Diary Of A Baller: Azar “A.Z.” Swain (Boston, MA) Entry #1

 

Azar Swain (Middle School Team)

First of all I just want to let everybody know that I'm super nervous to be doing the diary, but at the same time I'm thankful. I never thought that I would get a chance to tell my story to Basketball Spotlight. I really am happy to share my days with you guys. By the end of these basketball diaries, hopefully everyone will have a clear picture of who I am and what I'm about. I'm not going to hold anything back because I never know when I will ever get a chance like this again. Plus my teachers and coaches will be reading these also. 

Diary Of A Baller: Lamar "Fresh" Kimble Entry #1

Hello basketball world my name is Lamarr "Fresh" Kimble. I am 13 years old, my birthday is September 28. I'm in 8th grade and I attend Life Center Academy in Burlington, NJ. I play for Team Final 13u AAU we are currently ranked 6th in the nation. Since the nationals I've spent my off season in summer leagues playing against older kids to keep up my physical play, stamina and IQ of the game. I also attended a few camps such as Hoop Group Jr. Elite and KO Elite Camp. One of my highlights of the summer was Basketball Spotlight Super Showcase.

My first day back to school started on August 25th. Since then I've had the pleasure of working out with D1 prospects such as LaQuinton Ross, who also attends Life Center Academy. As well as being invited to workout with high schools such as Roman Catholic (Shep Gardener) and power house Neumann Goretti. On September 11th I Played in The Youth Interlock Midnight Madness. I had a good game with 17pts, 5 rebs, and 6 ast, my team also won. It was still early so I worked on my conditioning and shooting for an hour. I'm always looking for different experiences and ways to improve my game. This is my first diary entry for Basketball Spotlight look for more to come from Lamarr "Fresh" Kimble.

Hoop Group Jr. Elite Camp Recap: Day 3 Youngsters Stand Out

Kohl Was A Force Inside!

The final day of the camp rolled around and we decided to show our love to the NCAA division. These youngsters got it going heavy today especially during the championship game. Here’s a breakdown of what we saw.

Top Performers

Tyler Kohl 5'11 Forward (Easton, PA)- Kohl team came up on the short end of the stick in the finals but this kid did everything except sale hot dogs. He punished defenders on the blocks with smooth post moves and a feathery touch. He knows his way around the floor and really impressed me with his passing ability. He does need to work on his sportsmanship a little but that should come with age.

Samir Taylor 5’4 Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- Taylor finished his day off good. His wiry frame and ability to maneuver through defenders allows him to get quick buckets in the half court setting. He also showed good judgment when decided to pull up over potential shot blockers.

Kevin Crutchfield 5’5 Guard (Coatesville, PA)- I like some of the skills this lefty displayed. He was on a guard dominated squad but when he got the chance to create he cashed in. He has good body control and the ability to score the rock.

Alex Dankl 6’0 Forward (Cinnaminson, NJ)- Alex battled Powell tough in the finals. His length helped him get a few buckets off and grad some boards. Right now his lack of strength didn’t allow him to dominate but he does seem to have a better upside for the inside position.

Jordan Holness 5’5 Guard (Toronto, Canada)- Jordan showed some skills in the finals. I like how he creates space with an array of dribbling moves and ended it off with a wet jumper. He has the type of handle that allows him to get into the lane at will. Expect a lot more from him in the future.

Deonte Hall 5’0 Guard (Toronto, Canada)- Speaking of getting into the lane this kid was one of the best at that. He was a blur with the rock and has the heart of a lion. He constantly beat defenders and even played good on the ball defense.

Tyrell Thomas 5’7 Guard (Hyattsville, MD)- Thomas has to be one of the most polished guards in this age group. He has that extra gear that helped him stand out in this bracket. Thomas can definitely score but I also saw him find teammates in transition.

Billy Clark 5’0 Guard (Brooklyn, NY)- Clark showed some flashes of a good playmaker. He created some space for his high arching outside shot and got to the cup a few times. On a few occasions he had the defender beat with his first move but his over dribbling gave them a chance to retreat.

