Lonestar State Showdown: 16U High-Volume Scorers

There was massive talent at Lonestar State Showdown this past weekend. The student athletes below stood out as excellent shot creators and offensive studs - those players that can go get you a bucket at any time among many other skills in their tool belts.    Carlos is an incredibly active player on both ends of the floor. He has excellent hands and uses them to finish through contact, tip in putbacks, and snatch the ball from opponents that show any amount of vulnerability. He gets to the line frequently and that helps get him in a nice shooting rhythm. I love his awareness - he always knows the clock and will stay back to help teammates being overwhelmed by a full court press. On top of his offensive skills, Koontz is also a lockdown defender - physical, scrappy, and never seems to tire of creating havoc for the opposition. Carlos has a nice shooting range that extends beyond the arc and once he's feeling it, he can go on streaks that put his team in great positions.     John has a long frame that he'll use to his advantage to get shots off over defenders and clean the glass effectively on both ends. He's great at creating off the dribble on his way to the basket for easy buckets. He uses his body and off arm to create significant space for himself, which gives him exactly what he needs to operate however he chooses offensively. He always seems ready and he never seems fazed by pressure, no matter what the next play may bring. He's a great passer on the fast break - whether that be a perfectly thrown lob or a pinpoint bounce pass in transition to a streaking teammate. He's got a nice IQ all around and he takes great care of the ball.     Omari has an incredibly quick burst on his drives that seems nearly impossible for his opponents to counter. The defenders that came close to keeping him contained only were able to do so with contact and a trip for him to the free throw line. He gets to the charity stripe often and has a solid ability to finish at the rim through contact. He can knock down shots from beyond the three-point line and he's an effective floor leader that usually brings the ball up for his squad. He uses his speed defensively as well to rack up chase-down blocks and pickpockets from lazy ball handlers. His crossover is deadly and gives him significant room to operate once he gets to the lane.     Chase was probably the fastest player I saw on the court all weekend. He's a multi-sport athlete (football) and it shows in many positive ways on the floor. From his great hands to his speed, Williams positively impacts the game hugely on both ends. The lift he gets when going airborne is rapid and impressive and it leaves his defenders off balance and frustrated when trying to stop him. He's an expert at finishing on the break and can do so with either hand if he isn't dunking it on his opponent's head. He has a nice ability to disrupt opposing lanes and create instantaneous fast breaks for his squad. His IQ is through the roof, and he plays aggressive defense that often leaves his assignments flustered and ineffective.     Terrence is all over the floor on both ends in great ways and he's constantly making positive impacts for his team. He's a great shooter that can light it up from mid-range or beyond the arc. He's a nice finisher at the rim and can take it coast to coast whenever needed. In addition to his scoring ability, Bigsmoke is a fantastic passer. No-look, crosscourt, full court - he seems to know where his all his guys are on the floor at all times. He's not fazed by pressure - he can hit shots in the clutch and be depended on to finish plays that keep his team on top or in the game. His defense rounds out his game nicely - great hands to stack steals and a nice vertical ability to block and alter shots from the opposition.

There was massive talent at Lonestar State Showdown this past weekend. The student athletes below stood out as excellent shot creators and offensive studs - those players that can go get you a bucket at any time among many other skills in their tool belts.