Monday, January 31, 2011

Clash For The 11U Recap: Natural Ballers Get It Done!

Natural Ballers 11U Champs

Kayshawn McMahon scored 13 points and Jordan Taylor added 9 markers as Natural Ballers defeated DC Assault 39-27 to win the Clash For The Cup 11U title. Kenny Tyree scored 10 points for DC Assault in the loss.

Top Performers


Kayshawn McMahon Guard (Natural Ballers)- McMahon was just too physical for the opposition. The lefty muscled his way through the defense for tough finishes. He made them pay for pressuring the rock. We will be seeing a lot of youngster for time to come.

Jordan Taylor Guard (Natural Ballers)- If you need a shooter hire Taylor. This youngster definitely has a ratchet. He loves setting up in the corner and making the defense with a trey ball. I also like his size for his position right now.

Brian Pegram Guard (DC Assault)- I said Anthony Cowan reminded me of a young Quinn Cook and now Pegram reminds me of Cowan. Pegram surveys the floor well and is capable of creating plays for himself. He might be the next in line of a long list of top notch Assault guards.

Kenny Tyree Guard (DC Assault)- Tyree can flat out shoot the rock. He has a quick trigger and long range. He also handles the pill like a true point guard with some flair. I will love to see how this backcourt develops. Tyree will be one we keep an eye on.

D’Marco Baucey Forward (DC Assault)- Baucey is just beginning his basketball journey. He didn’t get many touches in the finals but you could see the potential in terms of size. We will be watching.

Stay Tune For Inside The Clash For The Cup 10U Including the All Tournament Team.


Are You Ready For The Basketball Spotlight Super Showcase? Click Here

Clash For The 10U Recap: Team Takeover Prevails

Team Takeover 10U Champs

Jahmir Young and Jason Gibson scored 9 points apiece as Team Takeover defeated Playtime Panthers 35-27 to win the Clash For The Cup 10U Championship. Jordan McKoy scored 7 points for Playtime in the loss.

Top Performers


Jason Gibson Guard (Team Takeover)- Gibson is a cleaver ball handler and can also shoot the pill. He thrives in the open floor by pushing the rock and looking for teammates. This kid has a lot of heart and passion for the game. He has major swagger.

Jahmir Young Guard (Team Takeover)- The southpaw is a showman. He has a good crossover for a player so and he even likes to use the fake pass in transition. He has some swift moves and craftiness in his game already. He’s exciting to watch.

Garrett Kirkland Guard (Team Takeover)- Kirkland is a hard nose guard with some good guard skills. He likes getting out on the break and doing his thing while also being able to shoot from deep. He scored a game high 17 points against T Town Ballers.

Jordan McKoy Forward (Playtime)- McKoy was a problem all tournament because at his size he still can handle the rock and score like a guard. He has good range on his outside shot and will go inside to snatch a few boards. He should a good one in the future.

Makhai Moore Guard (Playtime)- Playtime has an up and coming guard in Moore. He gets anywhere he wants on the floor and will hit teammates on the move with the correct pass. We will be keeping an eye on this baby baller.

Murad Mostafa Forward (Playtime)- Murad battles hard on the blocks and will give you a spin move or two to get buckets. He does all the dirty work for the Green and Black.


Stay Tune For Inside The Clash For The Cup 10U Including the All Tournament Team.

Road To Summer Slam Updated Point Standings

The second leg on the Road To Summer Slam was the Clash For The Cup and below we have listed the point standings after this event. Summer Slam will invite the top four teams from each age group to compete to become the Grand Champion. Point accumulation depends on where teams finish in the tournament. Note (Teams that win or finish second in the Blue Division will be awarded 3 and 2 points and cannot compete in that division for the remainder of the circuit.)

