Small School Hoops- Paramount Brookside vs Circle City Prep

I've always had an appreciation for watching the small schools play. Players tend to play their hardest which often makes for exciting games.    I was thoroughly impressed with Jaxon's performance Thursday night. His skills have progressed since I watched him play as a seventh grader. Jaxson was strictly a scorer last season. Now as an eighth grader, he's become more of a facilitator and leader. His growth spurt gave him a distinct advantage over the opposition. Jaxson easily maneuvered around defenders and made plays. He led his team in assists, some being traditional while others were on the flashy side. After watching him play, I would classify him as a point forward. He's an excellent team player who handles the ball and makes everyone around him better. Jaxson is a great free-throw shooter. He knocked down six of seven throughout the duration of the game. If the scorer I watched last season can co-exist with the play-maker I saw Thursday, Jaxson could become a very special player.     Jensley was a monster in the paint. He dominated the opposition by using his size to effectively score around the basket. Jensley's also a great rebounder who attacked the glass on both ends of the court. I can say with confidence that he finished the game with double-digits in points and rebounds. The big man showed great agility by running the court and finishing strong in transition. On a few occasions, Jensley scored through contact and converted three-point play opportunities from the foul-line. Defensively, he blocked multiple shots. Getting to the basket would be a difficult task for the Circle City Prep players. With growth and maturity, Jensley could have a bright future in the game of basketball.     I enjoyed watching this young man do whatever it took to help Circle Center Prep win. Despite his team being severely over-matched, Dmariyon was the driving force behind the team's success. He dominated in the post with a variety of effective moves around the basket. Dmariyon can also rebound the basketball. He was great at grabbing offensive boards and scoring in the paint. There was a moment in the game where Dmariyon got a big reaction from the crowd. There was a defender guarding him on the wing of the basketball court. He made a nice dribble move that led to a step-back jump-shot which he easily converted. The big man showed great agility with excellent footwork. On defense his presence in the paint was intimidating for the opposition. He blocked shots and made scoring a difficult task. Dmariyon is a good player, who's capable of becoming even better in the coming years.     Michael is a scoring guard who played hard from start to finish. Whether it was scoring in the paint with floaters, attacking defenders off the dribble or knocking down three-pointers, Michael was determined to be a factor in the game. On a few occasions, he was able to beat opponents off the dribble and find other Circle City Prep teammates with pin-point passes. When there were fast-break opportunities, Michael showed his effectiveness to score in transition. Defensively, he showed quick hands and great footwork. This allowed him to stay attached to his opponent and force a couple of turnovers. With growth and maturity, Michael could have a bright future in the game of basketball.     I enjoyed the energy this young man played with Thursday night. Aamyron was in constant “attack mode” throughout the game. He's a good ball-handler who found ways to beat the opposition off the dribble. This led to him scoring in the paint or dishing off passes to other teammates. He's an excellent rebounding guard who did not shy away from the physical contact of battling on the boards. Some of his offensive rebounds led to easy put-backs around the basket. A majority of his points came in transition when the team ran fast-breaks. On defense, he excelled at pressing opposing guards into turnovers. His quick hands and great footwork made ball handling difficult for the Circle City Prep players. Aamyron is a promising player who has a bright future ahead of him.

I've always had an appreciation for watching the small schools play. Players tend to play their hardest which often makes for exciting games.