BIBSI: 1st Team

June 5th-7th I attended the 18th annual Best in Basketball Summer Invitational at Mesquite HS in Gilbert/AZ.    There were 28 local teams who played in one to five showcase games.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Here is the All-Tournament 1st Team:</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='1736170' first='Kareem' last='Alkhalifa'] Pinnacle    A good sized wing keeps improving. He can rattle in threes one by one off the catch. He will score with tough crow hops, euro steps and earn trips to the free throw line. He will rebound the ball and throw up the court passes on a rope.    [player_tooltip player_id='1986797' first='Jase' last='Benjamin'] San Tan Charter   A powerful wing always seems to impress. He is a two-way player who will rebound and push the ball up the court with a nice handle. He block shots and he is a very good passer. He will score with perimeter jumpers plus get downhill with left hand or dunk the ball.    [player_tooltip player_id='2412268' first='Maurice' last='Carter II'] Willow Canyon    The undersized point guard is tough to handle. He scores it from all levels with hesitations and bursts down the lane and plays at such a good pace to his game. He gets downhill with his left just as well as his dominant right and will rise up and shoot it from mid-range plus hit the three. He also had a few needle threaders on the weekend.    [player_tooltip player_id='1873684' first='Tyson' last='Crandall'] Highland    A walking bucket. He is another a little undersized but scores it with the best of them. He has a big bag to score with fall away threes, catch deep jumpers, step backs, mid-range jumpers and will drive and kick it perfectly into a shooting pocket. When he is rolling, the Hawks are tough to beat.     [player_tooltip player_id='1323296' first='Matt' last='Delgado'] Boulder Creek   A good sized wing with some verticality. He scores with threes off the catch, baseline drives and takes the bump well. He will fall away from his defender and rebound at a good clip. He is another who can go coast to coast with a nice handle. He boxes his man out and is very versatile.     [player_tooltip player_id='2146175' first='LJ' last='Diamond'] Perry    A hyper athletic combo lead guard is one of the more dynamic players in the AIA at his position. He is way above the rim in transition and he breaks players down quickly with his tight handle, speed and stronger frame. He will hit the three and he is a very good passer who often drives and kicks it.     [player_tooltip player_id='2407206' first='Cameron' last='Hurt'] Pinnacle    PG1 for the Pioneers is always looking up trying to make a play. He sees the court well and his pace and confidence are high. He really sets the table but when he needs to he will score with off the dribble and catch threes, hook shots in lane and gets downhill with a burst. He reportedly scored 18 straight in one of his team's 2nd half games.   [player_tooltip player_id='1323290' first='Mason' last='Magee'] Basha   One of the top point guards in the AIA started a little slowly but found his groove in a bunch of games with scoring from all levels with deep threes, blow by's, dunks and most can't stay in front of him. He also happens to be one of the best passers with perfect lobs and spraying the ball around to his teammates.     [player_tooltip player_id='1651788' first='Jakyi' last='Miles'] Mesa    One of the top bigger scoring lead guards showed off in many stretches. He will hit the three with range and has a feathery touch from mid-range with nasty crossovers into a quick pull-up. He is very smooth to the basket playing at his own pace and he is a very good passer with precise timing.   [player_tooltip player_id='1482165' first='Rider' last='Portela'] Sunnyslope    The best performer of the tournament took his team to 4-0 in the toughest bracket. He scored every way with mid-range jumpers, dribble drives, floaters, offensive rebound put backs, catch threes and high flying dunks on the break and in the half court set. He is a great passer off of the pick and roll game and rebounds out of area. A true Swiss Army Knife.    [player_tooltip player_id='1741167' first='Kade' last='Snyder'] Sunnyslope   The stronger power forward is the muscle on the team with skill. He carves out space with his broad shoulders and quick moves to the basket to score. He can bully his way in and rip thru and go baseline and flush it down. He rebounds, does his job and defends at a high level.     [player_tooltip player_id='1555179' first='Darius' last='Wabbington'] Sunnyslope   Arguably the top true post player in the entire AIA showed it all on the three days. He scores with threes, fall away from mid-range, he has advanced post footwork and a nice touch on the foul line. He is a very good passer and rebounds with two hands and outlets it.

June 5th-7th I attended the 18th annual Best in Basketball Summer Invitational at Mesquite HS in Gilbert/AZ.