2019 Huntsville City Classic Notebook Part I

After an action-packed weekend of high school basketball in Huntsville for the 2019 Huntsville City Classic, some of the best talents in the state of Alabama were definitely on display. Here is a rundown on some top performers and names to know from the premier holiday tournament in the state of Alabama. <strong>Top Performers:</strong> <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tony-toney/">Tony Toney</a>, 6'1 CG, Mae Jemison: The MVP of the entire tourney showed why he has put the entire state on notice in the first half of the season. His energy on the court is what makes him such an intriguing prospect. Throughout the tournament, he displayed why he is shooting up rankings boards across the state. His relentlessness at attacking the basket off the dribble and in transition makes him a tough guard for any defender who is not prepared to compete for 32 minutes. His improved shot-making ability (especially form 3-point range) allowed him to put up impressive numbers over the weekend including a 22 point outburst in the championship game vs rival Bob Jones which helped lead his Mae Jemison team to its 2nd consecutive Huntsville City Classic tournament championship. Expect for his recruitment to continue to increase as he continues to lead the nationally ranked Jaguars into the rest of the season. Antwan Burnett, 6'5 SG, Sidney Lanier: In his first action of the season due to a transfer to a prep school in Florida and a return to Alabama he quickly knocked the rust off with some impressive performances over the weekend. This strong and bruising guard showed why he is so highly ranked in the state. He showed an improved ability to handle the ball in full court situations against pressure and still be able to score in the half-court. With his game legs still not under him that still didn't stop him from knocking down deep threes while coming off down screens and also in catch and shoot situations. He thrives in the mid-post area using his big strong body to bully defenders in that 15-17 foot range and rise up and shoot over defenders or just muscle them to the basket. He also showed much improvement in one on one situations in creating his own shot against set defenses. His play helped the Poets capture the 5th place trophy going 3-1 over the weekend with the only loss coming to Sparkman by only 1 point. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/antonio-kite/">Antonio Kite</a>, 6'1 CG, Anniston: Throughout the weekend this high major prospect showed why he is the #1 ranked player in the state for the class of 2022. His shot-making ability from stepbacks to side steps to first step blowbys is exceptional as he is able to simply put the ball in the basket from anywhere on the floor. He is a blur in the open court and on top of his speed his ability to explode up and over defenders at his size is impressive. It is virtually impossible to stop him from getting to the painted area where he displayed a variety of creative ways to finish with floaters, jelly type finishes, and rim rocking dunks. Look for him to continue to impress as the Bulldogs look to make a run in Class 4A. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/zondrick-garrett/">Zondrick Garrett</a>, 6'7 F, Oxford: Z showed over the course of 4 games why is considered one of the top five big men in the state of Alabama. His ability to alter and erase shots on the interior is 2nd to none. He has a very good and quick second jump which allows him to eat up rebounds on the offensive glass. He has really expanded his game adding a legit perimeter game. His ability to handle the ball in the half-court has really improved and continued work could possibly move to a wing position once he steps foot on campus at South Alabama next year. His bread is buttered on the defensive end of the floor and showed the willingness to guard just about every position on the floor. He has an improved inside game which includes a very good looking jump hook over his right shoulder from the left block. Look for more continued success as the season goes along. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jalen-myers/">Jalen Myers</a>, 6'7 SF, Bob Jones: With probably the most impressive single-game performance of the tournament in a win over Sparkman Myers posted 29 points 21 rebounds 5 assists and 3 blocked shots in the 62-53 victory. He is long, light on his feet, and very skilled. His range allows him to get to the basket from the wing with very minimal dribbles or pull up and shoot right over the top of defenders. He is a lefty which makes him awkward to guard but his unique skill-set makes it hard for defenders to gage how to defend him. He is a nightmare match-up as he is too big for most perimeter players but too quick for the majority of post players. After several good showings versus very good competition, the sky is the limit for this interesting prospect. <strong>Names to Know:</strong> <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jamari-arnold/">JaMari Arnold</a>, 5'9 PG, Columbia: A freshman with a lot of skill for such a young player. Showed very well versus much older and stronger competitors. Look for his name to continue to buzz over the next several years. <strong>Kelton Petty</strong>, 6'1 SG, Austin: A definite stock riser this kid is a walking bucket. He is able to score the basketball at a very high clip. At times he looks like he isn't playing hard, but once that ball touches his hands those gears start to turn and more often than not it turns into a bucket for the Black Bears. <strong>Ashton Elliott</strong>, 6'2 CG, Hazel Green: A relentless downhill player who is hard to stop in transition. He is very fast in the open court and showed the ability in the classic to beat most defenders off the bounce and finish at the rack. He had a very good tournament for the Trojans.