#PHTuneUp: 16U Lockdown Defenders

Irving, Texas — The Tune Up, presented by Prep Hoops was another stop on the Prep Hoops Circuit that brought out the best of the best competition, this time from all over the South. Teams and their fans came out in droves all the way from North Florida, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, San Antonio, Houston, and many more, ready to battle it out. This event was an action-packed thriller filled with buzzer-beaters, slam dunks, ankle breakers, you name it. Here we’ll take a look at a few of the best defensive prospects from Prep Hoops Tune Up. <hr /> Seric Turner - Combo Guard - Tarrant Elite 2023 Seric Turner displayed good potential as a 3-and-D prospect with the way he nailed catch-and-shoot three-pointers and clamped down on the defensive end. Phenomenal motor, he never quit on a play, Turner gave 110% every second he was on the floor, on both sides of the ball. Seric used his physical and aggressive nature to his advantage, making the day long for opposing guards by applying pressure, forcing guards into tough passes, and taking challenging shots. <hr /> <img class="size-medium wp-image-1165070 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Cameron-Phillips-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />Cameron Phillips - Shooting Guard - Team United Texas Yellow 2023 Cameron Phillips was a full-on, all-around problem, if Cameron was on the court he was a threat to change the outcome of the game. Phillips was such a savvy defender with a truly special helpside presence that made it tough for teams to inbound the ball, not to mention getting up the court. He and his counterpart, [player_tooltip player_id="1168445" first="[player_tooltip player_id="1168445" first="Isaiah" last=""]" last=""] Mitchell were a two-headed monster in the backcourt that caused turnovers at a very high rate. <hr /> <img class="size-medium wp-image-1165078 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Jalan-Washington2-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />[player_tooltip player_id="1168445" first="[player_tooltip player_id="1168445" first="Isaiah" last=""]" last=""] Mitchell - Guard - Team United Texas Yellow 2023 Lengthy and relentless defender that played much bigger than his height. [player_tooltip player_id="1168445" first="[player_tooltip player_id="1168445" first="Isaiah" last=""]" last=""] Mitchell guarded his man tight with smothering defense, sticking to guys like glue, shutting off any direction they tried to take, taking away clean shots and passes, and he did it all without fouling. Great feet, quick and choppy, was able to stay with even the fastest ball-handlers in attendance. Active hands as well, Mitchell, alongside his teammates Cameron Phillips, terrorized teams in the passing lanes and deflected every pass that came their way all weekend long. [player_tooltip player_id="1168445" first="[player_tooltip player_id="1168445" first="Isaiah" last=""]" last=""] Mitchell was also willing to sacrifice his body for the play whether it was for a loose ball or when drawing the charge. <hr /> <img class="size-medium wp-image-1169528 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/IMG_0543-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />[player_tooltip player_id="1188988" first="Augustine" last="Chibuko"] - Small Forward - BBSS National 2023 This 6-foot-6-inch forward was an absolute monster on the defensive end, an extremely intense competitor with a true intimidation factor to his game. Augustine checks off all of the physical tools, scary athleticism, great length and phenomenal use of it on both ends, strong hands, and a high motor. Chibuko snatched away rebounds over taller players by tipping the ball to himself, he cut off passing lanes, forced players into taking bad shot attempts, and also swatted shots away with veracity. Chibuko even made some noise on the offensive end where he proved to be an explosive, effortless leaper that comes off the ground incredibly easy and quickly, someone that is more than capable of throwing down a one-handed or two-handed slam dunk on the fastbreak or off a drop step in the post. This young man showed a lot of promise, his ceiling is one of the highest out of the entire 16U division. <hr /> <img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1165085" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Ved-Bulusu-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />Ved Bulusu - Center - Team United Texas Yellow 2023 Ved Bulusu is a lengthy 6-foot-7-inches with a massive wingspan and standing reach. Bulusu completely shut down the paint by his lonesome, all he had to do was stand there in the middle of the lane with his arms spread wide, making him a threat no matter which side or angle the offense penetrated from. Dangerous rim protector potential, this center used his length perfectly at times, making it nearly impossible for his opponents to get anywhere near the basket. When keeping his hands out and active, Ved often blocked shots and altered passes down low. His anticipation and reaction time are still developing and will likely become a game-changing asset over time. <hr /> <img class="size-medium wp-image-1169526 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/IMG_0571-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />[player_tooltip player_id="1158360" first="Garrett" last="Smith"] - Power Forward/Center - Team United Texas Yellow 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1158360" first="Garrett" last="Smith"] was absolutely phenomenal on the defensive end, displaying limitless energy with a motor that doesn’t stop, the type of post player who excels at doing all of the dirty work. His length and athleticism were a mismatch within itself, Smith can run and jump with the best of them, which allowed him to pick up countless steals in the passing lanes as well as blocks in the interior. [player_tooltip player_id="1158360" first="Garrett" last="Smith"] was also incredibly active on the glass, he believed every rebound was his and he went after it each time, anything Smith could get a hand on was coming with him. Long arms, explosive leaping ability, timing, and aggression are what made [player_tooltip player_id="1158360" first="Garrett" last="Smith"] such a threat and difference-maker in the post.