Jimmy John's Grassroots Championships- Defenders and "Glue Guys"

Defense, intangibles and every other aspect of basketball, was represented in the best possible way over the weekend. These young guys played vital roles in their teams success.    After watching Isaac play Saturday afternoon, I believe he's the type of player who prioritizes defense. As soon as he stepped on the floor, Isaac was a monster in regard to pressuring opposing guards into mistakes. He showed excellent foot speed and quick hands. this allowed him to stay in front of Gibson Southern players. Isaac is a great on-ball defender who pressed his opponent everywhere on the court. Offensively, he was able to drive into the paint and make plays for himself or teammates. On multiple occasions, Isaac was able to drive and kick out to other players for open looks at the basket. Keep working Isaac!!     Jobey epitomizes what it means to be a "glue guy." He literally did everything on the basketball court. Whether it was scoring, passing, rebounding or defending; Jobey excelled at it all. He's a decent ball handler who can get where he needs to be effective on offense. Jobey showed the ability to either score in the paint or the perimeter throughout the game. He was great at setting screens and hitting teammates with precise passes. Many of his assists lead to easy scores for the Blaze (Orange) players. Jobey's an excellent rebounder on both sides of the floor. I believe he finished the game with close to double-digit boards. On defense, this guy was everywhere! He defended the paint, guarded players on the wing, blocked a shot and caused a couple of turnovers. Keep it up Jobey!!     Colin excelled at getting into the paint and defending the opposition. He showed the ability to drive around defenders and score in the paint on multiple occasions. Some of his scores lead to three-point play opportunities after being fouled by Blaze (Orange) players. Colin's a tough and physical small forward who attacked the glass with ferocity. He seemed to grab every board in his vicinity. He ran the floor and scored at least three lay-ups during fast-breaking situations. Defensively, he was able to block a couple of shots and force numerous turnovers with tough on-ball pressure. Keep working Colin!!     This young man is a really good all-around player. Cameron had a very effective game against the Owen Valley Patriots. He was able to be effective both inside and outside. Cameron has an excellent post game. He showed great footwork and the ability to score with either hand in the paint. He showed the ability to create his own shot off he dribble. I watched him nail multiple jump-shots from the perimeter. Cameron also showed the tenacity of being a great rebounder. He constantly attacked the glass on both ends of the floor with no fear. On defense, Cameron played the passing lanes and generated a number of steals that lead to transition baskets. In my opinion, Cameron is skilled enough to have a successful high school career. Keep balling Cameron!!     In Saturday's game, Braxton definitely came off as the "glue guy" for the Owen Valley squad. This guy dove on the floor after loose balls, took charges, grabbed rebounds and played tough defense on the opposition. Offensively, he was able to score in the paint by driving to the rim. Braxton was great at grabbing offensive rebounds and scoring on put-backs around the basket. I believe Braxton has the capability of being a good scorer. I watched him knock down a couple of mid-range shots whenever they were available. After watching him play, it seems like he doesn't place an importance on scoring. Braxton definitely showed how important it was to value all the other intangibles of the game. It's not only about scoring. I really appreciated how this young man played the game. Keep it up Braxton!!     Watching this young man play gave me the impression of a person with power forward skills. The thing is, Walker is the height of a guard. He's very strong for his size and shows the capability of handling the position. He's a tough player who rebounds, scores in the paint and sets screens. I saw Walker hold his own in the post against taller players from Team Blaze. (Blue) His teammates passed him the ball in the box and he immediately went to work with no hesitation. Walker was able to use a host of pump-fakes and other moves to score in the post using either hand. On a few occasions, he was able to attack the paint off the dribble and draw fouls from the opposition. Other times, he was able to score transition baskets after his teammates stole the ball and started fast-break opportunities. Defensively, Walker was able to use his strong base to make scoring in the paint difficult for his opponents. Keep it up Walker!!

Defense, intangibles and every other aspect of basketball, was represented in the best possible way over the weekend. These young guys played vital roles in their teams success.