14U Division
Team Final (7 Points)
Team Scan/KYDA NJ (7 Points)
F.A.C.E.S. (6 Points)
Philly Aztecs (6 Points)
Cali Styles (5 Points)
Philly Triple Threat (3 Points)
Team Takeover (3 Points)
Albany Dream Team (2 Points)
Future Players (2 Points)
Team Scan/KYDA NY (2 Points)
NJ Got Game (2 Points)
Team Rebels (2 Points)
Abyssinian Church (2 Points)
New Heights (2 Points)

13U Division
Gauchos (7 Points)
F.A.C.E.S. (7 Points)
DC Assault (5 Points)
Team Scan (5 Points)
Philly Triple Threat (5 Points)
New Heights (4 Points)
Albany Dream Team (3 Points)
CT Elite (3 Points)
Cenn Penn Ballers (2 Points)
Philly Aztecs (2 Points)

12U Division
Team IZOD (7 Points)
Juice All Stars (5 Points)
NY Rising Stars (5 Points)
Cali Styles (5 Points)
CBC (4 Points)
DC Assault (3 Points)
Maryland Panthers (3 Points)
Delaware Talent (2 Points)
JSL Hoops (2 Points)
CT Elite (2 Points)
Team Final (2 Points)
Playtime Panthers (2 Points)

11U
Gauchos (8 Points)
Natural Ballers (7 Points)
We Run (5 Points)
Riverside (4 Points)
Delaware Royalty (4 Points)
DC Assault (4 Points)
Fastbreak (3 Points)
PWC ( 3 Points)

Atlantic City Showcase Next Stop On Road To Summer Slam

The next stop for Basketball Spotlight on the Road To Summer Slam will be the Atlantic City Showcase. Join us as we invade America’s Playground for a weekend of fun and basketball. There’s something magical about this event because the unexpected always seems to happen. Registration will begin soon. Stay tune tonight for the Clash For The Cup Championship recaps.

Basketball Spotlight Alum Selects University Of Alabama

Basketball Spotlight Alum Jaren Sina has made an early verbal commitment to the University of Alabama. Sina participated in several Basketball Spotlight tournaments and showcases including the Elite 80 Expo and All Stars Classic. He finished #7 in our Class of 2013 Top 100 rankings.

According to his father and summer coach, Mergin Sina, the Alabama staff stressed family and that sealed the deal.

"The biggest thing to us was a sense of family and Coach Grant and his staff brings that. Every one of those coaches treat Jaren likes he's one of their own," the elder Sina told Rivals.com affiliate BamaOnline.com. "So I know that when he is at Alabama he's going to have someone there to look out and take care of him. Also we believe in what Alabama is doing. Coach Grant wants a certain kind of chemistry and Jaren fits that mold."

Basketball Spotlight would like to congratulate Jaren and his family on his college selection. We will continue to bring you news on our alumni because we are very proud of these youngsters.

Diary Of A Baller: Malachi "Shoota" Richardson (Trenton, NJ) Entry #18

Week Of 1/16-1/22

What's Up Everybody!

It's the "Shoota" coming at you. My week at school was pretty cool and quiet, we have a few more weeks until the semester is over, I'm looking forward to that. I'm still on course to make honor roll again, I'm putting in the work so I do expect good results. I was accepted into one of the high schools that I applied to, I had the second highest score on the entrance exam so I was awarded a academic scholarship; my parents were really happy about that. Once I get everything back from the admission offices from the other high schools, then my parents and I will decide which high school I will attend. I know it's gonna be a tough decision, but we want to make the right decision not just for basketball but academics as well.

Its official I got my first DUNK in a game. On Sunday, during my school game I got a steal and my first dunk. My mom was suppose to video tape it, she had the video camera ready, she said she saw me get the steal at half court and then held the camera up, but pushed the wrong button. I was a little upset, but not really because I know there's more to come, having the first one on video would have been nice though.

Monday and Tuesday Fresh, Malik, and I worked out with Coach Fresh and Coach P, everybody else had school games. We did a lot of shooting and we worked on our footwork. Coach P told me my footwork has gotten a lot better, he always says to be a great shooter you must have good foot work. Wednesday, I went to my local Y, got some shots up and worked on my ball handling. I played in a few games with the older guys too, just trying to go up and down a little bit.

