Elonzo really impressed me on Tuesday, being one of the best scorers I saw in the entire event. He did the majority of his damage off the dribble, using different combinations of step backs and crossovers to create space from defenders. His range could extend far beyond the three-point line and could also find openings in the defense to pull up in the mid-range or get to the basket for a finish with either hand. Simmons led South St. Paul in scoring this past winter, putting up 16 points per game.

Although South St. Paul came up short against Tartan, Elonzo impressed on both ends. In the second half there was a period of time where he just took over, getting to any spot he wanted to and making shots from all three levels. He has a shifty handle and can cover a lot of ground in limited steps/dribbles. Defensively he has the ability to pick up full-court and pressure the ball, and that pressure was enough to force a handful of mistakes from Tartan ball handlers. Simmons is scoring 17.8 ppg this season to lead SSP.

In a tight game, Elonzo showed no fear with the ball in his hands. He wanted to be the one with the ball in pressure situations, and in double overtime he stepped up to the plate and knocked down a mid-range jumper to give his team the lead with just seconds remaining. Elonzo plays the game with a ton of energy, as he’s a junkyard dog on defense and isn’t afraid to play through some contact on the offensive end. He found a lot of success getting into the lane to score or facilitate, and also showed off his mid-range game. Ability to stop on a dime made him dangerous pulling up from 10-15 feet. Finished with 23 points in the win.

Elonzo Simmons was all over the floor making plays for Grassroots Sizzle on Sunday. He’s a scrappy defender who constantly pressures the ball, and has great instincts to go double team or jump a passing lane to pick up steals. Even when his risks didn’t pay off, he has the quickness and work ethic to immediately get back in the play and defend. Was able to turn those steals into easy points on the other end while also finding success getting to the rim off the dribble. Scrappy guard out of South St. Paul.