In The Spotlight: Tyler Bourne (New Heights)

Name: Tyler Bourne

AAU Team: New Heights

Position: Point Guard

Class: 2018

Breakdown: New Heights was a surprising champion at the MIT and Bourne’s was one of the main reasons. Tyler scored 17 points in the championship including 10 in the final two minutes of play to help them defeat #2 Team Takeover by 1 and took home MVP honors. Bourne has been making big shots and plays ever since playing on the circuit. The Brooklynite isn’t afraid of the big stage or moment.

In The Spotlight: Donovan Evans (NC Running Rebels)

Name: Donovan Evans

AAU Team: NC Runnin Rebels

Position: Guard

Class: 2018

Breakdown: The NC Running Rebels made a splash at the MIT and Evans was one of the reasons. The scoring guard is a blur in transition with the ability to finish or knockdown shots. He wasn’t on this squad during their Spotlight visit so we are looking forward to see him in the real fire.

In The Spotlight: Mikey Watkins (Team IZOD)

Name: Mikey Watkins

AAU Team: Team IZOD

Position: Guard

Class: 2018

Breakdown: Watkins did a great job running the show as his team won the MIT. His production doesn’t show up in the stat book but it’s needed for their team to be successful. Mikey makes sure everyone touches the rock and calms the team down when things get a little crazy. Team IZOD won a couple of close games this past weekend and wouldn’t have done that if he wasn’t in control.

Word On The Street: Harge Ending Grammar School Career?

When You See Me You Know Its On!

A lot of things are going on around the AAU world right now. So we decided to hit a couple of our sources and bring you another “Word On The Street”. Remember some of this information is from reliable sources including those directly involved.When You See Me You Know It's On!

Harge To Play 15U?

Damon Harge created national buzz with his style of play and by actually playing varsity basketball as a 6th Grader. Now the rumor mill out of North Carolina says that Harge might be leaving the grammar school AAU circuit alone all together and playing 15U in the spring. I hope this is not the case because I was looking forward to watching Damon compete against his peers at the 12U Nationals.

Chambers Gets Fly?

The rich got richer as it appears that forward Tyrek Chambers has decided to come across the water and join Team IZOD 12U Aka “Fly Guys”. Chambers was spotted at the MIT watching and cheering as the “Fly Guys” marched to their MIT Championship. This acquisition might have given Team IZOD the punch they need to win the Grand Championship and make noise at the AAU Nationals.

More Juice?

New Heights 13U won the MIT by defeating Team Takeover but I received some news that might change the landscape of this squad. Apparently the Juice All Stars will be returning next month. Since many of the players from this New Heights squad have Juice roots it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

In The Spotlight: Jalen Lecque (Playtime Panthers)

Name: Jalen Lecque

AAU Team: Playtime Panthers

Position: Combo Guard

Class: 2018

Breakdown: There was some good guard play at the MIT but few plays with the determination of Lecque. No matter the competition or situation Lecgue plays the game like it’s his last. He led a furious Playtime comeback attempt during their quarterfinal loss to NC Running Rebels. He plays the scoring role for this squad but will eventually become a point guard once he hits the high school circuit. Any coach would love to go into battle with this kid.

In The Spotlight: Aaron Thompson (Team Takeover)

Name: Aaron Thompson

AAU Team: Team Takeover

Position: Guard

Class: 2017

Breakdown: Being a former point guard I might be a little bias but Thompson is a joy to watch. His court presence and ability to drive, draw and dish makes him a true rarity in today’s game. He doesn’t waste time over dribbling and showing off for the crowd but instead attacks the lane and delivers laser passes to waiting teammates. Just when Team IZOD tried to make a run during their quarterfinal game Thompson close the door by driving the lane at will.

In The Spotlight: Shelton Applewhite (Team IZOD)

Name: Shelton Applewhite

AAU Team: Team IZOD

Position: Forward

Class: 2018

Breakdown: Applewhite has found his role with this high scoring squad. He understands that it’s important for him to knockdown the jumper from the foul line area and attack along the baseline. He has put together two spectualar weekends. His athletic ability makes him an intriguing prospect among scouts. As his game progresses Team IZOD should only keep improving which is scary because they already are running through much of the competition.

In The Spotlight: Dorian Hardy (Riverside Hawks)

Name: Dorian Hardy

AAU Team: Riverside Hawks

Position: Forward

Class: 2018

Breakdown: Hardy has been developing great at his new home. His confidence in his low post game was very apparent during the MIT. I love how he catches the rock and goes right into his moves. The lefty has a feathery touch close in and displays nifty footwork. He still has a long road ahead but seems to be off to a good start.

