Basketball Spotlight will be heading to the Big Apple for the 2009 Game Over Classic June 19th thru 21st. This event will feature some of the top young teams in the country and Basketball Spotlight will bring you exclusive coverage.
Event: Game Over Classic
Place: New York City, NY
Date: June 19th and 21st
Ages Groups: 10U Thru 17U
Contact Info: Dana Dingle (646)-773-4878 ddingle7@yahoo.com, Shandue McNeil (516)-924-9921 shandue@yahoo.com, Eric Jones blackbuttany@aol.com or visit the website below.
Game Over Classic WebsiteBasketball Spotlight Will Be In The Building!
Name: Mike Williams
AAU Team: The City
Position: Point Guard
Class: 2015
Breakdown: Williams has been one of the most consistent guards on the young circuit. He’s a point guard with the knack of scoring in bunches. He made his presence felt at the Grand Finale, MLK Classic, Clash For The Cup, Show Me Invitational and most recently the AC Showcase. Mike can be relentless at times going to the basket and rebounding especially on the offensive glass. His long arms and wiry frame gives him an advantage over most opponents on this level.
Name: Darius Gillon
AAU Team: Team Battle
Position: Forward
Class: 2016
Breakdown: Gillon has made huge strides on the post since I first saw him rock last season. He had good showings during the Grand Finale and Clash For The Cup before really bursting on the scene at the Atlantic City Showcase. Darius rebounds the rock and block shots on a regular basis but his improvement on offense end including touch and post moves have stood out. We will keep you up to date with his progress.
Hello Basketball World,
It's your boy Jordan. Once again another busy week in school and on the court. I had a concert with my school band at Rutgers University. I was a little nervous, but everything went ok. I aced my Math test and I have a big Social Studies exam on Monday.
On Thursday, I attended the Hoop Group Jr. Elite one day clinic at St. Johns University. I like these events because you get to work on drills and play against good competition. Some you know and some you don't know. My boy, Jerron Love, was there. Breaking ankles as usual! Along with my boys Darren Douglas, Austin Brown, Alex Perlman, Karim Awad, Tyler Weekes, Cody Jenkins, Anthony Williams and Kevin Murray. The night ended late. Luckily, we were all out of school the next day.
My New Jersey Shoreshots team had a tournament this weekend at their facilities in Neptune, New Jersey. We played hard and competed against some good competition.Our game against KBR was intense! Coach Adam Turner was pleased with our efforts.
My Sports University team had a scrimmage against New Heights on Saturday. I was unable to attend, but I heard that they did well. I knew that they would.
I had my weekly workout with Val Bannaby. He really worked me hard, as usual. He tells me all the time about the value of working out and that I'll get back what I put in. It's a lot of work, but in the end it's worth it. I also did my shooting drills at TBSA.
It's getting late and I can barely keep my eyes open.
J4-Out
This week I am off from school because of the Easter break which afforded me the opportunity to sleep late in the mornings. However, my evenings never change. I continue to work on my craft and sculpt my body to suit high school level next year. I practiced several times with my Long Island Lightning AAU team and had my individual workouts with Coach Elliott "O" Rosado and my dad. Working out with my dad is really tough. He is into body building and his exercise regiments are unbearable. I do not lift heavy but I am asked to do a lot of repetitions. He pushes me until my muscles quit and after that he wants me to shoot one million jumpers. His claim is that he is getting me college ready. Do not get me wrong, I believe in my dad but this is boot camp. Honestly, since I've started this new program I have notice tremendous improvement in my game.
I had an IS8 19 & under game in which we won. We are currently 2 and 0 and have two more games to play in pool play. I played well on both ends of the floor today and contributed 7 points to our victory.
Peace out 'til next week
Jay Smooth one
When Sa’eed Nelson made the move to join F.A.C.E.S. a few skeptics voiced their concerns. Some people felt it was too far for the Atlantic City resident to travel while others indicated he couldn’t play alongside talented guard RJ Cole. Well this ultra quick guard with the heart of a lion proved the critics wrong and is excelling under Coach Rob Cole.
