Bruce’s Notebook: LV Big Time Saturday Standouts
Summer is in full swing in Vegas with tournaments going on throughout the city. The Las Vegas Big Time hosted by recruiting legend Gary Charles features teams from around the country and is a staple of The Summer Grassroots Basketball…
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Continue ReadingSummer is in full swing in Vegas with tournaments going on throughout the city. The Las Vegas Big Time hosted by recruiting legend Gary Charles features teams from around the country and is a staple of The Summer Grassroots Basketball Season. The tournament, which runs from Wednesday, July 20th, until Sunday, July 24th, featured pool play on Thursday and Friday, with bracket play beginning on Saturday and a Champion crowned on Sunday. In this article, we take a look at some local standouts from bracket play.
Ty Ingram 6’0 SG Vegas Elite 2026 – Ingram seemed to play his best as the game got tight. The shooting guard displayed a nice pull-up, along with the ability to get out and finish in transition. He hit several late buckets to help Vegas Elite to a first-round victory.
Johnny Collins 6’1 SG Vegas Elite 2026 – With the 2026 rankings fast approaching, Collins made his case for one of the top spots. I didn’t think it was his best game, but he still had a major impact on the outcome. His jumper consistently gets better and he nailed several top-of-the-key threes to prove it.
Thad Thatcher 6’1 SF Vegas Elite 2027 – Loved the energy Thatcher played with. He was able to impact games with his effort and rebounding. The 6’1 guard came up with a remarkable number of in-traffic boards and managed to finish in transition. His best skill may have simply been his ability to keep balls alive while being first to the ball in 50/50 situations.
Tai Coleman 5’9 PG Vegas Elite 2026 – Coleman is an incoming freshman, that will instantly find himself on my all-defensive team. He is a dawg on ball, that plays the game with good lateral quickness. He has good lateral quickness, great instincts, and elite hand speed. It felt as if Coleman had a million steals in the game against the Miners, helping VE to a victory.
Lonnie Bass Jr Lonnie Bass Jr 6'8" | PF Mater East | 2025 State NV (#12PHN 2025) 6’7 PF Progress Feels Best 2025 – Bass played like one of the top rising bigs in the state on Saturday. What was most impressive was the level of competition he did it against. His rebounding checks out, as he showed strong hands and a ton of determination grabbing boards in between several long athletic bigs against Grassroots. He also displayed his mitts catching several tough passes in conflict, Bass’s offensive game seems to improve every time I watch him, as he finished well around the rim.
Gaston Zumaya Gaston Zumaya 5'11" | CG Rosemary Anderson Prep | 2025 OR (#34PHN 2025) 6’0 SG Progress Feels Best 2025 – Zumaya is a good offensive weapon with some tools. He showed a good first step, and the ability to use it to defeat opponents in 1 v 1 situations. I was impressed with his shooting, as he showed a quick release and the ability to be a corner sniper. Zumaya is a competitive guard who is unafraid to mix it up with larger players for rebounds and loose balls.
Jace Aquininqoc (#38PHN 2024) 5’9 PG West Coast Select 2024 (featured image) – Jace Acquinoc can go. He plays the game with speed, quickness, and a serious wiggle. He played the position at a high level on Saturday, breaking down defenders while creating for both himself and his teammates. He’s crafty and knows how to use his body to finish over defenders. Aquininqoc is one of the top shooters in the state, however, it may be only his third or fourth best offensive skill. He was brilliant, helping WCS to two victories on the day.
Jayden Jones Jayden Jones 6'4" | SG Desert Oasis | 2024 State NV (#51PHN 2024) 6’1 SG West Coast Select 2024 – Jones was a key complement to Acquinioc. The floor spacing guard was good from the corners, knocking down three trey’s in the game I watched.
Javares Reid Javares Reid 6'9" | C Rosemary Anderson Prep | 2024 State OR (#26PHN 2026) 6’8 PF West Coast Select 2024 – Reid is a prospect who seems to get a little better every time I’ve seen him. He played with good aggression, and effort, grabbing several out-of-area boards. Offensively he looked as confident as I’ve seen him, scoring with his back to the basket and facing up and putting the ball down for dribble drives. Reid has a chance to be one of the top high motor players in the state.