Havoc in the Heartland: The Game Changers- 14U

The game of basketball is played with passion! These players showed why they are talented enough to be called game changers.    Sawyer is an excellent shooter! This young man was one of the best shooters in the tournament. It did not matter if he shot from short or long range. Sawyer always found ways of being an effective scorer. He excelled at finding ways to free himself for good looks at the basket. Whether it was using teammate screens or beating defenders off the dribble, Sawyer made plays. During the game, I watched him make four shots from behind the arc. He also scored on pull-up jumpers from the perimeter. Whenever there were opportunities to score in transition, Sawyer did so. On defense, he stayed attached to his opponent and gave maximum effort on that side of the ball. He's a great shooter who has a valuable asset that allows him to be successful at the high school level. Keep shooting Sawyer!!     Trey showed the capability of being an excellent small forward at the high school level. He's a hardworking player who did all the “hustle work” for the All Ohio Red squad. Trey showed the ability to knock down mid-range shots from the perimeter. He used his size advantage to take smaller defenders in the post. Most of his baskets came from grabbing offensive rebounds and cleaning up his teammates' misses. Trey was great at running the floor and finishing at the basket, when the opportunity was available. He's tenacious on the boards and defends at an elite status. Trey was all over the floor defensively. He blocked shots, forced turnovers and used his physicality to defend the paint. Trey is a great young player with a bright future. Keep grinding Trey!!     Judd is an excellent three-point shooter! He made the art of shooting look easy. In the two games I watched Judd play, he knocked down eight three-pointers. He's very knowledgeable of how to run the offense and make plays as a facilitator. He led his team in assists while setting up his teammates for easy scores. Judd is the type of player who could play in any type of offense. His shooting ability makes him a threat to any opposing team's defense. Judd displayed good effort on the defensive end of the floor. He was great at playing the pass lanes and generating turnovers. Judd has the shooting skills to be successful at the high school level. Keep it up Judd!!     Gavin was the most dominant player on the court. He easily scored in the paint using various post moves around the basket. Gavin made tough shots despite being fouled by the opposition. This led to numerous trips to the free-throw line. Gavin calmly stepped to the line and converted multiple three-point plays. I was surprised to see how great he was from mid-range. I watched him knock down shots from all around the perimeter. When Grand Park had chances to score in transition, Gavin ran the floor and stepped into a fifteen foot jump-shot. Of course, he nailed it! Defensively, he was great at blocking shots and protecting the paint. Whenever opposing players attacked the lane, Gavin was there to alter their shots. Keep working Gavin!!     A tough hard-nosed player who is the perfect team guy. Fredrick made all the hustle plays for [program_tooltip program_id='2076166' first='Grand' last='Park Premier']. He's a great rebounder and passer. Whenever the team needed a timely board, Fredrick attacked the paint and grabbed it. If the team needed a score in the paint, he gave it to them. In some instances, he scored tough baskets despite being fouled by the defense. As I said, this young man was tough!. Defensively, Fredrick used his physicality to be a difference maker. He blocked a couple of shots inside and played great perimeter defense on the wing. Great team player who will excel on any team he plays with. Keep working Fredrick!!     Mala'kai excelled at scoring in the paint and grabbing rebounds on both ends of the court. There was a sequence in the game where he beat his opponent off the dribble and quickly attacked the basket. I was surprised to see the quick first-step he used. I did not expect Mala'kai to be quick enough to blow by the defense in this fashion. He was more effective doing work inside the paint. He used a variety of post moves to score over smaller defenders. Mala'kai was also great at cleaning up his teammates misses around the basket. Many of his scores came from grabbing offensive rebounds. He also showed the ability to shoot from long or mid-range. I watched him knock down a couple of high percentage shots during the game. Mala'kai is the ultimate team player! He's the kind of player who gave his all to help the team win games. Keep it up Mala'kai!!     Jordan has skills! I enjoyed watching this young man play as a scorer and facilitator. His ball handling allowed him to be an effective passer. He easily dribbled around the defense and found teammates in scoring positions. His assists led to positive outcomes for the Cave Elite team. He also used the same skills to score by making floaters as he drove into the paint. Jordan did this on multiple occasions. Whenever there was an opportunity to knock down a three, he did so. Defensively, this little guy made plays. Jordan applied great on-ball pressure by using quick hands and great footwork. He excelled at forcing turnovers and mistakes. He is a promising young player with a very bright future. Keep it up Jordan!!     Tristan is a high energy player who showed the ability to create for himself or teammates. He's an aggressive scorer from the floor, often making floaters, mid-range jumpers and three-pointers if given the opportunity. Tristan has great offensive skills that he used to stay in constant attack mode throughout the game. He had no problem scoring baskets whenever the team was in need of one. On defense, Tristan plays with a high level of feistiness. He's a tough minded guard who really pressured opposing guards into mistakes. Tristan was completely aware of how defense should be played. He's a great young player who plays with an aggressive style that every coach would want.     Grant did it all on the basketball court. He played hard and did everything the Cave Gym Elite team needed. Whether it's scoring in the paint, rebounding or defending, Grant was effective in all areas. He hustles to make all the necessary plays on the court. Many of Grant's scores came from grabbing offensive rebounds. He is an excellent passer who was great at finding teammates cutting to the basket. He had multiple assists under these circumstances. Grant showed off his athleticism by running the floor and scoring on fast-breaks. Defensively, Grant was great at blocking shots and protecting the paint. He is the ultimate team player. Coaches love an unselfish player who puts the team first. Keep working Grant!!     John showed the ability to score in various ways inside the paint. Many of his points came off hustle plays around the basket. Grabbing offensive rebounds and cleaning up his teammates misses were how many of his points were scored. John was great at getting to the glass and dominating. Whenever Cave Gym Elite needed a rebound, John always seemed to be in the vicinity of the basketball. In some instances, he was able to knock down mid-range jumpers on the perimeter. During transition, he showed the ability to run the floor and finish strong at the rim. John's biggest strength was the hustle he showed to be a part of every play on the court. He's an hard-working player who has a bright future in the game of basketball. Keep it up John!!

The game of basketball is played with passion! These players showed why they are talented enough to be called game changers.