The distance never really concerned Sa’eed’s father Jeff Nelson. “After we reached out to Coach Cole and attended his practice we immediately felt the family atmosphere and were hooked. Rob took us in and really made my son work harder than any other coach he ever had. And when you weigh that against driving from Atlantic City to practice it was an easy decision” said Nelson. Cole also uses Nelson’s long trip to inspire other players. “I always say if he can make it to practice than no one else has an excuse to miss practice” said Cole.
The second concern was whether Sa’eed could co-exist with RJ Cole the well known F.A.C.E.S. guard and coach’s son. The two young players put that to rest early on and have become best friends and the top 10U one-two punch in the region. Coach Cole feels the same way, “When I told RJ that Sa’eed might be coming he didn’t believe me at first but when he walked through the gym door RJ was grinning ear to ear. He loves it because it takes pressure off of him to handle all the guard duties. Now he can concentrate on being a true point guard and doesn’t have to score so much. He’s helped our team tremendously” Cole finished. Off the court the two have become inseparable texting and talking on the phone also spending nights at each other houses as Jeff explains, “ My wife and I knew that when F.A.C.E.S. came to the AC Showcase that Sa’eed was going to ask if RJ could stay at the house so she started shopping early” said Nelson.
This is just an example of how sometimes the most unlikely situations work out for the best.
Name: Giovanny Wickham
AAU Team: CT 300
Position: Combo Guard
Class: 2016
Breakdown: Wickham’s play the AC Showcase caused a huge uproar. The quick and powerful lefty dazzled his way pass defenders and exploded to the cup for finishes. After the first night of games many of the spectators left the gym calling a young left handed Allen Iverson. Gio is relentless and ferocious on both ends of the floor. We expect big things out of this kid and we will keep you posted.
Name: Blake Jorge
AAU Team: Albany Dream Team
Position: Forward
Class: 2015
Breakdown: At the AC Showcase I watched Jorge rock against Team MVP and even though his team left with the loss he was very difficult to contain. Blake was huge on the glass and was able to score very easy inside the paint. His aggressive attitude stands out on the floor at this level. We will be keeping our eye on him as the season progresses.
Name: Jaylon Myles
AAU Team: Team Takeover
Position: Point Guard
Class: 2016
Breakdown: Myles plays the guard spot for Team Takeover and has some crafty moves. I got a chance to check him out at the Atlantic City Showcase and he was very impressive. One game against Mid Jersey Heat he blocked out from behind the arc by nailing 4 treys. If you are ever in the PV area and hear about Team Takeover rocking go check him out.
Northeast “Best of the Best”
INVITE ONLY – Pa., NJ, NY, and New England
Team applications will be accepted and reviewed for entrance May 30th and 31st
Age groups – 10u – 14u
All games played at Springfield College (8 Air-conditioned courts)
Championship games will be held at the Basketball Hall of Fame
$375/team with a 3 game guarantee
Only 12 teams per age group will be accepted
Media coverage: BBall Spotlight, New England Recruiting Report, NE Hoop News
MVP of each age group awarded scholarship to HOF Basketball Academy. Visit the website below for more information.Basketbull Website
Basketball Spotlight Will Be In The Building
Flint, Michigan is known for putting out big time basketball players. During Michigan State Championship run they were led by the so called Flintstones Mateen Cleaves, Charlie Bell and Morris Peterson all three players went on to the NBA to have decent careers. Now Flint might have another young guard in it’s wings and his name is Jaylon “J-Ark” Arkwright. Jaylon is a pint size point guard in the Class of 2014 and attends Carman Ainsworth Jr. High School. He runs the show for Flint Affiliation AAU program and seems to be worth the price of admission. The lefty has tremendous heart and will pull a trey from the cheap seats. Recently at a National tournament he finished 3rd in a 3 point shooting competition. His exploits has earned him a trip to San Diego for the Adidas Jr. Phenom Camp. Check out his highlights below.
Jaylons’ Highlights
The Basketball Spotlight Memorial Day Classic is here. The MDC is Basketball Spotlight’s premiere event and our last one for the AAU season. This event will be held in Neptune, NJ and feature the top teams in the region. Registration has begun and we will be taking teams on a first come first play basis. When the event is filled we will not be taking anymore teams. Please register quickly to confirm a spot. For an application contact Mike Melton at basketballspotlight@hotmail.com or by phone at 609-532-5122.
