Grassroots Team Spotlight (St. Louis Blazers 17U)

<p>Prep Hoops Missouri takes a look at the St. Louis Blazers 17U team. The Blazers were one of the breakthough teams on the Prep Hoops Circuit last summer as they enjoyed a very successful grassroots season at the 16U level.</p> <h4>Roster</h4> <p>Marcus Pepper 5’10" Granite City (IL): A very quick point guard who really does a nice job of pushing the pace on offense and providing pressure on the defensive end. He can get into the lane on a consistent basis and make the right decision to either drop off a dime to an open teammate or hit the pull up jumper.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="824204" first="Nyjahl" last="Vaughn"] 5’11" Cardinal Ritter: A physically tough guard who was a standout defensive back on the football field and he brings that toughness to the basketball court, especially on the defensive end. He will sit down and get in a stance and apply constant pressure to opposing ball handlers. Played a key role off the bench for Ritter's Class 3 state championship.</p> <p>Willie Davis III 6’1" Cardinal Ritter: Another member of Ritter's "bench mob" on a Class 3 state championship team, he is a high-energy performer who plays bigger than his actual size. He is a good slasher and rebounder who does not takes plays off at both ends.</p> <p>Cleveland Washington 6’1" Lutheran North: An undersized forward who plays the "junkyard dog" role and gets a lot done with his physical strength and high rate of activity. He is always in the middle of the action and comes away with the ball through sheer effort. He averaged 11 points a game to help Lutheran North to a district championship.</p> <p>Rico Singleton 6’0" Lift for Life: An aggressive wing player who is a prospect on the football field. He brings that toughness to the basketball court where he can hold his own and produce against bigger players. He is tough when he is attacking the basket and on the full court press defensively. He averaged 13.8 points and four rebounds while shooting 37 percent from 3-point range.</p> <p>DeMarcus Sanford Jr. 6’2" Lift for Life: A bouncy point guard who shook off an early ankle injury to have a very good junior season. He is explosive on the break with the dunks to go along with his ability to knock down open 3-pointers. He has continued to evolve into an excellent point guard. As a junior, he averaged 10.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.6 steals while making 38 percent of his 3-pointers.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="824158" first="Barcus" last="Jackson"], Jr. 6’3" Lift for LIfe: A versatile wing player who had a big season for the 20-10 Hawks. He is a very good shooter who can handle the ball and rebound well for a guard. He is also a solid defender. He averaged 13.8 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals while shooting 52 percent from the field.</p> <p>Joe Ware 6’9" Oakville: A developmental big who has made gradual improvements in his game over the past two seasons. He has good length and he runs the court well. The best part of his game is his ability to block shots and rebound.</p>