Deante Cole 5’0 Guard (Ewing, NJ)- Cole ended his camp off in his usual fashion. He set up teammates and only took shots when necessary. He looked very good in the open floor nailing running teammates with no look passes.

Mike Jolaoso 4’11 Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- The hard nose guard got into the lane and created opportunities. I also like the way he turned ball handlers on defense and made them turn it over or get rid of the rock.

Jimmy Pazini 4’11 Guard (Spring Lake, NJ)- Jimmy got things going late in his game with a nice outside stroke and a few confident finishes near the cup. He didn’t back down at all from the comp.

Hoop Group Jr. Elite Camp Recap: Day 2 NBA Division

Jackson Brought His "A" Game Today!

Day 2 of the Hoop Group Jr. Elite Camp gave us a chance to check out some new prospects and watch some familiar faces dominate the session. Today we decided to break our reports into two parts; a NBA division and NCAA division. Here’s the NBA report.

NBA Division Top Performers

Justin Jackson 6’5 Forward (Toronto, Canada)- Jackson moved up to the NBA division and delivered instantly. The lanky forward excelled on the wing by using his length and ball handling to get by defenders. His match up with Brandon Austin was a joy to watch as the rising 7th Grader gave Austin all he could handle. Jackson hasn’t even tapped into his potential. Remember this name!

Brandon Austin 6’4 Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- You have to love when this guy is running the show. He has a natural point guard feel and sometimes can be a little too unselfish. Austin got it going after Jackson woke him up and stayed in attack mode for the rest of the afternoon. His crossover is lethal because his length makes the defender bite on his first move.

Joshua Blagrove 6’5 Forward (Brooklyn, NY)- The rugged space eater has decent touch around the basket but enjoys banging bodies on the blocks. His post moves are developing and we will be keeping our eye on him.

Mike Young 6’7 Forward (Pittsburgh, PA)- Young is the tallest player in the camp and I expected him to be a post player. On defense he does a good job on the blocks but on the other end he prefers the face the cup. I like how he pushes the rock with confidence and his ability to play over the rim.

Carlton Carter 5’7 Guard (Stafford, MD)- Carter gave a good showing by showing some point guard and scoring skills. He beat defenders down the floor and stopped at the foul line for his pull up. On defense he stayed low to the ground and harassed ball handlers.

Geno Thorpe 6’3 Guard (Pittsburgh, PA)- Geno attacks from the wing and finishes with authority. He excels in transitions and looks very good when slashing to the hole. I like his upside because he has a strong but lanky frame.

Tarin Smith 5’5 Guard (Ocean, NJ)- Smith looked very smooth in his afternoon game. He was able to draw contact and convert at the basket. He also knew when to hit teammates and when to become a little selfish.

Hoop Group Jr. Elite Recap: Day 2 NCAA Division

Samir Taylor Got Busy Today

Day 2 of the Hoop Group Jr. Elite Camp gave us a chance to check out some new prospects and watch some familiar faces dominate the session. Today we decided to break our reports into two parts; a NBA division and NCAA division. Here’s the NCAA report.

Top Performers

Samir Taylor 5’6 Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- Taylor was excellent today. He played the passing lanes on defense and scored a variety of ways on offense. He split the defense with his quick dribble and exploded past shot blockers for buckets. He was clicking on all cylinders.

Austin Uhl 5’11 Forward (Allentown, PA)- Uhl plays a Bill Laimbeer type style on the blocks. He hits the boards well and clogs the lane while blocking shots. Austin is also capable of making a bucket close to the tin.

Isiah Jones 5’4 Guard (Brooklyn, NY)- Jones is extremely quick and uses a swift crossover dribble to leave defenders behind. He has a scoring knack but also can deliver a nice pass to striding teammates.

Deonte Hall 5’2 Guard (Toronto, Canada)- Hall can get into the lane whenever he wants because of his quickness but sometimes he over penetrates. Deonte must learn how to pick his spots and when to drop a dime off to a post player under the basket.