Event: Basketball Spotlight Memorial Day Classic
Date: May 22nd – 24th
Place: Neptune, NJ
Price: $400 ($350 Multiple Team Discount) Deadline: April 25th (No Exceptions) Any team not fully registered at that time will be in jeopardy of losing their spot in this event.
14 and Under
1. Team Nelson
2. Long Island Lightning
3. Linden Ballers
4. NJ Shore Shots
5. Garden State Knights
6. Hoop Dreams (Kentucky)
7. Westchester Hawks
8. Hoop Dreamz (NJ)
9. NY Panthers
10. South Jersey Blitz
11. KBR Fliers
12. Mid Jersey Heat
13. Peacemakers
14.
15.
16.
13 and Under
1. Team Nelson
2. Long Island Lightning
3. Team Final
4. NJ Shore Shots
5. Team Rebels
6. Mid Jersey Heat
7. Playtime Basketball
8. Team Underrated
9. Boston Spartans
10. Team Hurricanes
11. Playaz Basketball Club
12. CJ Jammers
13. Newark Titans
14.
15.
16.
12 and Under
1. Team Final
2. Long Island Lightning
3. Linden Ballers
4. NJ Shore Shots
5. Philly Aztecs
6. F.A.C.E.S.
7. Team Rebels
8. Gauchos
9. Team Answer
10. Team Underrated
11. The City
12. Mid Jersey Heat
13. Albany Dream Team
14. Playaz Basketball Club
15. U Turn Warriors
16.
11 and Under
1. Long Island Lightning
2. NJ Shore Shots
3. KBR Raptors
4. F.A.C.E.S.
5. Gauchos
6. Team Underrated
7. Sam Cassell All Stars
8. Team Ron Artest
9. CJ Jammers
10. SI Sting Rays Blue
11. Newark Titans
12. 13.
14.
15.
16.
10 and Under
1. Long Island Lightning
2. NJ Shore Shots
3. Team Underrated
4. Penn Jersey Panthers
5. Bay State Magic
6.
7.
8.
The Peacemakers were set out to knock off Mid Atlantic kingpins Team Nelson and came out strong. Team Nelson showed their grit and fought back to make things close. The boys from Philly then made a late run and pulled away. The highlights are below.
Peacemakers vs. Team Nelson
Team Nelson took a loss to Team NJ ABC early in pool so this championship was highly anticipated. Team Nelson jumped out early but Team NJ ABC stormed back with some excellent outside shooting. Team Nelson then locked down on defense and left with the victory.
Team Nelson vs. Team NJ ABC
In the Atlantic City Showcase 12U Championship Team Final squared off against F.A.C.E.S. Things were very tight early as F.A.C.E.S. played off their momentum from beating Team Takeover in the semifinals. Then Team Final’s size and superb guard play took control of the game. Check out the highlights.
Team Final vs. F.A.C.E.S.
Team Battle and F.A.C.E.S. locked up again at the 11U Championship Atlantic City Showcase. The title game wasn’t as intense as others between the two clubs because the semifinals took a lot out of both teams. Team Battle prevailed to win the championship. The highlights from the event are below.
Team Battle vs. F.A.C.E.S.
Thursday April 2nd, I worked out at the Federal way Community Center from 7:00 a.m. till 1:00 p.m. It was my last day of working out with basketball because I was leaving to go to Phoenix, Arizona early in the morning. I made 48 free throws in a row today and made over 600 jumpers. 3 pointers, mid range, off the dribble, catch and shoot,etc. Being that I am going to run in the National Track Event, my dad didn't let me do any ply metric work outs or core strength works. He wanted to make sure my legs and body was fresh. It was a long workout, but much more lax than normal. After the work out, I went to my mom's friends house to get my hair braided. She hooked me up super tight!
Friday April 3rd, my mom took my sister and I to the airport to head to Arizona. My sister Juanita is 9 yrs old and she runs AAU National Track too. Her events are the 100 and 200 meter dash. When we got to the airport, I saw Jamal Crawford and we talked for a while. He asked what I was doing at the airport and he told me he was headed to Oakland and that he had a game. He gave me some advice and I got his new number to put in my phone. I must be good luck because when he got back to Oakland he scored 39 points vs the hornets. Later that day when I arrived in Arizona, someone stopped me and asked me if I was that kid who is suppose to be the #1 point guard. I said "yea". Later at the hotel, he had a group of people with him and said "See, that's that kid on you tube". He then said, you are really good, but my son could beat you. I just laughed and kept walking with my track teammates.