MIT 12U Championship Recap: #1 Team IZOD Makes Statement

"Fly Guys" Win Another Crown

Markquis Nowell scored 27 points and Jalen Brooks added 12 markers as Team IZOD defeated Maryland Scholars 59-53 to win the MIT 12U Championship. Brandon Madison scored 23 points in the loss. Here’s a breakdown of their route to the title.

Pool
Beat Shooting Stars 53-36
Beat Next Level 68-22
Beat Maryland Spartans 68-20

First Round
Beat Team Takeover 43-41

Quarterfinal
Beat Riverside 45-44

Semifinal
Beat Running Rebels 53-38

Finals
Beat Maryland Scholars 59-53

MIT 14U Championship Recap: "The MOBB" Rolls Again

DC Assault Adds MIT To Their Trophy Case

#1 DC Assault continued their winning ways by winning the Maryland Invitational Tournament. Congratulations to “The MOBB” on their success and Joe Hampton for winning another MVP crown. Here’s a breakdown of their road to the crown.

Pool Play
DCA 64 Jersey City Boys Club 36
DCA 49 Southern Kings 21

Bracket Play
DCA 55 Baltimore Nike Elite 33
Quarter-final DCA 76 New Rens 57
Semi-final DCA 72 VCB 28
Championship DCA 64 Pureto Rico Playmakers 55

MVP Joe Hampton

Basketball Spotlight Video Feature: Harge Balling In High School Game

The internet darling and camp phenom Damon Harge recently played in a high school game and showed some impressive skills for a 6th Graders. Check out some of his work in this high school contest.

Diary Of A Baller: Tyus "Kid Mamba" Battle (Edison, NJ) Entry #25

What’s up basketball world!

Monday, I worked out with Julian and it was probably the toughest workout I had since I’ve been working with him. We did everything from legs and core to flexibility and upper body. The toughest part of the workout was probably the moving rows. The reason it was so hard was because I had to do rows while walking twenty yards at the same time. After the workout I went to the court to put up shots for about 30 minutes until my dad picked me up.

Wednesday I had school and practice. I have been very impressed in the way we have been playing. We have been playing together well,, and causing a lot of turnovers. We still need to work on everyone remembering the plays and making layups.

Thursday was my last day of school for the week. So, as soon as I got home I sat down to relax and played Modern Warfare 3. At 5pm, I had to get off and go to the gym because I had another workout with Julian. We did a lot of circuit workouts so I got in a lot of reps. He also taught me how to dead lift to help me with my lower body. I first started out with 30 pounds on each side just to get the hang of it and understand the right form, but I then worked my way up to doing sets of 10 of 80 pounds which is a good start but I still know I could have done more. After the workout I got in some more shots and played one on one against a few of the people in the gym and against my dad.

My dad left Friday to go down to Florida work related. There was no school on Friday so coach called for school practice. Practice went well we reviewed plays and worked on a little bit of individual drills. At the end of practice we played 5 on 5 and coach decided to play as well. To end the practice we ran about 10 sprints thanks to my little brother because he was playing soft and he wasn’t running his sprints hard.

Over the weekend I had a game at 2pm against Immaculate Conception. We ended up winning by 40 and I finished up the game having over 20 points. After the game I went to my mom’s house but she had to go to work at 6pm, so my uncle and I went to the movies. I saw “The Woman in Black” while my uncle saw “Safe House”. I thought the movie was alright. It only made me jump once or twice but I think what made it scarier was that I was the only person in the theater due to it being out for a few weeks.

Next week is our first week of playoffs so I will make sure to tell you all how we do. This is Tyus Battle singing off.

Peace

Basketball Spotlight Video Feature: Tanksley's MVP Performance At Baby Baller MLK Classic

Jaheim Tanklsey Shows Why He Was MVP Of The MLK Baby Ballers Classic

Jaheim Tanksley was awarded the MVP of the Baby Ballers MLK Classic and after watching his footage it’s easy to see why. His basketball IQ, skills and court savvy is beyond his years. Right now he has to be one of the most feared ball handlers on the 11U level. The scary thing is he’s just getting started.

Basketball Spotlight Texas Report: Stars Are Born Top Performers Part 2 (By Paul Miranda)

Jacob Valero (Houston Defenders)

The Stars Are Born Tournament took place this past weekend and Basketball Spotlight's Texas scout Paul Miranda was on site for the action. Here's Part 2 of his exclusive report.

