Bash in the Desert All Tournament 15U 1st Team

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On May 3rd - 5th, I attended <strong>Bash in the Desert</strong> hosted by PrepHoops at Valley Vista High School.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I watched 19 15U teams in that span.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are some All-Tournament performances for the weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These are based on ONE/TWO games I saw of each team. These are NOT prospect rankings. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MVP</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2280207' first='Jackson' last='Moore'] <strong>Cienega</strong> ([program_tooltip program_id='2407834' first='AZ' last='Phenoms'] <strong>15U)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Awarding MVP to Jackson was based on the sheer motor he played with in every game this weekend. He was all over the passing lanes, getting steals and breakaway layups. On top of that, he has a great passing IQ that he uses to get his teammates involved. He also has a steady shooting game from beyond the arc as well. A very exciting player to watch throughout the weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2212842' first='Lukas' last='Jendrusiak'] <strong>Dream City Christian (Peak 15U - Rohde)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As I mentioned with Lukas, he is a straight shooter. In one of the games I saw, he had 7 threes. He was doing it all, pulling up off the dribble, curling off screens, flaring off screens, and catching and shooting. When defenders close out hard, he knows when to attack downhill and find his open teammate or go all the way to the cup. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2436214' first='Donovan' last='Whitehead'] F 6'6" Durango (CO) (New Mexico D1 2027)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Donovan dominates games with his pure athleticism as a big. He's very effective rebounding the ball and had a handful of blocks rotating from the weak side. He was all over the offensive glass, getting putback after putback, not to mention he has the ability to dunk the ball as well. He has a clean form, shoots the ball well from mid-range, and occasionally will space out behind the arc. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2396185' first='Zathan' last='Ruffin'] <strong>North Valley Christian Academy (AZ Grind 15U NB National)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A lefty who plays like a point forward. Zathan has a high IQ for his age, especially in playmaking. With a couple of teams playing zone this weekend, Zathan adjusted to playing the middle and facilitating. He also has sneaky athleticism combined with his wingspan that he uses getting blocks and tough finishes around the rim on the offensive end. Shooting-wise, he had a game this weekend where he made 5 threes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2432281' first='Preston' last='Friend'] <strong>Highland (East Valley Select 15U)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A true shooter from range. Preston has a knack for finding his shot in the right spot. In one game I saw of Preston's, he had 10 threes coming from flare screens, elevator screens, and catch-and-shoot scenarios. Preston is a true threat from beyond the arc. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2146240' first='Nickolas' last='Williams'] <strong>Fairfax </strong>([program_tooltip program_id='2407834' first='AZ' last='Phenoms'] <strong>15U)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nickolas is a shifty guard off the wing who can create his own shot, whether a 2 or a 3. He likes floaters in the mid-range off attacking downhill but also can make off-balance shots from outside the three-point line. He also has a fast motor on the defensive end, which he uses to pressure ball handlers and come away with steals. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2146244' first='Cristian' last='Uribe'] <strong>Perry (AZ Select 15U Jerrica)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cristian is, without a doubt, a team-first player. He will sacrifice his ability to score to find another teammate having a good game. That doesn't hide that Cristian's offensive game is elite. He has good footwork all around, his mid-range game is basically automatic, and he makes good reads when attacking downhill. He has a steady catch-and-shoot game from three when his feet are set. Cristian was a very fun player to watch this weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->