Saturday April 4th, I ran the 800 meter run vs the top runners in the nation. I ended up placing 2nd. At one point in the race, I got tripped up from the guy behind me. I lost my stride, but stayed on my feet. I'm happy I got 2nd, only losing to last years National Champion, but I think I had a good chance of getting first if I hadn't got tripped. It just fuels me to go back to Seattle and work harder and get faster. Also today my sister placed 2nd in the 200 meter.
Sunday April 5th, I ran the 1500 meter today and placed 1st. My sister placed 4th in her 100 meter race. I'm happy that out of the 1000's of young athletes who competed at this National meet, we both placed in all of our events. It's been pretty hot here and a lot of fun. We head back to Seattle early Tuesday. I look forward to basketball practice on Tuesday when I get back. 4 days without my basketball is too long. Until next week,
God Bless,
Jashaun AgostoAgosto Highlights 2009
It's your boy Jay Smooth,
Monday and Tuesday I attended the Hoop Group basketball camp at FDU thanks to Coach Ray. The competition was very good and I performed well. I was able to demonstrate my leadership ability as well as my well rounded floor game. The coaches were very knowledgeable and I was able to take home some stuff that I can add to my game.
Wednesday, I had my school ring ceremony, and in the evening I practiced with the 9th grade Lightning team coached by Coach Dee Jones. It was our first practice ever and we were preparing for our first tournament Spring Fling.
Thursday, I completed my project for school and began to mentally prepare for my weekend. I did not play basketball and relaxed at home with family.
Friday, was a half day and we did not do much in school. I attended our school mass and prayed for my family and friends. Later than evening, we traveled to NJ to play our first game in which we lost.
Saturday, we played hard but still came up short. With more practice and more games under our belts we will be fine.
On a better note, on Sunday I played in IS8 with our 17 year old team Coached by Shandue Mc Neil and had a spectacular showing. I had 14 points, 3 assist, and 2 block shots. I blended in with the team fine and no one knew I was only in the 8th grade. I played both ends of the floor and my coach and dad were very pleased with my work. Our team won the game and I ended my weekend on a positive note.
I'm out. Until next week...
What's up Basketball World,
It's Jordan. It's been a busy week with school and basketball, not to mention I have a concert on Monday at Rutgers University. I had two quizzes this past week and more coming this week.
I did my normal drills I usually do during the week, including my 400-500 shots at the shooting gun at TBSA.
I did not have any tournaments this week. With Sports University, we had a friendship game against the AIFL Southern Israel Basketball All stars. The team is lead by Israeli basketball legend, Tal Brody. They are actually from Israel and are being hosted by the American-Israel friendship League. Sports University's president, Ed Bright, was very instrumental in organizing this event. Governor Corzine was also in attendance. Also in attendance was Coach Bobby Hurley of Saint Anthony's High School and his star player, Dominic Cheek. Everyone had a great time!
After the game, we met up with my friend Spencer and his family at a local diner. I had not seen him in a while so it was fun getting together with him again. Later this week, I am going to the Hoop Group Jr. Elite on Thursday, April 9th, which is being held at St. John's University in Queens, New York. I am going with my friends Kevin, Darren, Anthony, Austin, Alex P, Cody, Karim and Tyler.
The only bad part of the week was that Villanova lost. UNC-Michigan State should be a good game. I know the whole world thinks UNC is going to win, but there is something about Michigan State. I think they can win. You heard it from me!
J4-Out!
Sa’eed Nelson scored 16 points and Kyle Lofton added 11 markers as F.A.C.E.S. ran past King Street Kings 41-22 to win the NJ AAU 10 and Under State title. RJ Cole had 7 points, 10 assist and 8 rebounds for the winners and Nate Pierre Louis scored 11 points for KSK in the loss. Congrats to F.A.C.E.S. for winning back to back state crowns.
For years basketball players from foreign countries have been making their dreams come true by playing in the NBA. Right now there’s a 12 guard that’s chasing those same dreams. His name is Nicolo Mercado and he attends San Beda School in Manila, Philippines. Mercado has been ripping up the competition in his country and when he travels to the United States.