Stars Are Born Top Performers Part 2

Jacob Valero #4 Houston Defenders Select 2016
Jake “the Headacke” was just that for all of his opponents. His strength in the paint was visible and undeniable scoring from the post. He used great skill with his body in out-rebounding his man. Ball handling in the open court and flashing several unreal passes to teammates for easy lay-ups were breathtaking. The 6’0” stud knows how to ball in any role.

Tristen Wallace #6 DFW Defenders Select
Remember this name, Boss Wallace, this 6’2” bionic looking young talent kept pouring the points on for his team game in and game out. The ‘Boss was bullying his way to easy buckets and showed that he can hit the midrange and three point shot with just as much ease. Another young raw talent that’s on his way to being one of the most talked about players from the state of Texas.

J.R. Adams #13 Houston Defenders
This youngster was doing it big, game after game, and possession after possession, his presence was felt. He led his team to the final four with a blue collar style of effort on both ends of the court. He came up with loose balls with several dives to floor and in the bleachers. . He handled the ball and dished the ball for easy lay-ups for his teammates. He knocked down several big time shots. Dude did it all for his team, all tournament long.

Tyrone Stewart #13 Louisiana Elite
This young man was fun to watch, he could run the floor and finish for tough shots. Despite his lack of size for his position, he rebounded the ball very well and he defended the post with extreme authority. Young man had nice post moves and dictated everything on the offensive side. Showed outstanding athleticism and proved that he is an up and coming talent from the bayou state.

Courtney Lark #21 Houston Defenders Select 2016
This 6’2” high flier was nothing short of spectacular. He had several dunks that had everyone in the building buzzing about his potential. He was also a huge factor on the boards. His air-walking ability defied all gravity laws even on the defensive end with several blocked shots


Shea Patterson #35 McAllen HoopDawgs
This kid doesn’t look like much when you see him, but when he hits the floor, his game looks a lot like former NBA great Chris Mullins. Kid can score from anywhere. He displayed showmanship from his ball handling to finishing strong inside and outside. I absolutely loved the chip on his shoulder that intimidated a lot of his opponents.

Kelvin Henry, Jr. #12 Louisiana Elite
This PG held his own against some of the elite guards in the tournament. His ability to attack the basket and keeping his dribble alive to find easy scores for teammates or get his own shot off was astonishing. He defends like his opponents owe him money and he’s demanding payment.



Brian Moore #18 Houston Defenders
One of the hardest working young men in the state of Texas. This kid brought it on both sides of the ball. He has always had a reputation of being a tough defender with extreme athleticism, but this past weekend, he unveiled an explosive offensive game. Jump shot was deadly and he knew how to get to basket from any angle. He also displayed a great feel for being a floor general.

Basketball Spotlight Texas Report: Houston Defenders Select Wins Stars Are Born Crown (By Paul Miranda)

Houston Defenders Select Protected Their Home Turf

With a strong team performance on both ends of the court, their high octane, never quit, running and pressure style of play kept this team on top throughout the tournament. They have been notoriously known nationally for the constant full court press and man to man defense, but they provided many highlights from the offensive end. Several dunks by #21 Courtney Lark and #5 DeArron Foxx, beautiful passes by PG #23 JJ Caldwell, great penetration and strong finishing layups by #3 Carsen Edwards, and outstanding showmanship by #4 Jake ‘the Headacke’ Valero kept the crowd standing throughout their games. They are starting 2012 season with a strong inside presence in #34 Mongo Cornett and he did nothing but dazzle us with several outstanding post moves and protecting the paint. This year’s AAU nationally #6 ranked team is off to a strong start for 2012 in their quest to win a national title. They defeated the DFW Defenders Select squad in the semifinal and won the championship game over an exciting Texas Pro squad.

Tournament M.V.P.
DeArron Foxx #5 Houston Defenders Select 2016
‘Swipa the Fox’ was off the chain and wreaking havoc on anyone standing in his way. His smooth, silky, and sly way of slashing to the cup and his step back pull up jumper’ from anywhere on the court was just too much all tournament long. He had couple of dunks that wowed’ us all, showing that his game is now headed above the rim.

Other Top Performers

Cam McGriff #32 DFW Defenders Select
The 6’5” raw monster on the boards and in paint showed huge gains on the offensive end with alley-oop’ dunk in the semifinal game that had the whole gym going nuts. He continues to show signs of significant improvement and is continuously leading his new team to another final four and strong start for the 2012 season.

