Friday, December 31, 2010

Happy New Years From Basketball Spotlight!


Basketball Spotlight would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I personally would also like to thank everyone that supported our events and visited the website. Basketball Spotlight will continue to bring you the hottest coverage and best events. God has blessed us and we will continue to work hard to give the youth the maximum exposure. Thank you guys again because without you Basketball Spotlight doesn’t exist!

Sonny Lorenzo Headed To St. Patricks

Irving "Sonny" Lorenzo Is Celtic Bound!

I guess the rich got richer as Irving “Sonny” Lorenzo Jr. will be headed to NJ powerhouse St. Patricks. Sonny chose the Celtics over top squads St. Raymonds of Bronx, NY and Lincoln of Brooklyn, NY. Lorenzo played in the Grand Finale among other tournaments with Team Scan/KYDA NY. The youngster has shown vast improvements in his game and should only get better.

Why St. Patricks? Lorenzo’s father Irving Lorenzo Sr. AKA Irv Gotti has the answer, “Loved Coach Boyle. Really feel St. Pats and Coach Boyle will get Sonny ready for the Next Level. And teach him the game of Basketball. And also Sonny has a bond with all the players there. They already have embraced him as there lil brother” said Irving Sr. Basketball Spotlight would like to congratulate Sonny and his family on his choice to attend St. Patricks.

As in the past Basketball Spotlight will keep you posted on where the players in the Class of 2015 will be headed for high school. Let the commitments begin.

Breaking News: Team IZOD/Sports University Dives In!


The theme as of late has been younger programs joining up with high school AAU powerhouses to secure their future. Team IZOD has joined the movement but snatching two of the top programs in NJ. F.A.C.E.S. and Team Battle/Final has made the move over to Team IZOD/Sports University.

F.A.C.E.S. has been a fixture on the grammar school AAU scene with General Rob Cole at the controls. Coach Cole has a few state crowns and placed nationally on several occasions. His program is known for discipline and playing the game hard buzzer to buzzer. Rob feels that Team IZOD has the same approach “Team IZOD has the same focus as F.A.C.E.S., team, scholarship, character building, winning and family. I believe it’s time for the players I’ve coached over the years to be recognized as upcoming prospects” said Cole.

Team Battle/Final move to Team IZOD was very interesting because the Team Of The Year had just made the pledge to go to Team Final. Coach Pierre Louis ultimately felt that the North Jersey crew was a better home for his youngsters. His reasons for moving over were similar to Cole’s “I decided to go with Team IZOD because I felt this organization was truly about the youth. Their mission is to build young men that can achieve on and off the court. I admire their approach of building student athletes.

Basketball Spotlight will keep you posted on the progress of newly formed Team IZOD/Sports University.

Thursday, December 30, 2010


The Basketball Spotlight Clash For The Cup is scheduled for Jan. 29th and 30th and already is receiving interest. This event should bring together some of the top squads once again as the hunt for Summer Slam continues. Don’t be left out of this event.

Deadline: January 15th 2011 or Sold Out

Click Here To Register

14U Teams
1. Team Final
2. Albany Dream Team
3. Montgomery County
4. VBC
5. NJ Shore Shots
6. Team Rebels
7. T Town Ballerz
8. Hoop Heaven

9. F.A.C.E.S.
10.
New Heights
11.
Playaz Basketball Club
12. Team Scan\KYDA (NJ)

13. Brooklyn Kings
14.
St. Michael's
15.
Mid Jersey Heat
16. NJ Pirates

17. NJ Got Game
18. Positive Force
19. Long Island Lightning
20. Team Takeover (Stevens)
21. Phily Triple Threat
22. Team MVP
23. Hoop Nation
24.

13U Teams
1. Team Final
2. Gauchos
3. Philly Aztecs
4. Long Island Lightning
5. SI Ironmen

6. Montgomery County
7.
F.A.C.E.S.
8.
ETU Warriors
9. New Heights (Blue)
10.
New Heights (White)
11. Team Scan
12. CT Elite (Blue)

13. CT Elite (White)
14. Harlem Elite
15. Brooklyn Kings
16. St. Michael's

17. Philly Triple Threat
18.
19.
20.

12U Teams
1. Juice All Stars
2. Sports University (IZOD)
3. Team Final
4. CT Elite
5. JSL Hoops
6. Montgomery County
7. Bayshore Bulldogs
8. Playtime Panthers

9. DC Assault
10.
CBC
11.
Philly Triple Threat
12.

11U Teams
1. Fastbreak Basketball
2. Delaware Royalty
3. We Run
4. Team Final
5. T Town Ballerz
6. Bayshore Bulldogs
7. Natural Ballers
8. NYC Gauchos

9. DC Assault
10.

11.
12.

