [player_tooltip player_id="1152911" first="Chaz" last="Harvey"] is an unsigned senior guard that is debating going to prep school next year. He came on strong at the end of the high school season for Brooks and it has carried over to the spring where he used his slick three level scoring going for 25 points.   Champaign Heat Has Lots of Sleeper Names in Illinois 2022 Class This central Illinois squad was down a few players, but it gave everyone that was there even more of an opportunity to shine. We saw parts of three different games on Saturday at the “East” facility. St. Thomas More 2022 shooting guard [player_tooltip player_id="996082" first="David" last="Hubbard"] has such a smooth game with his pull up game, handles in traffic, and passing on point. His best effort was a 15 point outing. [player_tooltip player_id="863629" first="Sam" last="Bradbury"] from Mattoon got to go up against another legit post player and he loved to bang inside against them as he recorded 19 points against NEBC. Martez Rhodes had a breakout weekend as the Danville power wing continued his emerging weekend with 15 points. The x-factors were their point guard play. Byron Carlo is a smaller point guard that has it on a string in tight spaces and makes others better. [player_tooltip player_id="1155908" first="Jermontre" last="Young"] is a tough as nails guard that just got stuff done all weekend!   Griffin Elite 17U Shares Ball and Plays Team Basketball In travel team basketball it is rare to see teams that make the extra pass consistently sharing the wealth. That is exactly what Griffin Elite Quattrocchi did as they went 4-0 on the weekend. It all started with their big man Justin Becker. Skilled and thick bodied power forward that operates all over the floor. Sound post moves, takes from the high post, and is a elite passer. One game he went for 17 points. Tanner Walton is another impact player for this squad. The shooting guard is an above average shooter that hit threes at a nice clip especially off the catch. In one game he had 15 points. Bryce Riley is a versatile forward that fills in anywhere needed. Samuel Bowling is a new addition to the squad that stepped in seamlessly with his tenacity and handle.   NEBC 17U Duo Make Noise in First PHC Event of Spring The New York based squad had two of the most impressive prospects in the event. Jerome Brewer is a 6’8” power forward that will be doing a prep year at Taylor Made in Arizona. He is built like a college defensive lineman and he moves like one too. Mixes in power and skill in remarkable fashion. Scores inside and out. Went for 30 points in one game and followed it up with 26 points. No doubt D1 prospect. Damani Barley has a long and wiry frame at 6’4”. Feathery jumper was on point in one of their contests as he netted 19 points hitting them off the catch and bounce. Lots of intriguing qualities here with the 2022 prospect.   Alabama Celtics 17U Athleticism Off Charts The Alabama Celtics 17U group has MAJOR ATHLETICISM! That begins with their star two guard Bryson Dawkins. Good size at 6’3” and the lefty proved over and over again that he is one of the best dunkers in high school basketball. That included one play where he caught a lob off the backboard in traffic from a teammate for a slam. Much more than just a dunker however. He displayed a terrific burst on his first step getting in the lane and to the line often. The lefty has a pure shooting stroke. Went for 23 points against NEBC. D1 prospect without question. Akeives Shorts is the heart and soul of this team with his defensive intensity and leadership. Went for 16 points in that same game. Later in the night Nykeem Gainer joined the party in full by draining a ton of three pointers showing the stocky guard is a shot maker!   Indy Nets Elite 16U Live Up to Hype INB 16U had high expectations coming into the event and went 3-1 including an impressive performance we caught. [player_tooltip player_id="868229" first="Myles" last="Colvin"] is the best long term prospect on the team. At 6’5” with broad shoulders and long arms he has a great frame going forward. The 2023 wing had one of the best plays of the day when he went baseline and hammered it on the help defender with two hands right in his grill! Colvin rebounded well in traffic and handled it coast to coast in transition for 12 points. [player_tooltip player_id="1042497" first="Zane" last="Doughty"] is a big man that rebounded at a very high level. Loved how aggressive he went after them high pointing boards and snatching them with both hands. Rim protector and brings mobility offensively for 13 points. Tyler Kerklof and [player_tooltip player_id="1042495" first="Dylan" last="Doss"] were floor spacers hitting threes from their guard spots.   Team 815 North 17U Trio Get Job Done in Win The Chicago based squad had three guards that led them to a win in the game we saw them play. Donavhan Cain is a silky smooth two guard at 6’3” with projectability. He is smooth off the bounce, hit several threes, and was very quick to the glass for second chance opportunities. Finished with 18 points. Jemere Jefferson is a long and wiry point guard that mixed in runners and threes for 12 points. Mehki Doby has a nice looking jumper as well as he went for 16 points.   Pair of 16U Players Make Name in Late Night Action Two 16U players caught our eye later in the night in back to back games. Khalil Roberts is a thick bodied 6’3” wing for TTG that has nifty footwork for his size and is a capable shooter from deep off the catch. Antaune Allen of Team Flyght was really good with how he lived in the lane all night winning off the bounce over and over. Also hit from mid-range a couple times as he scored 20 points.