Coach K Combine: Middle School Division Standouts
During a weekend that had Mikey Williams coming into town for the 2nd half of the Coach K Combine, the middle school division was loaded with talent and gave those in attendance some very good appetizers during the 1st half…
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Continue ReadingDuring a weekend that had Mikey Williams coming into town for the 2nd half of the Coach K Combine, the middle school division was loaded with talent and gave those in attendance some very good appetizers during the 1st half of the combine, before the main meal came later that night. Here are some standouts from the middle school division.
Giancarlo Martinez / 5’9 / Power Forward / AAU: NYBA Elite 2028 / JF Kennedy Middle School (Antioch TN)
Instagram: gian.hoops
Twitter: N/A
First, let me say that Giancarlo was very impressive in the 1on1 station at camp. He was one of the best scorers in his group. When the 5v5 games began, Giancarlo settled into his position and was active in setting screens in p&r action. I mention this because I want to encourage Giancarlo to not settle into a role.
He has the potential to be more of a threat on the offensive end.
He is extremely tough 1-on-1, and I would like to see that translate to 5-v-5. Giancarlo also showed a lot of activity on the boards, and he played with a lot of energy. Opportunities for Growth: As mentioned, Giancarlo has the tools to be a productive player. I challenge G to begin to expand his game beyond a role he thinks he has to settle into. There is a lot more in his game to be unlocked.
Micaiah Ehirim / 5’5 / Point Guard / AAU: KBE 2027 / South Point Middle School (South Point OH)
Instagram: POV.micaiah
Twitter: N/A
Micaiah had a powerful performance at camp. When it came to the middle school division, he was making a case as one of the best in the division. He has a very mature overall game and is a big-time playmaker. He can get buckets, drop dimes, handle the rock, hit the trey, and has a high IQ for his age.
Micaiah has a prodigious scoring talent that he put on display in every 5v5 game he played.
Micaiah is a ball-dominant guard that found a balance between scoring and facilitating. Most of the time, players that have an offensive prowess as Micaiah don’t give the same effort on the defensive end of the court, but not the case with Micaiah, as he gave the same energy and effort on D as he did on O. Opportunities for Growth: Micaiah has to continue evolving in his play in p&r action, and take care of the ball more in tight quarters. I understand that it was a showcase camp, and Micaiah showed quite a lot about his game, but the next time I see him, I want to see his ability to put others around him in situations to be successful.
Noah Hughes / 5’2/ Point Guard / AAU: NYBA 2027 / Knowledge Academy (Antioch TN)
Instagram: yunging.noah
Twitter: N/A
One thing about Noah is that he has an excellent pace to his game and understands when to change his pace. It was a pleasure to see a player at his age not playing at just one speed and pace. Noah showed a sound knowledge of the game as he recognized mismatches and exploited the mismatches.
He didn’t rush in the p&r but was patient as the ball-handler, read the defense, and took advantage of the big switching onto him.
About what I just mentioned, I would say Noah is ahead of schedule compared to other PGs in his class. Noah’s long-range shooting is a significant variable that compliments his PG play. Opportunities for Growth: Noah has to continue to work on creating space off the bounce and when getting his shot off, as this will be vital as he continues his journey and remains at 5’2. Once he grows, what he is developing now will only enhance his game.
Chezaveon Bridges / 6’1 / Forward / AAU: NYBA 2027 / Brentwood Academy (Brentwood TN)
Instagram: Zayy.hoops
Twitter: N /A
CB is a developing young player that has good length. He is still developing on both ends of the court, but what he does currently, he does well. He sticks to his strengths, which are being active in the paint and on the boards on both ends of the court.
He had countless and countless amounts of offensive boards and put backs, as he traces the ball well.
He is still very raw but worked very hard throughout camp. Opportunities for Growth: As I mentioned, CB is developing. So his all-around game is something he has to continue working on. Now that is very generic, and we all know you eat an elephant one bite at a time. With the season starting soon, there is only so much that CB can focus on, so for now, what I would encourage CB to work on is his finishing around the rim. He was productive in this area at camp, but he tends to go up with the ball behind his head or on his shoulder and not fully extended up and towards the rim, as this makes him small. It seemed he did this more when he was about to receive contact or a crowd was around him. I encourage him to make sure he does his push-ups and sit-ups nightly, even during the season. Once the season is over, I encourage him to develop a plan to focus on ball-handling, footwork, back to the basket post moves, and hook shots in the paint and on the block. Improve in these areas headed into the eighth grade, then develop another off-season plan next year before the ninth grade.
Lincoln Cosby / 6’2 / Guard / NYBA Elite 2027 / Mill Creek Middle School (Nolensville TN)
Instagram: lincoln_cosby
Twitter: N/A
Lincoln continues to develop in his all-around game. I have seen thru other media outlets how he has impressed at other camps. If you have followed my writings on Lincoln, you know I am extremely high on this kid. Because of that, I look to see specific development in his game every time I see him.
I saw a more cognitive player processing the game mentally quicker in this camp and making better and faster reads.
He is still growing as the offensive threat the country continues to witness at different camps, and he is still moving up towards the high ceiling over him. In every aspect of his game, he has improved since the last time I saw him. Opportunities for Growth: I want to see Lincoln get up and down the court faster. At times he was lagging behind when it came to transition defense. He showed that he is starting to become more vocal on both ends of the court, so I encourage him to continue to develop his vocal leadership capacity.
Stay tuned…I will be dropping more standouts soon!