Deante Cole 5’0 Guard (Ewing, NJ)- Cole operated very smooth when I saw him this morning. He hit cutting teammates and didn’t turn the ball over much.

Tysean Powell 5’10 Forward (Aurora, OH)- Powell dominated on the glass but also showed that he could push the rock and make plays. He’s a multidimensional forward.

Hoop Group Jr. Elite Camp Recap: Day 1 Class 2014

Austin Is Back!

The Class of 2014 had their share of standouts today. We got a chance to see quite a bit of players getting busy. Here’s a breakdown of who impressed us in the rising 8th Grade group.

Class 2014 Top Performers

(NBA Level Of Camp)

Brandon Austin 6’4 Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- Austin seems to be totally back from the injury he suffered this year. He was very aggressive and even looked comfortable shooting the jumper. I love the way he runs the point while towering over defenders. Today he reminded me of a young version of Walt Williams the former Maryland and NBA star.

Nazier Chew 5’6 Guard (Trenton, NJ)- Chew stays in attack mode from the minute he touches the rock. He can get past defenders dribbling with either hand and has enough strength to get his shot off in traffic. On defense he moved his feet well and forced a couple of turnovers. He was solid today.

Nassir Barrino 5’5 Guard (Newark, NJ)- It was good seeing Barrino run a ball club. Playing with the elite talent gave him a chance to concentrate on being a point guard. I liked the way he showed patience while the offence developed while still being able to pick his spots to score. He showed good maturity today.

Wade Baldwin 5’7 Guard (Montgomery, NJ)- Baldwin found his comfort zone from the perimeter today. He began by knocking down a few short jumpers then that gave him confidence to drive to the hole. He’s a very streaky scorer that’s looks very good when he is on.

Trevon White 5’6 Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- White continues to improve. I love the poise he has when running the team. He stays within himself and doesn’t force the action which could lead to turnovers. He appears to be much quicker and has more confidence in his ball handling.

Rashann London 6’1 Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- You have to love the way this kid handles the rock and explodes from the wing. In this atmosphere you get to see so much more of his game and potential. His decision making has improved and he’s beginning to get that swagger.

(College Level Of Camp)

Alec Gewirtz 5’11 Forward (New Canaan, CT)- Gewirtz pounded the glass and made some face up shots in the paint. The game got sort of physical but Alec didn’t mind instead he seemed very comfortable. He was a joy to watch.

Aaron Briggs 5’9 Guard (Potomac, MD)- Briggs has the size of a forward with the team he’s playing with but he really performed like a guard. He pushed the rock up the middle of the floor and delivered some nice passes to waiting teammates.

Zachery Boczar 5’2 Guard (New York, NY)- Bozcar doesn’t have any flash but he knows how to find the bottom of the net. He shot high arching trey balls and floaters while driving in the lane. I like the energy he brought to the game.

Hoop Group Jr. Elite Camp Recap: Day 1 Class of 2015 and 2016

Cheyenne Nettleton Got It Done!

The youngest bracket at the Hoop Group Jr. Elite Camp had some fine ballers. We spent the afternoon checking out some of their work. Here’s our breakdown of the Class of 2015 and 2016.

Class 2015 Top Performers

Cheyenne Nettleton 5’4 Guard (Brooklyn, NY)- Nettleton is playing the highest level at camp and performed very well his first game. He was difficult to contain off the dribble and delivered laser passes to teammates. Cheyenne does need to fine tune his outside shot a little but overall he had a standout showing.

Justin Jackson 6’5 Forward (Toronto, Canada)- That’s right this towering forward came down from Canada and didn’t waste the trip. He’s still in project stage but in a few years he should be a force to reckon with. I like his willingness to put the rock on the floor at this young age.

Stevie Jordan 5’0 Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- It was a tale of two halves for Jordan. In the first stanza he started slow and a few turnovers but when the second half came around he got it together. Jordan quickly caught fire from the perimeter and burned the nets.

