NYBA Primetime Showcase Tourney Standouts
The NYBA #PrimeTime Showcase was nothing short of amazing. Talent was wall to wall, and here are a few standouts in the middle school division… Ze’Keice McCarver (5’7/PG/’27/TN Connection ) Instagram: bigsgze Ze’Keice is a lead guard that left his impact…
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Continue ReadingThe NYBA #PrimeTime Showcase was nothing short of amazing. Talent was wall to wall, and here are a few standouts in the middle school division…
Ze’Keice McCarver (5’7/PG/’27/TN Connection )
Instagram: bigsgze
Ze’Keice is a lead guard that left his impact on the game by being a playmaker off the bounce. He was constantly getting two feet in the paint, drawing the help defender, then spraying to open shooters. He controlled the pace of the game by knowing when to push the rock and when to slow it down and get into their sets. I really liked his ability to pass the ball and get his teammates involved. His play stuck out immediately and had me locked in on him throughout the contest. He shot the ball well from deep and put pressure on the defense with his ability to attack off the bounce. He did a lot of things well as his team’s floor general.
Garrett Mahone (5’7/PG/’27/Iron City Huskies)
Instagram: 3exclusive.garrett
Twitter: @GMahone22
Garrett had no problem scoring or making plays for his squad throughout the weekend. He is a competitive, tough, and aggressive guard that plays with a competitive edge. He understands where he is looking to go on the floor and how to get there. He isn’t flashy with the rock and prefers to make one move and attack. He attacked in straight lines and was very difficult to keep out of the paint. He is a player that is very productive in scoring and facilitating, yet he still has growth opportunities when it comes to his PG IQ. You can tell he is a player that hates to lose and is the type of player that teammates love to go into battle with on any given night.
Jones Merrill (5’10/CG/’27/Stars)
Instagram: Jones_merrill1
Jones was one of the most complete players I saw throughout the weekend. He was solid in all aspects of the game and an extremely gritty player. He did numerous things well, such as shooting from a distance, attacking off the bounce, being a reliable ball-handler, and being an on-time and on-target passer. For the most part, he played under control, was never rushed, and made good decisions with the ball in his hands. I liked his production on the floor, but it was his ability to keep his team calm and in rhythm that I was impressed with the most. He was a stabilizing factor that competed relentlessly on both ends of the floor.
Terry Jones, Jr. (5’10/SF/’27/Clarksville Crossovers)
Instagram: _.terry2x
TJ is not the primary scoring option on his team, but he showed that he can be relied upon to provide a lot of production. He brought a lot of activity to the floor on both ends. Offensively, he thrived in transition as he was out running the floor, going coast to coast several times, and finishing at the cup. There isn’t a lot of flash to his game, just precise and intentional movements to get to his spots and finish. He brought energy on the defensive end of the floor and on the glass. His active hands-on D made ball handlers very cognitive when he was in the vicinity, as they knew they had to be careful with the rock. TJ impacts the game on several levels, leaving his imprint on the game beyond the stat sheet.
Khamerius Hall (5’8/PG/’27/Wildcat Elite)
Instagram: Nolimit.mer
Khamerius is a young player with a brilliant floor game. He had the entire toolkit open and an array of tools on display. He’s got a lethal combination of a quick first step and outside shooting ability, which keeps the defense off balance and makes him a nightmare to try to defend. He can score the rock from all levels, but his ability to get to the cup was definitely the strength of his game. You could tell that he is a player who does not back down from anything, wants the ball in his hands at all times, and wants to take the tough shots in pressure situations. He played with a swag that screamed that he was the best on the floor, and his game backed it up.
Trevor TJ Duke (5’6/CG/’28/NYBA)
Instagram: Tjduke11
I have put a lot of ink on TJ over the past couple of years, and he continues to amaze me as he continues to make strides by adding something to his game every time I see him. He plays with the ball in his hands and is a playmaker that creates opportunities for his teammates and himself. He has good court awareness and is able to get his shot at any point in the possession. TJ’s confidence is growing, and he is developing into his own and into a player that we will be talking about a lot in the years to come. I really like the caliber of player he is emerging into.