Upperclassmen Standouts at the MADC Ballers Classic

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After the 2029s went to battle with one another, the upperclassmen followed suit with a pair of high-flying games of their own. Delaware took the crown in those games too, but not without a fight the Free State. Here's who stood out:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>DE North 65, Big Apple Sports (NY) 47</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>DE South 67, MD South 61</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2452954' first='Zha'mere' last='Crawford'] | 2025 Delaware North </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A thousand-point scorer, Crawford made his mark on the game by making plays for everyone else. He used his fast hands to create havoc, whether that was knocking the ball away before his man could get a shot off or picking his pocket in the backcourt. Once he secured it, Crawford orchestrated DE North's transition offense to perfection, which was the key to their win. 9 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2352457' first='JayVion' last='Denis'] | 2026 Delaware South</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Denis's effort cleaning the glass was a vital part of DE South's success. More than half of his points came from the second-chance opportunities he created. He also drilled a pair of jumpers from beyond the arc – including a pull-up – to energize his team. 17 points and 8 rebounds</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Xavier Francis | 2025 Big Apple Sports (NY)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Francis got to a bucket, leading all participants on the day in scoring. He was tough to stay in front of off the dribble as he burst past defenders and finished through contact. He was slippery off-ball too. If no one picked him up quick enough, he was sprinting down the floor for a transition bucket. 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2387584' first='Elisha' last='Johnson-Dixon'] | 2025 Delaware South</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Johnson-Dixon was a track star and my personal MVP from the South/South game. He used his speed to cut his man's water off, swipe the ball away, then zoom down the court for two. He tiltes the defense in the halfcourt too and still managed to contort himself in the air to finish. 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Zakai Smullen | 2025 Maryland South </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a fast-paced, up-and-down game, Smullen applied a ton of pressure on both ends. He attacked off-the-catch and from a standstill, repeatedly finding his way to the cup. Smullen's activity generated turnovers and put the ball back in his team's hands with a chance to win late. 18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2449208' first='Andy' last='Webb'] | 2025 Delaware North </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Webb's engine didn't stop as he chased the ball on defense and pushed the pace on offense. The dynamic forward found creases in the defense, then got north-and-south to the cup off the bounce. He also showed the willingness to challenge everything at the rim, leaving no shot uncontested, to clog up gaps with his arms. 16 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2631155' first='Jaiayre' last='Wright'] | 2025 Delaware North </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A gazelle in the open floor, Wright scored 11 points in transition, highlighted by a one-hand slam. He hustled on defense as well, skying for rebounds and altering shots. Wright did a good job moving the ball too. 16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Honorable Mention:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2722640' first='Darion' last='Collins'] | 2026 MD South</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Jordan Cropper | 2025 MD South </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2364771' first='Vince' last='Evans III'] | 2026 DE South </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2461953' first='Elijah' last='Farrington'] | 2026 DE South </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2352340' first='Kenny' last='Hunter Jr'] | 2026 DE North </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2825758' first='Sincere' last='Miller'] | 2025 DE North </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->