Lonestar State Showdown: 13U Dawgs

A Dawg on the hardwood displays versatility, hustle, and grit. The group of student athletes below have those qualities in abundance and more.    Aaryn is a strong, determined point guard that's always battling if the ball is up for grabs. He's constantly in the mix and never shies from contact, ready and willing to sacrifice his body for his squad. He's incredibly calm under pressure for such a young age, repeatedly working his way out of traps and making sound decisions while doing so. He's an effective distributor, regularly getting his teammates high percentage opportunities off the drive. He's efficient in getting to the line and knows how to bait inexperienced defenders. He has fantastic hands, picking pockets without a trace and dashing the other way for an easy bucket. His ballhandling ability is solid and he has the foundation of a nice shooting form coming into its own. Love is a standout player and will only keep getting better and better.     Elin is a lengthy, smart center that can blow the minds of spectators with his versatile performances. He was playing two years above his age at the Showdown and still standing out as a top performer in his games. He gets to the line consistently and knows hot to draw contact effectively. He's active on the glass on both ends and has a nice hook shot he likes to go to in the paint. He leads the charge down the floor for his team and is an excellent decision-maker. His drives to the paint are impressive and he has a stellar spin move he likes to utilize. He uses his length to block jumpers and create general havoc for the opposition. He's a skilled passer, often knowing exactly what speed and method to throw it with to deliver the perfect dish. He uses his body incredibly well to create space, often squaring off his defender to receive an untouchable pass. I was incredibly impressed with Hawk and I have a feeling this won't be the last time I say that.     Jh'bryant is a meticulous, talented player that elevates the performances of his entire team with his play. He's a natural leader with the way he moves, communicates, and carries himself on the court. He's an effective rebounder on both ends of the floor and can get hot from beyond the arc in a hurry. His passes are quick, but somehow calm, as he works his way out of traps with no panic apparent whatsoever. He moves incredibly well without the ball and seems to know where to be on the floor at all times. The way he moves and passes actually gets everyone else on the team to improve their spacing, which was interesting to watch. He uses his length to stuff opposing shots and his quickness to snatch the ball at any opportunity from his assignment. Foreman has a versatile game that will turn a ton of heads going forward.     Owen is a resilient, skilled point guard that carries the next play mentality with him throughout the entirety of the game. He never hangs his head and he's constantly hustling - sprinting back on defense, battling for offensive boards, and regularly being in the mix for any sort of loose ball. He can light it up from beyond the arc and he moves well without the ball and knows how and when to get to his favorite spots on the floor. He has sneaky hands that rack up steals and collect additional opportunities at the rim for his squad. He has frequent putback opportunities on the offensive end due to a motor that doesn't seem to quit. He tracks the ball well on defense and has excellent court vision and a good feel for the game. Butler's going to keep developing from here and garner plenty of attention in the process.     Daniel is a physical, speedy shooting guard that seems to be all over the floor in the best ways and involved in nearly every play throughout his games. He's constantly in the mix for boards on both ends and he makes quick, effective decisions on the fast break. He never seems unprepared - always stays ready even without the ball. He sticks to his man on defense like fresh gum on a shoe sole and he's fantastic at collaborating with his teammates on traps to cause panic in their opposition. He consistently makes heads-up plays and is always the first to any 50/50 ball. He has no fear of contact on either end of the floor and racks up extra possessions and points for his squad by sacrificing his body. Cook is going to continue to improve from here and his ascension will be fun to watch.

A Dawg on the hardwood displays versatility, hustle, and grit. The group of student athletes below have those qualities in abundance and more.