Team Spotlight: Arkansas Pressure 13U

A couple of weeks ago, at the Heart of America Hoopfest, a team of young men played with intent and toughness. They had enthusiasm for the game and showed some real potential in skill development in certain areas of their games. The Arkansas Pressure 13U squad out of Fayetteville, Arkansas, came in 3rd place during this tournament, losing a very close 55-47 game to the [program_tooltip program_id='2078406' first='KC' last='Spurs'] Duncan squad without at least 3 of their key players, and still going 2-1 overall in 3 games. This squad has the ability to play up in competition against older kids and still be competitive, especially with their full roster on deck. For this spotlight article, I wanted to highlight some of the players I saw on this Arkansas Pressure squad and evaluate their strengths, as well as highlight areas where they could advance even more in skill development for the future.    #22, 5'6 versatile forward who had the most complete overall game. Big on the boards, can push the ball up the floor, and shoots well when open from beyond the arc.   Keys: get comfortable with a solid and consistent free-throw routine, as you will most likely get fouled a lot     #11, Double figure scorer potential and lead defender. Has the ability to be a good 2-way player who can be a problem as a versatile defender and match up well against key opposing scorers.   keys: Anticipate opponents' objectives before they inbound the ball and before they cross half-court. Makes it easier to cut off their first and second options.     #6, Good ball-handler and solid on-ball defender on the perimeter. Bright Future and has the love of the game on his face.     keys: continue to sharpen that handle on both hands, making sure your off hand is just as good, if not better, driving and finishing as your dominant hand is. On defense, follow the mid-section or hip-line of your defender when guarding a full-court press, and it makes it a little easier to deny space to dribble against other elite ball-handlers.     #24, Plays with Energy and Effort, Key Rebounder     Keys: The majority of all big game moments all start with an Offensive Rebound. Establish your position early and start studying your teammates' and opponents' rotations of the ball when they shoot to get a good idea of where the ball will drop.     Leading scorer in the first game against Team Factory/7th National with 14 points, and has potential as a shooter with confidence.     keys: Shooting form is important, but Confidence is even more important. Especially when it comes to shooting shots when you're in a slump. Don't lose that confidence.     #10, Active Scoring Big     Keys: Find 3 of your favorite spots on the floor. 1 in the paint, 1 beyond the arc, and 1 in the midrange. Then, configure the toughest defense u can imagine in your head or in practice, and work on still getting to those spots while stabilizing your body and shooting form for a solid release on each 1.

A couple of weeks ago, at the Heart of America Hoopfest, a team of young men played with intent and toughness. They had enthusiasm for the game and showed some real potential in skill development in certain areas of their games. The Arkansas Pressure 13U squad out of Fayetteville, Arkansas, came in 3rd place during this tournament, losing a very close 55-47 game to the KC Spurs Duncan squad without at least 3 of their key players, and still going 2-1 overall in 3 games. This squad has the ability to play up in competition against older kids and still be competitive, especially with their full roster on deck. For this spotlight article, I wanted to highlight some of the players I saw on this Arkansas Pressure squad and evaluate their strengths, as well as highlight areas where they could advance even more in skill development for the future.