Team Mookie’s Friday Night Spotlight
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Team Mookie 17u played Friday evening in the same building at EYBL. While Team Mookie is not directly affiliated with the EYBL this year, they are attempting to ascend from the EYCL (feeder league) by next season. The distinction matters…
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Continue ReadingTeam Mookie 17u played Friday evening in the same building at EYBL. While Team Mookie is not directly affiliated with the EYBL this year, they are attempting to ascend from the EYCL (feeder league) by next season.
The distinction matters in many ways, but mattered little when it came to drawing college coach attention.
Coaches watching in-person
Air Force
Georgetown
South Alabama x 2
Jeremy Jackson Jr. Jeremy Jackson Jr. 6'3" | SG Columbia Academy | 2025 State TN was in attack-mode early. Jackson is explosive, always has been. At times the ball can get sticky in his hands. It appears that Jackson Jr. and Tylan Lewis Tylan Lewis 6'2" | PG Independence | 2025 State TN have developed a good on-court relationship where they trust each other.
Jeremy hit a wing three-pointer in the first quarter. His defense was special, as he got caught defending a 6-foot-8 player for one possession and forced a missed layup before securing a defensive rebound. Jeremy Jackson Jr. Jeremy Jackson Jr. 6'3" | SG Columbia Academy | 2025 State TN continues to be right up there at the top with Shane Cherry Shane Cherry 5'9" | PG Austin-East | 2025 State #353 Nation TN and Jayden Jones Jayden Jones 6'4" | SF Goodpasture | 2025 State #389 Nation TN as the best athletes in the class.
Second Quarter Success
Finally, Team Mookie 17u find a stream of offense in the second quarter. And it came through offensive sets and exploiting mismatches. Team Mookie’s guards are very strong ( Tylan Lewis Tylan Lewis 6'2" | PG Independence | 2025 State TN , Jeremy Jackson Jr. Jeremy Jackson Jr. 6'3" | SG Columbia Academy | 2025 State TN ), so they are able to attack smaller guards in space. Landon Bryant Landon Bryant 6'4" | SG LaVergne | 2025 State TN and Jaiden Claybrook Jaiden Claybrook 6'5" | SF Antioch | 2025 State TN both scored in close thanks to calls from the bench. Clay Payne Clay Payne 6'8" | SF University School Of Nashville | 2025 State TN made a nice back-down too.
Overall, the first half was not smooth. The offense looked unsteady for the first chunk. Thankfully they defended with heart and toughness throughout. This helped them keep the NY Rens close.
Halftime score: 28-25 NY Rens.
Coming out of the break, Team Mookie continued their excellent defense. They swarmed the ball without fouling much. NY Rens could not get their big off. He looked to be about 6-foot-10 and very slim.
Clay Payne Clay Payne 6'8" | SF University School Of Nashville | 2025 State TN hit the aspiring shot-blocker with repeated up-and-under moves. Payne blocked a jumper midway through the third quarter. He played quite well overall, though he did airball a three-pointer.
Payne moved well with lightness. He did not look like a plodding big, which was a worry three years as he grew into his body. Payne is really going to be the part of a faceup forward with the ability to switch a little defensively.
Closing Time
Despite allowing a Rens’ shooter to catch fire and pour the fire upon them, Team Mookie 17u clawed to a tight finish.
Down 61-59 with 1:03 left, they trapped and forced a timeout from the opposition.
Defense was very good throughout the game, with the exception of defending that one elite shooter. Tylan Lewis Tylan Lewis 6'2" | PG Independence | 2025 State TN was inches away from his release point during one make It did not affect the outcome though.
Following a secondary break, Tylan tried a pump fake and stepped into a mid-range jumper. He missed well short. It wedged between the rim and the backboard. Lewis subsequently inbounded from the baseline, but his teammates did not show for the ball and suffered a 5-second call.
Rens could not make any layups on their end. Team Mookie finally got the ball back down 61-59 with 22 seconds to play after Rens missed two free throws after missing numerous layups.
Landon Bryant Landon Bryant 6'4" | SG LaVergne | 2025 State TN took a challenged jumper with seconds left. It hit the side of the backboard and appeared to be the end of the game, but Clay Payne Clay Payne 6'8" | SF University School Of Nashville | 2025 State TN caught the ball and quickly put the layup in to tie the game 61-61 with 1.5 seconds left.
An exceptional inbounds play resulted in a near miss. Team Mookie forced the game to overtime against the odds.
Overtime
Beyond the scrambling misses and “tired” plays a few sparkling moments shone. Tylan Lewis Tylan Lewis 6'2" | PG Independence | 2025 State TN rebounded a ball high to start a mediocre break. The ball found Jackson Jr. in the corner. He slashed baseline and tried a floater. Missed. Sprung up to get his own and made the ensuring shot.
Tylan did make a really curious pass on the press break. He tried to deliver a 50′ baseball pass to Claybrook that just did not need to be attempted.
Tylan’s game was what you would expect from him. Elite defense. Very good but at times spotty ball-handling. Very few shot attempts. He was definitely a net positive, very much so, but he did make a sprinkling of ill-advised passes.
Down two, Jackson Jr. fed Claybrook. Claybrook to Collin O’Neal. O’Neal tried to get around the corner, but his defender bodied him fantastically. O’Neal threw it towards the basket anyway and the whistle sounded, FOUL, as it fell through.
66-66. 2.0 seconds left. O’Neal to the free throw line.
He made his attempt. 67-66 Team Mookie up. The Rens completely flubbed an inbound play.
Fouled O’Neal. He made two free throws.
FINAL: 69-66 Team Mookie 17u (OT)