Basketball Spotlight was on hand again for Day 2 of the Nike Challenge Camp in Los Angeles, California. Here’s a look at some of the 7th Graders that caught our eye on Day 2.
Day 2 Top Performers (Class Of 2016)
Christian Juzang Guard (Tarzana, CA)- Juzang dominated the competition on Day 2 in this group. His size allowed him to see over the defense but his ball handling and ability to make plays really stood out. On several occasions Christian snatched the defensive rebound and pushed the rock gracefully up the floor before finishing himself or hitting teammates. He was a one man fast break. He has a tremendous feel for the game.
Darren Dixon Guard (Los Angeles, CA)- Dixon had one goal which was getting to the tin. He used a slick handle including a crisp crossover to open the lane and used his strength to finish after driving. In transition he used these same attributes to flourish.
Colin Slater Guard (Fresno, CA)- Most ball handlers feared matching up with this kid. Slater was relentless on the defensive end moving his feet and staying low while guarding the pill. On offense he was a drive and kick machine with the capability of squeezing in a layup or two.
Dylan Horn Guard (Malibu, CA)- The winner of the shooting competition also played he games with some fire. He wasn’t the most athletic guard there but he made up for it by showing a good basketball IQ and a great ratchet. He seems to understand angles and positioning at this young age.
Joshua Caston Guard (Burbank, CA)- Caston made it to the finals of the shooting competition. He loves killing opponents with his mid range jumper or floater similar to Mike Bibby. He has a crafty handle and good court vision. He also is very fundamentally sound.
Sean Morriesey Forward (Hunting Beach, CA)- Morriesey played the forward spot well. He cashed in by moving well without the rock and hitting the offensive glass. There wasn’t much size in the age bracket and Morriesey took full advantage.
Basketball Spotlight will be bringing more profiles, analysis and rankings from the Nike Challenge Camp which is turning into the premier West Coast Event.
Kendall Small Played Big On Day 2 Of The Nike Challenge Camp
Basketball Spotlight was on hand again for Day 2 of the Nike Challenge Camp in Los Angeles, California. Here’s a look at some of the players that shined on the final day of competition.
Day 2 Top Performers (Class Of 2015)
Kendall Small Guard (Anaheim, CA)- Small took home honors as the top point guard in this event. He used Day 2 as his personal showcase by breaking down the defense and feeding teammates like a charity. Kendall also displayed his shooting touch during game play and when he made it to the finals of the skills competition. He reminds me of former Seton Hall University floor general Eugene Harvey but with a better ratchet.
Jordan Dallas Forward (Long Beach, CA)- When it’s all said and done don’t be surprised if this kid emerges as one of the top prospects from California. He’s a recruiters dream standing 6’6 but will probably max out near 6’10. Right now he’s a face up 4 with 3 potential. His long arms and south paw style is similar to that of a Tayshaun Prince. Once he becomes more aggressive and grows into his body it might be a wrap from the competition.
Blair Williams Forward (Los Angeles, CA)- Williams stands 6’6 and is very active around the rim. He runs the floor very fluidly and specializes in causing damage along the baseline. He has a decent face up jumper and puts it on the floor just enough to get his shot off. He seems to have peaked in terms of growing so what you see is what you get in terms of size.
Latrelle Franklin Guard (Temecual, CA)- Latrelle was a pleasant surprise because he doesn’t pass the look test because of his small stature but his solid play definitely turns heads. He’s a lock down defender because of his quickness and foot movement. Offensively he stays within his game when attacking while possessing good change of direction and sneaky athleticism.
Roy Hemsley Forward (Los Angeles, CA)- The gentle giant showed good foot work and a soft touch in the lane. He scored mostly facing the tin and kissing shots off the glass. I do think he needs to spend a little more time under the glass because he can tend to roam the perimeter and little too much. But other than that he was an impact player.
Jordan Griffin Guard (Corona, CA)- Griffin motor never stops. He plays hard both ends of the floor including aggressive defense and making the blue collar plays. On offense he finishes well in transition but does need to correct the release point of his jump shot. Any high school coach would love to have this kid.