Antonio Kellem 5’10 Forward (Freedom, PA)- Kellem has extremely long arms that he uses to alter shots and eat rebounds. He needs to improve his touch around the basket but I love his hustle and nose for the ball.

Marquis Irizarry 4’11 Guard (Elizabeth, NJ)- One day this kid will be an excellent coach for someone’s program. Marquis is constantly yelling instructions and taking charge of the squad while running the point. He likes to set up the dribble drive but understands his limitations when driving in traffic.

Class 2016


Tyler Jones 5’2 Guard (Lawrenceville, NJ)- Jones gave another stellar performance. He had the jumper flowing and was able to attack a bit. I think today he was a little too unselfish when he was near the tin.

Keith Washington 5’1 Guard (Sicklerville, NJ)- Washington has enough dribble moves to get around any defender. Once he gets a little stronger he will be able to finish in traffic. I also like his poise as a floor general.

Hoop Group Jr. Elite Camp Recap: Day 1 Class 2013

Shamiek Sheppard Was Pleasant Surprise At Jr. Elite Camp Today!

The Hoop Group Jr. Elite Camp kicked off and as promised Basketball Spotlight is in the building. We arrived this morning and went straight to work. In the morning session I got a chance to check out three games. We will break down our top performers by class.

Class 2013 Top Performers

Shamiek Sheppard 6’2 Forward (Brooklyn, NY)- Today Sheppard was very dominant finishing around the basket. Don’t get me wrong he is a legit wing in terms of handling the pill and creating opportunities. He has enough wiggle in his game to get past many defenders but his real strength is exploding to the rim once he gets deep in the paint or on the baseline. He stayed away from the outside shot so I don’t have a take on his jumper.

Rasheed Jordan 5’11 Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- Few could argue about this kids dominance this morning. He can give it to you with strength and with skills. Jordan has a unique knack of getting into the lane and making positive things happen. He’s good at getting teammates involved or scoring in traffic himself. I also love the way he competes.

Kavon Stewart 5’11 Guard (Paterson, NJ)- I’ve seen Stewart dismantle defenders for years and today wasn’t any different. The southpaw set up defenders with his slow dribble then blow pass them to get into the lane. His team was outmanned in terms of talent but Kavon stirred them to the victory. It’s time for him to hit the high school level.

Terrence Samuel 6’2 Guard (Brooklyn, NY)- I finally got a chance to see this kid rock and he has some skills. He’s very explosive when attacking the lane and has some springs in terms of finishing. His outside shot looks decent but he doesn’t seem to be confident enough to let many fly. I like what I saw and hopefully I can get a look at him later.

Reggie Cameron 6’4 Forward (Hackensack, NJ)- If there’s a such thing as a veteran on the grammar school level it has to Cameron. Reggie uses his wealth of experience to expose opponent’s weaknesses. He’s not the quickest but he’s knows how to get to spots and he’s not the most athletic but he understands box out positions. Today he showed a lot of different aspects of his game.

Cane Broome 5’8 Guard (East Hartford, CT)- Cane is a southpaw that primarily runs the point but can drain the open jumper if left open. He’s a good on ball defender and stays within his game when controlling the tempo. He represented himself well today.

Ian Rohde 6’1 Forward (Ringwood, NJ)- Rohde ran the floor well and benefitted from Stewart hitting him with on time passes. He’s not a super athlete but he uses his body well to shield defenders when scoring in traffic. His confidence grew as the game went on.

Austin Hawkins 5’9 Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- Hawkins is a scoring guard inside of a point guards body. He can fill it up in a hurry because his handle allows him to create space to get a shot off. But on the next level he will have to develop his point guard skills as the defenders will become bigger, stronger and faster.

Hoop Group Jr. Elite Weekend Recap: Part 1

Mikey Dixon was very impressive this weekend.

