#PHMusicCityMadness: Players Making A Name On Day 2

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Day two at the #PHMusicCityMadness followed up day one with players competing at high levels and finding their way into my notes. Here are a few standouts from the day…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2849609,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/PH-Abe-Soucy-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/PH-Abe-Soucy-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2849609" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2543761' first='Abe' last='Soucy']</strong> (5'10/SG/'26/[program_tooltip program_id='2076576' first='Pro' last='One'] Select TN) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: abesoucy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @abesoucy24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Abe is listed as a shooting guard but spent most of his time at the lead guard position. I saw him compete on both days, and on both days, he showed that the essence of his game is putting pressure on the rim off the bounce. There were some inconsistencies with his game, but he makes plays throughout the game that show his ability and potential, making it hard to ignore him. There were times when he was pressing and made some bad decisions with the rock, which led to turnovers, and he looked for the refs to bail him out. When he looks at the film, he will see there were options he could have made that would have saved the possession and possibly helped his team get a better opportunity out of the possession. With his size and the thoughts of playing at the next level, he definitely needs to focus on his PG acumen and skill set.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2849610,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Marcello-Saraceno.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Marcello-Saraceno.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2849610" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Marcello Saraceno</strong> (5'9/CG/'26/Brook Town Force) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Marcellosar25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @MarcelloSar25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Not only did BTF have a tough outing against OC Bombers, but they only had five players suited up. You would think the competitive drive would not be there under the circumstances, but that was not the case with Marcello, as he competed at a high level and showed his ability to facilitate and score. He is a small guard but does an excellent job weaponizing his scoring arsenal and putting pressure on the defense at all levels. On this squad, he has to play with the ball in his hands the majority of the time and is looked upon to create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. He had to handle the ball as the primary initiator of the offense as he was able to get his team into their sets. He also showed his ability to get his shot at any point in the possession, as he is a tough shot-maker with the ability to make off-balance shots. He carries a heavy load for his team but is at his best when looking to put the ball in the hole.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2849612,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/PH-Landon-Smith-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/PH-Landon-Smith-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2849612" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Landon Smith</strong> (6'2/W/'27/Dreamchasers 17u) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: landonsmith.11</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @landon_smith24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Landon is playing up, and there was not much flash to his game as he played simple and solid. He is the caliber player that contributes to winning by staying in his role and not doing anything that would lose the game for his squad. He has game instincts on both ends of the floor and a solid understanding of how to play to make an impact. He showed his ability late in the game I was watching to score from behind the arc, and I would venture to say that with his stroke, he should look to get a few more shot attempts during the game.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2849613,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/PH-Cayson-DeShazo-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/PH-Cayson-DeShazo-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2849613" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Cayson DeShazo</strong> (5'11/CG/'26/KC Sixers Supreme) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: caysondeshazo</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @deshazo_cayson</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Cayson is listed as a combo guard, but focusing on his PG skills will be vital as he looks for life at the next level. That said, what I saw on day two was a young backcourt talent who plays with tenacity and an aggressive mindset. He doesn't back down from anyone on either end of the floor and stays in attack mode, forcing opponents to raise their game to another level. He is highly skilled at maneuvering through defenders and is a serious scoring threat at all levels while being able to handle the primary ball-handling duties at the same time. He impacts both ends of the floor and is a player with whom I know his teammates love going into battle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2849617,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/PH-Asa-Priola-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/PH-Asa-Priola-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2849617" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2841715' first='Asa' last='Priola']</strong> (6'5/F|C/'28/Alabama Truth UA Rise 15U) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: asa_priola5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Asa is a very intriguing prospect as he has good positional size with guard skills. I spoke with Coach Owens, who is over the Alabama Truth program, and he told me that Asa was at the guard position but recently had a growth spurt and has been in the paint during the school year. While watching him compete on day two, I saw flashes of what he could do when putting the rock on the floor, and it opened my eyes to what could be with him. There is so much potential surrounding Asa, especially if he is put in the right situation to develop his versatility. I am going to be watching his development closely, to see if those around him can merge his inside and out game into one.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2849618,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Deashawn-Adams.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Deashawn-Adams.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2849618" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Deashawn Adams</strong> (6'2/SF/2026/[program_tooltip program_id='2427016' first='The' last='Golden Franchize']) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Deashawnadams1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @Deashawnadams1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Deashawn is a stout wing who brings toughness and physical play to the floor. He didn't show to be a creative ball handler or playmaker, as he was more of a straight-ahead slasher when attacking the rim. He gets downhill in a hurry and often is the first to make contact, putting his defender at a disadvantage and off balance. The eval on Deashawn is simple; he is a relentless attacker off the bounce, whether in transition or in the half-court. There was not much height in the two games I watched that he had to deal with around the rim, so when he got to the cup despite his size, he used his body to create space and finish. I am not saying he cannot make the perimeter shot, but I would love to see him show more of his ability to score from the outside, especially when a true rim protector is camping out in the paint.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2849619,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/PH-Aiden-Pointer-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/PH-Aiden-Pointer-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2849619" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2841719' first='Aiden' last='Pointer']</strong> (5'11/PG/'28/Alabama Truth) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: itsa1den2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @ItsA1den1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Aiden is under 6'0 but can absolutely fly. He is a lob threat in transition and easily gets off the floor. He is at his best when he is in the open court and can use his athleticism to impact the game. He is listed as a PG, but on this team, they have a couple lead guards ahead of him on the depth chart, so he finds himself off-ball. He has to continue to improve his perimeter scoring as teams will begin to play him for the drive and give up the outside shot. He is still young and developing, and right now, it is hard to keep him off the floor with his athleticism and defensive tenacity.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->