King of the City: 1st Team
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On Saturday March 23rd I attended the King of the City hosted by Hoopers On1y located at the Phhacility in Phoenix. I viewed mainly 17U mixed in with some 16U or teams playing up in 16U. I ended up watching exactly 20…
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Continue ReadingOn Saturday March 23rd I attended the King of the City hosted by Hoopers On1y located at the Phhacility in Phoenix.
I viewed mainly 17U mixed in with some 16U or teams playing up in 16U. I ended up watching exactly 20 teams locally.
My All-Tournament Teams are based on the one game I viewed the team. These are NOT prospect rankings.
AJ Thomas AJ Thomas 6'4" | PG Eduprize | 2025 State #292 Nation AZ Eduprize (Roc Steady 17)
The MVP of the tournament was Thomas. He is a scoring PG who has one of the shiftiest handles in the state. The ball is on a string for him and stops and goes impressively. He had multiple chase down blocks and grabs out of area rebounds. With a close contest, he took over with euros, step backs and even a windmill dunk to finish it off in style.
John Mattingly John Mattingly 6'0" | PG Sunnyslope | 2026 State AZ Sunnyslope (Peak Platinum 17)
A scoring point guard had a good showing. There are not many better shooters in the class and in the state. He caught fire from the three point line off the catch. He was on fire to the point where he walked away after he attempted one of his threes and it swished in (The Steph Curry). His IQ off the charts and it is nearly impossible to speed him up.
Sergio Gonzales Sergio Gonzales 5'9" | PG Deer Valley | 2026 State AZ Deer Valley (AZ Storm 16 Grind)
I walked in late in the 1st half and watched the second half in a back and forth battle and Segio took over. He is an undersized scoring point guard who had one of the better performances of the day. He found teammates with next level court vision and scored it with ease. The lefty is faster then you realize and will score it with high level pull-ups and catch threes.
Noah Gloor Noah Gloor 5'9" | PG Higley | 2026 State AZ Higley (AZ Gremlins Gray 16)
A strong undersized scoring point guard has range from the parking lot. He has a real burst to get into the lane plus will change his speeds. Not many are more polished with his mid-range pull-up off the dribble and a tough floater. He has a tight handle in close spaces and is always in the mix to rebound despite his size.
Melvin Stubbs Melvin Stubbs 6'3" | SG Catalina Foothills | 2026 State AZ Catalina Foothills (Apex Athletix 16) (Pictured)
An athletic scoring guard with long arms. He can rise up from mid-range and takes long strides to the basket with his big hands and feet. He can score thru contact and rattle in catch threes in rhythm. He is a sneaky good passer up the court. He will play the passing lanes to collect steals and throw it down on the break.
Keaton Ort Keaton Ort 6'2" | SG Fountain Hills | 2024 State AZ Fountain Hills (Hunters Elite 17)
A scoring guard with a high feel for the game who can score. He is a catch and shoot three point gunner. He will pour in shots in bunches as a knock down shooter and has a sneaky burst to get to the basket. He surprised me with his passing, as he truly plays the game from the neck up.
Matija Otasevic Matija Otasevic 6'8" | C Bella Vista Gray | 2024 AZ Bella Vista Gray
A post player with good size, some toughness, strength and skill. He has good post footwork with a counter move. He scores with floaters and takes long strides with euro steps in traffic. He will clean the glass and will alter or block shots.
DeNali McNeal DeNali McNeal 6'3" | CG Canyon View | 2025 State AZ Canyon View (AZ Venom Nxt 17)
A scoring combo guard is a three level scorer. He has deep range on his triples, he will score with turn around jumpers, physical drives and plus body control in the lane. He is very smooth to get to the basket with a tight handle and can find a teammate or take the contact.