This point guard is very quick and his court vision is outstanding. At a recent Jr. NBA camp for 14 and Under players from different countries he was given the Rising Star Award. Nocolo skills have earned him a spot on the national team that will be competing in Australia this summer. Basketball Spotlight will keep you posted on Mercado’s progress. Check out this video of him balling when he was only 10.
Nicolo Mercado Highlights
Say hello to the first girl to ever grace the Basketball Spotlight website, her name is Dejane “Snoop” James and she plays for CT 300. Before you think this is a publicity stunt ask anybody that was present at the Atlantic City Showcase about her skills. James goes hard and is one of the most passionate players at this age. Her coach and father Reggie Hatchett agrees “She is the most passionate player in our program. She started playing biddy ball at 6 and hasn’t looked back” said Hatchett. Hatchett also feels her passion is a gift and a curse, “She plays so hard sometimes that she might get into foul trouble because at this level smaller players can’t withstand her physical play. So right now we are working on her controlling her play and emotions on the floor” said Reggie.
In terms of skills it’s hard to tell Dejane apart from the guys on the floor. She has a serious handle and can pull jumpers from the cheap seats. On defense she’s a constant pest and will rough up opposing rebounders or small guards entering the lane. James also suits up with the girls when playing for the Connecticut Rough Riders. Hatchett says she prefers to play with the boys though, “She looks forward to playing with the boys because it’s a challenge, last season during the Connecticut girls state tournament her team won a game 33-28 and James scored 31 of the 33 points” Hatchett finished.
Sometimes coaches embellish their players or own children’s stats and performances but after watching James rock in person I have to say her exploits seem to be on the true side. The funny thing is the look on opponents faces when she is getting busy and Hatchett also noticed it, “When we play most teams and they see her in the lay-up line they laugh and say they have a girl on their team. Opposing coaches also complain that their boys won’t play hard against a girl” said Hatchett. I have news for everybody boy who faces James! If you don’t play hard you will get embarrassed.
Jashaun Agosto a 12 year old point guard from Federal Way, Washington has become one of the premier basketball phenoms in the country. He has been on just every TV talk and has now completed a commercial. Agosto has decided give some insight into his life by providing Basketball Spotlight with a weekly journal. Welcome to the life of a young phenom!
Wow, it's been an exciting two weeks. I will start with the weekend of the 21st & 22nd. My 6th grade AAU team "Jamal Crawford's Seattle Speed Elite" played in our Western Washington National Qualifier Tournament. We played 5 games and I played okay. I averaged 21 points, 6 assists and 5 steals a game. I was still recovering from the concussion I had a couple weeks prior in my Middle School game. The doctors told me not to play for a month, but I have been to Division I Nationals 3 yrs in a row and I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity with my new team. Well, we qualified for Division I Nationals! We will be in Virginia in July!
Monday the 23rd after school I had middle school basketball practice from 2:45 to 5:15. My middle school team had one more game to play on Tuesday and it was our championship game for the Federal Way District. I am the first 6th grader in school history to make the Varsity team at Saghalie Middle School. The entire team is 8th graders. My school had only won 1 championship ever and it was 12 yrs ago. After school ball practice my mom picked me up and took me to Track practice with Seattle Speed at U.W. I did some jump technique work and middle distance work with my Olympic trainers.
Tuesday the 24th, was the big day. It was our Championship game and it was vs. Allonzo Trier's school team. We played them once prior and beat them by 20 plus points. Well, we won again and took the Championship. I played a little over half the game and scored 12 points with 7 assists. After the game, some high school coaches that came to watch the game, shook my hand and told me good job and keep up the work. We took a team photo and I was then on my way to my AAU Basketball practice from 6:00 to 8:30.
Wednesday the 25th after school my dad picked me up and took me to the federal way community center. He worked out with me from 3:00 to 6:00. He then took me to my track practice at U.W. I worked on speed work and some middle distance work.
Thursday the 26th after school my dad picked me up and took me to the federal way community center and we worked out from 3:00 to 5:30. I did my ply metric work, core strength work, and basketball workout. After the work out, I went to my AAU basketball practice from 6:00 to 8:30.