10U Teams
1. T Town Ballers
2. Team Takeover
3. DC Assault
4.
Gauchos
5. Playtime Panthers
6.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Diary Of A Baller: Otis "The General" Livingston (NJ Got Game) Entry #13


Hey Mike, we hope you had a great Christmas!

What’s up everyone? It’s “The General” back at you with another entry. I just wanted to say Merry Christmas even though it’s a couple days late. LOL. We only had 3 full days and 1 half day of school. We didn’t really do that much work, so it was fun. We just watched movies and basically got to talk and socialize. Christmas is always special ‘cause it celebrates the birth of Jesus. It’s not all about the presents(even though I love getting and giving gifts).

Both of my sisters, Alex and Hayley were home for the holidays so we were a full family again. On Christmas Eve we just hung out and watched mom cook ALL the food, except for the snacks that my father made. We had lil’ smokies (really little hot dogs without a bun), egg rolls, chicken wings and chips and dip. We always sit together and watch Christmas specials. Santa Claus is coming to Town and A Christmas Story are our favorites and never get old. After that we headed up to bed and listened out for the hooves of the reindeer on the roof. LOL

AAAAHHHH, Christmas! Us kids are always the first up so we had to wait until our parents got up from their slumber. We always start with the stockings stuffed with goodies. Marcellus was Santa this year handing out the gifts. I got some headphones, some clothes, and a pair of cross training shoes. I couldn’t really ask for more, I got everything I wanted, especially my family being together. My cousin Amy came from New York. She got us the book series Guardians of Ga’hoole. There are 15 books in the series which is about a group of good owls and their travels to battle evil owls. It may not seem that interesting, but I’ll let you borrow a copy when I’m done and then you’ll see. Amy also got us a movie on the book series. My buddy Austin White and his family came over for Christmas dinner. Our families are really close. We finished eating in a hurry to watch the Lakers and Heat game.

I was really disappointed in my Lakers. I thought Kobe was gonna dominate the game but he didn’t. Lebron almost had a triple double. I think they ended up winning by 16. In our minds that game never happened we started playing the board game Sorry, but couldn’t get really get going cause Austin had to leave. I was really tired so I just thanked my parents for a great Christmas and went up to bed. My brothers had a game the next day but I didn’t feel like going. I didn’t really do much except for relax with my sisters and watch my Dolphins lose. That’s my week, stay tuned for more and more.

The General is out!

I hope you have a happy and safe New Years

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

In The Spotlight: Zane Martin (Philly Triple Threat)

Name: Zane Martin

AAU Team: Philly Triple Threat

Position: Combo Guard

Class: 2015


Breakdown: The 13 year old southpaw played up at the Grand Finale and didn’t disappoint. He proved strong enough to handle the strong play on the 14U level. In terms of scoring he hit pay dirt against the Showtime All Stars by dropping 22 points in their victory. Basketball Spotlight will be keeping a close eye on this kid.

Spencer Featured In Philly Inquirer


A few weeks ago we released a video about Horace Spencer and now the Philadelphia Inquirer has dropped the feature story. "I think in four years his nickname will be 'LeBron Who?,' " said Rick Barrett, Spencer's coach for the South Jersey Gymrats of the Amateur Athletic Union. Read More

Diary Of A Baller: Lamarr "Fresh" Kimble (Team Final) Entry #13

Hello Basketball World. Its your boy "Fresh" here to tell you about my week. Sorry about not turning in last week diary do to computer problems. But last week was about not giving up. Last week, I worked out with Team Final every day except Friday. Saturday and Sunday Team Final had games up Funsport. On Saturday due to traffic we had to start our game off 4 against 5. But everybody kept coming and we eventually beat the Gauchos 52 to 30. Sunday we beat Abyssinian Church and the AZTECS... The game everyone wanted to see. It was a real grind out game and we had to hit the boards due to our big man Trey not being able to come. They jumped up on us quick in the first half but through all the adversity we stole the game in the second half. That week was just about "remembering to stay humble".

