Prephoops The Stage: 14U- The Difference Makers

These young men were definitely the difference makers for their teams over the weekend. High school basketball has great additions coming to their programs next fall.    The big man was a problem in the paint over the weekend. Josiah made scoring difficult for opposing players who attacked the lane. I watched him block multiple shots and use his size to be an obstacle his opponents couldn't get around. Offensively, Josiah was able to score in the post with various moves around the basket. He's a great rebounding center who scored a number of his baskets from grabbing offensive rebounds. On the defensive glass, he excelled at throwing outlet passes to teammates. These passes were fast-break starters that led to easy scores in transition. If he continues to enhance his scoring ability, Josiah could become a force in high school next season. Keep working Josiah!!     I watched one of the best shooters in camp over the weekend. Ethan excelled at knocking down shots from everywhere on the court. During the game I watched him nail multiple threes and mid-range jump-shots. There was a play during the game where Ethan beat his defender to the basket and drew contact. This led to him going to the free-throw line and completing a three-point play. Ethan is a tough young man who showed his willingness to attack any opponent on offense. On defense, Ethan stayed with his opponents by crowding their space. The pressure he applied caused numerous mistakes for the opposition. Ethan has the shooting skills that allow him to easily transition into high school basketball. Keep shooting Ethan!!     Raymond is a defensive minded player who seemed to prioritize locking down offensive players. During the game, I watched him shut down his opponent by playing tough and physical defense. Raymond was great at pressuring opposing players and forcing turnovers. He crowded their space and made ball handling difficult. I watched him force three on-ball steals and convert them into easy points at the rim. On offense, Raymond excelled at getting to the basket. On numerous occasions, he attacked the paint and scored on lay-ups and floaters. He also showed the ability to score perimeter jump-shots. If he enhances his skills on defense, this young man could become a special player. Raymond is an excellent defender who'll definitely have a role on whatever team he plays with next season. Lock them down Raymond!!     I've always had a soft spot for the little guy. I really enjoyed watching Jake play the game of basketball. He's a great floor leader who did all the necessary things to help his squad win games. Jake's a great passer who always seemed to find his teammates whenever they were open. He led his team in assists throughout the game. This little guy was fearless! He attacked opposing defenders and stayed aggressive, despite being the smallest player on the court. On a few occasions, Jake was able to drive the lane and score on floaters. He also showed off a decent jump-shot from mid and long range. On defense, he was really good at timing passing lanes and generating steals. As I said, this young man is a leader and play-maker. These skills will take him far in the game of basketball. Keep it up Jake!!     Will is a great shooter from mid or long range. During the weekend, he might've knocked down eight to ten threes throughout the tournament. He's a good ball handler who attacks the basket or makes plays for his teammates. He made these plays by drawing in the defense and kicking out assists to open players on the wing. Some of his passes led to easier points near the basket. Will was one of the best rebounding guards I watched in the tournament. He didn't mind fighting for rebounds in the paint on both ends of he court. Will's a great team player who does what's necessary to win games. Having this attitude, will positively impact his growth as a basketball player. Keep it up Will!!     Jimmy is a tough player who does all the intangibles for the Spartan Sports team. He's a great rebounder of the basketball. Jimmy had no issues battling for boards on both ends of the court. I watched this young man battle two bigs in the paint. He held his own and didn't back down. On offense Jimmy nailed mid-range shots and scored in the paint. Some of his baskets came off sheer hustle. Whether it was grabbing offensive rebounds, picking up loose balls near the basket or running the floor in transition, Jimmy found ways to score the basketball. Defensively, he took charges, blocked a few shots and had a couple of steals. He's a great defender who has a chance of becoming elite in the near future. Keep grinding Jimmy!!     Emerson is an excellent post player who used a variety of moves to score in the paint. He showed great footwork and patience on offense. Emerson used a number of drop-steps and pump-fakes to get defenders off balance. This led to easy scores around the basket. Emerson is a really good passer. He patiently waited for double-teams in the post, which lead to open looks for his teammates. He's also a great rebounding big man who dominated the offensive glass. I watched Emerson grab five offensive boards and score a couple of baskets around the rim. The other rebounds were kicked out to open players behind the three-point line. Some were made, some were missed. If Emerson can develop a consistent jump-shot, he'll be hard to guard at the high school level. Keep working Emerson!!     JJ plays the game like a tough hard-nosed point guard. This little guy shows no fear on the basketball court. He always looked to get his teammates involved on offense. JJ's a very unselfish player who excelled at setting up other And 1 Indy players with nice passes. His assists led to easy scores near the basket or along the perimeter. If he needs to make shots, JJ showed the ability to do so. During the game, he was able to convert on a couple of threes and a variety so shots attacking the basket. He really impressed me with his leadership. JJ ran the And 1 Indy offense with grace and precision. Defensively, he was a nuisance to opposing guards. He forced multiple steals and caused his opponents to make mistakes. With his pass first mentality, JJ will always have a spot on a team. Keep leading JJ!!     Michael showed the skills of a really good all-around player over the weekend. He did a little bit of everything on the basketball court. Michael was great at using his size to score in the paint over smaller defenders. Whenever he had a bigger player guarding him on the wing, Michael was able to beat him to the basket. This young man was a dual threat on the floor. He scored on opponents both inside and outside. Michael was really good at knocking down perimeter shots and finding teammates with precise passing. Many of his assists lead to easy points for the Era Elite 2029 players. On defense, Michael was able to guard the opposing team's best player and effectively stop him. He forced a couple of turnovers and made scoring difficult for his opponents. He is an excellent all-around player, with a great high school career ahead of him. Keep balling, Michael!!     Colt was the top shooter for his team over the weekend. His team worked to get him open by setting screens and running a motion offense. Colt was a marksman from three-point range. I watched him knock down four shots from well beyond the arc. He also showed the ability to get to the basket and score. There were a number of instances where Colt had an opposing player isolated on the wing of the court. He easily broke his opponent down and scored despite being fouled. This lead to a three-point play opportunity from the free-throw line. Being the great shooter he is, Colt nailed it! He already has a skill all coaches look for. Having the ability to shoot will guarantee this type of player a spot on any team. I expect Colt to continue being a shooting marksman in high school next season. Keep shooting Colt!!

These young men were definitely the difference makers for their teams over the weekend. High school basketball has great additions coming to their programs next fall.