Iverson Classic 2026: Scorers and Play-Makers 16U

Some players are great scorers who do it effortlessly. While others are really adept at facilitating the basketball. Both skill sets were on display for all to see Saturday afternoon.    This is my second write up of Ryder. The first time I watched him play was back in the 8th grade. He was exclusively a point guard at the time. His strengths were shooting, facilitating and leadership. After watching him play Saturday, his game resembles more of a combo guard. Ryder can score from all levels of the basketball court. He gets around defenders, attacks the basket, knocks down mid-range shots or extends his range beyond the three-point line. So, shooting continues to be a major part of his game. There were moments versus Indiana Elite when Ryder used a variety of dribbling moves to free himself for open looks at the basket. Ultimately, this led to him converting on both three-point attempts. Where I saw improvements, was his prowess to rebound the basketball. Ryder attacked the glass on both ends of the court. I didn't see much communication and leadership as compared to a couple of years ago when he was the primary ball handler. He continues to be a great facilitator of the basketball. The majority of his assists led to positive outcomes for the team. Ryder is a talented player who's capable of playing both guard positions at a high level. In my opinion, I believe he could become an elite player as a point guard. That's what I witnessed during the summer of 2024.     Caiden is a do-it-all type of player who 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 short perimeter or long distance shots, Caiden 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. Of course, he finished with a nice floater over the top of the defender. Defensively, Caiden forced multiple steals by jumping the passing lanes. These turnovers led to transition scores for his teammates. He's an excellent player who could become a major factor in Plainfield High's success next season.     I enjoyed watching DeAndre play Saturday afternoon. He's an excellent ball handler and scorer who physically dominated the opposing team. DeAndre is a small guard who stayed in attack mode from start to finish. Whether it was getting to the basket, scoring in transition, knocking down mid-range shots or extending his range beyond the three-point line, DeAndre was simply un-guardable. He excelled at scoring tough baskets through contact. The majority of his scores led to three-point play opportunities from the foul-line. On defense, he pestered Indiana Elite guards into mistakes. He applied great on-ball pressure that led to numerous turnovers and transition scores for his teammates. DeAndre is a scoring machine that's capable of taking over a game at any given moment. In my opinion, he was the best guard I watched in the 2028 class. DeAndre is a great player who's talented enough to become elite in the coming years.     Timothy is an athletic big man who scores inside, plays strong in the paint and defends. He's a great rebounder who excelled at attacking the offensive and defensive back-boards. In Saturday's game he welcomed the physical play in regard to fighting for rebounds. Timothy scored the majority of his points in the paint by converting put-backs around the basket. Others came from mid-range shots, free-throws and hustle plays. On some occasions, he showed the ability to beat defenders off the dribble and finish strong at the rim. Defensively, he was all over the court. Timothy showed his agility by guarding players despite their position. His athleticism allowed him to hold his own against smaller players on the wing. He finished the game with a double-double, multiple blocks and numerous steals. Timothy is a tough player who has the talent to become the focal point at Lighthouse Christian Academy next season.     On Saturday Wyatt was a dominant presence on the basketball court. Whether it was scoring, rebounding, passing or defending, Wyatt was always in the vicinity of the basketball. He used his size to take advantage of smaller defenders in the post. Wyatt showed the ability to score in a variety of ways. He attacked opposing defenders off the dribble, scored transition baskets, dominated around the rim and occasionally knocked down mid or long-range shots. Wyatt is a great rebounder who excelled at grabbing boards on both sides of the ball. Defensively, Wyatt was great at protecting the paint. He blocked multiple shots and made scoring a difficult task for the Indiana Elite team. Wyatt is a good all around player who could be even better with growth and maturity.     Maddox is a steady point guard who I viewed as the team's "floor general". He easily broke down defenders, attacked the paint and dished out assists. The majority of his passes were accurate. Most of his assists were often converted into easy scores by his teammates. I can say with confidence, he led the Jets team in assists. Maddox is the kind of player who's capable of scoring from anywhere on the floor. Whether it was knocking down long distance threes or short perimeter shots, Indiana Elite had a hard time containing him as a play-maker. Throughout the game, Maddox showed the ability to get to the rim and absorb contact. Most of these scores led to him drawing fouls and getting to the foul-line. Defensively, he excelled at pressuring opposing guards into mistakes and turnovers. The majority of his steals led to transition scores for himself or teammates. Maddox has a bright future in the game of basketball.

Some players are great scorers who do it effortlessly. While others are really adept at facilitating the basketball. Both skill sets were on display for all to see Saturday afternoon.