Now this week was just about laying back in enjoying my Christmas break. My Christmas break started after the game against the Aztecs. Over my break I did workout every day except Tuesday. On Tuesday I went to the Life Center vs. St. Benedict game. It was a very good game and I learned a lot. But, all in all Life Center won by like 6. Saturday was the big day as everybody knew. It was Christmas and I just wanna say Merry Christmas to everybody even though it is a few day after lol. On Christmas we were opening are presents I got some Nike shirts, Polo Hoddies and Electronics. Also when we were opening our presents my nephew Dyheir was like "Oh Jesus" LOL..... My mom and I could not stop laughing. Later on I went to my grandmom house and I was hanging out with my little cousins. They are real funny and they always trying to jump me but I win. After that I went to my 2nd family house (Rex/Tyheem). The whole day I was watching the X-Mas game. I had push-ups on the Heat and Lakers game. I'm glad that the Heat won because now all those people are going to have to do those push-ups. Over Rex house we were playing NCAA most of the night and I was killing him with Villanova. He had Kentucky, but Corey Fisher, Scottie Reynolds, and Malik Wayns were just too much. Til next week remember "Time is just as important as a gift". Stay tuned for more from Lamarr

"Fresh" Kimble

Monday, December 27, 2010

8th Grader Wins Slam Dunk Championship



Last Season Canadian Andrew Wiggins took the nation by storm with his high profile play. Now it seems Canada has another grammar school stud in Jamar Ergas. The 14 year old 8th Grader recently won 2010 Flight Games Slam Dunk Championship. Hopefully Basketball Spotlight will get a chance to check him out.

Hoop Group Holiday Classic: Top Performers Part 2

Isaiah Briscoe Continues His Hot Play

The Hoop Group Holiday Classic got a couple of games in before being called due to the snow storm. Basketball Spotlight was in the building and we caught some of the action.

Top Performers Part 2

Isaiah Briscoe Guard (Team Scan)- Briscoe came off the bench and gave TS the thrust to get over the top. His size negated KSK ability to really pressure the ball. Once he breaks the first line of defense he uses his wingspan to stretch out for tough finishes usually with the left hand. Even when he didn’t finish plays off he made trips to the charity strip. He had an all around good showing 19 points and 7 rebounds.


Chris Atkinson Guard (Team Scan)- When aggressive Atkinson can dominate a game on both ends of the floor. He pushes the rock end to end in a blur and gets to the rim effectively. On defense he collected 3 steals roaming the passing lanes intercepting passes. When he’s own this makes TS a more lethal squad.

Nassir Barrino Guard (Team Scan)- Barrino has one the quickest first steps around. He brought out the runner in the lane that he has used to put up serious numbers for years. He quietly finished the game with 12 markers.

Jakeem Sturgis Guard (KSK)- Sturgis was impressive playing the wing for KSK. He knocked down the jumper for the corners and showed some of the athleticism that makes him notable prospect. He looked good playing in a system.

Matthew Bullock Forward (KSK)- Bullock has moved his game away from the basket a bit. He mostly operated from the high post. I’ve noticed some improvements in his game such as speed and explosiveness.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Hoop Group Holiday Classic: Top Performers Part 1

Richard Chapman (St. Michaels)

The Hoop Group Holiday Classic got a couple of games in before being called due to the snow storm. Basketball Spotlight was in the building and we caught some of the action.

Top Performers Part 1

Richard Chapman Forward (St. Michaels)- I heard a lot about Chapman and finally got a chance to check him. I like his length and some tools he displays in the paint. His footwork is decent and he’s quick off his feet. His frame looks like a few more inches will be added therefore he seems to have a good upside.



Javone Smith Forward (St. Michaels)- Speaking of upside look no further than Smith. This athletic wing runs the floor like a deer and finishes well in transition. His length helps him defend and in a few years he could explode into something special if is skill set develops.

Sammy Friday Forward (St. Michaels)- Friday is another long forward for this squad that doesn’t have full control of his limbs yet. He’s a live body and will become even better once he gets stronger and develops. He’s nowhere near a finished product which should be looked at as a plus.

James Wright Guard (St. Michaels)- Wright looks very comfortable with this group. He has settled in playing to off guard and slashing to the hole. He shows more patience in terms of letting plays develop and getting the rock to his teammates.

Gilberto Cue Guard (KSK)- I must say I liked the way Cue runs the point and an aggressive penetrator and has a strong frame to absorb contact. I like the range on is shot but did feel that he fell in love with the deep bomb little too much. Penetrating a little more and dishing to their bigs would have served a little better.

