Havoc in the Heartland: Legacy Ice 13U vs Mike Glennon Elite 13U

Both of these squads played an action pack game full of twist and turns. These players had big roles in the success of their teams.    Brendan is a skilled point guard. He played his position like a true “floor general.” Brendan is a great passer who always set-up MG Elite players for high percentage shots. There was a play in the game, where Brendan made the perfect bounce pass to a teammate streaking down the lane. The pass was on the money and led to easy lay-ups. He finished the game with a number of flashy passes. Brendan showed the ability to beat defenders off the dribble and score in the paint. He's a great shooter from the perimeter and beyond the three-point line. I watched him knock down four threes and numerous shots from mid-range. As he continues to grow and mature, Brendan has the capability of becoming an elite player in the future. Keep it up Brendan!!     He was a monster on the boards! Ethan led the MG Elite team in rebounds. I feel confident in saying “he finished the game with ten or more.” Not only could this young man rebound, he scored too! During the game he surprised me with his ball handling skills. On occasion, he brought the ball up-court and initiated the MG Elite offense. In some instances, Ethan dished out assists. Many of his passes led to scores by his teammates. He also beat defenders off the dribble, attacked the paint and scored. Some of his baskets led to three-point play opportunities from the foul-line. Ethan showed the ability to make free-throws by converting the and-ones. On defense, he blocked shots (2) and protected the paint from opposing players. Keep working Ethan!!     Joe was the big-time shooter for the team. Whenever the MG Elite squad needed a basket, Joe calmly knocked it down. He's the three-point threat for his team. I watched him knock down four threes over the course of the game. Joe is a great scorer overall. He beats his opponents off the dribble and gets to the basket. Many of his scores came from runners in the lane. Some of those scores came from high arching shots over the defense. Joe stayed aggressive whenever he was in scoring position. On defense, he was great at taking charges, hitting the floor for loose balls and doing all the hustle plays needed to help MG Elite win games. After watching Joe play, I see this young man as a winner! He has a great future ahead of him. Keep working Joe!!     Giancarlo is a solid combo guard who excelled more as a facilitator than a scorer. He was one of the best passers on the MG Elite squad. I watched him dish off seven assists. The majority of his dimes led to scores for his teammates. Whether it was slick bounce or chest passes, Giancarlo always found ways to make plays. This little guy can also shoot the ball! He knocked down multiple shots on the perimeter, despite being closely guarded in some instances. Whenever he was left alone behind the three-point line, Giancarlo had no problem converting shots. He plays the game with a calm demeanor and showed great leadership skills. Keep it up Giancarlo!!     This young man was the “hustle guy” for Legacy Ice 13U. Luke did a little of everything on the floor. He was great at rebounding on both ends of the court. Luke attacked the boards with authority, especially on offense. Whenever his teammates missed a shot, he was right there to grab the rebound and score the basket. If the team had an opportunity to run fast-breaks, Luke sprinted down the floor and finished strong at the rim. He's a decent ball handler who knows how to create his own shot by beating defenders off the dribble. His drives to the basket led to scores or assists to other Legacy Ice players. Defensively, Luke put his body on the line by taking charges. He also played great team defense, which caused numerous turnovers for the opposition. Keep balling Luke!!     He's a tough little guard who plays the game with a fierce attitude. Jaxton was fearless and I loved what I saw! I have a soft spot for the little guy. Especially the ones who are not afraid of a challenge. He's a great “floor leader” who always looked to find his teammates for high percentage shots. Many of his assists led to positive outcomes for the Legacy Ice team. Jaxton was fully immersed in his job as a play-maker. He led his team in assists and showed great leadership skills by being vocal with other Legacy Ice players. Don't Be fooled by his skills as a passer, this little guy can score too! Jaxton has the ability to get to the rim, score on mid-range jump-shots and knock down long distance threes. He's a pass first point-guard who has the skills to score when he needs to. Keep it up Jaxton!!     Jake was a man among boys in the match-up against MG Elite 13U. This guy was all over the court. Especially on the boards! Whenever he grabbed an offensive rebound, he scored around the rim. The MG Elite team had no answers for him on the glass. Jake played strong in the paint. Many of his scores came through contact from the opposition. Some were called, some were not. The fouls that were called, led to three-point play opportunities from the foul-line. He showed off his athleticism by attacking the glass and cleaning up missed shots by his teammates. During fast-breaks, Jake was able to finish strong at the rim on numerous occasions. On defense, Jake blocked shots, protected the paint and played great on-ball defense. He finished the game with three blocks and two steals. Jake is a hard-worker who is the ultimate team player. Keep working Jake!!     After watching Eli play, I determined he's the team shooter. His teammates always looked to get him going offensively. They set screens and ran plays that specifically allowed him to get open looks at the basket. I watched him knock down three shots from beyond the arc. Shooting was not his only way of scoring. Eli showed the ability to handle the basketball and create his own shot. He attacked the paint and finished with high arching floaters on multiple occasions. So scoring was no issue for this young man . Where Eli impressed me was defensively. He has quick hands and good lateral movement. I watched him steal the ball from his opponent with excellent on-ball defense. Eli forced numerous turnovers by timing the pass lanes and stealing the basketball. He's a great shooter and defender who has a promising future ahead of him. Keep it up Eli!!

Both of these squads played an action pack game full of twist and turns. These players had big roles in the success of their teams.