South Finals: 15U Two-Way Playmakers

Players that can make a big impact on both ends of the floor are always a special find. The student athletes below displayed that ability to a tee at the South Finals over the weekend.    Eli is a versatile, smart wing that isn't afraid to do the dirty work to get his team closer to their next win. He has a non-stop motor on both ends and he's constantly involved. He communicates well with his teammates and he's dominant on the glass for his size, consistently stacking boards on both sides of the ball. He can get a bucket when needed and he's a solid shooter. His rapport with his teammates pays off on the fast break as he puts them in position to capitalize time and time again. In his last game I saw, Hatoum made the game-saving block at the end of regulation - further displaying his ability to be a two-way menace and a winning player.     Jeremy is a strong, solid wing with the ability to be effective as a Center as well. He's a physical player that battles through contact and is constantly making a positive impact on both ends of the floor. He's tough and he always gets back up. He's a dominant shot blocker and he leaves his opponents tired and frustrated after locking them down repeatedly. He has great vision and he's an excellent distributor, often finding thin lanes most won't see to get the ball to his teammates with wide open opportunities waiting for them. He can score the ball effectively on the offensive end and he has the intelligence to know how much of an impact he can make in other areas if shots aren't falling.     Cooper is an imposing, impactful wing that makes great decisions on both ends of the court. He's a dominant rebounder and frequently gets second and third opportunities on the offensive end for his team. He secures the paint nicely as a defender and has the length to consistently block and alter opposing shots and create general havoc defensively. He stretches the floor nicely with his shooting ability and his IQ is next level with the way he makes quick decisions often and sets his teammates up for success.     Cash is a resilient, fierce combo guard that can positively impact the game in a plethora of ways. He's an excellent passer and sees plays and opposing coverage as they develop. He never seems to get flustered, patiently working his way out of traps and moving to the next objective quickly when something doesn't go perfectly. He's an effective defender with nice speed that can stay in front of his man consistently. He has great hands and will pick passing lanes and pockets with regularity as he stacks steals and creates havoc defensively. He has the ability to go on a run and get his team back into games when they're down, likely due to his never quit mentality.     Kemaurian is a communicative, heads-up point guard that was one of the best passers I saw all weekend. He sees the floor differently and seems to know exactly where to place the ball on the floor to give his teammates nearly guaranteed buckets on the fast break. He's a potent scorer with the patience and IQ to work his way into the best shot attempts available. He's not afraid to drive into contact and can finish through it often for extra points at the charity stripe. He's an excellent decision maker and he picks off opposing passing lanes consistently. Bennett commands the floor effectively with the leadership qualities you want to see from a winning point guard.

Players that can make a big impact on both ends of the floor are always a special find. The student athletes below displayed that ability to a tee at the South Finals over the weekend.