Ceasar DeJesus Guard (KSK)- This was my first look this kid and he shined against Team Scan. He had things going from the perimeter knocking down the jumper from deep and the midrange area. He really looks good in transition with a legit handle and explosive finishes. You will be earing more from this kid.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Grand Finale Highlights: Force One Runs Through The Field


Force One came to the Grand Finale to make a statement. The Potomac Valley squad did that by winning the Blue Division 13U Championship. They had a total team effort and made the Maryland area proud. Here are some highlights of their conquest at Hoop Group Headquarters. We would like to thank everyone for continued support and look forward to seeing you at the Clash For The Cup.

Diary Of A Baller: Malachi "Shoota" Richardson (Trenton, NJ) Entry #13


What's up everybody! It's the "Shoota". I'm excited, if you haven't heard already Team Final will be playing at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN....lol.

School this week was good for me. I had one test in Social Studies, I got an A on my test. Also I got my certificate for making honor roll. Everything is really winding down because of the upcoming holidays, none of my teachers gave us any projects to do over the holidays. I plan to workout and watch some high school basketball tournaments during the holidays.

Basketball for me this week started with a hard workout and ended with my team reaching one of our goals. After resting my knees for three days last week, coming into this week I felt really good. Monday I started my lower body workouts again, I had to start my workouts from the beginning again because I hadn't done them in about a month. My trainer told me I would be really sore on Tuesday, he wasn't lying it was hard going up and down the stairs, but for some reason when school was over my legs didn't hurt anymore. Right after my workout I went to the local Y to get up and down in a few games. Tuesday I worked out on my own, I did my usual ball handling drills and I got some shots up. Later that night I checked out my boy Frantz Messante the starting point guard for Drexel beat Louisville. It was pretty cool watching him play
on TV.

Wednesday I had my lower body workout again, strengthening my legs really helps my jump shot. I get more lift and my legs don't get fatigued fast. After my workout I went to the Y to play a few games.

Friday, we (Team Final) had our walk through. We went over our offensive plays and our defensive schemes. I was a little nervous about the playoff games because I knew our big guy Trey wouldn't be playing. But everybody played hard, we stayed together and we executed Coach P's game plan. Shout out to all my guys, Shizz, Fresh, Kid Mamba, Buddha, Sam, and Malik.

Our first playoff game on Saturday was delayed because some of our players were stuck in traffic. Shout out to the Commissioner for not allowing a forfeit to happen and Coach Science and the Gauchos for waiting. The game started out slow, but once we got it together it turned into a blow out win for us.

Sunday everybody on our team got to the gym so early they text me two hours before the game asking where was I..lol We won our second playoff game in blow out.

The Match Up!
Team Final vs Philly Aztecs was the match up everybody wanted to see. I can't say I was nervous, but I knew we had to really hit the boards because were missing Trey, and they have three big guys. But my boy Buddha stepped up and did a good job. Before the game Coach P wanted to make sure everybody knew what they were supposed to be doing, he went over the game plan 4 times. After he got finished everybody was pumped up and loose. The first minute of the game Tracy Carter hit a 3 and starting talking. I'm thinking okay good shot, but before this game is over you will be saying my name every time I touch the ball "Shoota". By the second quarter guess who was screaming my name...lol. In the third quarter we made 3 treys in a row to break the game open, the fourth quarter we just had to finish the game by making free throws.

We going to the Gardennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!

Commissioner Rivers said both teams will get new uniforms, sneakers, socks, and bags. He also said he has a surprise for everybody during halftime of the game.

Oh yea, Happy Holidays Everybody!
"Shoota"

Nike Pre Draft Camp Ready For Registration.

You think you have what it takes to make it in big time basketball? Put your skills to the test at the Nike Pre Draft Camp. The premise of the camp is that it presents an opportunity for kids to experience workouts and skills training that before now, were only eligible to athletes at the higher levels of basketball. The Nike Pre Draft Camp will be coming to New Jersey on Saturday January 15th, 2011. Basketball Spotlight will be in the building for this event. To register click the link below. The first 100 players to register will receive a Nike Pro Combat Sleeve and all the top players will be selected to participate in a Nike National event this summer.

