#NationalBattleofTheMagicCity The Boys In The Middle

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">In this caliber tourney, you can question players who are listed as post players. However, the players in this article are legit boys in the middle who had good showings at the #NationalBattleofTheMagicCity. Here are the boys in the middle who stood out…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2376266,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Leartist-Williams-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Leartist-Williams-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2376266" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Leartist Williams</strong>&nbsp;(6'6/F/'28/Team Grind)&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: 5.star._lj</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Leartist was one of the best interior players at the tournament. He has good size, and at his age, we know that he is still growing. He is a really good athlete who gets up and down the court. When on the low block and playing with his back-to-the-basket or when facing up, he showed a variety of scoring moves. He sets solid screens and does a good job rolling hard and establishing position near the rim. He has a solid build, along with the ability to maneuver laterally, which helps him control space in the paint. He rebounds his position and is a positional defender. You can see in his game that he is on a trajectory where he can emerge into one of the most versatile swingmen in the game despite currently having to spend a lot of time on the interior. Leartist plays with a competitive edge and brings a lot to the game on both ends of the floor.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2376267,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Lekendrick-Bratton-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Lekendrick-Bratton-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2376267" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Le'kendrick Bratton</strong> (6'2/PF/'28/WeR1) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Trxpz.ken1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @Sheluvkenny30</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Le'kendrick showed a lot of versatility on both ends of the floor. Offensively, he showed his ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the cup. He is a slasher whose game draws fouls, and he finds himself getting to the charity strike. He is a monster when it comes to finishing at the rim and does a good job finishing through contact. Defensively, he can guard multiple positions. He is a prospect to monitor as he will be able to make a smooth transition to the high school level, especially if he does not grow anymore, as he already has a perimeter game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2376268,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-JaKobie-R.-Bates-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-JaKobie-R.-Bates-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2376268" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Ja'Kobie R. Bates</strong> (6'0/PF/'29/JSI) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Jakobie_r_bates</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ja'Kobie is a physical interior presence who does a good job clogging up the middle. Offensively, he is a monster around the rim, as he does a good job finishing in the paint. He uses his body well to create space in order to get his shot up. In the same way he carves out space on offense, he does the same when establishing his rebounding positions that help him be highly active on the boards. He will need to continue to develop his perimeter skills just in case he does not grow much more vertically.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2376269,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-James-Humphreys-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-James-Humphreys-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2376269" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>James Humphreys</strong> (6'7/PF/'28/Carlos English Elite) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: jahumphreys28</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">James has good positional size, and like many his age, with his height, he had moments of sheer domination. Rim protection and being active on the glass are two things evident with a player of his size, as not many against whom he competed could match his size. He did show potential when his squad went up against Team Grind, who could actually match his size. He showed great timing as a shot blocker and had several tip-ins on the offensive glass.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2376281,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Jacob-Reid-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Jacob-Reid-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2376281" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2788877' first='Jacob' last='Reid'] </strong>(6'4/PF/'29/Decatur Blazers 2029) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Shelovesjac_</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Jacob has good size for his grade and is still in the early development phases on both ends of the floor. He is a relentless competitor, especially on the glass, as he goes to the boards with sheer aggression. With a good summer in the lab, Jacob could be a diamond in the rough with a lot of potential waiting to be unlocked. I encourage him to continue working on his post game but do not limit his development to just the interior but to work on expanding to the perimeter at the same time.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2376282,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Kaleb-White-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Kaleb-White-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2376282" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Kaleb White</strong> (6'1/C/'29/Tre Mann Elite) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Kalebwhite946</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Kaleb is a stout interior presence who eats up a lot of space. His calling card, from what I saw, was his activity on the glass. Defensively, because of his size, he puts up resistance as he is not easily moved. Offensively, he has to continue getting into the lab and adding tools to his bag. He is 6'1 and headed into the 8th grade, and it is going to be important for Kaleb to expand his game to the perimeter as he looks to continue his career at the high school level in another year.   </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2376283,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Cannon-Combs-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Cannon-Combs-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2376283" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Cannon Combs</strong> (6'6/PF|C/'29/[program_tooltip program_id='2076578' first='Steel' last='City Gators'] AL) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: cannon1.showtime</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Cannon has good positional size especially to be in the 2029 division. He is an interior presence that was tough for opponents to deal with because of his length. Cannon showed he can run the floor, block shots, rebound at a high rate, shoot the trey ball, and face the rim and score. There is a lot of intrigue surrounding him because of his size and the level to which he played throughout the weekend. He impacts the game on numerous levels, and if he stays in the lab, we could be talking about Cannon quite a lot in the future.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2376284,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Brooks-Loftin-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Brooks-Loftin-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2376284" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2748278' first='Brooks' last='Loftin']&nbsp;</strong>(6'6/C/'28/[program_tooltip program_id='2076571' first='MCW' last=''])</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Brooks.l6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Brooks is a prospect that has many in Alabama watching his development very closely. Those close to Brooks's camp have often said that the doctor says Brooks could end up close to 6'10. In the system that he plays with at Cullman HS, if everything works according to the way all are hoping, Brooks could be one of the most dominant bigs in the state in the next couple of years. He continues to show his work ethic on the boards and plays much more physically than he was a year ago. There is no questioning his toughness or ability to produce, and he competes very hard on both ends of the floor. His development continues to impress as he continues to be a reliable post player through whom his squad can run their offense. Defensively, he is a wrecking ball, which makes it hard for potential scorers to get a clean look on the inside.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->