Space City Collision: Gamechangers 17U

Basketball will always be a team sport, but there will also always be individual players out there that can be the difference between a win and a loss for their teams. The group of athletes below fit that criteria to a tee.    Jordan is an imposing, dominant forward that can overpower and outsmart his competition on both ends of the floor for his [program_tooltip program_id='2075520' first='Houston' last='Raptors'] Benjamin team. With a wing span over seven feet, he sends opposing shots to the moon with regularity and easily elevates over defenders on the offensive end. He's a skilled shooter with a nice mid-range game and he runs the fast break incredibly well. He displays solid lateral movement on defense and has the ability to break through screens and create steals. He's a rim punisher with his dunks in the open floor and they can change the momentum of any particular game. He's a beast on the glass on both sides of the ball and he racks up additional opportunities at the rim consistently. Bolos is one to watch any chance you get the opportunity.     Josh is an impressive two-way point guard that makes sound decisions and displays a non-stop motor on both ends of the floor for his Texas Bad Boys squad. He has a mean crossover and a nice ability to create off the dribble. He uses pump and pass fakes effectively to create space for open jumpers with regularity. He's got a great burst on his first step that allows him to work his way past defenders with ease and set himself up for high-percentage looks in the paint. He's an incredibly hard worker on defense, sticking in front of his man and toughing his way through screens to make it as hard as he possibly can on his opposition. He has a solid ability to survey the floor and make the right passes to his streakers for the best shots available. Villafranco is turning more and more heads and it's absolutely warranted with the work you can tell he puts in.     Christian is a skilled, versatile combo guard that can surprise a lot of people with the way he changes the games for his NOCO Elite squad with his multi-faceted approach. He has an excellent handle and he's patient - working his way into the best shots he can get and making sure to recognize any open teammates in the process. He's a lights-out shooter and can get on hot streaks in a hurry. I love his ability to defeat longer defenders with his up and under approaches and his clever use of the glass offensively. He displays solid two-way ability with heart, hustle, and focus on the defensive end. He's a great rebounding guard as well, racking up boards on both ends consistently. He has a nice ability to get to the line and further solidify any hot streak he may be on at the moment. Powell's just getting started with his high school career and his ascent is going to a fun one to watch.     Te'Darius is a long, smart forward that absolutely dominates the offensive side of the ball in the best ways for his PDR Basketball squad. There were points during his games where he appeared simply unstoppable with his length and incredible ability to finish at the rim. He flies into contact and can absorb it and stay focused enough to make the shot and get to the line for gravy points. He's aggressive on both ends of the floor, using his lengthy frame to disrupt and create chaos for his opponents. He can lead the charge up the floor whenever needed with a guard-like ballhandling ability and he communicates well with his teammates. He's a scary player to come across because of his impressive versatility and his ability to control the game offensively.     Gill is a high-scoring, multi-talented point guard that can light it up on both ends of the floor for Team Locked In. He has elite ballhandling skills and the ability to create off the dribble with ease. He's a physical player, often using his strength and toughness to create space with his body offensively and give himself open looks at the rim. He can get on a roll beyond the arc quickly and knows when to be aggressive and get to the line in order to get into a rhythm. He displays a nice two-way ability with his hustle on defense, often creating havoc for his opponent any way possible and being one of the first on the floor for loose balls. He has a solid passing ability and can get his guys open opportunities on demand.

Basketball will always be a team sport, but there will also always be individual players out there that can be the difference between a win and a loss for their teams. The group of athletes below fit that criteria to a tee.