The Next Level Basketball Academy 13U: Breakdown

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This talented team saw loads of success throughout the AAU season. They made it to 3 different Championships this spring/summer. The Next Level Basketball Academy (NLBA) 13U team had excellent guard play and was competitive at every event, despite never having their full squad at a single tournament. NLBA was led by a young up-n-coming coach, <em>Tyrell Rodriguez</em> who is passionate about the game and truly enjoyed coaching this 13U team. This team was made up of a combination of Minnesota and North Dakota players. Look below for the NLBA roster and player comments. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1543114,"width":160,"height":116,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/08/NLBA15Uteampic-3.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/08/NLBA15Uteampic-3.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1543114" width="160" height="116"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Next Level Basketball Academy 13U</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1543337' first='Michael' last='Hollcraft'] |5'6 G| Shanley</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He is a floor general and a leader. Mike is extremely coachable and he has a bright future. Hollcraft can also create his own shot. As a PG, he never became frazzled when the defense applied pressure. He was a fun player to coach for the NLBA staff. His competitiveness rubbed off on his teammates and he made the team better. Keep track of this young PG! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Isaiah Bliss |5'6 G| Bemidji</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He is a scrappy and coachable player. Bliss is a knockdown 3-shooter. Over the AAU season, Isaiah improved his handles and decision-making. He bought into the NLBA expectations and his game saw improvement. Bliss is a committed player, that asks questions, is a good listener, and responds well. Coaches love players like Bliss.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Christian Shouse |5'10 SF| Detroit Lakes</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He caused matchup problems for opposing teams. Shouse is a "stretch 4" that can shoot the 3 and penetrate for buckets. He has the athletic ability to grab a defensive rebound and lead the break going the other way. Christian is a smart defender that can block shots and keep the ball in play. He is a high NRG player that has a passion and desire to get better at hoops. This Laker has potential, he truly cares about getting better, and he is a competitor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1543338' first='Anthony' last='Brackins'] |5'6 G| West Fargo</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He was the best athlete on this NLBA squad. Brackins is a scrappy athlete on both ends of the floor. He can grab a rebound and score by going coast-to-coast. Anthony is a great rebounder for a guard. As the season moved along, Brackins began to understand when to attack in the half-court. Opposing defenders struggled to keep Anthony in front. Brackins will be an exciting player as he continues to grow and improve his game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mason Leiser |5'6 G| Moorhead</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He was the best spot-up 3-point shooter for NLBA. Mason moves well without the ball and he reacts to his defender. This kid can hot and light it up. In Omaha, Leiser made 5 three-pointers in a single game. That is impressive for a player only going into 8th grade. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1543339' first='Landon' last='Hanson'] |5'3 G| West Fargo Sheyenne</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He is a scrappy guard that leaves it all on the floor. Hanson is very coachable and he is a great listener. He was a standout defender in the half-court for NLBA. On offense, Landon stood out when running the floor and scoring in transition. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1543340' first='Payton' last='Lochthowe'] |6'0 PF| West Fargo Sheyenne</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This kid has tremendous upside as a ballplayer. Payton played the "5" spot for NLBA. He did a nice job of protecting the rim and altering shots. Lochthowe finishes with a nice touch around the rim and he grew a couple of inches over the season. Keep your eyes on this young Mustang.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1543341' first='Joey' last='Mclaughlin'] |5'6 G| Shanley</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He is another great kid to have in the program. Joey is a solid defender that can get the job done vs the 2, 3, and 4 positions. He was effective in the catch-n-shoot game from beyond the arc. Mclaughlin really developed his confidence throughout the season and he should come into the school season ready to make some noise. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1543342' first='Enoch' last='Orukotan'] |5'6 G| Fargo Davies</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He is a combo-guard that can run the 1 and play on the wing. When attacking, Enoch is creative off the bounce. He stood out by catching, ripping, taking one or two dribbles and pulling up for a smooth J. He is a knockdown shooter from mid-range, and Orukotan finishes well in transition. Not only that, he is a coachable player that listens and responds well. Enoch is a great kid to have in the program for NLBA.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1543114,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/08/NLBA15Uteampic-3.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/08/NLBA15Uteampic-3.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1543114"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->