#SpringKickoff2019 Championship Sunday: MVPs on the Day
To conclude the #SpringKickoff I give my top players on the day at Gold Crown for Championship Sunday that I was able to observe. While there were plenty of standouts on the day, here are my five top players on…
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Continue ReadingTo conclude the #SpringKickoff I give my top players on the day at Gold Crown for Championship Sunday that I was able to observe. While there were plenty of standouts on the day, here are my five top players on the day that I was able to observe from start to finish.
Sean Pedulla – Team Buddy Buckets 16U
Pedulla was the MVP of the entire tournament and it honestly was not close. He was one of the top five players in Oklahoma so he was already on my radar and it all came to fruition and proved my point in Colorado. For a player to not even dunk the ball for him to standout in such a way with plenty of entertaining plays is incredible to watch. Pedulla is a player that is not bigger than others, not faster or stronger but is a hard worker who does everything right. He was surgical from the guard spot to lead Buddy Buckets to be named champions of the 16U Platinum division against one of the top 16U teams, the Colorado Hawks. He finished with 20 points in the championship including the game finisher and was in his bag on Sunday. He showed that he is a complete player that can rebound from the guard spot, score from beyond the arc, gets to the lane and finishes and not only runs the offense but is the system. Pedulla is a player that can fit in any system and is a division I player that has one of the highest IQs of any player that I have seen with the ability to affect the game on both ends of the floor. Pedulla gets it and appears to be a gym rat that is continuing to grow and have a solid summer. He is an elite competitor and offers will be coming soon.
Ty Robinson – Colorado Hawks 16U
A player that really stood out all day but came alive against a loaded Buddy Buckets team that won it all was Ty Robinson. Robinson did not back down and was able to get going as he plays with silent aggression. He is a smooth yet explosive wing that gets to the lane and is stronger beyond his frame. He plays above the rim and is not afraid to attempt to dunk on a another player and his ability to get up and finish gives him easy baskets. He finished with 16 points and led his team to the championship while not going beyond himself. He does not force the issue and allows the game to come to him is an above average rebounder that can soar for a rebound and run the break and either will take it coast to coast for the finish or get straight into running the offense. Robinson is a selfless player who is looking to make the right play and although the Hawks did not get the results that they wanted it was solid to see Robinson step up against one of the best teams in the country and show his competitive nature.
Luke O Brien – Colorado Miners
O Brien was one of the only players that already signed at the event and not only did he sign but he is a Division I blue blood type of player that will be at the University of Colorado when his year is up. He was on the 17U Miners team that took Buddy Buckets down to the wire but could not pull it off. The Miners are a complete team that brings it on both ends of the floor and their best player is O’Brien who stood out in the second half. O Brien was able to go for 20-points in the game and it was due to his ability to stand out with his versatility. For O Brien to be 6’7 he is not your traditional big guy, he brings the ball up the floor and has deadly long range. O Brien was lighting Buddy Buckets up from deep while also showcasing that he is able to use his size to his advantage on the block. He moves really well and is able to get rebounds and go straight up. O Brien is a guard with size and a long arm span that is remarkable offensively as he sees over the often smaller defenders and gets the shots that he wants. He is a mismatch as he is too skilled and big for guards but too smart and quick for big man which is an enigma on slowing him down. The Miners will have a successful summer with the balance that they have on this team and with a standout like O Brien who is a willing passer that demands the double-team so often being able to make the right play that will often times lead to a basket it becomes that much more difficult.
Christian Cook – Buddy Buckets 17U
Cook is a guard that can score essentially whenever it is he wants because he is a physical guard that pushes the tempo. He is also able to get inside the thick of the defense and finishes well at the rim. Early on in Buddy Buckets win over the Miners he was able to shoot the ball, knocking down two 3-pointers which only opened up the rest of his game and helped Buddy Buckets rally to pull off the comeback. He then got to the rim for reverses, floaters and easy lay ins as he finished with 18 points and made the right plays. He did not slow down there as he had his best game of the day against Wyoming Power as he finished with 21 points and showcased that he could also be a floor general that gets others involved but also how dangerous he is in the open court. He is a highlight waiting to happen as he gets up for dunks, spaces the floor with shooting and when the defense breaks down is smart enough to get to the FT line. He is tenacious defensively and challenges himself to slow down whoever it is that is the hot hand and uses his defense to open his offense. Even when his shot was not falling in the championship loss he made sure to do other things to make up for it as he finished with 13 points. Cook is one of the most interesting prospects I have seen this summer as he has all of the intangibles to be an incredible point guard but scores it so easily that he plays a lot off-ball. Once he hones in on one specific position and goes after it relentlessly I fully expect him to be one of the top players in the entire region and at times that was seen in Denver.
Kaimen Lennox – Team KC
Team KC are the Spring Kickoff 2019 champions and the player that stood out most was Kaimen Lennox. Lennox did not only have an incredible championship game but controlled each game for the entire day. A game that really stood out was Team Kc’s convincing victory over New Mexico D1 Ambassadors where plenty of his teammates got involved but he really stood out. Lennox is a score-first point guard that does not go outside of himself to dominate. He is a natural scorer that looks for others in the open court but he is best in ISO situations as the primary ball handler that can break the defender down and then wreak havoc. He easily scores off the dribble with great ball handling and a wicked crossover. He is a shot creator that can stop for a pullup or gets to the rim and finishes with either hand. He blows by the defender and finds the open man for the open shot or takes it all the way. Against D1 Ambassadors he had 19 points while shooting the ball exceptionally well and in the biggest game of the day, a rematch against a Buddy Buckets team that got the best of Team KC the last time they faced off against each other he was able to get 16 points with some big time plays even starting the spark that KC needed early in the game. Lennox is a guard that plays well on and off-ball and is a scorer that can get it in a variety of ways while making others around him better. All of which you want to see from your top guard.