LV Big Time: Top 15u Performers
LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Big Time tournament was one of the more widely attended Live Period events on the West Coast, drawing more than 100 teams across four age brackets and from multiple locations throughout the United States.…
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Continue ReadingLAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Big Time tournament was one of the more widely attended Live Period events on the West Coast, drawing more than 100 teams across four age brackets and from multiple locations throughout the United States. Here are some of the best 15u standouts we saw at this event.
Dillon Chelsea, Paul George Elite 15s – Chelsea is a supremely confident scoring guard whose arsenal of scoring moves and shots is well beyond his years. The rising sophomore has the quickness, ball skills and creative finishing ability to attack the rim and finish over bigger defenders, but he can also knock down catch-and-shoot opportunities in addition to his step-back game at the mid-range level.
DeAndray Hamilton, Grassroots Elite Canada 15s – Hamilton really impressed with his all-around feel for the game at the point guard spot. The Canadian guard flashed smooth playmaking ability both for himself and for teammates off the dribble drive. Hamilton is a willing, timely and accurate passer whose consistent perimeter jump shot opened up lanes for drive and kicks or his nice float game.
Dominique Bentho, Los Angeles Elite 15s – Bentho has the frame of a high major offensive tackle, but a delayed future on the football field is a good thing for basketball minds who love the throwback, traditional big man. At 6-feet-6 and 250-plus pounds, the incoming freshman has the tools you can’t teach a young big man: great hands, soft feet and great touch around the basket. Bentho has an early understanding of how to bury his defender on the block and finish over either shoulder. The big man bound for Harvard-Westlake is also adept at drawing contact and getting to the free throw line, where his touch from 15 feet is just as good as inside.
Isaiah Carroll, Los Angeles Elite 15s – Aside from his obvious “measureables” at 6-feet-5 with a long, wiry frame, Carroll did all of the little things on the court to help his team advance to the 15u championship game. Carroll took charges, pursued offensive and defensive rebounds, guarded multiple positions, knocked down open catch and shoot three’s and took advantage of his length and athleticism when slashing and finishing around the basket.
JaQuan Stennis, Jr., Michigan Hurricanes 15s (MI) – Stennis is an elite athlete with the length size to match at 6-feet-6 and he used all of those things to his advantage in the games we watched. The incoming freshman (class of 2026) wing did a little bit of everything for his club team. He was the team’s primary ball handler and playmaker, flashed good scoring feel off the bounce and had is defensive impact felt in multiple ways from switching screens, to guarding bigger or smaller and to controlling the defensive glass.
Joe Sterling, Paul George Elite 15s – When you talk about the fundamentals of the game, Sterling has to be up near the top of the incoming freshman in Southern California in that conversation. The 6-foot-3, class of 2026 point guard isn’t the fastest or most explosive vertical athlete on the floor, but his ability to manipulate defenses with changes of speeds and direction allows him to get to his spots to create for himself or teammates. Sterling is a consistent three-point shooting threat who also has a balanced mid-range jumper off the bounce. One of the more impressive parts of Sterling’s game was how he stayed poised under immense defensive pressure, which limited turnovers, and allowed his team to get into its offensive sets.
Mark Zackery Mark Zackery 6'0" | PG Ben Davis | 2025 State #398 Nation IN IV, Team Teague 2025 (IN) – We stayed for a late-night 10 p.m. game in Bishop Gorman’s aux gym to get a look at Team Teague’s 2025 group and we’re glad we did because of Zackery. The dual-sport athlete at Ben Davis high school had his basketball IQ on full display. The 6-foot point guard toyed with the opposing defense as he used his speed, tight handle and elite pace to get anywhere he wanted on the floor. Zackery is one of those guards who sees the game a couple steps ahead of the opponent and used his high level court vision to create scoring opportunities for himself and teammates. Zackery also showed that he is an opportunistic defender, as he used his length, instincts and quick hands to pick pocket ball handlers or shoot passing lanes for steals.