Midwest Melee: 14U All Stars, part 2

This year's Midwest Melee is in the books, and we had no shortage of standout performances from the weekend. Here's the second half of our series looking at the best players from the weekend.   ICYMI, part 1 of the series can be found <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/05/midwest-melee-14u-sunday-stars/">here</a>.    Carter was instrumental in helping lead his All In program to a title in the Silver bracket this weekend.   This is a kid who brings everything you could want in a point guard. He's confident running the offense, he has supreme ability to drive the lane and score-or kick it out to an open shooter. And he already possesses excellent footwork when he's on the move.   He's an elite ball-handler, who can go behind-the-back with his dribble, right before pulling up on a 3-point shot. And when the defense forces him toward the sideline, he has a knack for tiptoe-ing the paint, and keeping the ball in bounds while he moves up the floor.   The team seems to really miss Carter when he's not on the court; he's a guy who will likely have big +/- numbers when he gets to high school. He only scored 6 points in the semifinals and finals of the tournament, but makes his presence felt in all aspects of the game.   Carter prides himself in his ball-handling skills, and tries to make sure he's a good facilitator. He also tries to take a strong mental approach to the game, keeping his team cohesive when he's on the floor, or on the bench.     Grant was a critical piece of Breakaway's run to the Gold bracket title on Sunday, and put on some elite performances all weekend.   Grant has a perfect skillset for a point guard: he has speed, strength, and confidence shooting the ball at all 3 levels. He's in complete command of the game when he's in transition, and he'll take it at you hard when he's driving downhill.   It's a marvel how many ways this kid can make layups. He remains in control, even when a shot is contested. And he can beat you both with a fadeaway jumper, or a soft touch at the rim.   Grant had masterful performances all through the weekend, and especially drew attention in the tournament championship when he scored 21 points in a blowout win over Mean Streets.     Over a 3-game weekend, Parker was an outstanding part of Grind's lineup. He's a kid who knocks down shots, plays strong defense, and brings energy to the floor every minute.   Parker says he's developed a lot in his finishing and shooting. And that shooting prowess was especially on display in his team's final game on Saturday. In a loss to Mean Streets, Parker dropped 19 points, with four 3-pointers made.     When his team is fully stocked, Abdi has a chance to really stand out. Thanks to a shorthanded roster, he was forced to play every second of his team's first game on Saturday; still putting on a show-somehow keeping his team competitive with a fully loaded Dream Ballers team. Then on Sunday, Abdi stepped up even more with two wins for his ABP Athletics team.   Abdi is a super skilled ball-handler, who can take it coast-to-coast with ease, displaying the footwork and evasiveness to be a serious problem for defenses.   Abdi's a strong downhill dribbler, who can put his head down and go straight into the teeth of the defense. And his handles make him dangerous at the rim, with the capacity to make acrobatic layups from under the hoop.   Abdi prides himself in an ability to play consistent every game. He's also a trustworthy teammate, who will make good decisions when the ball is in his hands.     Christian scored 16 points for Hoop Dreams in their opening game of the weekend. So his scoring capacity is evident, but he's a lot more than just a scoring threat.   Christian might have been the best defender that I watched all weekend. He is simply tenacious on D for every second he's on the floor; frustrating the offense and forcing turnovers or deflected balls all over the floor.   I lost track of all the steals he collected in his team's win over Man Up, and those steals provide so many transition scoring opportunities either for him or a trailing teammate.   Christian takes pride as a high-energy defender, who never gives a moment's rest to his opponent. Offensively, he says he likes to work the floor and collect rebounds.     Brandon's got a high ball IQ, and plays in a well-balanced Chi Preps lineup. He was instrumental in helping pick up a couple of wins on Saturday.   Brandon is strong going to the lane, and appears unbothered by defensive pressure. He's great at drawing fouls as well; in one game, he put up a half-court heave right before halftime, drawing contact and getting 3 free throws out of it.   Brandon's got some elite footwork, with a solid spin move in the lane, and an ability to make layups in traffic. He's also got terrific handles, and prides himself in handling the ball under pressure and letting his teammates get to their spot.

This year's Midwest Melee is in the books, and we had no shortage of standout performances from the weekend. Here's the second half of our series looking at the best players from the weekend.