Saturday, July 9, 2011

Basketbull Jr. Nationals Day 1 Recap: New England's Finest

Chris Baldwin (Expressions)

The boys from Canada weren’t the only players getting busy. We also got a chance to watch some of the top ballers from the New England area grace the hardwood.

Basketbull Jr. Nationals Top Performers

Chris Baldwin Forward (Expressions)- Baldwin’s name has been hot lately and it’s easy to see why. He passes the look test (standing 6’6) but also displays the skills that will have major colleges ringing his phone soon. Even when he wasn’t showing a mean face up game or an improve handle he was blocking shots and running back on defense. I was happy to see Chris play with this sense of urgency because that one of my concerns when I saw him two years ago.

Juwan Gooding Guard (Expressions)- Gooding is trying to make the transition to point guard. At times the road seems a little bumpy especially when he takes an ill-advised shot or drives to deep into the defense. Then other times he showed flawless court vision and great decisions. Stay patient youngster everything will come together soon.

Donovan Love Guard (Expressions)- Love sparked is team with some southpaw scoring and play making. He can hurt from the wing or attacking the defense head on. This kid has a lot of poise and smoothness in his game. Word has him reclassifying into the Class of 2016 if so that will only take his stock higher.

Mustapha Heron Guard (Stamford Peace)- Playing on the 14U level didn’t slow down this stud. Heron was guarded by Justin Jackson for most of the game and didn’t hesitate to attack the highly touted forward. He gave his opponents a taste of his outside touch and when they overplayed he charged the rim and finished while absorbing contact.

Ryan Kriftcher Guard (Stamford Peace)- Ryan can stick the open jumper but he’s more than just a spot up shooter. He isn’t afraid to travel into the land of the giants to finish off plays. His toughness stood out.

Raiquis Harris Guard (Albany Dream Team)- Harris was a pleasant surprise for ADT. His range is unbelievable but he also has a crafty handle and goes either way very comfortably.

Isaiah Dobere Guard (Albany Dream Team)- His team eventually wore down against Expressions but Dobere stayed involved in the game. He spent most of the afternoon in the lane drawing fouls on the defense.