ZG Stars and Stripes Classic: Expressions Elite standouts part 1

This weekend, I attended Zero Gravity's Stars and Stripes Classic at Dana Barros Basketball Club in Stoughton, MA. I watched some of all three high school divisions (freshman, sophomore, and varsity), but of course didn't get to watch the majority of teams/players. I'll have coverage coming throughout the week from this tournament.   First up, I got to watch a bunch of Expressions Elite teams who were competing in all three high school divisions. Most of these kids are 8th graders, so they were playing up 1-3 age groups. Impressive.    I was quite enamored watching Finlayson for the first time on Saturday. The eighth grader was playing up in the VARSITY division and absolutely dominating. He's a 6-foot-6, big bodied wing who can handle it incredibly well for his size. He had some nice behind-the-back moves in transition and looked so comfortable dribbling the ball up the court. He can also elevate above the rim for dunks and finishes. Finlayson is so strong and physically developed for his age, which makes his potential moving forward really exciting. He's absolutely a prospect to keep an eye on moving forward. I don't usually watch middle schoolers, but I can't imagine there are many in New England better than him. Wow.     Cornell is 6-foot-6 and extremely long, which makes him a super intriguing long-term prospect when you consider his current skillset. Despite being super tall and skinny, the freshman has great body control in the paint and can finish with touch at the hoop. He can also step out and knock down the three ball, as well as getting to his spots in the midrange and elevating for jumpers. Cornell is at Stonington High School right now, but he hasn't stayed back yet and I highly doubt he'll beat public school for too long -- I'm sure he'll be at a local prep school soon enough.     Upchurch was playing up in the freshman division as an 8th grader but was more than holding his own. The 5-foot-9 point guard won't necessarily wow you with ridiculous quickness or athleticism, but he's so controlled with the ball in his hands and runs the offense so well; even while being pressured like crazy, he just turns his back to the defense and uses his off hand to hold off the defender's active hands. Once he develops more physically and gets more athletic, he'll be a really nice prospect. Bright future ahead for Upchurch, whose skillset is off the charts.     Mason is so incredibly skilled for his age. The 5-foot-6 point guard has the ball on a string and has a feel for the game that's off the charts for an eighth grader. He does a great job playing at his own pace and changing speeds, and he makes great decisions for himself and his teammates once he touches the paint. He won't wow you with vertical athleticism (yet), but he's still young and that could be coming along. The skillset, IQ and feel are already there in spades, though. Mason is homeschooled and I can't wait to see where he'll play next season. Really fun player to watch.     Hadden is super impressive for an eighth grader. The 6-foot-4 wing moves fluidly for his size and showcases speed and athleticism when moving up and down the floor. He also uses his ridiculously long arms to finish out and over larger defenders with both hands. I didn't see him take many outside shots, but the eighth grader has lots of time to get that part of his game shored up. Hadden is already at CATS Academy and is a typical player that'll find success there; big, long, athletic, and plays hard. Very bright future ahead for what will probably end up being a scholarship-level wing if he stays with it.

This weekend, I attended Zero Gravity's Stars and Stripes Classic at Dana Barros Basketball Club in Stoughton, MA. I watched some of all three high school divisions (freshman, sophomore, and varsity), but of course didn't get to watch the majority of teams/players. I'll have coverage coming throughout the week from this tournament.