A.J. Lawson #32 Texas Pro
This ‘do-it-all’ 6’3” player rocked the gym with a thunderous tip in dunk in the championship game. He scored at will, he rebounded the ball against the best of them. He handled the ball in the open court and with pressure on him religiously.

Mark Vital #5 Louisiana Elite
This 6’3” young man has the making of being the class of 2016’s version of the ‘Human Highlight’, had several dunks that had the crowd ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’ every game. Defending the rim was not a problem for him, he swatted so many potential layups that his opponents didn’t even try to go to the rack when he was around.

Tristain Upchurch #24 McAllen HoopDawgs
This strong, clever, and crafty PG had all of his opponents on their heels throughout the tournament. He showed an uncanny ability to set up his teammates and still get his shots off. He showed remarkable improvement in the scoring department with many pull-up jumpers’ and strong drives to the rack.



Mongo Cornett #34 Houston Defenders Select 2016
The 6’5” big man was a force that many did not want any part of. His low post game was forceful and very consistent. He out-rebounded all opposing big men. He defended the paint with an attitude that frightened many. If even show amazing ball handling skills in the open court finishing it off with guard-like passes and finishes.

Robert Martin #1 Texas Pro
“RobbieMart” put on a show, especially in the championship game, knocking down some big shots from downtown and in transition. Was amazed at how composed he was when some of his teammates went down with injuries and he had to assume the driver seat for his team. He made great strides with running his team’s offense effectively and efficiently.


Chase Winchester #15 DFW Defenders Select
The team’s captain brought his ‘A game’ throughout the tournament. His pull-up jumper’ from anywhere was second to none in this tournament. The Winchester Special was firing from all over the court and he showed that he doesn’t fear anyone in his way at the cup, hitting many acrobatic lay-ups.

Mike Williams #31 Houston Defenders
The 6’2” bundle of energy was doing it all on both ends of the court. His scoring abilities were unbelievable, he can take you off the dribble either way or he can hit you with the midrange pull-up jump shot. He was always finding ways to get put-backs or defensive rebounds, despite being smaller than his opposing team’s big men. Kid works hard on both ends of the court.

Jonathan Sanchez #00 McAllen HoopDawgs
The 6’5” big man has a sweet jump-shot from midrange to downtown. Despite his slim stature, he was tough on the inside, outwitting his opponents for rebounds and getting his shots off. Be blocked shots throughout. Young man showed great passing skills from the post too.

Baby Baller Super Showcase On Deck For August!

The Baby Baller exposure event of the summer returns August 4th as Basketball Spotlight brings you the 2nd Annual Baby Baller Super Showcase. This event brings together the Top 60 players from the Class of 2019 and 2020 to do battle. Now for the first time ever we will have a ranking for this event. No more wondering who the best was because we will let you know. No other event gives you this amount of exposure period. We are only excepting 60 players per class. No spots will be reserved without full registration.

Click Here For Registration

Is NyRhique The Next Tyreke?

Smith Drawing Big Time Comparison

"NyRhique Smith is an 8th grader who is drawing comparisons to NBA star Tyreke Evans. At the Basketball Spotlight News Tip Off Classic NyRhique showed that can score and create for others. NyRhique hit threes and penetrated through the defense while putting up staggering scoring numbers. NyRhique is definitely a prospect to keep an eye on in the class of 2016." (Ty Kish, Middle School Hoops)

Coming Soon: Official Baby Ballers T-Shirts

FRONT

Basketball Spotlight is proud to present the official Baby Baller T-Shirt. These shirts are specifically for the young lads that think they have serious games. The front reads “I WAS BORN READY TO BALL” and the back says “I’M A TRUE BABY BALLER”. The T-Shirts will arrive before the Baby Ballers Bonanza.

BACK

Spotlight Alums Shine Bright At Primetime (ESPN.com Article)

Kyle Anderson was one of the standouts at the Primetime Shootout

The Primetime Shootout took place this weekend and ESPN.com reported that many of the standouts were former Basketball Spotlight stars.

By: John Stovall (ESPN)

ROSELLE, N.J. -- The Primetime Shootout has historically been one of the best events in the country that showcases some of the nation's best talents. It has become more of a regional event, but still has most of the best teams and players from Metro New York and South Jersey. Here is a profile of some of the better players who were at this year's event.

