Lonestar State Showdown: 14U Dawgs

A Dawg on the court refers to a player that's willing to do whatever it takes to get it done for their team and claim victory. Below are a handful of student athletes who fit that criteria incredibly well.    Jakovy is a lengthy, clever point guard that can dissect the opposing defense beautifully with his decision-making and heads-up playmaking. He leads the break with confidence and a remarkable ability to scan the floor and find his runners quickly with the best pathways to the bucket. He has strong hands on defense, regularly picking his opponents' pockets and causing chaos in opposing passing lanes. He tips and deflects the ball efficiently, often leading to extra possessions for his squad. He's an impressive distributor with the ability to throw a full-court pass right on target if needed. He's a force to deal with on the glass on both ends and he's not afraid to use his shooting range from beyond the arc if he's given space to do so. He's calm and constantly thinking things through, rarely ever making a mistake or the wrong choice. July's going to be heavily sought after as his career progresses and it's evident to see why.     Tahj is a skilled, imposing power forward that can beat his opposition in a variety of ways. He's a smart passer - regularly mixing up bounce passes/overhead/chest according to what the defense is least likely to pick off. He makes these decisions incredibly quickly and you can tell he has a high IQ for the game. He looms large on defense, holding down the paint and punishing anyone that dares to enter. His size alone makes him a beast on the glass on both ends of the floor and he's talented at drawing contact and getting extra opportunities at the charity stripe. Every now and then, he'll surprise you with an impressive spin move on the drive or a crossover you didn't see coming, which displays his versatility as a big man. Perkins is going to keep developing and will have a lot of eyes on him as he continues with his career.     Chase is a shifty, quick point guard that can change the momentum of a game for his squad in an instant. He's constantly making high-IQ decisions and his court awareness is off the charts. He's a master at finishing on the break and always seems to know who has the better look, whether that's a streaking teammate or himself. He's got great vision on the floor - he can pass up the court like a quarterback and make it look easy while doing so. One of my favorite things about his game is his defense. He can be a full-court pest, dominating the press on his man and absolutely hounding his opposition the entire way up the floor. This will often lead to quick turnovers and bad decisions from his opponents, which usually results in extra points for his team. Borovay is a game-changing player that deserves plenty of attention with his heart and hustle.     Jaylan is a talented, versatile lefty guard that doesn't let his foot off the gas until the final whistle blows. He's an incredibly smart player, regularly making heads-up plays and displaying an acute awareness for how plays are developing and what comes next. He's got a cannon of an arm and can sling the rock the length of the court if he sees an open teammate with a clear lane to the basket. He's vocal as he leads the charge down the floor and with the way he nails his threes off the dribble you can tell he doesn't lack confidence. He has a beautiful stutter step and blows by his opponents with ease to get to the rim and get the best look at the hop for himself. He's skilled at drawing contact for extra trips to the lone and he surveys the floor like a pro, consistently and patiently taking what the defense gives him. Carlyle's going to make a lot of waves going forward and I can see why.     Jace is a gritty, energetic forward that can get on a hot streak and fill out the stat sheet simultaneously. He's a solid shooter with a pretty jump shot, showing no hesitation when he sees an opportunity. He's a smart player with an impressive IQ on the court, consistently making the right calls on the drive and predicting where his opponent may be going next. He's got great hands that constantly create havoc for the opposition - racking up steal after steal and mucking up opposing passing lanes. He follows his shots and often gets additional opportunities at the rim because of it. He's talented at drawing contact and finishing through it, often creating opportunities and adding to them as they develop on the offensive end. Kendrick is going to make plenty of noise going forward and more and more heads will turn because of it.

A Dawg on the court refers to a player that's willing to do whatever it takes to get it done for their team and claim victory. Below are a handful of student athletes who fit that criteria incredibly well.