Naptown Pirates City Showdown 1st Team 14u

The stars came out and shined in this single day shootout. The performances of these players solidified their spot on the 14u 1st team.    Kemariyon was the most explosive player on the court Sunday morning. He dominated the opposition in his one-on-one match-ups by easily driving around them and attacking the basket. He's come a long way since I watched him play in a showcase a couple of seasons ago. Back then he was a lot shorter and less explosive as he is currently. Kemariyon has grown around five more inches and jumps out of the gym! During warm-ups, this kid was completing dunks worthy of being in a dunk contest. Kemariyon is a great scorer who does it from all levels of the court. Whether it's driving to the basket, scoring in the paint, knocking down short perimeter shots or converting three-pointers, he proved to be a tough cover for the Krackens Elite players. He's a strong finisher in transition. Kemariyon has a knack for scoring on a variety of acrobatic lay-ups around the basket. The defensive pressure he placed on opposing guards led to multiple steals. Kemariyon is what I call a “ball-hawk” on defense. He literally stalked the Krackens Elite guards and forced turnovers. Kemariyon is an athletic guard who shows great promise. He already has elite talent at the age of fourteen. Imagine how great this young man will be in the coming years.      In my opinion, Demetrious was the best point guard on the floor Sunday morning. Whether it was breaking down defenders, attacking the basket, grabbing rebounds or knocking down three-pointers, Demetrious was a problem Hoopsgeeks Supreme could not solve. He's an excellent passer and play-maker who always found ways of involving his teammates offensively. Some of his assists were flashy and led to easy scoring opportunities for other Krackens players. What impressed me the most about Demetrious, was his ability to knock down mid-range jump-shots. This was very refreshing to see. In today's game, the short perimeter shot has become obsolete. Now the game revolves around getting to the basket or taking three-pointers. Demetrious was great at making these type of shots. After watching him play, I clearly see the time he's put in to perfect the shot. I watched him knock down at least five mid-range jumpers throughout the game. Demetrious is a great talent who legitimately knows how to score from every area of the court. With his ball handling and play-making abilities, I believe he easily adjusts to the speed of high school basketball.      The big man showed a great shooting touch from three-point range. Jaishaan was able to knock down multiple shots from long distance throughout the game. Unfortunately, he played the game with a sore hip. For that reason I wasn't able to see much of his post game or paint protection. After watching him play at fifty-percent, I clearly saw the potential he has. Jaishaan is only fourteen, so he has plenty of time to grow into the player I believe he could be. On the few occasions he had to score inside, Jaishaan used his size to take advantage of smaller defenders. He's an excellent passer who often found teammates in great positions to score. Defensively, he has the potential to be a legit shot-blocker because of his length. He altered numerous shots and provided as much of a presence in the paint as he could due to playing injured. I look forward to watching him play at full strength this fall. Once Jaishaan puts it all together, he could become one of the best players in his class.     Ethan is a shifty guard who has an uncanny ability to score. He excelled at knocking down mid-range shots, floaters and three-pointers. Ethan demonstrated how to easily beat defenders off the dribble and make plays. He was great at drawing in defenders and setting up teammates for easy scores in the paint. This allowed other Hustlaz teammates to convert a high percentage of their shots. When the team had opportunities to score in transition, Ethan showed why he was a great finisher. On defense, he used quick hands and excellent footwork to be effective. This allowed him to stay with his opponent, while making ball handling tough for them to maintain. Ethan is a hardworking player who gets the job done. I believe he could play an important role on a high school team next season.     Jeremiah is an athletic big man who has a nice touch from the outside. In Sunday's match-up against Be Legendary Hoop Dreams he knocked down multiple shots from mid-range. Jeremiah also showed the ability to play big in the paint. He used a variety of post moves to be effective around the basket. Jeremiah excelled at rebounding the basketball. He dominated the boards on both ends of the court. A majority of the offensive boards he grabbed ended with easy put-backs near the rim. Some of the defensive rebounds were transition starters for Hoop Dreams. The outlet passes he threw always seemed to be on the money. In the later games Jeremiah showed he was capable of extending his shooting range beyond the three-point line. When the opportunity was there he knocked them down. Defensively, he used his size to protect the paint and make scoring difficult for the opposition. He had a couple of blocked shots that led to positive plays for the team. Jeremiah is ultra talented! I expect him to succeed at a high level as he transitions into high school basketball.     A hardworking player who attacks the defense by going downhill. He's a big man who has excellent ball handling skills. As it pertains to rebounding, Jeremiah was the most aggressive rebounding big man on the court. He plays the game like an athletic power forward who is looking to punish the defense. When Hoop Dreams pushes the pace, Jeremiah runs the floor and scores during fast-break opportunities. He was able to work in the post with a variety of effective moves around the basket. He used various pump-fakes and jump hooks to score over defenders. He also has the ability to make shots on the perimeter. On defense, he used his athleticism to block a couple of shots and be a strong presence in the paint. Jeremiah finished the game with double-digit points and rebounds. He's a skilled player with a bright future in the game of basketball.

The stars came out and shined in this single day shootout. The performances of these players solidified their spot on the 14u 1st team.