Spurs City Shootout: 14U Two-Way Stars

There was a ton of talent in the 14U class this past weekend. Among those were a handful of players that stood out in big ways on both ends of the floor. Whether it was diving for loose balls, scoring clutch buckets without hesitation, or creating consistent havoc on defense, the players below delivered.    Daniel is a smart, physical forward that always seems to make the right plays for his team whether it's the first quarter or in the clutch. He's a nice finisher at the rim, often battling through contact and putting his body on the line. He's never afraid to take a charge and he's often the first to dive on the floor after a loose ball. There was one play of his in the clutch that stood out in a big way - it was late in the championship game, and it was as close as could be, the ball was sailing out of bounds and Diavatis was in position to save it but there was no way he could do so and see who or where he was throwing it to. Rather than lightly tap it or throw it into traffic, Daniel heaved it behind him without looking somehow knowing only his guys were posted up beyond the arc to retrieve it. Difficult to explain how impressive it was, but it was one of the plays of the weekend that stood out to me. Diavatis can do it all and he's an all-around complete player.     Greg is a fierce two-way combo guard that stood out to me in every one of his games this weekend. He can single-handedly shift his team's momentum because of how he talented he is on both ends. He's an avid, focused defender that stays on top of his man and battles through switches. He has a nice anticipation defensively as well and likes to use his ability to elevate to block opposing shots with authority. He's instant offense when he has the ball, with the ability to easily create off the dribble and draw enough attention while doing so to distribute to wide open teammates with impressive accuracy off the drive. He leads the charge for his team up the floor and you can tell he takes an appropriate pride in doing so. One of my favorite parts of his game was the ability to bring calm to himself and his teammates. When things would go awry for his team, he'd simply lead by example and right the ship while showing no nervousness or panic whatsoever.     Ari is a patient, skilled combo guard that doesn't back down to any challenge on either end of the floor. He's excellent under pressure - I saw him successfully navigate through incredibly tough full-court defense multiple times. His patience comes in especially handy on the offensive end. He sees the floor incredibly well and can quickly identify what the opposition is giving in order to capitalize on it. He's a thorough communicator and never hangs his head after a bad shot or mistake. Zuniga let everyone know how good he was in the clutch by delivering one of the biggest highlights of the weekend - a buzzer-beating three in the championship game to seal the tournament victory for his squad by one point.     Cason is a versatile, playmaking guard that can impact the game in so many positive ways for his team. He has a beautiful shooting range with nice form and consistency. He can handle the ball incredibly well and work his way out of jams with plenty of patience and skill. He's excellent at creating contact and staying focused enough to finish through it. He gets to the line regularly and doesn't back down from pressure as shown by his ability to sink shots beyond the arc in the clutch. He can go full speed on the break or adjust in real-time if he sees an opportunity to slow it down for a great shot. One of the things I enjoyed most about watching Cason was his apparent joy for the game. He loves being out there with his guys and it shows on his face and in his play.     Finn is a fearless, talented guard that has no hesitation around delivering in the clutch for his squad. He's incredibly focused on both ends and he's an impressive rebounder for a guard. He stays active on the offensive glass and consistently gets multiple opportunities at the basket for his team. He's a great decision-maker and he knows when to take his time and analyze the defense and when to hit the gas and go full tilt at the basket. He has the ability to create on offense whenever needed and is also incredibly skilled at getting his teammates excellent opportunities. If he continues to develop his skills the way he is, he's going to have plenty of recruiting eyes on him throughout his high school career.

There was a ton of talent in the 14U class this past weekend. Among those were a handful of players that stood out in big ways on both ends of the floor. Whether it was diving for loose balls, scoring clutch buckets without hesitation, or creating consistent havoc on defense, the players below delivered.