HYBL: Back To School League 2026- Saturday Standouts 2029-2030

These players were the best of the best Saturday afternoon. The skills they showed made them worthy of a Prephoops write-up!!    Martin is an aggressive scoring guard who stayed in constant “attack mode” throughout the game. He easily gets around defenders, attacks the paint and scores in a variety of ways. Whether it was strong drives to the basket, long distance threes or mid-range pull-ups, Martin showed his prowess as a dynamic scorer. During Saturday's match-up against Golden Eagles 2031 Purple, he scored from every area of the court. The opposing team had no answers for him on defense. There were moments in the game where Martin made plays with precise passes. His assists often led to easy scores for other teammates. Defensively, he gave maximum effort by playing great on-ball defense and jumping passing lanes. Martin is an excellent scoring guard who could play a vital role in his high school team's success this fall.      He's the prototypical point guard who's an excellent ball handler and play-maker. Gideon was great at breaking down opposing players off the dribble and making things happen. He used these ball handling skills to either score or dish off assists. Gideon excelled at getting into the paint and scoring floaters over taller opponents. Whenever he attacked the paint, drawing in the defense was a major strength of his game. Gideon made countless plays that led to a high percentage of shots being made by his teammates. He showed great leadership by directing other Love Basketball 8th players to run effective plays on both offense and defense. I believe Gideon has the talent to become a great point guard as he continues to grow and mature.     Ezekiel is a player who does all the “dirty work” for the team. Whether it's fighting for rebounds, scoring in the paint, hustling after loose balls or defending, Ezekiel proved to be a nuisance to the Golden Eagles 2031 Purple team. A majority of his baskets came from sheer hustle plays. He's a great rebounder who finished the game with double-digit boards. Ezekiel dominated the offensive glass. This led to easy put-back scores around the basket or kick-outs to other teammates. Defensively, Ezekiel blocked multiple shots and defended the paint when opposing players attempted to score. I truly enjoyed watching him make plays all around the court. Ezekiel has the grit and determination to succeed at the high school level. I look forward to seeing how his skills progress in the coming years.     Tanner was a “walking bucket” Saturday afternoon. As soon as he stepped on the court, Tanner made an instant impact in the game. He's a great ball handler who excels at scoring in isolated match-ups. Whenever he had an opportunity to score, he took it without hesitation. Tanner scored the ball from every level of the basketball court. He attacked the paint with strong drives to the basket. Knocking down mid-range shots and long distance three-pointers were also strengths on full display. I was thoroughly impressed with his ability to take over the game. Tanner had a sequence in the second half where he reeled off seven straight points. He knocked down a three-pointer, scored from mid-range and made a strong dribble drive to the basket. Tanner has an arsenal of shot making abilities he used to make shots. Whether it was step-backs, fade-aways or hesitation dribble moves, IBA Elite 2029 had no answers. I expect Tanner to have a successful Freshman season in high school this fall. His scoring ability could make him a vital asset to the team.     He attacks defenders off the dribble, gets to the basket and knocks down short perimeter jump-shots. Cameron is an excellent all around player who made a lot of plays in the game against Indy Hoops 9th Gold. He scored around the basket with a host of post moves or fade-aways. Cameron is an excellent rebounder who attacked the glass on both ends of the court. He also showed the ability to extend his range beyond the three-point line. Cameron converted multiple shots from distance throughout the game. On defense, he made a number of plays by blocking shots and causing turnovers. In my opinion, Cameron is a solid small forward who could make a major impact on the Noblesville High School team this fall. Having great all around skills could go a long way on any basketball team.     He's an excellent shooter who showed the ability to knock down shots from mid or long range. Nixon surprised me with his ability to break down defenders and get to the basket. He's an excellent ball handler who showed the ability to create his own shot. In the game against Indy Hoops 9th Gold, Nixon had the purest shot on the basketball court. Every time he had a clean look, the shots fell a majority of the time. He's a great team player who had a habit of making positive plays. Whether it was scoring timely baskets, grabbing rebounds or playing tight defense, he proved to be a valuable asset to the IBA Elite 2029 team. Nixon is a confident player who has a bright future with the Carmel basketball program.     Parker has the mentality of a true “floor general.” He's a great ball handler who always looked to set-up his teammates for high percentage shots. After watching Parker play, I saw an elite passer of the basketball. He always managed to find IBA Elite 2029 players in the right positions to score. I can say with confidence, Parker led the team in assists and play-making. He showed great leadership by communicating with his teammates throughout the duration of the game. Parker can also score when he has to. He knocked down multiple threes and attacked the basket on numerous occasions. One of his three-pointers came from a nasty step-back dribble move. It was a tough shot that he converted despite being challenged by a defender. Parker is an excellent lead guard who could become even greater in the coming years .     I enjoyed Bennett's ability to be skillful in all areas of the game. Whether it was scoring in the paint, grabbing rebounds, knocking down perimeter shots or defending, Bennett was a disruptive force against Indy Hoops 9th Gold. He's a great rebounder who grabbed boards on both ends of the court. A majority of his offensive rebounds led to easy stick-backs around the rim. Some provided second shot attempts for his teammates. In isolated situations, Bennett used a host of dribbling moves to attack the paint or knock down mid-range jumpers. He's a crafty ball handler who found ways of creating the space he needed to get off his shot. After watching him play, I see hims as a play-making shooting guard who is capable of putting up big numbers. With his advanced skills, Bennett has a strong chance of becoming an elite player in the foreseeable future.

These players were the best of the best Saturday afternoon. The skills they showed made them worthy of a Prephoops write-up!!