Hoop Group Skills Camp kicked off their 47th summer the weekend of June 6th-7th with a Junior Elite Weekend up in the beautiful Pocono Mountains. The weekend consisted of the best rising 5th-9th graders from all over the northeast. This two-day camp consisted of intense skill development, competitive games, and an interesting lecture from Steve Keller from the National Recruiting Service. The National Recruiting Service was also on hand to evaluate the talent from the weekend. At a camp with over 110 kids, it is impossible to recognize everyone who played well, but here are a few of the top performers from both leagues.


Class 2015, 2016 and 2017

Mikey Dixon, a tough point guard from Delaware, has the offensive mindset to get his players involved first. Mikey is a true point guard in that he is able to get into the lane and kick to his open man. He has a good shooting touch and was able to knock down the open jump shot consistently all weekend.

Rayle Cortoron, a strong guard who causes match up problems for opponents because of his size and strength. His talent and ability shows why Abyssinian Church is one of the top teams in New York. Rayle is able to control the game and has great passing and court vision to find his teammates.

Trevon Duval, A rising 5th grader from Delaware showed off his skill by playing with mostly older talent all weekend. Trevon did not back down to anyone and always competed and worked hard. Trevon is a true point guard who did a great job running and leading his team.

Rakym Felder, a tough strong New York guard who has the ability to take his man off the dribble. Rakym was unselfish as he was not afraid to pass the ball when he got into the lane. He was also a very tough defender.

Mahamood Davis, another Abyssinian Church standout was truly one of the hardest working guards in the camp. He is a true competitor who does everything for his team to win. He brought energy and intensity to the offensive and defensive end of the court. Once Mahamood develops a consistent jump shot he is going to be one tough player to stop.

Christopher Middleton, a strong guard from New York who has great ball handling ability for his size. He is able to lead the break and find the open man. Chris also works hard on the defensive end and is able to cause havoc.

Diary Of A Baller: Jordan Forehand Entry #15

Hello Basketball World!

It's your boy Jordan. I graduated from Rutgers Prep on Friday. This was definitely my most challenging academic year. Rutgers Prep has a very rigorous and demanding curriculum. I met a lot of new friends and
enjoyed my experiences with them. Though the school year is over, I still do work over the summer. This includes reading books and working on my math skills for next year. As my dad says "Basketball will get
you to the door, but without an education, you will not be able to open that door".

Over the weekend, my Sports University team played in the Team Philly tournament down in Philadelphia. We won both of our games on Saturday. We won our first three on Sunday, but lost to Team Philly in the semi-finals. I was glad that our games on Saturday were early. This allowed me to be able to get together with a few friends and family to celebrate my graduation.

My New Jersey Shoreshots team participated in the Hoop Group Jr Elite camp over the weekend. I am going to the one being held on August 21 & 22. I hope that they all did well.

I'll be heading out to San Diego, California on June 25th through the 28th to participate in the Adidas Phenom Camp. There will be a lot of good competition out there. I'll be looking forward to playing with and against all of them.

I am glad that school is over. Now I will have more time to work out during the day. Those workouts will include strength and conditioning, agility and working on my game. This year, I have enjoyed watching the NBA playoffs. I usually only watch the college games and the NCAA tournament, but this year I am glued on Kobe Bryant. I love his game and his dedication to the game.

Later this week, I want to check out that new movie "The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3". That looks like it is going to be good.

The Laker-Magic game is now in overtime and I will now bring this to a close.

See ya'll on the court!

J4-Out

Hoop Group Jr. Elite Philly Recap

Rasheed Jordan Was Very Impressive Tonight

The Hoop Group held their Jr. Elite Camp at Germantown Academy and Basketball Spotlight was in the building. The event gave us a chance to check out some new 8th Graders and some other youngsters.

Top Performers

Class 2012

Rasheed Jordan Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- This was my first look at Jordan and his game stands out. His very quick in both directions and is capable of playing either guard spot effectively. Rasheed is the type of guard a coach would love because he has a serious killer instinct. Keep an eye on him.

Floyd Prieto Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- Prieto is one of the top pg’s in the Quaker State. He penetrates deep into the defense and knows how to find teammates. He couldn’t get off close to the basket but he punished the opposition with mid range pull up’s. He defense also stood out tonight as he harassed many ball handlers.