Click Here To Register

Slam Article On Nike Pre Draft Camp

Event: Nike Pre Draft Camp

Date: January 15th 2011

Place: Life Center Academy (Burlington, NJ)

Grades: 6th Thru 8th


1st Session
Registration 8am-9am
Camp 9am-2pm

2nd Session
Registration 3pm-4pm
Camp 4pm-9pm

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Basketball Spotlight Poll: Who's The Most Regional Dominant Team In Recent Memory!

Was Team NJ's Five Year Run Enough?

Basketball Spotlight loves having fun with the past. Through God’s grace I’ve been able to see quite a few top ranked squads in our region. But which team can we really say was the most dominant team in the region. We decided to let you guys decide. Make Sure You Think Hard Before Voting! (These are not one year wonders.)

Team New Jersey: Coach Lamont’s squad dominated the region for about 5 years while finishing nationally ranked a couple times. North Carolina star guard Dexter Strickland was the headliner of this group. They made a Final Four run at 12 and Under. They set the modern bar for New Jersey AAU Basketball.


Team Next: Paul Suber’s crew demolished several team during their tenure. Blow outs were expected when this group stepped on the floor. They produced several high major players including Jayvaugh Pinkston, Doron Lamb, Aaron Brown and Dashawn Wiggins.

RBK All Stars: Paul Gripper’s crew known for their famed Kentucky press blitzed their way to regional prominence. They smacked several teams into submission while also producing several D 1 prospects including Mike Gilchrist, Aaron Brown, Trevor Cooney, Devin Coleman, Joey Gripper and Juanya Green to name a few.

Long Island Lightning: Hardware is something this group knows a lot about. They won two nationals crowns while also marching their way through the region. They have an MDC crown among other big titles. They produced a few good players along the way including Kyle Anderson and Myles Davis.

Educated Athletes/Team Nelson: They dominated their age group for a few years. Few teams wanted to knuckle up with this group for Chester. They have a few Spotlight trophies on the shelf. They produced some top flight players like Conrad Chambers, Jaquan Johnson, Rondee Jefferson and Darius Robinson.

Juice All Stars: There two year run was short but memorable. This past season they ran through everyone on the region while collecting much hardware. Isaiah Whitehead and Chancellor Ellis were the go to guys for this bunch. Last season they finished number 5 in the country.

Team Final: TF has only lost one legit game in the region to another team in their age group. The trophy shelf is stacked with hardware especially from Basketball Spotlight. They have a few players with big time potential. Last season they finished number 6 in the country.

Team Battle: No one has more Basketball Spotlight hardware than this group (3 MDC Crowns, 2 AC Showcase titles, 1 Clash For The Cup Title). They are entering their 4th year and have finished Top 5 in America the last two seasons. Making a Final Four appearance at 11U. They also have a wealth of potential Division 1 talent.

CAST YOUR VOTE IN THE RIGHT COLUMN!

Basketball Spotlight Alum Shine On ESPN

Basketball Spotlight Alum Mike Gilchrist shined bright on ESPNU last night tallying 25 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks while leading St. Patrick’s to their first City Of Palms Championship. We would like to congratulate Gilchrist and all Spotlight alum that are getting busy this year.

Basketball Spotlight Alum Katin Reinhardt scored 28 points and led Mater Dei (California) to a 3rd Place victory over Winter Park. Reinhardt played with New Jersey at the original Clash For The Cup as a 7th Grader. Check out highlights (Katin #1 in black) from the event below. The video also shows top ranked juniors Kyle Anderson and Amile Jefferson.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Video Profile:Izaiah Brockington (Montgomery County)

Name: Izaiah Brockington

AAU Team: Montgomery County

Position: Combo Guard

Class: 2017

Breakdown: Brockington brought his game to the Grand Finale with Team Nelson. At the Clash For The Cup he’s probably going to make an appearance with Montgomery County. The youngster has a quick trigger and can launch it from deep. Let’s see if he can get MCB into the Top 10.

Basketball Spotlight Holiday Coverage


After spending Christmas with the family Basketball Spotlight will be hitting road for more coverage. Sunday we will be in Paterson for the New Jersey Youth Basketball Showdown and then Monday we will be traveling to Hoop Group Headquarters for the finals of the 2010 Hoop Group Holiday Showdown.

New Jersey Youth Basketball Showdown Schedule

11:30 AM 7th Grade Girls Game (North vs. South)

12:45 PM 7th Grade Boys Game (North vs. South)

2:00 PM 8th Grade Girls (North vs. South)

3:30 PM 8th Grade Boys (North vs. South)

Games Played at
Paterson Eastside High School
150 Park Ave
Paterson, NJ 07501

Basketball Spotlight "We Are In The Building"!

