Bruce’s Notebook: Friday Night Standouts Labor Day Crown
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The Labor Day Crown takes place Friday, Sept 2nd – thru Monday, Sept 5th. The event, hosted by Prep Hoops Circuit Premiere program, Chosen Few, will take place at the Las Vegas Basketball Center located at 7350 Prairie Falcon Rd,…
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Continue ReadingThe Labor Day Crown takes place Friday, Sept 2nd – thru Monday, Sept 5th. The event, hosted by Prep Hoops Circuit Premiere program, Chosen Few, will take place at the Las Vegas Basketball Center located at 7350 Prairie Falcon Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89128. The tournament format featured teams ranging from 8U to 17U. I pulled up on Friday night to check out the talent. Here’s a look at my Friday night standouts from the event.
James Murray IV James Murray IV 6'6" | CG Denver East | 2025 State CO 6’5 CG RMS 2025 (#7PHCO 2025) – Haven’t seen Murray in a couple of years, but it looks like he’s developing nicely. He’s best attribute is his downhill driving ability. He showed good agility and athletic ability avoiding defenders with the bounce on his way to the rim.
Jakoi Lide Jakoi Lide 5'11" | PG Rancho | 2025 State NV 5’10 CG Hardwork dedication 2025 (#36PHN 2025) (featured image) – Lide was a dawg for HWD today. The PG took control of the game with his shooting and driving ability. He capped off a terrific performance by knocking down the game winning three for the club.
Olyad Mikias Olyad Mikias 5'8" | PG Spring Valley | 2025 State NV 5’8 PG Chosen Few 2025 – If I have one criticism of Mikias it was that he had the tendency to overdribble, however he did manage to make the correct play more often than not. The PG played well in P&R situations, hitting the roller or making the skip when the defense helped the helper. Overall, I thought he showed some skill, including a solid handle which allowed him to dribble through man pressure.
Devin Thomas Devin Thomas 6'3" | PF Mojave | 2026 State NV 6’2 SG North Las Vegas Venom 2026 – Thomas caught my eye because of his length and skill. I liked the fact that he was able to score the ball both driving to the hoop and with his outside shot. He’s a player to keep an eye on as he will have an opportunity to develop in a deep and talented Mojave program.
Josiah Stroughter Josiah Stroughter 6'0" | CG Democracy Prep | 2026 State NV 6’1 PG Rod Wave Elite 2026 – I’ve seen Stroughter play with a variety of teams this summer, and the one thing that stays consistent is his ability to hoop. Stroughter showed off his athletic ability, hammering home a transition dunk, and showing his signature toughness, getting into the lane and finishing plays in traffic.
R’zha Whittle R’zha Whittle 6'8" | C Rancho | 2024 State NV 6’8 C Hardwork Dedication 2024 (#22PHN 2024) – I’m going to be watching a ton of Whittle this year. He has the size, and he does a good job of using it to carve out space. What’s really stands out about him is his ability to score with his back to the basket. When Whittle takes his time, he’s able to patiently shake off defenders and score around the basket. He did that numerous times today, to help HWD to a victory.
Ziven Smith Ziven Smith 6'0" | SG Spring Valley | 2025 State NV 6’0 SG Chosen Few 2025 – Smith was a surprise player. I didn’t know much about him before going to the event, but he quickly made me into a believer. Smith showed an advanced 1 v 1 game, flashing some wiggle, and getting into the lane to score the ball. When he was left open, he was accurate from behind the three-point line, showing the ability to change the scoreboard with his shooting.