AP’s Passion Region Final Day 1 Notebook

<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">The Passion region's road to the championship opened today with 40+ teams taking the court. With three scouts spread out around Bradenton, Florida, I'll give you the lowdown on 17U storylines.</p> <p><strong>The Young Guns</strong></p> <p>I know I said we're focusing on the senior class, but I caught a few 16U games before the older guys took the floor. No Guts No Glory had a backcourt that got to their spots all day. [player_tooltip player_id="1415366" first="Tayshaun" last="Whitner"] is a quick 5'10 guard that uses his handle to get him in the paint. He looks to score every time he gets the ball and can stop on the dime for pull ups or finish at the hole. [player_tooltip player_id="1385670" first="Chris" last="Crudup"] is a downhill attacker that flourished in 1 on 1 situations in the half court. He draws fouls and has the athletic burst to finish above the rim on the break.</p> <p>Across from them was a frontcourt with two defense first prospects. <strong>Elijah Lusbey</strong> is a 6'6 big that runs the floor, blocks shots, makes smart passes, and dives to the rim out of pick and rolls. <strong>Javon Palavra</strong> is a long high energy 6'3 wing that can defend multiple positions, change shots, and hit threes.</p> <p><strong>High Seeds Struggle</strong></p> <p>Despite a night of blowouts, teams full of talent fell short. Florida Elite SW beat Pro Holmes at the buzzer. The duo of <strong>Jervens St. Louis</strong> and [player_tooltip player_id="1296018" first="Kevins" last="Meralus"] used their athleticism and physicality to push the talented team late into the game. St. Louis is 6'4 and built like a brick house. His ability to create mismatches and finish around the rim made him the team's leading scorer. He made layups at different angles, runs the floor, and tanks through athleticism. Meralus is a hyper athletic 6 foot guard built like a running back. His explosive finishes and outside shot were a great combination.</p> <p>The Duval Suns kept it tight with No Guts No Glory 17U until the later stages of the game. [player_tooltip player_id="1275518" first="Nick" last="Quick"] and [player_tooltip player_id="854913" first="Jakel" last="Powell"] spearheaded the team's win with a combined 38 points. Quick is a big time 6'4 athlete that can finish above the rim and put on a show in transition. Powell is a long 6'7 wing that scores off the bounce, has deep range, and can finish above the rim.</p> <p><strong>Stock Risers</strong></p> <p><strong>Ermil Fleurinvil</strong> is a long 6'7 forward with a two way impact. He's a good defender who can switch on to several positions and affect shots in the paint. Offensively, he can take bigs off the dribble, knock down perimeter shots, and finish against contact despite his slender frame.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1310883" first="Joviel" last="Acevedo"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1463277" first="Trent" last="Lincoln"] amazed me with their passing. Each traded off time as the lead ball handler, orchestrating pick and rolls and finding their diving bigs. Acevedo has great timing and IQ with his passes that place the ball where defenders can get to it while ending in his teammates' pockets. Lincoln has mastered using his scoring to drag defenders to him to increase passing angles.</p> <p><strong>New Faces</strong></p> <p><strong>Toni Bryant</strong> was another switchable 6'7 forward. His agility, length, and overall athleticism allowed him to score above the rim. He's a rim runner that blocked shots and showed a lot of effort on the defensive end.</p> <p><strong>Bermhan Pyram</strong> is a 6'8 big man with an intriguing set of tools. He's a good vertical athlete with a high activity level. Pyram affects the game without scoring.</p>