Clash For The Cup Getting Tight


The Basketball Spotlight Clash For The Cup is scheduled for Jan. 29th and 30th and already is receiving interest. This event should bring together some of the top squads once again as the hunt for Summer Slam continues. Don’t be left out of this event.

Deadline: January 15th 2011 or Sold Out

Click Here To Register

14U Teams
1. Team Final
2. Albany Dream Team
3. Montgomery County
4. VBC
5. NJ Shore Shots
6. Team Rebels
7. T Town Ballerz
8. Hoop Heaven

9. F.A.C.E.S.
10.
New Heights
11.
Playaz Basketball Club
12. Team Scan\KYDA (NJ)

13. Brooklyn Kings
14.
St. Michael's
15.
Mid Jersey Heat
16.

13U Teams
1. Team Final
2. Gauchos
3. Philly Aztecs
4. Long Island Lightning
5. SI Ironmen

6. Montgomery County
7.
F.A.C.E.S.
8.
ETU Warriors
9. New Heights (Blue)
10.
New Heights (White)
11. Team Scan
12. CT Elite (Blue)

13. CT Elite (White)
14. Harlem Elite
15. Brooklyn Kings
16. St. Michael's

17.
18.
19.
20.

12U Teams
1. Juice All Stars
2. Sports University (IZOD)
3. Team Final
4. CT Elite
5. JSL Hoops
6. Montgomery County
7. Bayshore Bulldogs
8. Playtime Panthers

9. DC Assault
10.
CBC
11.

12.

11U Teams
1. Fastbreak Basketball
2. Delaware Royalty
3. We Run
4. Team Final
5. T Town Ballerz
6. Bayshore Bulldogs
7. Natural Ballers
8.


10U Teams
1. T Town Ballers
2. Team Takeover
3.
4.
5.
6.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Basketball Spotlight Headed To Mass

New England is becoming our second home as Basketball Spotlight will be making the trip to the Basketbull Jr. Hoophall Classic. This event will be held MLK Weekend in Springfield, Massachusetts. We will be bringing you exclusive recaps and other material from this event.

Event: Jr. Hoophall Classic

Date: January 15th - 16th (Finals at HOF)

Travel, CYO, Town
• 7th/8th Grade Division
• 5th/6th Grade Division

AAU Ages
• 14u Division
• 13u Division
• 12u Division

Tournament Cost: $400 per team

· Guarantee of 3 games, minimum

· Converse Gift Bag

· Converse Tee-Shirts for each player

· Converse shoe strings bags for each player

· Converse Shoes to winning teams in each division

· 15 Tickets (max) to Spalding HoopHall Classic (good for one day)


Click Here To Register

The Spalding HoopHall Classic will be held in the same building and will feature some of the top high school teams in the country inlcuding St. Patricks, St. Anthony, Oak Hill Academy and so many others.

#1 Team Final and #5 Team Scan To Clash At The Garden


B&B Backcourt Leads Team Scan

In the first semi, New Heights-8th took an early lead before Team Scan’s Isaiah Briscoe scored nine straight points, including an end-to-end layup with 3.6 seconds left in the opening period that gave Team Scan a 16-13 lead after one. After an evenly-played second quarter, Scan dominated the third quarter, with a three-pointer by Nassir Barrino and two more bombs by Briscoe expanding the margin to 41-25 entering the final period. New Heights picked up the scoring pace in the fourth quarter with foul-drawing drives and three-pointers from Daquon Ervin and Travis Atson, but Team Scan never lost its poise and held on for a 54-42 triumph. Briscoe finished with 21 points and Barrino added 15 points for the winners, while Ervin had the high for New Heights with 15 points.


Richardson Shoots Team Final Into MSG!

The second semi was an all-Philly affair. The Philly Aztecs led 12-10 after the first quarter and took their biggest lead on a drive by Marcus Floyd that made it 17-12 with 4:35 left in the half. Malachi Richardson and Levan Alston then sparked a 16-6 run by Team Final that would put then in front to stay at 28-23. Team Final essentially put the game away in the third quarter with a 12-2 run that featured two long threes by Richardson and another by Alston, making it 40-27. The Aztecs were unable to mount any serious comeback the rest of the way, enabling Team Final to earn the trip to MSG with a 61-45 victory. Richardson led the winners with 21 points, followed by Alston and Lamarr Kimble with 13 points apiece. For the Aztecs, Floyd led with 16 points and Devin Liggeons added 13 points.


