Warren Township Middle School Tournament- The Best of the Rest

These players excelled at every skill they presented on the basketball court. I foresee them having very productive seasons with their basketball teams.    Graham is what I call a “glue guy.” He's a player who hustles to make plays all over the court. Graham showed the ability to score in the paint by beating defenders off the dribble. He also excelled at cleaning up his teammates' misses around the basket. Graham excelled at battling for rebounds on both ends of the floor. Many of those boards led to second chance scoring opportunities for Park Tudor. Whenever there were chances to score in transition, Graham finished strong at rim. Defensively, he was a nuisance against the opposition. His athleticism and defensive tenacity could take him to new heights in the game of basketball.       Drew showed his prowess as a great shooter from behind the three-point line. He had a quiet first half but turned it on in the second. While he was not aggressive on offense, Drew made a point to do all the intangibles needed to help his team be successful. Whether it was taking charges, fighting for loose balls, defending or assisting, Drew proved to be the ultimate team player. When halftime was over, he came out shooting! Drew knocked down multiple threes despite having a hand in his face. He stayed aggressive throughout the rest of the game. By staying active and finding ways to free himself, his shots made him more of a threat on the perimeter. In my opinion, Drew is the type of player who can catch fire and nail the majority of his shots.     Cameron is a do-it-all player that excels at every facet of the game. He's a shifty guard who found ways to be effective on the basketball court. Whether it's getting to the basket, assisting teammates, scoring in transition or knocking down perimeter shots, Cameron was a tough cover for opposing defenders. There was a point in the game where he scored tough baskets in the paint. He fearlessly drove the ball at the opposing Center despite being undersized. Defensively, Cameron had numerous steals by jumping the pass lanes. These turnovers led to transition scores for his teammates. Cameron is a great all around player who will have a major impact on the season.     An athletic big man who dominates the boards, scores inside and defends. Aiden is a great rebounder who attacks the glass on both ends of the court. He welcomes the physical play in regard to fighting for rebounds. Aiden scored most of his points in the paint by converting put-backs around the rim. Others came from cleaning up teammates' missed shots. He showed the ability to beat defenders off the dribble and finish strong at the rim. Defensively, he was all over the court. He guarded players inside the interior and on the perimeter. Aiden has the athleticism to hold his own against smaller players while being strong enough to defend the post. He finished the game with multiple blocks and steals. Aiden is a tough player who should flourish this season.     A play-making combo guard who showed the ability to be a scorer or facilitator. Offensively, Devion continues to excel at creating shots for himself. He often used a host of dribbling moves to beat opponents to the basket. These same moves freed up space for him to knock mid-range shots or long distance threes. I noticed his improvement as a passer. Devion was great at hitting teammates with pin-point passes as they found ways of getting open. Whenever Kokomo had an opportunity to score in transition, Devion always finished strong at the rim. On defense, he attached himself to opposing players. Devion made handling the ball a difficult task for the opposition.

These players excelled at every skill they presented on the basketball court. I foresee them having very productive seasons with their basketball teams.