McCulloch vs Richmond- Top Players

I really enjoyed this competitive match-up over the weekend. These players demonstrated why they can be called Top players!    I loved watching this little guy play over the weekend. Bryson showed a lot of heart and fearlessness against McCulloch. He's a really good floor leader who has great handles. On numerous occasions, he was able to break down his opponent, get into the lane and make plays. Whether it was scoring the ball or dishing off to open teammates; Bryson made it happen. He was a master at scoring over taller defenders with floaters. I saw him score on at least three of these shots. Bryson showed his prowess as a great passer by throwing a number of flashy dimes throughout the game. I really enjoyed his fiery attitude on both sides of the ball. He played with energy and a will to win at all cost. On offense he showed the ability of being an aggressive scorer and facilitator. Defensively, he was a "ball hawk" who applied constant pressure to the McCulloch guards. Bryson is a really good point guard who will have no problems at the high school level. Keep it up Bryson!!     It was truly great to see Melo play basketball again. The last time I watched him was during the AAU season. So, this is my second write up for this young man. Melo continues to be an excellent all-around player! During the summer he did it all for the Paint Crew squad. Now the same can be said for his middle school team. He's an great ball handler who has the ability to breakdown his opponent in isolated situations. I watched Melo easily beat the Richmond defense and attack the paint for contested or uncontested layups. On some occasions he was able to convert three point play opportunities from the free throw line after being fouled. Melo has grown an inch since I last saw him play. He's a great rebounding guard who didn't mind physical contact in regard to grabbing boards. Melo has a excellent shooting touch from the floor. He can knock down shots from mid or long range. He gave a demonstration to the Richmond defense by knocking down three shots from beyond the arc on Saturday. On defense, he continues to be a good on-ball defender who forced turnovers and made ball handling difficult for the opposition. Melo finished the game with (17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists) I'm looking forward to seeing how this young man progresses to high school level basketball. Keep working Melo!!     Jay is an aggressive scorer who excelled at getting to the basket and making plays for his teammates. Jay is the kind of player who constantly kept the pressure on the McCulloch defense. No matter who was guarding him, he found ways to be effective in the Richmond offense. When he wasn't scoring, he was rebounding and passing to his teammates. In some circumstances, Jay was able to score during transition by playing passing lanes and generating turnovers. Oh, did I mention how this young guy has a decent jump shot? Well, he does and it was on display for all to see on Saturday. Jay nailed multiple perimeter shots from mid and long range. He can also effectively rebound the ball from the guard position. Jay showed a knack of getting inside the paint and attacking the glass. On defense, he was really good at shooting passing lanes and generating turnovers. Jay is an excellent guard who will thrive in a high school system. Keep grinding Jay!!     Amar'e dominated in the painted area during Saturdays game against Richmond. He showed great footwork by scoring on various post moves and using his strength to play through contact. Some of his baskets lead to three-point play opportunities after being fouled by his opponent. Amar'e is an excellent rebounding big man who attacked the glass on both ends of the court. He excelled at using his size to be effective within the McCulloch offense. He made this happen by setting screens and rolling to the basket. He also freed up his teammates for easier shots with these same screens. Defensively, Amar'e was able to patrol the paint and make scoring difficult for the Richmond players. This young man plays the game with passion! If he develops a mid-range shot, Amar'e will be a very special player in the near future, Keep working Amar'e!!     Brycen was a "do it all guy" for the Richmond squad on Saturday. He was a monster on the boards. it seemed like every rebound came his way if the ball was in his vicinity. He's great at setting screens to free up his teammates for good looks at the basket. On majority of the plays where he initiated screens, most ended with positive outcomes for Richmond. Brycen is the type of player who hustles everywhere on the floor. He grabs rebounds, scores tough baskets, dives for loose balls and plays defense. Most of his baskets came from great offensive rebounding. A majority came from put-backs around the rim. Where Brycen impressed me the most, was on defense! This young man has the capability of being an elite shot-blocker as he gets older. He already has excellent timing and leaping ability to cast away shots from players attacking the paint. I watched him block four shots in the game against McCulloch. His defense alone will make him a valuable asset to any high school team. Keep it up Brycen!!     This young man is a shooter! Sean thrives as the team's designated jump-shot artist. In the game against Richmond, he was able to knock down three shots from beyond the arc. He's not only a three point threat, he's can also get into the lane and knock down floaters and mid-range shots. There were numerous occasions where McCulloch found themselves in transition situations. Sean demonstrated the ability to run the floor and finish at the basket. He's a good team player who plays with heart and hustle. Defensively, Sean stayed with his opponent and made scoring difficult for him on the perimeter. He also excelled at playing the pass lanes and generating turnovers. Sean will be a valuable asset for his next team. As long as he continues his accuracy from behind the arc, he'll always have a place in the game of basketball. Keep shooting Sean!!     Kelly does a little of everything on the basketball court. I really enjoyed watching this young man play when he was on the floor. He didn't get a lot of minutes but in the time he did play; Kelly made an impression on me. He showed the ability to knock down mid-range shots and scored on smaller defenders in the paint. Kelly can also handle the basketball on the wing and drive to the basket. He was really good at rebounding on both ends of the floor. Kelly showed a knack of being at the right place, at the right time; in regard to forcing turnovers and grabbing rebounds. He was great at getting into the lane and drawing in defenders. This lead to numerous assists to open teammates for easy scores near the basket. On defense, Kelly was able to cause turnovers and block a number of shots. This guy is a good all-around player who has a bright future ahead of him.     Raymar played Saturdays game the way a point guard should play it. He's a pass first play-maker, who always looked to get his teammates involved within the McCulloch offense. Raymar was the leading assists man for his team. During the game he threw a number of flashy passes to teammates that lead to shots in the paint or along the perimeter. Raymar excelled at nailing shots off the dribble from mid-range. He's a great ball handler who had no issues blowing by his opponents. He easily got into the lane and knocked down floaters, lay-ups or timely passes to other McCulloch players. Raymar was really good at pushing the pace for his team. If they ran the floor, this young man was the catalyst for being the fast-break starter. Defensively, Raymar was great at applying pressure to the Richmond guards. He often used his quick hands to steal the ball away from his opponent. He's a excellent on-ball defender who could become elite as he continues to grow and age. Raymar's leadership skills and positional play, will allow him to have much success in the future.

I really enjoyed this competitive match-up over the weekend. These players demonstrated why they can be called Top players!