Report Taken From Tippy Of Funsport Inc.

Grand Finale Highlights: Team Final Holds Off F.A.C.E.S.


In our final video look into the Grand Finale we have the 14U championship recap. #1 Team Final pulled away from a stubborn #4 F.A.C.E.S. group to win the crown. Team Final will meet Team Scan (NY) in Madison Square Garden for the Funsport Championship Jan 2nd. Wow it’s hard to believe the Grand Finale is just the first event, the Clash For The Cup is right around the corner.

Reclassification, For It Or Against It? Speak Your Mind!


The reclassification of grammar school basketball players has been a hot topic for years. Some people are for it, some against while others are caught in the middle. Jump onto the hottest message board in the country and let us know where you stand. This subject is buzzing right now!

Click Here To Comment

Diary Of A Baller: Otis "The General" Livingston (NJ Got Game) Entry #13


Whats up everybody?

It’s “The General” again with another week of school and hoops.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone. I hope you’re spending these special days with family and friends. Since we’re getting close to the end of the 1st semester we’re pretty much reviewing the material. We have one test in Social Studies so I have to knock that out the park. In Science we’re reviewing tornadoes and storms. I like this subject because we actually watch footage of tornadoes and its crazy to see how much destruction they cause. In Math we’re reviewing negative and positive slopes. I don’t think I’ve shared with you any of my other hobbies, the saxophone. Tuesday, we had our school concert. I was rocking it out Kenny G. style!

There wasn’t that much basketball in the beginning of the week so I worked out and watched a lot of games. I saw the Knicks play the Nuggets, Celtics, and Heat. They beat Denver, but lost the last two. They are a much better team this year because of some of the players they drafted and picked up from other teams. I especially like to watch Raymond Felton’s pick and roll game with Amar’e Stoudemire. Coach Pete from NJ GotGame told me to watch them and especially Steve Nash when it comes to pick and roll. The guard can get lay-ups, jumpers, and lots of assists off that. It’s all about decision-making.

On Thursday, my South Orange teammates and I were hyped cause we finally had our first middle school game. We played Montclair at our house. We started off hot and got out to an early lead. We kind of let off the gas a little bit after that. Nobody was making shots and we were making turnovers. Then we scored a lay up and the pressure was on again. We ended up winning by 55 points. Good to get that first one out of the way. Saturday I had Got Game practice. We had a BIG man coach come in to work with the big guys. I did some of the drills also. I felt like Amar’e! LOL. We also ran through our plays. We were missing some guys so my dad, Coach Nathaniel, and Big Owen had to play. My dad had a couple steals, some rebounds, and he blocked a shot. Lol. It was very physical and highly spirited. I went home to get some rest, and then went to my brother Marcellus’s basketball game against West Orange. They lost by 5. I think they should’ve blown West Orange out, but a couple of turnovers and not blocking out caused them to lose that game.

Sunday I had another school game. This time we played Roseland. It was basically the same story as the Montclair game. We beat Roseland by 46. We went home after that and got some rest. The highlight of my weekend came when we went to the hoop group event up at Seton Hall. I love watching all those guys going at it. It also shows me what I have to get ready for in the near future. We watched the St. Benedict-St. Raymond game, and the Seton Hall Prep-Columbia game. That was the first time I saw Tyler Harris play. His brother Tobias is a freshman at Tennessee. Tyler is long and can make tough shots and get some boards. I think St. Benedicts won by 10. After that we watched the highly anticipated game between Columbia and Seton Hall Prep. It was back and forth from beginning to end. Columbia played really well I have to say. They were hitting their shots and they were getting fast break lay-ups. SHP scored a lot in the inside. My man Dallas Anglin was hyped. He even threw one down to get the crowd souped. My other buddy Sterling Gibbs played really well. He hit a 3 and got a lot of lay-ups ending up with 21 points. He was the player of the game for SHP. Justin Martin got it for Columbia as they pulled away by about 11 points. It was a great game.

I gotta run and get my Christmas list together. Have a great one!
“ The General” is OUT.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Basketball Spotlight Alum Shine On Next Level

Shep Garner Is Off To A Hot Start

Shep Garner is off to a great start for his freshman season. The Basketball Spotlight Alum has Roman Catholic off to a 3-1 start while scoring doubles figures each time out. Two of his most successful games in the scoring column include 18 points against Malvern Prep and 20 markers versus Lincoln of NY featuring Isaiah Whitehead. Basketball Spotlight would like to send congrats to Garner and remind him to keep working hard.