Austin Hawkins Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- Hawkins has a burst of speed that separates him from most defenders. Once he drives the lane he usually uses his speed and power to explode to the basket. But don’t over play his drive game because he will burn you with a mid range jumper.

Fateem Glenn Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- Most events have a small guard that stands out and Glenn played that role tonight. Shorty dished out several assist and enjoyed his role of doing it. In this day and time where many guards want to score it was good to see a pass first floor general.

Shawn Jerry Forward (Harrisburg, PA)- Jerry is the size of a guard but plays much bigger than that. He’s active in transition and will stick his head inside for a rebound. I would like to see him work on his ball handling and outside shot before entering high school.

Malik Starks Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- Starks caught my eye because he has good size but loves to handle the pill and throw look away passes. Sometimes he does have a little too much mustard on his play but you can see the potential in his game.

Class 2013

Trevon White Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- White seems to get better whenever I see him. During his game he scored at ease when going to the basket. His low crossover helped him get into the lane and stretch for lay ups or drop a few floaters. I like how he’s developing.

Joe Leventhal Forward (Hunting Valley, PA)- Joe was the biggest player in his division and he took full advantage. He hustled for several rebounds and even hit the face up set shot a few times. His size alone caused some problems inside.

Class 2014

Mikey Dixon Guard (Wilmington, DE)- Dixon looked good tonight, he let the game come to him and ran the show like a true point. His drive, draw and dish game was evident and his confidence was soaring. I was impressed with the Delaware native.

Stevie Jordan Guard (Philadelphia, PA)- Jordan scores so many ways on the floor. He will knock down the jumper; score in transition or breakdown his defender on the way to the cup. His feel for the game continues to improve and right now he truly gets the job done.

Jordan Meely Guard (Willow Grove, PA)- I like Meely’s energy on the floor. He’s a guard that has a good nose for the ball and runs the floor like a deer. He has a nice mid range stroke and will help out on the glass for rebounds while also playing aggressive defense.

The Hoop Group Jr. Elite Hits Neptune On Sunday and we will be there!

Melton's Mailbag 8/27/08

As you know through our polls we at Basketball Spotlight like to have the fan input. We decided to take it to another level. We have developed the Melton’s Mailbag. The Melton Mailbag will contain 4 questions from you the fans that we will post and answer on our page. We will pick the four questions we feel are the best for that week.

Chris From Massachusetts:
Mike I’m a coach for a new 12U team and I’m looking for some good tournaments to go to can you help me out and give me some suggestions?

MM: Chris we will making a list of hot tournaments that we recommend on our website in September. These are the tournaments that we feel will be worth your money in terms of competition and organization.

Sarah From Yardley Wrote:
Mike how good was the Hoop Group Jr. Elite Camp? I’m looking to send my son to a few camps next year and mostly all of them promote the same things. Can you give me some insight on their camp?

MM: Sarah the Hoop Group Jr. Elite Camp was a joy to cover because they made it convenient for the campers, coaches and media. They had good facilities and instructional coaches for their camp. It was very organized and seemed to keep the players busy throughout the day.

Shawn From Ohio:
Mike is the MDC the only tournament you guys will be hosting this year? Because we are really trying to get out there but Memorial Weekend might be tough. Are you hosting any other’s

MM: Shawn Basketball Spotlight will be hosting 3 tournaments this year. We will be having a Christmas Tournament December 26th -28th , Atlantic City Super Showcase March 21st and 22nd and of course the MDC on May 22nd-24th.

Sabree From Newark:
Mike in your 10U rankings if F.A.C.E.S finished ranked in the country at #15 how did Team Battle finish ranked ahead of them in your rankings?

MM: Sabree good question, Team Battle finished ranked ahead because our rankings are a compilation of your entire year. Team Battle won all the big tri-state tournaments and defeated F.A.C.E.S twice head to head in big games. Therefore I had to give them the nod.