Warren Township Middle School Tournament- All Tourney 3rd Team

I refer to these players as the all hustle team. The players on this list did a little of everything on the basketball court in regards to scoring, rebounding, chasing down loose balls or taking charges.    Anthony is a big time scorer! The first time I watched him play, opposing defenses had a hard time containing him. After seeing him play Saturday, I can say “nothing has changed.” He continues to attack the basket, make perimeter shots, score in transition and extend his shooting range beyond the three-point line. Anthony also showed the ability to rebound at the two-guard spot. He does not mind battling taller players in the paint. Anthony continues to show his skills as an excellent ball handler capable of making positive plays. In my opinion, he's become more of a play-maker as compared to the last time I watched him play. A couple of his assists were so on point, they gained a loud reaction from the crowd. Do not be fooled by his unselfishness. Anthony can fill it up on the basketball court. Especially when opposing defenses take him lightly.     If there was an All Defensive team, Bryce would be the leading catalyst. I appreciated the effort he showed on the defensive end of the court. Bryce plays like a guy who prioritizes locking down his opponent. There was a sequence in the game where he forced a turnover, scored on a fast-break and immediately came down court and blocked a shot. This sequence exemplifies the effort Bryce showed to be a nuisance to opposing teams. Bryce is a good rebounder who did not mind doing all the dirty work in the paint. He attacked the glass and fought for rebounds. Most of his boards led to second chance scoring opportunities for his teammates. As the game went on, Bryce showed the capability of making three-pointers. I viewed Bryce as only a defensive player. Imagine how good he could be as he improves his skills offensively? He's already a great defender.     Collin continues to be the “glue guy” for Raymond Park. He literally does everything on the basketball court. Collin is great at scoring in the paint or from mid-range. He uses his strength and craftiness to box out opposing players and grab rebounds. Some of the offensive boards he grabbed, led to Collin scoring numerous put-backs around the rim. He set solid screens that freed up others for clean looks at the basket. Most of his assists led to high percentage shots by his Raymond Park teammates. Defensively, Collin was great at forcing his opponent into difficult shots. He constantly poked at the ball and pressured offensive players into mistakes. Collin is the ultimate teammate! He's a valuable piece of the puzzle for Raymond Park this season.     I enjoyed watching this young man play Saturday afternoon. Jamereon is an aggressive combo guard who looked to attack opposing defenders anytime he had the ball. He's an excellent ball handler who easily beats opponents off the dribble. This led to numerous scores in his one-on-one match-ups. Jamereon excelled at getting into the paint and scoring floaters or using a nice package of lay-ups. There was a moment in the game where Jamereon attacked the paint and scored a reverse lay-up through contact. He calmly stepped to the foul-line and converted the three-point play. Whenever he had the opportunity to knock down threes, he did so with extreme confidence. Some of his other scores came in transition. Defensively, he forced multiple turnovers with quick hands and great on-ball pressure. Jamereon is a excellent player with a great all around game. With continued growth and maturity, I believe he's capable of becoming an elite player in the future.     Josiah is a tough minded guard who has improved his shooting since I watched him play during the summer. He continues to play with complete confidence and no fear. Josiah handles the ball, drives by defenders, knocks down threes and scores in the paint. He showcased more play-making skills on Saturday than I ever seen him make. Most of his passes were on the money. Whenever he had point guard duties, he ran the Kokomo offense with precision. Every time he drove into the paint his shot of choice was the floater. He showed a knack for scoring it over taller defenders as they attempted to block it away. In two halves of play, I watched him make three shots from beyond the three-point line. On defense, Josiah was a pest! His quick hands allowed him to generate multiple steals from the opposition. The growth of Josiah's skills is truly awesome to see.     Jaxson continues to be the designated shooter for his team. He and his teammates play with one another during AAU season. He proved to be the best shooter at that time. Well, nothing has changed in Middle School basketball. Jaxson remains as the most viable threat to knock down shots from three-point range. He went on to prove this in the championship game against Anderson Highland. Jaxson finished the game with twenty-seven points while knocking down four threes in the process. He's always been knowledgeable of finding ways to free himself for open shots. I saw a new dimension to Jaxson's skills. I never seen him score in the post until Saturday. He took advantage of smaller opponents in the paint on numerous occasions. Whenever he had an opportunity to score Jaxson capitalized on it. He's a great teammate who plays hard and gives maximum effort on the defensive end of the court. With his shooting ability, Jaxson will always be a legitimate threat to opposing defenses.

I refer to these players as the all hustle team. The players on this list did a little of everything on the basketball court in regards to scoring, rebounding, chasing down loose balls or taking charges.