Standout players

Kyle Anderson (Jersey City, N.J./St. Anthony)
2012, SF, 6-9, 220 pounds
College: UCLA
He is a special talent who can truly dominate a game on the offensive end. He is a great passer and can play every position on the floor offensively. He is a matchup nightmare because of his size and skill level. He is perfect in St. Anthony's system because he can control the tempo with the dribble, get in the lane and score or find open teammates. It will be interesting to see where the UCLA Bruins play him at the next level. You can bet wherever it is, he will be effective.

Rondae Jefferson (Chester, Pa./Chester)
2013, SF, 6-7, 190 pounds
He is a more athletic version of Anderson. He handles the ball offensively and has great vision. Jefferson thinks pass first and is the ultimate glue guy. He finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists, eight blocks and five steals! He is extremely versatile and plays very hard. He literally plays all five positions during the course of the game for his team. Jefferson only needs to improve his outside shot to complete the package.

Austin Colbert (Lakeville, Conn./Hotchkiss)
2013, PF, 6-9, 210 pounds
He is a skilled power forward who has a lot of tools. Colbert is mostly a high-post player who can drill jump shots to 20 feet but his athleticism allows him to be very effective around the basket. Colbert has always been talented but has needed to be more assertive and productive. Well, I think the time has come. Colbert was MVP of Hotchkiss' win over Trenton Catholic with 16 points and eight rebounds. If he is starting to realize his enormous potential, watch out America.

Players to watch

Isaiah Briscoe (Newark, N.J./St. Benedict)
2015, PG/SG, 6-3, 190 pounds
He is a strong and powerful combo guard who plays, looks and has a feel for the game of someone much older. Briscoe is a great scorer and creator with a solid shot out to 20 feet. He is also a pretty good defender for someone so young because of his size and strength. Overall, he is one of the better freshmen in the United States.

Karl Towns (Metuchen, N.J./St. Joseph)
2015, C/PF, 6-9, 210 pounds
He is a high-post player who has to be one of the better shooters in the 2015 class, period. He has range to 25 feet and is a great catch-and-shoot player. Towns has nice length and looks to still have room to grow, especially given his size 20 shoes. He is only a decent rebounder now but that will improve as he adds strength to his thin frame. Towns has a great upside and has to be one of the five best players overall in the 2015 class.

Malachi Richardson (Trenton, N.J./Catholic)
2015, SG, 6-4, 180 pounds
He is a very intriguing prospect with great size and nice length. Richardson has a knack for putting the ball in the hoop, which is craved by coaches at every level of basketball. He is a very good shooter with range to 20 feet and as he continues to grow and improve he has a chance to be one of the best players in the 2015 class.

Notes

The first game on Sunday, which pitted Gill St. Bernard versus Plainfield, might have been the best game I have seen this year. All the stars came to play as Plainfield defeated nationally-ranked St. Bernard, 78-77, in overtime.
The game was won on a last-second layup that out of the half-court set as time expired. Dartmouth-bound point guard Alex Mitola shot his way to 30 points for St. Bernard and junior point guard Jaren Sina added 22. However, the star of the game may have been Plainfield point guard Sekou Harris who had 20 clutch points.

Harris, an unsigned senior with definite Division I talent is an interesting story because his family is moving to Phoenix and he wants to attend a school on the West Coast. Any low- to mid-major program that needs a dynamic guard should definitely take a look.

John Stovall is the Southwest recruiting coordinator. He has worked as director of scouting for Prep Spotlight Scouting Service and its magazine for 15 years.

Video Profile: Joe Hampton (DC Assault)

Name: Joe Hampton

AAU Team: DC Assault

Position: Forward

Class: 2016

Breakdown: No player has dominated his position the last few years like Hampton. He’s won several MVP Awards over the years and has helped DC Assault reach new heights since joining the program. Many ranking system have him listed as a Top 25 player in the country. Check out some of his highlights.

Sheraton To Host Atlantic City Showcase

The Beautiful Atlantic City Sheraton will be the host for the AC Showcase. Register quickly because these rooms will go fast and the rate is great for Atlantic City. Use the link below to register online or call the Sheraton at (609)-344-3535 (Code- Basketball Spotlight). The current rate is $129.00. Please call early because once these rooms go we won’t be able to help you obtain others.

Click Here To Reserve Rooms

Basketball Spotlight Alum: Towns Blowing Up!

Karl Towns Jr. Stock Is On The Rise

Basketball Spotlight Alum Karl Towns Jr.’s game is attracting national attention. He’s currently a major clog in St. Joseph Metuchen’s highly successful season. Basketball Spotlight had Towns ranked #2 in the country in our Class 2015 rankings and he’s living up to the hype. Check out this recent article from the Star Ledger.

Click Here For Article