We’ve Got Next: Game Changers 12u

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Every player on this list played significant roles for their teams over the weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hector Ramirez 5-3 - 2032 - Saginaw Middle School - Saginaw Pride 12u</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hector is a competitor! He's a hard worker who does whatever it takes to help the team win. Throughout the game Hector used a quick first-step to beat defenders off the dribble and attack the basket. Most of those drives led to tough scores through contact. He converted multiple three-point play conversions in the game. There was a moment when he threw a nice bounce pass that perfectly led his teammate to an easy score. I was thoroughly impressed by his mentality to stay in “attack mode” for the entire game. Hector has a nice package of acrobatic finishes in the paint. He also showed the ability to rebound and knock down threes. Hector&nbsp; played fearlessly in the game against [program_tooltip program_id='2075517' first='Hopson' last='Elite'] Varnell 12u. He's an excellent two-way player who could become even greater as time progresses. Keep working Hector!!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3652145,"width":"242px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_7931-rotated-crop-385x253-1779825716.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_7931-rotated-crop-385x253-1779825716.jpeg?w=384" alt="" class="wp-image-3652145" style="width:242px;height:auto"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Nequall Watson 5-4 - 2032 - White Pond Middle School- Saginaw Pride 12u</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nequall was the “glue guy” for Saginaw Pride 12u. This young man literally did everything for the team. If they needed scoring, he attacked the paint and finished in a variety of ways. When they needed a rebound he battled and fought for it. If they needed a defensive stop, Nequall forced a turnover. This young man is an awesome player who's skilled in every facet of the game. There were moments when Nequall made great plays that led to positive outcomes. During one sequence he attacked the glass, grabbed the rebound and scored a put-back while being fouled. Another saw him knock down a big time three that closed the gap against [program_tooltip program_id='2075517' first='Hopson' last='Elite'] Varnell 12u. Defensively, he had multiple steals and a chase down block. Coaches love players who have a “team first” mentality. Having this attitude guarantees a spot on any team. Keep it up Nequall!!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3652151,"width":"265px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_7929-rotated-crop-385x253-1779826143.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_7929-rotated-crop-385x253-1779826143.jpeg?w=384" alt="" class="wp-image-3652151" style="width:265px;height:auto"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Javon Pratt 4-6 - 2031 - White Pond Middle School- Saginaw Pride 12u</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I love watching little guys who play fearlessly. Javon is a true “floor general” who is very skilled at his age. After watching him play, I saw a guard who has the temperament to lead any team. He's an excellent passer who facilitates the ball at a high level. The majority of his passes were flashy and on the money. Javon always looked to get his teammates involved offensively. When he needed to score, Javon easily beat defenders off the dribble and made plays in the paint. This led to him scoring floaters over taller opponents or dishing off passes to other Saginaw Pride 12u players. There were moments in the game when Javon showed the ability to knock down threes. One of those threes was off a nice step-back dribble move. On defense, he was a pest! Javon's quick hands and great footwork allowed him to generate three steals in the game. Javon is a promising young player. I expect him to do big things in the coming years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3652160,"width":"250px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_7930-rotated-crop-385x253-1779826370.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_7930-rotated-crop-385x253-1779826370.jpeg?w=384" alt="" class="wp-image-3652160" style="width:250px;height:auto"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zane Lines 5-4 - 2031 - Springfield Middle School- [program_tooltip program_id='2075517' first='Hopson' last='Elite'] Varnell 12u</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I noticed Zane had a superpower in the game against Saginaw Pride 12u. He was great at getting around defenders and attacking the basket. The majority of his points were scored off strong drives to the rim. Zane is a great ball handler and play-maker. He showed a knack for finding teammates around or near the basket. His assists led to easy scores within the [program_tooltip program_id='2075517' first='Hopson' last='Elite'] Varnell 12u offense. When there was an opportunity to knock down three-pointers, Zane&nbsp; didn't hesitate to take the shot. On defense, Zane excelled at jumping the pass lanes. His timing was great! This allowed him to generate multiple steals that led to him scoring lay-ups in transition. Zane is a talented guard who has the capability of blossoming into an elite combo guard. Keep it up Zane!!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3652164,"width":"259px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_7932-rotated-crop-385x253-1779826718.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_7932-rotated-crop-385x253-1779826718.jpeg?w=384" alt="" class="wp-image-3652164" style="width:259px;height:auto"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gunnar Gay 5-4 - 2032 - Leslie County Middle School - Kentucky Future Elite 2032 Farmer</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After watching him play over the weekend, I learned that Gunnar is a legit scorer. Whether it was beating defenders to the basket, knocking down mid-range shots or extending his range beyond the three-point line, the opposing team had no answers for him. I appreciated the aggressive style of play he displayed on the basketball court. Gunnar showed great leadership by communicating with his teammates throughout the game. He made sure everyone was in the correct defensive and offensive positions needed to succeed. Defensively, he played great on-ball defense. The pressure he applied on the opposition forced multiple turnovers that led to fast-beak points for himself and other Kentucky Future Elite 12u players. Gunnar has the capability of becoming an excellent two-way player in the future. Keep it up Gunnar!!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3652176,"width":"294px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_7937-rotated-crop-385x253-1779827357.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_7937-rotated-crop-385x253-1779827357.jpeg?w=384" alt="" class="wp-image-3652176" style="width:294px;height:auto"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jace Owens 5-2 - 2032 - Harvest Prep - The Program New Balance 12u</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jace is an excellent combo guard who showed the ability to play both positions at a high level. When he was the primary ball handler, Jace excelled at setting up other New Balance 12u players for easy scores. He's a great passer who often beats defenders into the paint. This led to him drawing in the defense and finding open players around the basket. After watching Jace play, I saw a legit play-maker who showed great leadership. When he wasn't the primary ball handler, he became more aggressive on offense. Jace is capable of scoring from all levels of the basketball court. Whether it was driving to the rim, scoring from mid-range or knocking down threes, Jace showed all the traits of a dynamic scorer. Defensively, he was all over the opposition. The Saginaw Pride 12u guards had a tough time getting around the pressure Jace applied. I believe he's a special player who has a bright future in the game of basketball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3652182,"width":"274px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_7952-rotated-crop-385x253-1779827566.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_7952-rotated-crop-385x253-1779827566.jpeg?w=384" alt="" class="wp-image-3652182" style="width:274px;height:auto"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Marcus Mann 5-9 - 2032 - Solon Middle School - The Program New Balance 12u</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Marcus is an athletic player who was literally everywhere on the court. He was effective in all areas of the game. Marcus excels at getting to the basket and scoring in transition. In half-court situations, he often beat his opponent into the paint. Marcus easily scored around the basket with a variety of acrobatic finishes. In some instances, he was able to knock down mid-range jumpers by shooting over smaller defenders. Marcus is a great rebounder on both ends of the court. He won most of his rebounding battles against opposing Saginaw Pride 12u players. His boards often led to easy put-backs or great shot attempts for his teammates. He's a great defender who used his length to be disruptive. Most of his steals led to the majority of his fast-break points. There were also moments when Marcus blocked shots, protected the paint and guarded smaller players on the perimeter. He's a great young player who has a lot of potential! With hard work, growth and maturity, Marcus could become a top player in his class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3652191,"width":"297px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_7953-rotated-crop-385x253-1779827875.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_7953-rotated-crop-385x253-1779827875.jpeg?w=384" alt="" class="wp-image-3652191" style="width:297px;height:auto"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->