Sina Shining Again!

His team loss to St. Anthony but Jaren Sina made a name for himself at the Hoop Group Tip Off Showcase. Jaren scored 22 points and hit 6 treys. The Basketball Spotlight Alum also picked up a few more college offers. Check out this article about Jaren and a few other alum including Kyle Anderson and Myles Mack.

Tip Off Article

Grand Finale Highlights: Philly Aztecs and Team Scan Get It On!



During the Grand Finale one of the most highlighted games was the Philly Aztecs vs. Team Scan NY. Both teams are flooded with top notch talent including highly rated guards. Basketball Spotlight had the cameras rolling for this one courtesy of Balling 365. Check out the highlights. We still have more to come.

Player Of The Week: Isaiah Briscoe (Team Scan)

Name: Isaiah Briscoe

AAU Team: Team Scan

Event: Funsport Jr. Pros

Breakdown: Briscoe went bonkers this weekend during the playoffs at Funsport Jr. Pros. In the semifinals against New Heights Isaiah led all scorers with 27 points as he got anywhere he wanted on the floor. He now will face #1 Team Final at the Garden for the crown. Can he possibly go from under the radar to a legit Player Of The Year Candidate? We will keep you posted.

Baby Baller Of The Week: Markquis Nowell (Gauchos)

Name: Markquis Nowell

AAU Team: Gauchos

Event: Elite Takeover League

Breakdown: Nowell made my drive to Jersey City worth my time as he showed all parts of his game. He dropped 16 points, 5 assists and 4 steals in the win over #9 T Town Ballers. I’m sure we will be seeing more from this youngster. He will be at the Clash For The Cup.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

In The Spotlight: Tim Maloney (Spring Lake Heights)

Name: Tim Maloney

Team: Spring Lake Heights

Position: Point Guard

Class: 2017


Breakdown: I saw Maloney today at the Middle School tourney in Neptune. The point guard had good command of the game and stroked a few trey balls during the action. This kid is a heady point guard with the will to win and a nice trigger to make it happen.

Grand Finale Highlights: Force One Holds On In Overtime Thriller



Joe Hampton pumped in 32 points and Keith Sims added 10 markers as Force One Basketball got past Philly Triple Threat 52-51 in overtime to win the Grand Finale 13U Blue Division Championship. Josh Sharkey tallied 13 points in the loss. This game turned into an instant classic and we look forward to seeing these two teams bang at future Basketball Spotlight events. We still ave more footage to come.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Elite Takeover League Recap: #1 Gauchos Run Past #9 T Town Ballers

Markquis Nowell (Gauchos)

Markquis Nowell scored 16 points and Vaughn Robinson added 12 markers as the #1 Gauchos defeated #9 T Town Ballers in playoff action at the Elite Takeover league. Nasir Dowling paced T Town with 16 points.

Top Performers

Markquis Nowell Guard (Gauchos)- What impressed me the most about Nowell was his willingness to pass the rock. He led his team in scoring but he also tallied 5 assists. He seemed to actually get joy out of feeding his teammates. That is a rarity in these basketball times. This kid should have a bright future.


Vaughn Robinson Guard (Gauchos)- Robinson started the game nailing two treys. He’s definitely the spot up shooter in the bunch and is a sure thing at the charity stripe. He scored half of his points at the free throw line.

Ju Ju Jamison Guard (Gauchos)- Jamison was assigned the point guard duties and the youngster responded by dropping 7 dimes. He doesn’t look to score as much as his teammates but instead tries to spread the rock around and play defense.

Khalid Moore Forward (Gauchos)- Watch out for this kid on the horizon. I love young wiry players that can handle and Moore fits the bill. He’s capable of playing all five positions as the tallest player on the floor. He might be a problem in the future.

Nasir Dowling Forward (T Town Ballers)- Dowling stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points and 12 rebounds. I like how he handles the ball in the open floor and how he adjusts his shots in traffic. He was one of the most versatile players in the building.

Javade Mackson Guard (T Town Ballers)- Mackson played full court defense and forced the Gauchos into a couple of turnovers. On offense he handled the pill and tried to fight off the Choz pressure as best as he could. He has good quickness when pushing the ball.