The Battle Eye Catchers

The Battle— an early season showcase that often features a handful of programs from the tri-state area, returned for another year of competitive action. Held at the Dunn Sports Center in Elizabeth, NJ this time around, this year's event featured some high level competition amongst various programs throughout the state of New Jersey off to strong starts this season. With that being said, let's take a look at some standout prospects from this past weekend's action.    Delivering a standout scoring performance for Elizabeth against St. Benedict's Saturday night, [player_tooltip player_id='1595676' first='Jalen' last='Maldonado'] exhibited not only his strong shot making ability but also how he's often times able to let his dangerous shooting ability from three point range open up additional offense for himself. Maldonado got into a nice rhythm knocking down open looks off the catch as a spot up shooter and hitting tough pull ups off the bounce in the in between area with solid touch. Maldonado also flashed his finishing ability around the basket with a number of strong and powerful drives, using his body to bump defenders and finish through contact.     A dead eye sharpshooting threat with smooth and fluid mechanics, [player_tooltip player_id='3270146' first='Daniel' last='Hinkov'] established and maintained a confident rhythm that saw him consistently bury open looks from three point range. Hinkov displayed a potent ability to not only knock down outside shots as a movement shooter coming the different types of screens and pin downs Benedict's actions create but also as a formidable spot up shooter off the catch.     A confident scorer who plays with solid poise off the bounce, [player_tooltip player_id='2201953' first='Jayden' last='Johnson'] delivered a standout scoring performance that highlighted his ability to score from numerous areas on the floor. Johnson is crafty guard who does a really good job of utilizing smooth footwork, different pump fakes, and pace to get to his spots and bait his defenders and much of that was on full display with the different mid range pull ups and step through jumpers he hit over the course of Saturday's action. Johnson's also a guard who has no problem inviting contact and playing off bumps and that was clearly evident of the ample trips to the free throw line he took. Confident from three, Johnson also showcased his three point shot making prowess, creating separation off the bounce and knocking down shots from three point range with deep range accuracy.     An extremely intriguing 2029 guard who easily stands out with not only his positional size but his polished offensive skillset, [player_tooltip player_id='2508723' first='Michael' last='Postell Jr'] was without a doubt one of the most impressive performers in a heated matchup between St. Benedict's and Elizabeth. Showcasing the different ways he can score the basketball from different spots on the floor, Postell Jr finished strong as a downhill driver and flashed explosive athleticism when attacking off the dribble, clearly shown by the numerous trips he took to the free throw line— flashing creativity and body control stepping through defenders and converting in traffic.     A bouncy and athletic forward who's athleticism translates to make difference making plays on both ends of the floor, [player_tooltip player_id='2628248' first='Terrance' last='Jamison'] found numerous ways to impact the game on the offensive and defensive side of the court. Jamison used his athleticism in combination with his anticipation skills and quick hands to play the passing lanes and turn defense into offense in key moments and finish on the other for explosive above the rim finishes in transition. Jamison plays with tremendous energy and effort and uses those capabilities to thrive off activity and generate second chance opportunities on the glass.     Although battling unfortunate foul trouble for most of the day against St. James Academy (VA), [player_tooltip player_id='1581755' first='Al'Tariq' last='Reevey'] still found ways to impact the game, particularly with his length and activity on the interior. Reevey displayed an ability to play through contact in the low post, evident of the numerous trips he took to the free throw line. Reevey exhibited an interesting blend of inside finishing in the paint coupled with solid footwork and touch around the basket— particularly flashing as a roller in PnR as well as in the dunker spot, catching and finishing off penetration from his guards.     A point guard who consistently distinguishes himself as both a dynamic offensive initiator as well as a reliable and efficient scoring option, [player_tooltip player_id='1411649' first='Tobe' last='Nwobu'] continued to highlight those qualities in his skillset in College Achieve's matchup against St. James Academy (VA) this past Sunday. Thriving as a steady scorer when the offense called for it, Nwobu attacked driving lanes with quickness, craftiness and physicality off the bounce to finish from different angles around the rim. In terms of being a strong offensive initiator, Nwobu was extremely effective handling the ball against pressure and getting his teammates the ball in the right spots.

The Battle— an early season showcase that often features a handful of programs from the tri-state area, returned for another year of competitive action. Held at the Dunn Sports Center in Elizabeth, NJ this time around, this year's event featured some high level competition amongst various programs throughout the state of New Jersey off to strong starts this season. With that being said, let's take a look at some standout prospects from this past weekend's action.