Prephoops The Stage: 14U- All Tournament (2nd Team)

These young men showed up and ball out over the weekend! The skills they displayed made them worthy of being on the All Tournament 2nd Team.    Miles was one of the most athletic players I watched over the weekend. He was great at rebounding, scoring in the paint and defending. I can confidently say, Miles led his team in rebounding during the game. He was able to dominate on both ends of the floor. Many of his offensive boards allowed him to easily score around the basket. Some of those rebounds gave the Mac Elite team second chance shot opportunities. Where Miles really impressed me, was his ability to use his athleticism to guard. He successfully defended players both in the paint and on the perimeter. Whenever he protected the paint, he excelled at blocking shots and causing the opposing team to take difficult shots. In some instances, he found himself guarding smaller players on the wing. Miles showed great footwork and lateral quickness to stay in front of the opposition. He's a hardworking player who does all the intangibles for his team. If he enhances his skills on offense, Miles could be dominant player at the high school level. Keep grinding Miles!!     Tristan showed the ability to make shots from everywhere on the court. In my opinion, he's a natural at the small forward position. He handles the ball, scores and rebounds. Tristan also showed off his skills as a legitimate passer. During the game, he was able to find other Academy players cutting to the basket for easy scores. There were even a few no-look passes that found their mark. Offensively, this young man attacked defenders in the post, scored on the perimeter and nailed long distance threes. Tristan had a sequence in the game where he scored a number of tough baskets driving into the paint. Some led to three-point play opportunities after being fouled. I really appreciated the effort Tristan showed on the offensive and defensive glass. He attacked the paint and fought for every ball he got his hands on. Tristan is a do-it-all kind of player who will play at the highest level in high school. Keep working Tristan!!     This young man is a shooter! Constantine was one of the best shooters I watched over the weekend. He was very knowledgeable of finding ways to free himself for open looks at the basket. There were instances where he caught fire and nailed multiple threes, despite having a hand in his face. Constantine showed maximum effort in regard to doing all the necessary things to help his team win. Whether it was fighting for rebounds, taking charges or playing defense, he was always around to make a play. On many occasions, Constantine was able to fight for offensive boards and score on put-backs around the basket. Defensively, he was great at pressuring his opponents into turnovers. He used his quick hands to constantly poke at the ball and be a nuisance. Just on his shooting skills alone, Constantine has a bright future in the works. Keep Shooting Constantine!!     He's a tough minded player who played with aggression on both ends of the court. Leonardo plays with a physical style in the paint. He excelled at grabbing rebounds on offense and defense. There were instances where he battled his opponents for offensive rebounds and scored. A number of his tough baskets led to three-point play opportunities from the free-throw line. Leonardo showed off a nice mid-range game from the perimeter. During the game, I watched him knock down multiple shots during critical parts of the game. Leonardo was very active on the basketball court. He often used his athleticism to run the floor and score during fast-break opportunities. On defense, Leonardo was great at defending the paint and making scoring difficult for the opposition.     Malachi is an excellent combo guard who led his team in every facet of the game. He was literally the engine that made his team go over the weekend. Malachi ran the And 1 Indy Elite offense with precision. He easily used his ball handling skills to blow-by defenders and attack the basket. Malachi is a great passer who constantly hit teammates with slick passes all over the court. He led the team in assists and ran the offense like a coach on the floor. Malachi can also knock down shots from both mid or long range. During the game he was able to nail multiple threes by using hesitation dribbles or step-backs. Malachi has the lateral quickness to be a great defender. He stayed glued to opposing guards, while crowding their space. In my opinion, this young man has the skills and drive to be successful in high school next season. Keep it up Malachi!!     This is my second write up for Lance. He continues to show the ability to score in various ways around the basket. Many of his points came off hustle plays. These baskets came from grabbing offensive rebounds and scoring on put-backs. He also used his elite athleticism to run the floor and score in transition. Lance occasionally stepped out the paint and nailed mid-range shots on the perimeter. During the game Lance had an opponent in a isolated situation on the court. The big man surprised his defender with a quick first-step to the basket. Of course, he scored and drew a foul through contact. On defense, Lance continues to be a great shot-blocker who deters the opposition from getting into the paint. In my opinion, Lance biggest strength was the sheer hustle he showed on basketball the court. I believe he'll have an awesome season next year at the high school ranks. Keep it up Lance!!     Trae was one of the most athletic players I watched in the tournament over the weekend. He showed off these abilities by running the court and finishing in transition. Many of his high-flying scores came off his defensive effort. He excelled at playing defense in the paint and the perimeter. There were situations when Trae had to defend guards on the wing of the floor. I watched him force on-ball steals and drive the ball to the basket for easy lay-ups. Trae was awesome at protecting the paint and blocking shots with authority. He has a physical stature to go along with his physical style of play. Trae plays big in the paint, often scoring tough baskets through contact. He finished the game with three blocks and two steals. This young man has the mentality of a winner! His toughness and physical style of play will take him far in the game of basketball. Keep working Trae!!     KJ showcased his skills as a great all-round player. I watched a highly skilled young man who should easily transition into high school basketball. Offensively, he took advantage of smaller defenders in the post. Many of his baskets came from this area of the court. KJ was great at knocking down mid-range shots on the perimeter. He beat defenders off the dribble and attacked the paint for easy scores down the lane. Whenever KJ was in the game He stayed in constant "attack mode." There was a pivotal moment in the game where he nailed a big three to give his team the lead in a close game. He also scored in transition whenever the opportunity was available to run the floor. Defensively, he applied great man-to man pressure on the ball. His defense caused multiple turnovers and forced numerous mistakes from the opposition. Keep balling KJ!!

These young men showed up and ball out over the weekend! The skills they displayed made them worthy of being on the All Tournament 2nd Team.