Northview Middle School- Top Players

These young men were prime examples of what it takes to be top players.    After watching this young man play, I understand why he's a top five player in the nation, for the 2030 class. Tomari can literally do it all on the court! I made it to the Northview/Creekside game at halftime. In only one half of play, his talent stood out above the rest of the players on the court. He's an excellent ball handler who excelled at making plays for his teammates. During the game he showed the ability to dish out pin-point assists all over the floor. Tomari displayed great court vision due to his height advantage at the point guard position. He was able to see the floor and run the Northview offense without being impeded by the opposition. This guy was impossible to guard for Creekside defenders. He easily blew by his opponent and drove to the basket. On some occasions, he was able to score through contact and convert three-point play opportunities. He has an excellent mid-range game with the capability of extending it beyond the three point line. Tomari is a "jack of all trades" on the basketball court. He has the skills to be the best facilitator, along with being the teams leading scorer and rebounder. He ran the floor and finished at the rim anytime the opportunity presented itself. Defensively, he protected the paint by blocking shots and making scoring difficult for opposing players. Tomari can also defend on the wing. He forced multiple turnovers and played great on-ball defense. As I said, this young man is recognized as a top five prospect for his age group. He's only in the seventh grade! Just imagine? He could become even more elite as he continues to grow and age. This young man has a very bright future ahead of him. Keep working Tomari!!     AJ really excelled at beating defenders off the dribble and attacking the basket. During Tuesday nights game, he was able to score on numerous occasions despite being fouled by Creekside players. Of course, he showed off his free throw shooting ability by converting three point play opportunities. AJ is a hard-nosed player who does what needs to be done to help his squad win. Whether it's scoring, rebounding, passing or playing defense; he got it done. This young man is a good all-around player who happens to be a valuable asset to the Northview team. His offense wasn't going for him Tuesday night, but he never stopped being aggressive with other intangibles needed on the basketball court. I watched him lock down his opponent on the defensive end of the floor. He played tough and made scoring difficult for his Creekside opponent. AJ is the kind of player who makes a difference on any team he plays with. He will have no problem making the transition into high school basketball next fall. Keep grinding AJ!!     Nate is what I call a "glue guy." He's one of those kind of players every coach loves to have. He'll go in the paint and do the dirty work necessary to help his team be successful. Nate really excelled in regard to rebounding the basketball and making all the hustle plays. I can't count all the times he chased down loose balls and grabbed every board he could get his hands on. In the game against Creekside, he grabbed multiple offensive rebounds that lead to easy put-back layups. In transition, he runs the floor and scores at the basket whenever the option is available. On defense, Nate was able to protect the paint and make it difficult for the opposition to score. He blocked a couple of shots and worked the defensive glass. If Nate improves his talents offensively, he'll be a force to be reckoned with at the high school level. Keep it up Nate!!     The biggest strength I noticed in Karson's game was his defensive prowess. Every time he stepped into the game, he made an impact on defense. Whether it was playing excellent on-ball defense or generating turnovers with his quick hands; Karson made it happen. On a number of occasions, he was able to get around his defender and attack the paint. This lead to either a floater or a pass to an open teammate at the basket. He made good decisions that often lead to positive outcomes for the Northview squad. There were a number of times, he forced the opposing guard into turnovers which lead to transition points. One of those baskets was scored by Karson during a two-on-one break. I enjoyed watching this young man play defense. I just wish he could've been more aggressive offensively. If he can put the same amount of energy on the offensive side of the ball as he does defensively; Karson could be a special player in the near future. Keep working Karson!!     Elijah has excellent passing skills. He was great at creating shots for himself or his teammates. This young man is a high energy player who constantly stayed in the flow of the Northview offense. He excelled at executing pin-point passes and running the team offense with efficiency. Elijah was good at handling the ball and attacking the Creekside defense everywhere on the floor. He showed off his ability of getting to the basket, knocking down mid-range shots and stepping out beyond the arc. During Tuesday nights game, Elijah made two threes that helped get his squad back in the game. This young man is very skilled offensively. Whenever he stepped on the court, he maintained his aggression by staying in constant ''attack mode.'' Defensively, Elijah plays with a high level of feistiness. He's is a tough minded guard who applied pressure and forced Creekside guards into mistakes. Elijah was clearly the leader on the court both emotionally and verbally. He has excellent lead guard skills that will benefit him well at the high school level. Keep working Elijah!!     Lonnie came off he bench and really shined in Tuesday nights game. The Creekside defense had no answers for the ball handling skills Lonnie had on display for all to see. He showed a great ability to distribute the ball to his teammates inside or along the perimeter. Most of these passes lead to easy scores for the offense. He lead the Northview team in assists while showing great leadership and play-making ability. Lonnie is a small guard with a low to the ground makeup. He's only 5'3 but plays with no fear. He's strong enough to score baskets while being contacted. During the game he converted a three point play opportunity after being fouled numerous times. This little guy can also shoot the rock! Lonnie knocked down multiple threes and perimeter shots which helped the Northview team close the gap against Creekside. On defense, he was great at playing passing lanes and applying pressure to opposing guards. Lonnie is a steady point guard who lets the game come to him. If this young man continues to enhance his skills, he could be a problem for opposing defenses throughout the season. Keep it up Lonnie!!     Bennett is an excellent shooter who has the capability of making long or mid-range field goals. He also showed the ability to create his own shot by attacking Creekside defenders and driving to the basket. Some of his slashes in the paint lead to slick passes to open teammates at the rim. Bennett is a very skilled player on the offensive side of the ball. He's very aggressive and always look to score and make positive plays for the Northview team. Defensively, Bennett is a good defender who stays with opposing players and gives maximum effort to generate turnovers. He was able to fight through screens and disrupt the shots of opposing players attacking the paint. Bennett also showed the ability to rebound on both ends of the court. He plays at his own pace and communicates with his team on both sides of the ball. Bennett's shooting ability will allow him to easily transition to the high school basketball scene. Keep shooting Bennett!!

These young men were prime examples of what it takes to be top players.