Thursday we had our Team Final practice, we ran our first drill and Coach P could tell some of us were a little winded, he was pissed off about that. We haven't had a full team practice in about 2 weeks, because some players had school games, he said not having practice for 2 weeks shouldn't be an excuse to be out of shape; he told us after your school practice you could run some suicides and sprints to stay in shape, he is absolutely right. The rest of practice was good and everybody was working hard. Our practice on Friday and Saturday was even better, everybody is really focused and getting ready for our next tournament. I have to give a shout out to Manny who came over to Team Final, once he gets used to how we do things I think he can definitely help us.

We had practice at the University of Villanova on Sunday morning; we were in the practice facility not the rec center. The lobby area is really nice they have their championship trophies in there and on the tv monitors they were showing highlights of their recent game against Syracuse. Coach P's Louisville squad won the national championship the year after Villanova won theirs, he made sure he let everybody know that....lol. Some of the players were in the weight room working out, when they were finished, a few of them came in the gym and introduced themselves to us. Our practice was good and again everybody was working hard. After our practice we went to watch Roman Catholic and Neumann-Goretti play. I got a chance to see my boys Shep Garner and Rashann London play. It was nice to see some of the parents also, Ms. Kim, Ms. Ursula, Ms. Omega, and Coach Shep. The gym was packed, and it was a good close game; Neumann-Goretti pulled it out at the end.

Sunday night I fell asleep during the first half of the Jets game, oh well....I'm an Eagles fan anyway....lol.

Catch up with me next week!
"Shoota"

Basketball Spotlight Clash For The Cup Was Exciting!


The Basketball Spotlight Clash For The Cup was an exciting event. We had new champions from each age group and the talent was through the roof. We like to thank our special guests from Nike, Under Armor and Hype Basketball. Here’s a list of the champions and runner up teams. Basketball Spotlight would like to once again thank everyone for supporting our events and we will continue to work hard to bring you guys the best product around. Championship recaps and other coverage will begin this evening.

10U Division
Champions: Team Takeover
Runner Up: Playtime Panthers

11U Division
Champions: Natural Ballers
Runner Up: DC Assault

12U Division
Champions: Cali Styles
Runner Up: CBC

13U Orange Division
Champions: F.A.C.E.S.
Runner Up: Gauchos

13U Blue Division
Champions: Albany Dream Team
Runner Up: Cenn Penn Ballers

14U Orange Division
Champions: Cali Styles
Runner Up: Team Scan

14U Blue Division
Champions: Philly Triple Threat
Runner Up: PA Chargers

Friday, January 28, 2011

Clash For The Cup 14U Preview


Does Team Final Have Enough To Prevail?

The 14U Division at Basketball Spotlight is totally stacked. This is the best assembled age group we ever had at Basketball Spotlight. Here’s a look at the top squads making the trip.

Clash For The Cup 14U Preview

Team Final: TF will trying to add to their trophy shelf by winning another Spotlight crown. They are loaded and led by reigning POY’s Lamarr Kimble and Trevaughn Wilkerson. Also keep an eye on shooting guard Malachi Richardson and rising star Tyus Battle.

Team Scan: Scan has been so close to capturing a crown. They have great guards and are capable of making a long run. The field is tough but this group is definitely battle tested so they should prevail. Chris Atkinson is one of the best floor generals in the region.

The City: These boys have redemption on their mind. They didn’t perform on their standards at the Grand Finale and are looking to represent. Donovan Mitchell is a budding star and will be one to keep an eye on.

Team Rebels: Tavon White is anxious to show the region he is among the elite. Team Rebels made a little noise last season and are trying to gain some Summer Slam points. Everything will be on the line so let’s see how they respond.

Future Players: An early exit at the Grand Finale has this group hungry for some get back. Reports have Leroy Butts staying home with this crew so that gives them a legit shot to defeat anyone.


F.A.C.E.S.: They made a surprised finals appearance at the Grand Finale. After winning the Basketbull title they will not be able to sneak up on anyone. Nevertheless Coach Cole will have the troops ready for war.

