Havoc in the Heartland: 2027 All-Tournament Team

Baskerville was the best player all weekend. He just has a natural ability to score the basketball that nobody else could compete with. Has an ultra competitiveness about him that you love to see in a player, especially with him being that young. Has great speed and athleticism and is super effective both in the half court and in transition. I was most impressed with him in ball screens. He understood changing pace to get defenders on his back to shoot floaters which players his age typically can’t do. His ability to also come off and shoot pretty consistently from 3pt range was impressive as well. Ultimately, I think he can be really really good if he keeps working. The sky is the limit.

Barnes was the most dominate post player at the event. Typically players that big at his age are still kind of figuring out their body, but he really understands how to use it to his advantage. He understands angles and how to create space. Although he is 6’7″, he didn’t rely on just his height to score over the top. His jump shot looks pretty smooth, especially on free throws and I foresee him really expanding his game over the next couple of years. He had a really good weekend.

Patterson Jr. is another player that just keeps getting better. He has an unbelievable feel for the game that can play all the guard positions. His size allows him to see the entire floor and get teammates easy baskets. As the primary ball handler for Big Energy, he did a good job all weekend escaping pressure and leading them to some big time wins. He was a much more consistent finisher at the rim this weekend than in the past and knocked down some shots from distance. Big guards like him don’t come around often. He has an exciting future.

Hayes had a very productive weekend offensively. He was probably one of the better shooters I saw as he was an immediate threat to score every time he touched the ball. Has unlimited range as he has a nice compact shot and uses his size to shoot over defenders. He was at his best sprinting the floor getting his feet set and teammates finding him to shoot. As he gets stronger, he will become a much more 3 level scorer and begin consistently scoring at the rim, but he was ultra productive from the 3pt line all weekend that he didn’t really need to do much else. Love his game.

King proved Sunday that he deserved to be on this list. He played with an extremely high motor all weekend and just kept knocking down big shot after big shot. Has really good size and strength where he can battle down low with post players yet he has great quickness to step out on the perimeter and drive by his defender. Has a really good looking jump shot that he makes regularly, especially when he catches in rhythm. Howell is the type of player that every team needs. Winner.