Friday the 27th after school I worked out at the community center from 3:00 to 7:00. The last hour, I got some run with the high school kids and we held court 5 games in a row. I had to get to bed early since my AAU team had 3 league games the next day. Next week is spring break!!!!!
Saturday the 28th, I had 3 AAU spring league games. We won all 3 but the last game was exciting. We were up by 1 point with 25 seconds to go. Coach told us to manage the ball and make them foul us. Well, my teammate threw the ball away at he top of the key and the opposing team stole it and went down and scored a lay up. When the basket was scored there was 5 seconds on the clock. We had no timeouts and my teammate quickly inbounded the ball to me at the baseline. I dribbled up the court as fast as I could while weaving through players. I got all the way to inside the key and the opposing teams 6ft center was in my way. I put up a floater barely over his hands and made the basket at the buzzer. We won the game and started our season 3-0. From that game, my dad took my mom and I to the airport. We were being flown to Universal Studios in California to shoot a Sunkist Television commercial. When I arrived in California I was stopped several times by people wanting my autograph. The limo driver had a sign with my name on it and he took us to the hotel.
Sunday the 1st, we were picked up by a limo and taken to the studio set. I don't want to give details of what I did in the commercial. But as soon as it's released they will send me a video copy and I will share it with everyone. It was a long 8 hour day and the film crew who video taped Kobe Bryant jumping over the car and the pool, was the same crew who filmed my commercial. It was a very exciting experience and the commercial should turn out really cool.
Monday the 2nd, I picked up some gifts for my dad, brothers, and sisters to bring home to Seattle. Later in the afternoon my dad picked me up from the Airport. From the airport we went straight to the community center and I worked out from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday the 3rd my dad took me to the community center to work out from 7:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m. The rest of the day I played with my friends and family. Xbox 360 Nba 2k9 all afternoon.
Wednesday the 4th, my dad took me to the community center from 7:00 to 1:00 p.m. I played with my friends and family at home. Video games, movies, etc. Then I had my last track practice of the week at U.W. We leave to go to Phoenix Arizona on Friday for a National Track meet. I will be gone at the track meet until Monday. When I get back, I will let everyone know how I did. I'm running the 1500, and the 800. All the top athletes in the nation will be at this meet.
God Bless,
Jashaun Agosto
Name: Lamar "Freshie" Kimble
AAU Team: Team Final
Position: Combo Guard
Class: 2015
Breakdown: Nickname “Freshie” this kid ball handling had the spectators talking in Atlantic City. His array of dribble moves and head/shoulders hesitation kept defenders on their heels while giving him plenty of scoring opportunities. Sometimes you love to see the rock in the hands of certain and right now he’s one of those players.
Name: AJ Perez
AAU Team: Team Takeover
Position: Forward
Class: 2016
Breakdown: Perez has the size to dominate inside on this level but this baller also loves to handle the pill a little and shoot the short jumper. At the Atlantic City Showcase I was impressed with how light he was on his feet and his coordination at this young age. He also rebounds well and scores in a variety of ways.
Name: Kevin Alexis
Team: Team MVP
Position: Point Guard
Class: 2015
Breakdown: Team MVP loss a key player but Alexis has took over the controls. The southpaw has been lightning up the scoreboards all season. At the Atlantic City Showcase he caught fire against Albany Dream Team and gave them a taste of his Garden State flavor. Alexis has a sick handle and scores from anywhere.
Name: KeAndre Fair
Team: CT 300
Position: Point Guard
Class: 2016
Breakdown: Fair is the floor general for CT 300. He ran the show and looked very impressive in the Atlantic City Showcase scoring buckets and dropping dimes. On defense he digs in and applies enormous pressure while causing numerous turnovers. Fair was a joy to watch on the stage.
This weekend we traveled to NJ again to play in the Playaz Spring Fling tourney. We made it to the chip, but came up a little short. In my opinion, we missed a lot of free throws which cost us the game. However, we are using these tournaments as our tune up for nationals. I would like to thank all my Lightning brothers and coach smiley Shandue McNeil for their efforts. Next weekend I will be playing with the lightning high school team.
