LakePoint Live Showcase Team Snapshot: Atlanta All-Stars 16U

<p>Before we all went into basketball lockdown 4 months ago, Coach Jason Hayes and his Atlanta All-Stars were among the first teams I laid eyes on just after the playoffs ended as they worked out at Pinecrest Academy in Cumming. I could see the skill and developing talent on the roster, and after a choppy opening in their first tournament action of the season, they had several highlights over the opening 2 days of the event against both the ATL Celtics and Quiet Storm.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em><strong>Here are standouts:</strong></em></span></p> [caption id="attachment_1016530" align="alignright" width="225"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/20200711_103241-rotated.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1016530 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/20200711_103241-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a> ATL All-Stars vs Celtics[/caption] <p>[player_tooltip player_id="598780" first="Chance" last="Thacker"] <strong>(SG, 6-4, Providence Christian)</strong> - At times the best player on the floor even with some of metro-Atlanta’s top talent opposing him, Thacker made a statement in my eyes, like so many kids I’m seeing again after the layoff he took the weight room, and it showed not just in how he moved but how it translated into an increased ability to blow by people with ease, he was terrific getting to the basket and off the break using that new frame and his already high IQ to find the right spot and get deuces, he has a polished efficiency on the floor reminding me of an off-guard version of a John Stockton, somewhat unassuming but deadly effective at beating you and getting the job done, a heady defensive player as well he established himself in my view as one of the real rising sleepers for a Providence program which should be excellent this winter.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="687647" first="Jordan" last="Brown"] <strong>(CG, 6-2, St Francis)</strong> - Asked by Hayes to take the ball in his hands more dominantly, Brown did just that, and after a slow opener he was just tremendous in torching the Celtics and their roster of highly ranked prospects, the real devastation was his combining his excellent handle with an in-your-face-moxie and deadly pull-up game which was unmatched on the day, he pushed the pace as well and had more than one eye-opening feed to his crew of lane-runners, his contagious energy was evident as he lifted his club at multiple junctures, and in going head to head with outstanding SF teammate [player_tooltip player_id="810375" first="Seth" last="Hubbard"] of the Celtics he gave all watching a taste of what the guard can do this coming winter with [player_tooltip player_id="751856" first="Dwon" last="Odom"] off to Xavier.</p> [caption id="attachment_1016531" align="alignleft" width="225"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/20200711_103247-rotated.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1016531 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/20200711_103247-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a> ATL All-Stars vs Celtics[/caption] <p>[player_tooltip player_id="870157" first="Kobe" last="Davis"] <strong>(SG, 6-1, Langston Hughes)</strong> - LHHS generally boasts so many terrific athletes and skilled ballers that in watching them during the regular season a player like Davis can get lost in the shuffle a bit, not so in the grassroots arena as having joined the All-Stars looks to be a solid move to get Davis much-deserved attention, he’s everything you’d want in an off-guard - explosive scoring ability off the bounce, a deft 3-point touch, relentless athleticism in the open floor and elite level on-ball defending, he will surely continue to turn heads this summer as the club ratchets up its schedule.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="870159" first="Oscar" last="Lynch"] <strong>(SF, 6-6, Pinecrest)</strong> and [player_tooltip player_id="949916" first="Tony" last="Carpio"] <strong>(PF, 6-7, Providence)</strong> - Two of Hayes’ bigs had their hands full with a lineup of opposing frontcourts which would have tested any group, but it was their level of effort and smarts which stood out, Lynch has some offensive skill for sure, particularly a nice short rasnge jump shot game and real length getting up and down the floor, he’s a hustler who will do everything the coach asks and is a consummate team player, while Carpio could stand to add a few pounds to a frame which could really be something to go with his fearless work inside, excellent finishing at the cup and superb defense, the two teamed with River Ridge’s [player_tooltip player_id="870150" first="Jared" last="Russo"] and HH Prep (SC) forward [player_tooltip player_id="870178" first="JJ" last="Hayes"] to ramp up the frontcourt play as the weekend wore on. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p>