Philly Aztecs: This squad came into the season with huge expectations and they will be looking to meet them. Marcus Floyd and Traci Carter form an exciting backcourt. But also look out for Devin Leggions.


Team Takeover: This team is receiving a lot of hype and it’s time to put up. This field is very serious and there’s nowhere to hide so I’m very interested in watching them perform. Bryant Crawford can really go.


Playaz Basketball: The B and B backcourt will be running with this crew. They have a serious pool featuring Team Takeover and Philly Aztecs. Things should definitely heat up, are they ready?


St. Michaels: The up and coming crew has a lot of size and is eager to show they belong. They wanted a shot at the Orange Division and here it is. Good Luck Garden State crew in this event. This will be a great test for this crew.

Cali Styles: This team is bringing six of the top players from the West Coast. This should be a true test for this squad and we will be looking forward to watching them get it on.


NJ Got Game: This team needs a good showing at this event to remain among the elite. They have some tough players and should be capable of getting things done. We will be watching.

Other Teams To Watch: JS Devils, NJ Pirates, Hoop Nation, T Town Ballers, Team MVP, Positive Force, Philly Triple Threat, Mid Jersey Heat, VBC and PA Chargers.

Clash For The Cup 13U Preview

Can F.A.C.E.S. Stay Hot?

The 13U Bracket is wide opened right now. DC Assault, Team Final and New Heights decided to take the weekend so a new champion will certainly emerge. Here’s a breakdown of the top teams that will be heading to Neptune.

Clash For The Cup 13U Preview

F.A.C.E.S.: The Killer Bees rebounded well from their Grand Finale performance by winning the Basketbull title in Massachusetts. Their guard play has improved and they added some necessary size in the middle. Ray Montilous will to have to have a big tournament.


Team Scan: TS has a boat load of talent and are very hungry for their first Spotlight championship. They made an impressive run to the Final Four at the Grand Finale and we expect much of the same here. Unique McLean is one to watch.


Gauchos: Paul Suber’s crew is due to take the next step. Things will get very interesting early for them as they will face Team Scan in pool play. Look for The Choz to be on the hunt. Their 1-2 punch of NyRhique Smith and Mustafa Heron will be ready

Philly Triple Threat: After making a championship run in the Blue Division, PTT will take a shot with the big boys in the Orange Bracket. They are one of the toughest teams around and might cause some raucous.


Philly Aztecs: I’m anxious to see how this newly formed team will react against this thick field. They have one of the biggest frontlines in the region and some experienced guards.


CT Elite: This squad feels they are ranked to low in the rankings and are out to prove a point. They have one of the best shooters in the region in Thomas Jackson while also possessing other quality pieces.


SI Ironmen: It’s been a minute since the Ironmen have roamed through the Spotlight. They are known to fight tooth and nail for every rebound and loose ball. They might be the Cinderella of this group.


EUTU Warriors: Formerly the PTS Pistons, these boys have returned to the Spotlight. They have a pesky guard in Alex Leder and a few other nice players. Are they ready for this challenge?

Other Teams To Watch: T Town Ballers, CJ Hawks, Shooting Stars, Albany Dream Team, CT Elite (White), Philly Freedom Stars, Cenn Penn Ballers, St. Michaels

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Clash For The Cup 12U Preview

Will Top Guard Nate Pierre Louis Lead Team IZOD To A Title?

The 12U division at the Clash For The Cup has some familiar faces and top new teams. This might be the best Class of 2017 group we have put together at a Basketball Spotlight event. Here’s a look at the top teams entering this event.

Clash For The Cup 12U Preview

Team IZOD: Team IZOD will be looking for their first Spotlight title of the year. They have a solid crew including super guard Nate Pierre Louis. They finished runner up at the Grand Finale and want to take home the prize this time around.


CBC: This hungry bunch is looking to come and crash the party. They have the top point guard in the region in Jaecee “Mayweather” Martin and equipped big man Ismail Charles. We expect them to be in the hunt.

