CYBL USA Championship: Day 1 Standouts

<p>The Competitive Youth Basketball League (CYBL) kicked off on Juneteenth at the Finley Center in Hoover Alabama. This was the biggest showcase in the Birmingham, Alabama area this weekend and you better believe the young men that played in this tournament knew it. It was tough, physical basketball, and from the very start, teams knew the weekend championship would be earned and not given. Here is a list of young men that stood out on day 1.</p> <p><strong>Dorian Carter</strong> 6’2/150, SG Royal Dynasty c/o 2023 (Pictured below #12)</p> <p>This kid had the entire gym rocking. He was the best athlete in the building and had the crowd going crazy with a series of dunks as his team cruised to an impressive 2-0 start. Dorian isn’t just a high riser. He showed elite quickness with a running stride that made him appear to float while the rest of the players just ran. He finished the game with 15 points and several impressive rebounds that brought the full attention of the gym to his Royal Dynasty squad. </p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/Dorian-Carter-crop-1229x807-1624286007.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1220055 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/Dorian-Carter-crop-1229x807-1624286007-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a></p> <p><strong>Talib Christian</strong> 6’8/165, C Lincoln Bears c/o 2023</p> <p>Talib had a good showing on the defensive end. He is a great athlete that also shows nice touch at the rim and active hands. He is a disruptor at the rim and in the passing lanes. What he lacks in strength, he makes up with great defensive instincts and timing. He was a human fly swatter, blocking 5 shots (in game 1) and altering several others as his team pulled out a tough victory to improve their standings for the championship rounds.</p> <p><strong>Patrick McCraney</strong> 6’1/170, PG Louisiana Road Runners c/o 2022 (Pictured #1)</p> <p>Patrick carried himself the entire day like he knew he was the best player at the Finley Center, and at the tip of game one, he proved it. Patrick displayed elite handles and quickness getting to his spots in the paint and scoring with ease. When the opposing team tried to rough him up and get physical, he adapted by getting his teammates involved and showing his elite jumper. He let the game come to him but displayed a competitive fire that allowed him to take his game up a notch with each adjustment the opposing team tried to make. He scored in bunches all day and overall put on a performance that put the entire Finley Center on notice.</p> <p><strong>Dmitry Payne</strong> 6’0/170, PG Louisiana Road Runners c/o 2023 (Pictured #0)</p> <p>The Hall of Famer Isaiah Thomas once said that the player with the ball can control the other 9 players on the court. Dmitry showed he completely understands that concept. He was the calming presence for his Road Runner squad refusing to let them get sped up by the opposing team’s pressure or full-court press attempts. He was a floor general that kept his team in their right sets and broke the press by himself on several occasions. Despite all of his “glue-guy” intangibles, he displayed a nice ability to score when his team needed to end a scoring drought or when offensive sets broke down. He got to the basket at will and manipulated the opposition all day. </p> <p><strong>Raman Cox</strong> 6’7/220, PF Jazz Elite c/o 2023</p> <p>A big physical kid that controlled the paint the entire day. Whenever he posted on the low block, opposing teams had two choices. Send a double team or get scored on. He also showed a natural comfort on the perimeter as well, hitting a good number of his outside shots with a nice touch and follow through. Simply put, Raman was a grown man on the court that used his size correctly and flashed athleticism that has the potential to have college coaches lined up at his door one day.</p> <p><strong>Jackson Pilgreen</strong> 6’7/220, PF Louisiana Road Runners c/o 2022 (Pictured #6)</p> <p>Pilgreen was a junkyard dog on the court Saturday. A big kid that invited contact and was willing to bang all day. He was an animal on the offensive glass and was rarely out of position on defense. He made his presence felt on the defensive end with hustle plays, diving for loose balls, and getting put-back baskets. His natural touch and offensive instincts give you the idea that he’s capable of dominating offensively but the joy in which he played lets you know he’s a team player willing to do whatever it takes to get his team a win. Everyone loves playing with players like Pilgreen.</p>