The Last Dance 15u: Standouts From Opening Night

The Last Dance has arrived and is full of talented programs. On opening night, my eyes were on the 15u programs competing at M14 Hoops. Below are a few Standouts from night one, what they brought to the floor and what we can expect from them throughout the weekend.    [player_tooltip player_id='2435137' first='Jackson' last='Daly'] is a pace-setting guard for SE [program_tooltip program_id='2075674' first='Minnesota' last='Heat']. His steady and even keel approach fit the bill for what his team set out to do on the offensive end. He proved to be able and willing to make various passes on the floor and put teammates in position to be successful. He set out to spread the spotlight and allow the game to come to him throughout. Jackson was at his best when moving without the ball, finding himself open utilizing screens and moving into space without the ball. He connected on several threes and also attacked hard closeouts with intent. Daly capitalized on floaters and cashed a great deal at the charity stripe on opening night.     Usrey-Martin brought a lot of height to the floor for Hoop Nation and his impact was clear on opening night. Standing at 6'5 he anchored the paint and got his hands on missed shot attempts, and he ended and extended possessions. Usrey-Martin exhibited glimpses of ball skills after snatching rebounds and took on the responsibility of setting the offense for Hoop Nation. He showed a commitment to beating his matchup down the floor which allowed his team great spacing and pace throughout the day. He stood out as a hybrid defender and switched onto smaller guards with his high-level foot speed. The 2027 prospect will surely continue to impress as the weekend goes on.     Wilson had a two-way impact on the floor on Day 1, and Hoop Nation 2027 benefited greatly from his efforts. He was on a mission defensively, committing to getting the ball out of his opposition's hands as much as possible. His quick lateral movement allowed him to stay in front of the ball as well as help on drives to the basket. His height and length were put to use when shots went up on either end of the floor. His defensive boards allowed Hoop Nations to quicken their transition and look to score early and often on the break. He had his eyes up and provided a pass-first mentality from the combo guard position. Most notable was his ability to put his opponent on his hip and gain the advantage on his drives to the rim. His toughness at the guard position was a catalyst for Hoop Nation early into the weekend.     Nelson was electric at the combo guard position for [program_tooltip program_id='2075674' first='Minnesota' last='Heat']. He was versatile with the ball in his hand and capable of switching gears to keep opponents at bay. Nelson was a tough cover to keep out of the painted area. His understanding of leverage and his tight handle allows him to get to his spot with ease. When reaching the paint he found his launching pad and played off of two feet. He was rewarded a couple of “and ones” and even more trips to the line with his offensive focus of getting to the basket. [program_tooltip program_id='2075674' first='Minnesota' last='Heat'] benefited from his offensive spark on opening night.

The Last Dance has arrived and is full of talented programs. On opening night, my eyes were on the 15u programs competing at M14 Hoops. Below are a few Standouts from night one, what they brought to the floor and what we can expect from them throughout the weekend.