Team Final: Sa’eed Nelson will be leading this group into battle. They will be ready to show they have emerged as one of the top teams in the region. This field will definitely test this bunch. But Nelson should be up for the task.

CT Elite: These boys are anxious to move up in the rankings. Ultra quick guard Keonte Lucas is something to watch. He plays both ends of the floor. Endel Sanchez can flat out shoot the pill.


Juice All Stars: Be on the lookout for Tyler Bourne and big forward Chris Coalman. This 1-2 punch will be there to help Juice reach the problem land. They have the hustle and style of play to knock off several teams in this event.

Playtime Panthers: Their talented backcourt of Bobocaur Kamissoko and Terrell Bonner might be enough to have Playtime in the thick of things. This squad is not willing to back down from no one.

Bayshore Bulldogs: Jake Needleman is a solid point guard and he knows how to run a team. This squad is well disciplined and might be able to handle these big time teams. They will need to practice heavy ball control.

DC Assault: This squad has a national rep but we haven’t checked them out yet. They should be ready to make some serious noise and take the title back to Potomac Valley.

Cali Styles: I heard a lot about this squad from the West Coast. They recently went to Indianapolis and defeated the national champs Indy Hoosiers. Some think they are the favorites to win it all.

Other Teams To Watch: Philly Triple Threat and KBR Raptors

Nike Head Scout Coming To Clash For The Cup


The Head Of Nike Scouting Vince Baldwin will be attending the Basketball Spotlight Clash For The Cup. Baldwin has a national reputation since his days of running his own scouting service Prep Spotlight. Baldwin seems very excited about this trip. “I heard about the Basketball Spotlight events and they have received rave reviews. This event will give me a chance to see some of the top young players in the country. We love to keep an eye out on the next young talent of the future” said Baldwin.

Basketball Spotlight will continue to work to bring you the best coverage and events.

Clash For The Cup 11U Preview

The Gauchos Are Aiming For Another Title!

The Clash For The Cup 11U division is stuffed with upcoming teams. Top to bottom anyone can defeat anyone at any giving time. Here’s a breakdown of the top teams that will be in the building.

Clash For The Cup 11U Preview


Gauchos: The Grand Finale Champs will be trying to win the second leg of the Road To Summer Slam. Coach Wee will be roaming the sidelines and having his crew ready to go. Keep an eye on rising guard Markquis Nowell.

We Run: One of the hottest teams in the region will be in Lakewood. Jalen Brooks has been outstanding this season and should be able to help this group make a deep run. This is a quality squad.


Fastbreak Basketball: Judah McIntyre runs the show for this crew and that have the talent to have a good showing. This kid has to be one of the best guards around. Also watch out for shooter Daniel Klosk.

Bayshore Bulldogs: Rob Higgins is a crafty guard and should be able to keep the crowd entertained. He sees the floor well and will have to get the ball to the shooters. I’m anxious to see how they fair.


Natural Ballers: NB are hungry for a Spotlight crown. Jordan Taylor and Jaheim Tanksley should provide the offense for this group. Taylor had a great showing at the Grand Finale and we expect another one.

Team Final: TF is led by floor general Elkhana Hildago and he is known for putting on a show. This squad will be looking to make a dent into the 11U division. This is a tough field but I think they should be okay.

T Town Ballers: Nasir Dowling helps take this team to another level. He plays all five positions and should be able to help them knock off a few top teams. Keep an eye out for quick guard Javade Mackson.


Delaware Royalty: Fahmir Ali doesn’t fear anyone and he will be ready to lead DR to some wins. He is one of the quickest guards in the region and DR will need him to have a good tourney. I also heard that their big boy will be in the building.

Howell: This team has been making a lot of noise on the travel scene. This is their first Spotlight experience and hopefully they can handle the heavy competition. We will be watching.

DC Assault: I haven’t seen this group yet but I know Assault only has top ball players in their staple. It will be interesting to see how this PV squad can handle the Spotlight.