Bucs Thanksgiving Classic: First Five

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bucs Thanksgiving Classic is proving to be an excellent barometer of where teams are at the start of the season. If this year's event is any indication, Carlsbad looks to be a serious Open Division threat. The Lancers handily defeated Mission Bay 78-61 to claim the championship, winning its four games by an average of 22 points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here were some of the top players we saw throughout the Thanksgiving Week tournament. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1630639' first='Jake' last='Hall'], Carlsbad</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hall, the unquestioned MVP of the event, has picked up where he left off last season - scoring the basketball at an efficient and prolific clip. He is a three level scorer that does it without over handling due to his precise footwork and touch around the basket and ability to move without the ball. He scored 31 points in the championship blowout of Mission Bay - on 16 shots. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Charlie Hutchison, Mission Bay</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hutchison was at his best in a dismantling of La Jolla Country Day, showcasing the improved three-level scoring and rebounding, as well as his passing chops en route to 23 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists in the win. The big 6-7 junior forward is as versatile a player as we have in the region, handling the ball at the point, slashing into the key for his improved pull-up, and knocking down shots from the college three from either wing. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1434801' first='Noah' last='Marte'], San Diego</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6-1 senior guard is, dare we say, extremely underrated at this stage of his career. He has one elite skillset: He can shoot it from anywhere on the court. He's made big strides scoring the basketball attacking off the bounce, which makes him even tougher to guard now that he can effectively attack close outs. He's also made significant strides in his on-ball defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1502812' first='Tony' last='Duckett'], Carlsbad</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are times where Duckett, a wiry, 6-2 junior guard, looks like the best player on the floor, and that's even with Hall on the court. Duckett is a pure scorer who can knock down shots from each level and has an uncanny knack of finishing around the basket in creative ways. Defensively, his length and aggression makes him a solid on-ball defender and he's showing flashes of high-level off-ball play, including a pair of blocks that he pinned near the square. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Brycen Mackenzie, Santa Fe Christian </h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mackenzie carved teams up throughout the tournament, and he's extended his range to beyond the three, complementing his midrange pullup and his slashing to the basket. He's a willing and excellent passer, finding players on the strong and weak side of the defense (great weakside court vision) and willingly advances the ball to shooters in transition. He elevates the players around him, the ultimate compliment for a point guard. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->