Indiana State Tournament: Best of the Rest 14U

These players had major roles in the success of their teams over the weekend.    Kesean continues to be an excellent spot-up shooter. Especially, from the wings of the basketball court. This will be the second write up I've done for Kesean. It did not matter if he shot the ball from long or short range, Kesean always found ways of being an effective scorer. He was great at finding ways to get open for good looks at the basket. Whether it was using teammate screens or beating defenders off the dribble, he made plays. During the game, I watched him make three shots from behind the arc. Whenever there were opportunities to score in transition, Kesean made it happen. On defense, he gave maximum effort by playing the pass lanes and forcing turnovers with on-ball pressure. He's a great shooter who has a valuable asset that allows him to be successful in high school. Keep shooting Kesean!!     He's a tough little guard who plays the game with a fierce attitude. Teven was fearless and I loved what I saw! I've always had a soft spot for the little guy. Especially the ones who are not afraid of the challenge. He's a great “floor leader” who always looked to set-up his teammates for easy shots. Many of his assists led to positive outcomes for the SVO Elite team. Teven was fully immersed in his job as a play-maker. He showed great leadership skills by being vocal with other SVO Elite players. Don't Be fooled by his skills as a passer, this little guy can score too! Teven has the ability to get to the rim, nail mid-range jump-shots or 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 Teven!!     Nolan is the kind of player who does everything on the basketball court. He scored, assisted, rebounded and defended. When he stepped on the floor Nolan made an immediate impact. On offense, he knocked down a variety of shots on the perimeter. His passing skills allowed him to find teammates in scoring positions throughout the game. Nolan excelled at getting by his opponents on multiple occasions. These drives led to easy scores around the basket. I appreciated seeing how Nolan played the game with heart and determination. He's the type of player who has "no quit in him." Whenever he needed to make a positive play, he did so. During fast-breaks, Nolan finished with strong lay-ups at the rim. On defense, he fought for rebounds, took charges, and forced turnovers. Keep it up Nolan!!     Trayquan is a solid combo guard who excelled more as a facilitator than a scorer. He was one of the best passers on the SVO Elite squad. I watched him dish off six assists. Majority of his passes led to easy scores for his teammates. Whether it was slick bounce or chest passes, Trayquan always found ways to make the right play. Do not be fooled by his passing skills. This young man can shoot the ball! He knocked down multiple shots on the perimeter, despite being closely guarded in some instances. Whenever the defense decided to leave him un-guarded behind the arc, Trayquan had no issue taking advantage of the situation. He plays the game with a calm demeanor and shows great leadership skills. Keep it up Trayquan!!     Mason is the big-time shooter! Whenever Dayton Swish 2029 needed a basket, Mason 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. Overall he showed flashes of being a great scorer. In isolated match-ups he was able to beat his opponent off the dribble and get to the basket. Most of his scores came from tough floaters or mid-range pull-ups in the lane. Mason 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 Dayton Swish 2029 win games. After watching him play, I view this young man as a winner! He has a bright future ahead of him. Keep working Mason!!     JC showed the ability to be a great all-around player. Most of his damage was done in the paint! He dominated smaller players with a variety of post moves. I was pleasantly surprised by JC's outstanding footwork. Whenever his teammates gave him the ball, he scored by using pump-fakes or drop-steps to be effective. JC is also great at rebounding the basketball. A number of his scores came from grabbing offensive boards and immediately scoring on put-backs. He controlled the glass on both ends of the court. He's a smart player who showed the capability of being a play-maker from the post. In some instances, he was able to find teammates cutting to the basket with nice passes. Defensively, JC protected the paint by challenging all opposing shots coming into the lane. This young man has a bright future in the game of basketball. Keep working JC!!     Miles is a skilled point guard. He plays his position like a true “floor general.” He's a great passer who always set-up Dayton Swish 2029 players for high percentage shots. There was a play in the game, where Miles pulled off the perfect bounce pass to a teammate streaking down the lane. The pass was on the money and led to an easy lay-up. He finished the game as the team assists leader. Many of his dimes were on the flashy side. Some were behind-the-back, some were no-look. Miles skills as a facilitator are top-notch. Offensively, he 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 nail two threes and numerous mid-range jumpers. As he continues to grow and mature, Miles has the capability of becoming an elite player in the future. Keep it up Miles!!

These players had major roles in the success of their teams over the weekend.