Spurs City Shootout: 14U Difference-Making Bigs

I was expecting a heavy amount of guard standouts with the assignment of analyzing the younger talent in this weekend's tournament. While I did see plenty of those, I was surprised by the amount of talented big men and the playmaking they displayed on both ends of the floor. Below are a handful that stood out in a big way.    Marques is a strong, determined forward that has the ability to elevate his team single-handedly at multiple moments throughout his games. He can be dominant down low - finishing through contact and making smart decisions that show his IQ for the game. He's excellent at setting up his teammates for success with great picks and pinpoint passes while they're on the move. He can create his own offense when needed and get his team a bucket quick if they go through any sort of dry spell. His awareness is fantastic on both ends - he's always alert and ready to make the next play. He's involved in nearly every play on both ends, and he's got a nice ability to handle the ball and stay calm under pressure.     Brody is a towering, persistent center with the ability to change the game in multiple ways for his team. He's a dominant rebounder on both ends, often easily coming up with second and third opportunities for his squad. He's a force to be reckoned with if you dare go in the paint, regularly blocking and deflecting shots and denying any sort of solid look at the basket for his opponents. He has a nice ability to make smart, heads-up plays in the clutch and displayed this multiple times throughout the tournament. Even with his large frame, he's still willing to put his body on the line for his teammates and dive to the floor for loose balls and any extra possessions they can muster. He has a nice touch on his shots in the lane, which are rarely blocked and explain his frequently high shooting percentage.     Gideon is a long, physical center that can constantly disrupt his competition and wreak havoc on their gameplans. His lengthy reach allows him to rack up blocks and deflections with ease and he's surprisingly good at creating contact down low and getting to the line regularly. He's a beast on the glass on both ends and a nightmare to deal with if you have the assignment of boxing him out. He's collected under pressure and always makes a good outlet pass to his guards ready to run the break. He hustles back on defense every possession and he's great at recognizing when his teammates get to their spots so he can set them up with his impressive passing ability. There's no telling how much taller Okorie will get, but if he keeps developing his skills the way he is, he's going to be an absolute force to reckon with and highly sought after.     Andrew is an incredibly active, dominant center that always seems to willingly put himself right in the middle of the action on both ends of the floor. He regularly gets multiple opportunities in the paint from his sheer size and effort alone. He has well established footwork that is only going to get better and better as he progresses. He's a nice finisher at the rim and has great touch on his shots for a big man. He battles through fatigue and it's easy to sense his love for the game and fiery desire to win. He's a force on the defensive end in the paint - regularly blocking and altering shots and rarely allowing any second opportunities for the opposition. He's excellent at fighting through contact and getting to the line for extra points offensively.     Ari is an impactful player on both ends that doesn't have a problem with doing whatever it takes to win. He's very active on the defensive end and uses his length to disrupt defenders and dash their hopes of any easy shot attempts. His court awareness is fantastic, and he seems to always be in tune with his teammates both on and off the floor. Communicating effectively while in the thick of the action and you can tell he enjoys his teammates' company while off the floor and he's a big part of a solid culture going on with the team. He hustles back on defense and is great in pick and roll action with his scorers. He's a thoughtful player that analyzes plays in real-time and identifies where he can be most effective.

I was expecting a heavy amount of guard standouts with the assignment of analyzing the younger talent in this weekend's tournament. While I did see plenty of those, I was surprised by the amount of talented big men and the playmaking they displayed on both ends of the floor. Below are a handful that stood out in a big way.