Grassroots Spotlight on Gateway Knights 17U P32 Championship Team

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Hoops Missouri takes a look at a very talented Gateway-Knights 17U team that just won the national championship at the New Balance P32 League last weekend in Memphis, TN.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The championship culminated a dominant grassroots season in which they finished with a perfect 18-0 record on the P32 Circuit.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a look at the members of that Gateway Knights championship team, which was led by head coach Lamar Colvin.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mike Acton (Daviess County, KY): A 6'3" 2027 guard from Kentucky who is an excellent two-way performer. He is a three-level scorer with explosive athleticism. He can shoot it from deep while also being able to attack in the lane and finish at the rim. He also has quick hands to be disruptive on the defensive end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2528025' first='Sebastian' last='Bolden'] (Clayton): A 6'4" 2027 guard who is one of the top scoring threats in the state. The silky -smooth guard can score at all three levels with shooting range that extends well past the 3-point line. He picked up a Division I offer from Lindenwood during the week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Akol Akol (Sudan): A 7'0" center who provided some size and athleticism to the lineup. He is a good rebounder who can protect the rim on the defensive end. He also runs the floor well in transition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2334910' first='Sekou' last='Cisse'] (Principia): The 6'9" 2027 power forward earned Most Valuable Player honors in the championship game after a dominant effort in which he had 21 points and 18 rebounds. He was getting deep position in the low post for buckets and he controlled the boards at both ends of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>CJ Nelson (Miller Career Academy): The 6'1" guard scored 21 points in the championship game. He is a natural scorer who did a nice job of delivering key buckets when his team really needed one. He is a three-level scorer who can create his own shot off the dribble.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Paul Sama (France): A 6'5" 2027 guard from Hamilton Heights (TN) who has good athleticism and a quick first step to get to the basket. He can also create his own shot off the dribble with range out to 3-point territory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2528212' first='Liam' last='Nixon'] (Kirkwood): A 6'8" 2027 forward who has good length and plays with a lot of activity. He is a capable scorer around the basket. He can also put the ball on the floor and attack off the dribble. He can also rebound and play solid defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2334926' first='Kyrese' last='Simpson'] (Hillcrest): The 5'10" 2027 scoring point guard was very consistent with his scoring and playmaking throughout the tournament. He averaged 13 points, three rebounds, six assists and three steals. He showed to be an excellent shot-creator and shot-maker at this high level of competition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3584219' first='Gassim' last='Toure'] (Principia): The 6'3" 2027 point guard from Principia had 14 points and five assists in the championship game. He is an explosive athlete who was constantly attacking downhill and he also knocked down multiple 3-pointers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->