Basketball Spotlight will be bringing more profiles, analysis and rankings from the Nike Challenge Camp which is turning into the premier West Coast Event.
The basketball season has arrived and Basketball Spotlight will kick things off with our season previews. We decided to do breakdown each AAU district by age or area and give you an inside look to some of the teams. Here’s look at the North Carolina 12U Division. (Remember some things can change because no rosters are set.)
Team To Beat: CB Spiders
This squad has some serious talent to always make a run at the AAU Nationals. Rechon Black and Ty’Shon Alexander form one of the top backcourts around and are capable of running teams out the gym. Hopefully they will be making their Spotlight debut this year.
Dark Horse: Carolina Flight
Joshua Howard should be tough handle this season and Jamil Hornsby should also be ready to make an immediate impact. If any team has the talent to knock off the Spiders it might be this group.
Preseason Player Of The Year: Ty’shon Alexander (CB Spiders)
Ty’shon has the talent to become something special. I got a chance to watch him at the CB Spiders tourney and he showed some great flashes. He must continue to work hard and not let the early attention take him off track.
Future Shock: Rechon Black (CB Spiders)
In a few years Black might be the talk of this squad. He has a frame that will pack some inches and a natural for his position. He showed he was big time when he took over the championship game of CB Spiders tournament.
Preseason 1st Team Rechon Black (CB Spiders) Jordan Rotan (Cabara Stars) Ty’shon Alexander (CB Spiders) Joshua Howard (Carolina Flight) Jordan Perkins (Greensboro Warriors)
Basketball Spotlight traveled to Los Angeles, California for the Nike Challenge Camp. Today the campers did a lot of drill work but I did get to analyze a little while they had a 1 on 1 competition. Here’s a breakdown of who impressed us today.
Cal Supreme Nike Challenge Camp Day 1
Tyler Dorsey Guard (Pasadena, CA)- It’s been a while since I saw Dorsey in action so I was a little anxious. The 6’4 guard didn’t disappoint has he showed me how much his game has matured. Tyler used the jab step, step back and feathery jumper to knock several opponents out. It was almost unfair for some of the players trying to guard him. He definitely has a high school ready game already.
Darius Henderson Guard (Los Angeles, CA)- Henderson matched up with in the finals. On his way there he used a quick first step and release to score buckets over outstretched defenders. Against Dorsey he played good defense but had a hard time getting a clean look over Tyler’s wiry frame.
Derryck Thornton Guard (Simi Valley, CA)- Thornton still is at quick and able to get past most defenders. I noticed that he has raised the release on his jump shot which is a step in the right direction. Now he needs to just keep working hard.
Marcus Harris Guard (Oakland, CA)- Harris specializes in using the spin move. He gets defenders on his hip as he drives the lane to the left then spins back to the right to finish. On this level he is strong enough to get that off but has he gets older he will need to add a little more to his arsenal.
Tyler Burch Forward (Fountain Valley, CA)- Burch has the ability to create his own shot which is good on any level. He uses crafty moves and a lengthy wing span to make this happen. He does need to get more physical in his play. He tends to shy away from the physical contact.
Mason Shepard Forward (Santa Monica, CA)- Sheppard is making an attempt to transition to the wing and he should arrive in the near future. His strong upper body enables him to move defenders when charging the basket. He stands about 6’6 so he’s comfortable in the paint. I haven’t seen his outside shot so I will evaluate that later.
Damon Harge Guard (Mountain House, CA)- I got a chance to watch the Youtube sensation and he definitely handles the pill like a yo yo. He kept defenders reaching and losing balance with crisp dribbles and mean up fakes. He made it to the finals.
Christian Ellis Guard (Tracy, CA)- The southpaw powered his way to the cup during this competition. He’s very strong for this age and lowers his shoulder to get defenders out his way.
Basketball Spotlight is pleased to announce Summer Slam. This tournament will be the event to cap off the season and award the Basketball Spotlight “Team Of The Year”. The criteria for this event is based on performances on the Basketball Spotlight Circuit (Grand Finale, Clash For The Cup, Atlantic City Showcase and Memorial Day Classic). The top four teams according to the point system from each age division (12U, 13U and 14U) will be invited to this tournament free of charge to play for the ultimate prize. This system is developed to settle all controversy and really determine the real “Team Of The Year”. Let’s kill all the talk and earn it on the floor.
