EYBL Session 2: Saturday Afternoon Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Day 2 in Atlanta was loaded with incredible matchups and even better performances. Here goes the second round of standouts from session 2:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1595674' first='Aiden' last='Derkack'] | 2026 [program_tooltip program_id='2078709' first='Team' last='Final'] 16U</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Locked in a cage match with [program_tooltip program_id='2077004' first='Team' last='Takeover'], Derkack had his breakout game of the session. He turned things up with a fastbreak dunk and kept going from there with cuts and drives to the hoop. Down 11 at the start of the fourth, Derkack made two freebies off, then drained two threes off-the-catch from his running mate [player_tooltip player_id='1613878' first='RJ' last='Smith'], totalling 16 points for the game and securing the comeback win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1432014' first='Jerry' last='Easter II'] | 2025 [program_tooltip program_id='2078709' first='Team' last='Final'] 17U</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the wire-to-wire game against PSA Cardinals, Easter II proved to be someone his team can rely on in crunch time The Ohio-native not hed 17 points and 5 assists because he attacked the basket relentlessly, driving in either direction to get lay-ups or trips to the line. He got after it on defense too, coming up with three second-half steals that he turned into instant offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2398422' first='Korey' last='Francis'] | 2027 [program_tooltip program_id='2078709' first='Team' last='Final'] 15U</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After scoring a combined 4 points in the first two games of the session, Francis got the starting nod versus Mac Irvin Fire and put up 15 points and 5 boards. He played with urgency, pushing the ball on the break and getting a couple dunks. Francis showed off his step-back jumper too. But he didn't stop doing the little things like crashing the defensive glass and making the extra pass.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Christian Jeffrey | 2025 New Heights Lightning 17U</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jeffrey proved to be a powerful athlete against [program_tooltip program_id='2135056' first='NJ' last='Scholars'], but he showed subtle glimpses of craft and finesse too. The 6'3 lead guard used his broad shoulders to play through and often initiate contact before finishing with touch in the paint. The contact also created passing windows for him to slip the ball to his rolling big man, putting up 4 assist to go along with 16 points.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1965274' first='Ilan' last='Nikolov'] | 2027 Vegas Elite 15U&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Getting hot early versus [program_tooltip program_id='2135056' first='NJ' last='Scholars'], Nikolov demonstrated that he's a shooter who should never be left open. The 6'4 archer cashed in three catch-and-shoot triples. The hard closeouts came after that, but they didn't matter because Nikolov got to his mid-range pull-up. With each jumper coming cleanly off his hand, he scored 14 points before halftime.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1962882' first='Mekhi' last='Robertson'] | 2027 [program_tooltip program_id='2078709' first='Team' last='Final'] 15U</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the bounce back victory over Mac Irvin Fire, Robertson led the team with 18 points and 8 rebounds, plus 3 assists. He's only listed at 6'3, but he glided through the up-and-down the court for loose balls and in transition. Robertson went coast-to-coast and made the unselfish hit-ahead pass. He scored in the halfcourt as well by getting to his spots in the midrange.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->