Difference Makers: Stonybrook vs Raymond Park 2029

The class of 2029 came to play in this elite matchup of two squads rising to the top.    AJ put on quite a show in Tuesday's night game. He showed off every facet of his basketball skills. The combo guard really excelled at using his ball handling skills to drive around defenders and score at the basket. AJ was great at finishing with a variety of moves as he attacked the paint. Whether it was reverses, floaters or right and left handed lay-ups; AJ had a bag he could pull from to be effective for his squad. I truly appreciated how much effort AJ showed on both ends of the floor. He did everything he could to help his team win and it showed by his performance. AJ is a good rebounding guard who didn't mind battling in the paint with taller players. There were numerous times AJ attacked the glass and came away with the board. He threw a couple of nice passes to teammates cutting near the basket. AJ also showed the ability to knock down shots from long or mid-range. He has a nice dribble and pull-up game from the perimeter. On defense, he's a very fiesty player who really excelled at pressuring opposing players into turnovers and mistakes. I really enjoyed watching AJ play. He definitely has the skills needed to succeed in high school next season. Keep balling AJ!!     This young man is a scorer! Ke'Terriyon was aggressive on the offensive end of the court. It seemed like he took it personal whenever a Stonybrook player tried to guard him. I remember a play where Ke'Terriyon used a great dribble move to blow by his opponent and score at the basket. He's a really good isolation player who gives it to defenders with either the in-and-out dribble pull-up or the step-back three-pointer. He was also good at scoring in transition whenever turnovers occurred from the Stonybrook team. Watching Ke'Terriyon play, I saw a two-guard who knows scoring the basketball is an important part of his teams success. Scoring is not the only facet of his game though. This young man can play defense too. Ke'Terriyon was really good at forcing opposing Stonybrook guards into mistakes and turnovers. He had three steals that lead to positive outcomes for the Raymond Park team. Ke'Terriyon has the scoring ability and defensive prowess to make an easy transition into high school basketball next season. Keep it up Ke'Terriyon!!     Cavaun showed off his athleticism to the fullest in Tuesday night's game. This young man did everything on the court. He has a nice game in the post area. Cavaun can score with either hand down in the paint. In some circumstances, he was able to make shots from the perimeter or attack the basket from the wing side of the court. Cavaun excelled at grabbing rebounds and throwing outlet passes to during fast-break opportunities. Most of his passes in transition lead to easy scores for his teammates at the rim. On multiple occasions, he was able to use his strength to score despite being fouled by the opposition. Cavaun attacked the glass with tenacity, regardless of the size difference between he and the Stonybrook big men. Defensively, he played with an determined mentality to make scoring difficult for the opposition. Whenever the Stonybrook guards drove into the paint, Cavaun turned them away with excellent timed shot blocks. He was also quick enough to guard smaller players on the wing areas of the court. If Cavaun enhances his offensive skills, I could definitely imagine him averaging a double-double at the high school level. Keep grinding Cavaun!!     In my opinion, Martese has the capabilities of being an excellent small forward at the high school level. He showed the ability to score in the post over smaller defenders. (sometimes through contact) Some of his baskets in the post lead to three-point play opportunities from the free-throw line. Martese has a great mid-range game, which happened to be on full display Tuesday evening. I watched him knocked down a number of perimeter shots despite being closely guarded by Stonybrook defenders. Martese can also handle the ball like a guard and make plays for others with pin-point passing. He runs the floor and finishes on the break when the opportunity arises. Martese showed a tenacity to grab rebounds and kick out passes to teammates for second chance opportunities. Defensively, he's a great wing defender who stayed attached to his opponent, poked at the ball and forced a couple of turnovers. Keep it up Martese!!     This is my second write up for Jalen. He's an above average ball handler who is capable of leading fast-breaks and making correct decisions. Many of his decisions lead to positive outcomes for his Raymond Park squad. He plays an aggressive style and loves to attack the basket with a variety of lay-ups, floaters or flashy passes. Jalen runs the point guard position well for his team. He knows how to orchestrate the team offense and get his teammates involved in a positive manner. Jalen had a knack of finding wide open players inside the paint or along the perimeter. Many of his passes lead to easy looks at the basket. Jalen was also vocal on the court which showed off his position as a team leader. He's very aggressive on the defensive end of the court. Jalen excels at playing the passing lanes and generating turnovers. He can also be a lock down defender with his great on-ball pressure. Jalen will be a solid point guard at the high school level next season. He finished the game with (3 points, 3 steals, 5 assists) Keep working Jalen!!       Justin is an excellent all-around player with the ability to break down opposing players and get to the basket. He can also grab rebounds when he attacks the paint, regardless of his opponents being taller. Justin plays the game with a fearless attitude, despite being smaller than his opponent. I appreciated how this young man gave maximum effort on both sides of the court. He used his athleticism to get where ever he needed on the court to be effective. Justin made a difference from all over the floor Tuesday night. Whether it was scoring, rebounding or defending; he excelled at every facet of the game. Justin is very knowledgeable of what it takes to be a good perimeter defender. Playing great man-to-man defense and knowing how to guard his opponent brings success. Watching Justin play, allowed me to view him as a player who will easily transition into high school basketball. He's too skilled at all facets of the game to not be successful. This young player is the kind every coach loves to have. Keep balling Justin!!

The class of 2029 came to play in this elite matchup of two squads rising to the top.