Point System Champion: 5 Points Runner Up: 4 Points Semifinalist: 3 Points Quarterfinalist: 2 Points
Are The Philly Aztecs The Best 14U Team In The Region?
One of the hottest topics of the fall has been about the 14U Division. There is heavy debate going on right now about which team is really #1. Basketball Spotlight won’t release our first rankings until after the Grand Finale but we always like to hear from the fans. Below we listed a group teams that are in the running and you guys can vote on who should be the winner.
Philly Aztecs: Finished #4 in the country. First Mid Atlantic team to reach the Final Four since Tyreke Evans led Reebok Raiders to the National Crown. They have some serious studs on the roster.
Team Final: Finished #6 in the country. Won Mid Atlantic Title also Grand Finale and MIT. They made some key off season acquisitions. In 3 years they have only lost two Spotlight games while playing in their age division.
Team Scan/KYDA: The reigning NJ Champs are the last regional squad that put a chink in TF armor. They seem to have more chemistry this year and the hunger to take home Team Of The Year Honors.
Fairfax Stars Black: They haven’t been Spotlight tested yet but they won PV last season and finished #12 in the nation. They have the PV swagger and have chipped up on a few teams this fall. The Grand Finale will be their real test.
Team Takeover: The other Potomac Valley squad has a MDC crown under their belt. They didn’t do nationals but winning the MDC is huge and when you add in some of the top talent on their squad. You have a legit ball club.
The City: Seems to run through everyone before reach that TF wall. Will this be the year they finally make the leap? It’s probably time to cash in on all that length. This is the final grammar school season fellas!
Cast Your Vote In The Right Column. Lets The Fans Speak!
The basketball season has arrived and Basketball Spotlight will kick things off with our season previews. We decided to do breakdown each AAU district by age or area and give you an inside look to some of the teams. Here’s look at the Mid Atlantic 12U Division. (Remember some things can change because no rosters are set.)
Team To Beat: Team Nelson
The defending champs will be tough to dethrone. They made some noise in several tournaments last season and possess the arsenal to get things done. Their lethal 3 of Stanley Davis, Iyair Purnell and Kyson Rawls are among the best in the region.
Dark Horse: Team Final (Hildago)
They had some decent showings last year but with the apparent addition of Sa’eed Nelson that might get over the hump. There is also another Team Final for this game group and if they move to the MA Region things will really shakeup.
Preseason Player Of The Year: Sa’eed Nelson (Team Final)
“Flash” playing in his age group full time might be too much for anyone to handle. He’s one of the best scorers on this level and has some sneaky but very effective athleticism. He’s has the ability to take the Middle Atlantic Region by storm.
On The Rise: Stanley Davis (Team Nelson)
Davis also has to be mentioned in the POY voting. He is one of the best shooters in the region and has the natural knack to score the pill. He even made an impressive showing at the Basketball Spotlight Super Showcase.
Preseason 1st Team Eric Ayala (Delaware Talent) Quade Green (PA Falcons) Stanley Davis (Team Nelson) Sa’eed Nelson (Team Final) Iyair Hinson Purnell (Team Nelson)
2nd Team Javon Allie (Team Final) John Paul Sanders (Team Final) Kyson Rawls (Team Nelson) Jamal Whittlesey (Delaware Talent) Isaiah Mucius (Team Final)
3rd Team Noah Warren (Team Nelson) Myles Cale (Delaware Talent) Sam Iorio (LWBS) Jordan Harrington (LWBS) Elkhana Hildago (Team Final)
On April 2, 2011 Basketball Spotlight and Middle Atlantic AAU will be joining forces for the Elite 80 Expo this spring. The Elite 80 Expo brings together the Top 80 8th Graders in the region for a day of basketball and education. Basketball Spotlight will be providing written and video coverage of this event. Event recaps and rankings will be sent to Reggie Rankin, John Stovall and Dave Telep all of ESPN Recruiting. We will also use this event for our Top 100 rankings and selections for the Basketball Spotlight J.E.M. All Star Classic in August. Registration for this event will be coming soon!
