Junior Varsity Basketball- Southport vs Decatur Central

These programs have the star power to succeed for years to come. The talents of these young players represent how basketball programs should be built.    A play-making combo guard who showed the ability to be a scorer or facilitator. Offensively, Dayaun excelled at creating shots for himself. He used a host of dribbling moves to either drive around defenders or free up just enough space to convert perimeter jump-shots. Dayaun is a excellent passer. He was great at finding teammates as they cut to the basket or found other ways of getting open. His passes were always on point. Whenever Southport had an opportunity to score in transition, Dayaun finished strong at the rim. On defense, he guarded opposing players with great pressure. Dayaun made handling the ball and being effective a difficult task for Decatur Central guards.     Bryce a great floor leader who made accurate passes. Most of his assists were converted into easy baskets by his teammates. I can say with confidence, he led Southport in assists. Bryce is the kind of player who scores from everywhere on the floor. Whether it was knocking down long threes or shots on the perimeter, he found ways to be effective. During the game, Bryce was great at getting to the rim and absorbing contact. The majority of those scores led to him having opportunities to convert from the foul line. Defensively, he excelled at pressuring opposing guards into mistakes and turnovers. Most of his steals led to transition scores for himself or teammates. Bryce has a bright future in the game of basketball.     Avery is a do-everything kind of player that excels at every facet of the game. He's a shifty point guard who found ways to be effective on the basketball court. Whether it was getting to the basket, assisting teammates, scoring in transition or knocking down perimeter shots, Avery was a tough cover for opposing defenders. There was a point in the game where he scored tough baskets in the paint. Avery fearlessly drove the ball at the opposing Center despite being undersized. He often finished with a nice floater over the top of the defender. Defensively, Avery had numerous steals by jumping the pass lanes. Those turnovers led to easy transition scores for his teammates. Avery is a great all around player who will continue to have a major impact on the rest of the season.     Maurkice is a great two-way guard. He's a hardworking player who gave maximum effort on both ends of the court. Offensively, he handles the ball, attacks the paint and knocks down mid-range jump-shots. He also showed the capability of extending his range beyond the three-point line. There was a sequence in the game where Maurkice beat his defender to the basket with a nice spin move. It was a tough score through contact which lead to a three-point play opportunity from the foul-line. Maurkice calmly stepped up and converted it. He's an aggressive player who stayed in attack mode throughout the game. Defensively, he did a little of everything. Maurkice played great man-to-man defense, blocked a couple of shots and forced turnovers. His overall skills as a scorer and defender will take him far in the game of basketball.     He's a great defensive guard who excelled at making life miserable for his opponents. Blake excelled at pressuring opposing guards into turnovers. He often made handling the ball a difficult task with his quick hands and great footwork. Throughout the game, I watched Blake force three steals and cause Southport guards to make numerous mistakes. Offensively, he showed the ability to create shots for himself or his teammates. When he drove into the paint, he either scored or dished off assists to other Decatur Central players.When given the opportunity, Blake showed the ability to shoot the ball. During the second half of the game, he was left alone behind the three-point line. Blake calmly knocked down both attempts. He's a great defender who is totally capable of being a legit scoring threat.     Elias is a player who does everything for the team. Whether it's scoring, rebounding, defending or assisting, he always found himself in the right place at the right time. Elias had a quiet game offensively Thursday evening. This didn't deter him from being effective in other facets of the game. He grabbed rebounds on both ends of the court. Some of those defensive boards turned into passing outlets that became fast-break starters. Elias showed a knack for making plays with great passing. He often found teammates for high percentage shots near the basket or along the perimeter. Defensively, he forced multiple turnovers and made key plays in the game. Elias is an excellent all around player who does all the intangibles at a high level. He's capable of becoming a top player in Southport's basketball program for years to come.

These programs have the star power to succeed for years to come. The talents of these young players represent how basketball programs should be built.