Prephoops The Stage: 12U- Surprise of the Tourney!!

The All-In Sports team was the only 12U squad in the tournament over the weekend. This team was truly entertaining to watch! The miniature squad showed the heart and hustle of a champion. They finished the tourney with a 2-1 record.    I truly enjoyed watching LJ play today. He plays the game with a certain confidence and swagger, that rubs off on all his teammates. After watching him, I can definitely say, "LJ is the floor general of the All-In Sports team." He's an excellent ball handler who has the ability of making defenders fall when they attempt to guard him. LJ 's a flashy passer who lead his team in assists during today's game. Most of his passes generated easy shots inside the paint and on the perimeter. His teammates took full advantage of the dimes he dished out LJ is the type of player who'll knock down a three and give the crowd a gesture. I seen him do it! Who doesn't love a kid who plays with a little fire and emotion? As I said, he easily blows by defenders attempting to guard him. LJ did this on numerous occasions, when he scored at the rim during the game. On defense, he was great at timing the opponents passing lanes. Many of those steals lead to points in transition for the All-In Sports team. LJ's a very confident player, who has a fearless attitude with great leadership ability. I'm confident this young man will become a mainstream player in the very near future. Keep balling LJ!!     In the game I watched today, Ja'Siyah jump started the All-In Sports offense. He scored the team's first three baskets to gain an early lead. This young man is a shot-maker! Of his first three baskets, two of them were from beyond the arc. So I learned, Ja'Siyah has the ability to make baskets in a variety of ways. He scored in the post by gathering position on smaller defenders. Whenever he had an advantage on the wing, he drove around his opponent, attacked the basket and made a play. Sometimes he scored, others he was able to draw contact and get to the free-throw line. Ja'Siyah was great at rebounding the basketball. Many of his baskets came from grabbing boards and scoring around the rim. Some of his defensive rebounds became fast-break starters for other All-In Sports players. In many of those fast break opportunities, Ja'Siyah was able to score when his teammates dished off slick passes his way. Defensively, this young man did a little of everything. He forced turnovers, blocked shots, took charges and chased down loose balls. Ja'Siyah's a great all-around player who has a bright future ahead of him. Keep it up Ja'Siyah!!     This young man was the guy who did all the "dirty work" for his team. Samuel was great at grabbing rebounds on both ends of the court. He lead his team in rebounding during the game I watched. Many of his baskets came in the paint. Some from offensive rebounds and put-backs, others came from slick passes thrown by his teammates. Samuel excelled at cleaning up many of his guys misses at the rim. He also stepped out the paint and nailed a couple of perimeter jump-shots. If Samuel had an open look at the basket, he didn't hesitate to take it. I can honestly say, " every player on the All-In Sports team played fearless throughout the tournament." On defense, Samuel played both in the paint and on the perimeter. He was great at protecting the paint from opposing guards. Samuel turned away numerous players attempting to attack the lane. He finished the game with three blocked shots. Whenever Samuel guarded on the wing, he didn't bite on dribble moves from the opposition. This allowed him to effectively stay in front of his opponent. Samuel's a good young player who has the opportunity to be great in the future. Keep it up Samuel!!     Bryson is a dynamic scorer who does it from everywhere on the court. I was amazed to see how easy he made it look. Especially, coming from such a small player. Bryson is the epitome of "size doesn't matter!" This little guy made every shot imaginable in today's game. It didn't matter if he attacked the defense, scored on lay-ups, nailed three pointers, or scored on the perimeter; Bryson was simply unstoppable today. I was shocked when I saw one of the smallest players on the floor, grab an offensive rebound and fade away from the basket. I really didn't expect Bryson to make the shot but of course, he swished it. What he displayed today offensively, shows how much work this young man has put in to be good at his craft. If Bryson already has these offensive abilities at twelve, what's his game going to look like once he reaches high school? As he continues to enhance his skills, Bryson may become an elite scorer in the very near future. Keep working Bryson!!     This young man was the 6th man off the bench; literally! Meaning the All-In Sports squad only had six players. Clayton came in firing! I loved his mentality because he meant business. There would be no fooling around on his part. As soon the opportunity of making plays became available, Clayton took them. He showed the ability to knock down mid or long range shots from beyond the arc. I watched him nail three of them during today's game. Clayton also showed off a quick first-step off the dribble. He easily drove by his defender and scored on a floater in the paint. Like I said, "this little guy was instant offense off the bench." Defensively, he was a dog! He made ball handling difficult for opposing guards, while being a constant nuisance with his quick hands. I counted four steals as a direct result of his pressure defense. Clayton has a bright future in the game of basketball. Stay aggressive Clayton!!     Aiden was one of the toughest players on the floor today. He's great at handling the ball and being the team facilitator. In the game I watched, Aiden always seemed to make the right play at the right time. Whether it was beating opponents off the dribble, attacking the basket or knocking down perimeter shots; Aiden was a play-maker for his team. A number of his passes lead to easy scores for his teammates. Every time a player cut to the basket, Aiden's passes were on the money. This young man gave maximum effort on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he stayed in attack mode whenever he was in the game. Defensively, he excelled at pressuring opposing guards into turnovers and mistakes. I watched Aiden steal the ball numerous times by using his quick hands to harass the opposition. He was one of the best rebounding guards on the floor. This young man did everything to help his team win. Every coach wants and needs a player like Aiden. His overall skills make him a dangerous player at a young age. Just imagine when he grows and matures? Watch out! Keep it up Aiden!!

The All-In Sports team was the only 12U squad in the tournament over the weekend. This team was truly entertaining to watch! The miniature squad showed the heart and hustle of a champion. They finished the tourney with a 2-1 record.