November 27th and 28th Hoop Group Headquarters will be hosting their Thanksgiving Turkey Showdown. This event is open for Grammar School, Travel Teams, CYO Teams and AAU Squads.
What’s good everybody? This is your boy “Fresh” and this weekend was good for me. Saturday I went to the recreation center up the street from were I live to play basketball. I did good playing with high school guys. One game I actually had 37 points and it felt great. At the recreation center it is just pick- up games but they keep stat sheets and a shot clock to keep the time. After that I went home and took the hottest bath ever because I was mad sore. For the rest of the day I just chilled and watch ma boy KD and B-ROY go at it. Sunday I went to ma boy Kahlil Dukes’ house because we go to the same school. So we just chilled, ate pizza and went on you tube. We were comparing each others favorite high school player to see who was better.
Besides that I been having a few problems in school that’s why I couldn’t make it to the Adidas camp last weekend, but I bounced back from it, so now everything is gravy…. LOL!!! For the rest of this week I am going to the Boys and Girls club so I can chill with my coach and help workout the little kids. My grades in school have to be picked up in two classes (Spanish and English) but besides that I’m doing ok. I get distracted at times and lose focus. In terms of basketball I am mostly working on my strength and my IQ which is my weakness. If I want to be dominant on the next level I have to go harder than anyone else. Also if I want to win the POY trophy I have to work out 24/7 day and night.
But until then, word of advice for the younger ballers that want to make it, “stay humble and stay focused”. Aight ya’ll Imma keep you posted for next week!!!
Can "Kid Mamba" And Crew Take Their Winning Ways To Team Final?
The basketball season has arrived and Basketball Spotlight will kick things off with our season previews. We decided to do breakdown each AAU district by age or area and give you an inside look to some of the teams. Here’s look at the New Jersey 13U Division. (Remember some things can change because no rosters are set.)
Team To Beat: Team Final
The name has changed but the members pretty much remain the same including the Big Three (Tyus Battle, Jamir Harris and Darius Gillon). Two Top 5 finishes has this group riding high into the season. The real question is can they win it all this year and take home a fourth consecutive Basketball Spotlight Team Of The Year!
Dark Horse: F.A.C.E.S.
The “Killer Bees” will be buzzing once again and have added another defensive specialist in Jagan Mosley. Ray Montilous and Christian Ford will be called on to provide the scoring. We get a look at this group early as they will defend their Grand Finale crown.
Preseason Player Of The Year: Tyus Battle (Team Final)
Last season I really believe “Kid Mamba” became a victim of his own success. He has accomplished so much in so short time that his expectations from spectators are through the roof. I guess that’s the life of a young stud! This season I expect Battle to turn his game to another level and possibly gain “The Stamp”. We haven’t giving one out in a while so it’s definitely due.
Preseason 1st Team Tyus Battle (Team Final) Jamir Harris (Team Final) Gilberto Cue (KSK) Ray Montilous (F.A.C.E.S.) Matthew Bullock (KSK)
2nd Team Keith Washington (Team Final) Asante Gist (KSK) Darius Gillon (Team Final) Christian Ford (F.A.C.E.S.) Brad Hawkins (Team Final)
3rd Team Kasahn Morgan (KBR) Jagan Mosley (F.A.C.E.S.) MJ Richardson (Playtime Panthers) Shyquan Gibbs (F.A.C.E.S.) Kyle Elliot (NJ Got Game)
This is “The General” checking in with another week of my life.
In the beginning of the week I had tons of homework in all my classes so I had to take care of that before any basketball. I thought I had school practice, but then found out that it doesn’t start until next week. I was disappointed, but worked out with my Dad instead. We worked on form shooting, floaters, and foul shots, which I need to make when it comes crunch time in the 4th quarter. I love shooting and playing with my dad ‘cause he helps me a lot on my game and if I’m not shooting it right then he’ll break it down and tell me what’s wrong with it, then fix it. I can’t wait till that one-on-one when I beat him though! LOL
It was cool not having to wake up early on Thursday and Friday. I worked out by myself during the day. Sometimes I like shooting by myself because I get to think about the game, and picture defenders and try different moves. If my shot isn’t falling, I get to figure out whats wrong with it instead of my dad telling me. I also spent a lot of time hanging out with my Great Grandmother. We talked about a lot of stuff. I like talking to her because she lived during WWII, The Vietnam War, and The Beatles. I ask her a lot of questions and she does all the talking. She tells me stories about when she was a little girl and how different life was then.
Saturday was a big day in our house. It started with my Got Game practice, which I always look forward to. We had lots of energy and we went hard. Shout out to Owen Mcleod who is out for a little while due to a hip injury and Isaiah Stills who is sick right now. We only had 6 players so we ran our plays and at the end we played 3 on 3 working on the pick and roll game. I like doing that because it gives our big man Marcus and me a chance to work together. It’s important for us to get this ‘cause there are a lot of options off that and we can get buckets! After that we went to Union City to watch my little brother Marquis play in the parish basketball league. He played well, and the game was exciting as they won in overtime by 2. It was a little strange because I’m always the one playing in the nail-biting games, but today was Marquis’ day. After the game we stayed for Marquis’ practice then my other brother Marcellus had practice after that. During their practices my man Hallice Cooke came up to the gym and I got the chance to have a little workout with him. I like working and playing with him because his intensity level is always high and I love challenges. It was a full day of basketball for us.
On Sunday we had our final Zoo Crew regular season game against South Mountain Select. The South Mountain team played hard, but we just executed well. We were able to control the flow of the game and I found my scoring rhythm as well. I also had a lot of assists and even got a rebound or two. I like getting assists because it’s a good feeling knowing that you helped someone score a basket. Marquis also got in the game. He had a nice jumper in the paint over the big man, and the crowd went crazy! Now it’s playoffs, can’t wait!
What's up everybody, it's the "Shoota". I had a really good one this week. First, my school was closed Monday and Tuesday there was a heating problem. I was suppose to have a social studies test on Monday, so the test was changed to Wednesday, that was cool because it gave me two more days to study. On Wednesday we were ready to take our test and my teacher surprised everybody and said it's an open book test. We didn't get them back yet but I know I got an A. The rest of my week at school was smooth.
Monday night we got a chance to play Camden Catholic again, we only had five players for the game, but everybody was focused. My boy "Fresh" put the game out of reach at the end with four straight floaters, I'm not sure what the score was, but I know it was more than 15 though. Roman Catholic was there checking some of our players out, it was a good game for them to watch because everybody played good offensively and we got done on the defensive end.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I worked out at TCA, we did strength training and a lot of conditioning drills, we didn't get a chance to do anything else so I went to the local Y to get my shots up and work on my ball handling. On Friday at TCA after our conditioning drills we scrimmaged, it was physical and really competitive; I like those kind of games.
Saturday the regular season started at Funsport in Brooklyn. We only had four players available, so we picked up one our players from the Team Final family, shout out to Tyrus Battle for helping out and holding his own. We won both games, and in the process I picked up another name "Mr. Nice". I was hyped after that...lol.
Sunday my school team had our first game, we played against TCA's middle school, from what I heard they were talking all week about blowing us out. We won by 25. Nuff said!!.....I had a chance to dunk in this game, but I missed, my dad said I tried to dunk it too hard that's why it hit the back of the rim.
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 most of this information is not concrete as of yet but mostly from the rumor mill.
National Champs Break UP?
My sources from the Carolina’s have reported that the Reigning 12U National Champions South Carolina Ravens are no more. Apparently standouts Ty Graves, Keenan “The Problem” Black and Madison Cone will return home to North Carolina to play with the CB Spiders. It looks like the CB Spiders will have to be one of the favorites to take home the national crown this year in Memphis.
Men In Black Are Back?
Coach Cole ended the speculation and has announced that his F.A.C.E.S. squad that dismantled a last season are back together and looking for redemption. The Philly Boys (Taylor and Jolaoso) have returned and scoring guard Trey Lowe has also returned from NJ Got Game. This group will be playing in the Grand Finale and I know they will bring out the black uniforms.
Harlem Elite?
My Big Apple sources have told me that Coach Steve Harris formerly of the Gauchos has decided to bounce from the Choz and form his independent squad named Harlem Elite. I know if Steve is involved he will bring serious energy to this squad. I also hear that his first major pickup will be Shamorie Ponds. Things could really get interesting for Steve and his crew. We will keep you posted as this develops.
The Sheraton Hotel in Tinton Falls, NJ will be one of the host for the Grand Finale 2010. Teams interested in lodging need to contact the hotel or click on the link below to register online. The cut off date for the $99 dollar discount is November 15th, 2010 so be sure you register before this date. We should have a few more hotels available tonight.
Hello Basketball World. It’s "Fresh" back to tell you about my week. This week was about moving on to the next level in basketball. Monday Team Final had a game and we bounced back from the last week’s performance to win against Camden Catholic by 15, everybody had a good game. There were no official practices for Team Final this week, but I can't go a whole week without a workout. So, Tuesday Coach Pervis gave me a personal workout. We worked on new finishing moves and what to do in different situations. Coach P came at me for 3 mins and I was sore for 2 days... Lol Wednesday I missed my 1 on 1 with Coach Fred. I was supposed to be taking a quick nap but fell asleep for 4 hours.
Thursday and Friday there was no school. Thursday I stayed in and watched Derrick Rose go at the Knicks even though they lost he always brings heart to the game. Then I watched KD and B-Roy go at it. I learned a lot from both games. Friday both Malik and I took advantage of our day off and had another 1 on 1 with Coach Pervis, we went over the same things from Tuesday, but it’s all new to me so it was important that I processed what he was teaching me. Malik stayed the night we went to my game at the Aztecs Future Legends League. We won against PYO (Horace Spencer) 41-16. For a team that has only played together for a few weeks with no bigs we have great chemistry. Then we ended the night watching the PG battle between D-Rose and Rajon Rondo before checking my #1 player Carmelo go hard at the Clippers.
Saturday Team Final had 2 games in the Funsport League. It was the start of regular season, and we got out the car ready to make a statement. The first game was against LI Lightning. Due to injuries and shortage of players we brought two of our young players Tyus Battle and Nate Louis-Pierre. I have to take time to give them their props. Even though the teams were big with more experience they played excellent. Both played very great defense. I must say "Thank You" to the both of them because we needed them and they came to play. Back to the games.... As a team we did good against LI' s 6'6 center especially without Treyvaughn Wilkerson and Tim Delaney, we won by 15 or 20. The 2nd game we played CP3 Elite, we started out doing too much, but once we buckled down we pulled out the "W" by 10. I love the man on the MIC he give you nicknames. Sam"The Relentless", Malachi "Mr. Nice" and me "Baby J-Kidd. That was a long day we didn't get home until 1 am but it was well worth it. So you know what I did on Sunday laid back and watched sports. Til next week, size doesn’t matter if you bring your "A" GAME. Stay tuned for more from Lamarr "Fresh" Kimble
Christian Juzang Stood Out On Day 2
Darren Dixon Guard (Los Angeles, CA)- Dixon had one goal which was getting to the tin. He used a slick handle including a crisp crossover to open the lane and used his strength to finish after driving. In transition he used these same attributes to flourish.
Colin Slater Guard (Fresno, CA)- Most ball handlers feared matching up with this kid. Slater was relentless on the defensive end moving his feet and staying low while guarding the pill. On offense he was a drive and kick machine with the capability of squeezing in a layup or two.
Dylan Horn Guard (Malibu, CA)- The winner of the shooting competition also played he games with some fire. He wasn’t the most athletic guard there but he made up for it by showing a good basketball IQ and a great ratchet. He seems to understand angles and positioning at this young age.
Joshua Caston Guard (Burbank, CA)- Caston made it to the finals of the shooting competition. He loves killing opponents with his mid range jumper or floater similar to Mike Bibby. He has a crafty handle and good court vision. He also is very fundamentally sound.
Sean Morriesey Forward (Hunting Beach, CA)- Morriesey played the forward spot well. He cashed in by moving well without the rock and hitting the offensive glass. There wasn’t much size in the age bracket and Morriesey took full advantage. 