My life outside of basketball this week was helping my mom and dad with my baby brother (b-easy) Brandon Boswell. He is 8 month old and has a mean left hand crossover and rarely cries. The reason why I say he has a mean left hand crossover is because my dad and I watch a lot of college basketball with him and he is always motioning like he dribbling the ball. My sisters’ gets a kick out this and label him a basketball junkie in the making. My mom always teases my dad and I, saying we should move to the basketball court and leave Brandon behind before she never sees him. Although she teases, I think she's becoming a basketball mom. While playing in this weekend tournament, I could count on my mom to send me updates of the NCAA tourney results.
Peacemakers Take Over #1 SpotThe Basketball Spotlight 14 U Top 10 is here and we have a new #1 team. There also was some other movement in the rankings. Our rankings are based on top tournament finishes, strength of schedule and our opinion on which teams are better.
Basketball Spotlight 14U Top 10
1. Peacemakers: The Peacemakers moved into the #1 spot after taking home the Atlantic City Showcase title. The have added a few new players and seem to be ready to make a run at the regional crown. We have extended a MDC invite to them and are waiting for a reply.
2. Team Nelson: The Chester boys dropped to #2 as they loss to the Peacemakers in the AC Showcase finals. They should meet up in their Mid Atlantic finals and the MDC if Peacemakers enter the event.
3. Playaz Basketball Club: The Playaz won their Eight is Enough league and the Spring Fling. They are ready to make a run at the NJ State crown and a few other tournaments.
4. Long Island Lightning: The Lightning loss a semifinal battle with Team Nelson at the AC Showcase then they came up short against the Playaz in the finals of the Spring Fling. They seem to be heading into the right direction as the Metropolitan Regional and MDC are approaching.
5. NY Panthers: The Panthers loss to the Playaz in the Eight is Enough finals but seemed to be very fatigued. I know Coach Kat will have the well rested and tip top for the Regional and MDC.
6. Boston Saintz: I haven’t seen them since the Grand Finale but they did when the Boston Massacre this past weekend. They have a very talented bunch and should make noise the rest of the year.
7. KBR Fliers: The Fliers made it to the semifinals in Atlantic City before running into a buzz saw called the Peacemakers. They are one of the favorites to win the NJ 14U State crown and have already reserved a spot at the MDC.
8. Westchester Hawks: The Hawks played some good ball in Atlantic City but had to outlast a tough pool. They have added a player or two since I saw them at the MIT. Now they must prepare for the regional before heading down to Neptune for the MDC.
9. Hoop Heaven: I haven’t seen them in action since the Grand Finale. I’m hoping Sina and crew decide to take a trip down the MDC.
10. Hoop Star Gym Ratz: I like what I saw out of this squad in Atlantic City. They are very athletic and have some decent pieces. I will keep an eye on them come NJ State tourney time. Lurking: Tri-City Warriors, Cutino Mobley, Move Your Feet, Garden State Knights
Adeyinka Adams (Team Scan)
Kevin Seymour (Team Scan)- Adams’s sidekick Seymour also found the bottom of the net on many occasions. He’s comfortable handling the rock on the wing and he takes full advantage of matchup problems he causes with his size. Seymour is capable of killing you from inside the lane or behind the arc.
Nassir Barrino (Playaz Basketball Club)- Barrino is a pure scoring machine and he had it on full display. He had the deep shot falling and scored too easy in transition. His body control and touch allows him to drop buckets at a frantic pace. I also saw Barrino display a little more point guard skills than in the past in terms on a pass first mentality on a few plays.
Corey Lumpkin (CJ Jammers)- I saw a lot of promise in this kid. I like his poise, stroke and quickness with the rock in his hands. Lumpkin can hit the midrange shot or take it behind the arc. I think he fits in very well with this ball club and is a good compliment for Dadika.
Amir Bell (CJ Jammers)- Bell showed some flashes on what can do when attacking the basket. He likes to hit the gaps and explode with the rock on the break. I would definitely like to see him shoot a few more outside shots to keep the defenders honest.
Justin Woudenberg (Jersey Jayhawks)- Justin’s team took a big loss but he proved that he could stroke the rock. He tickled the twine from deep on several occasions while trying to breathe some life in his squad. He can flat out shoot the rock.
Juwuan Carter (Playaz Basketball Club)- Carter also plays in the backcourt for the Playaz and is a quiet assassin. He gets it done at both ends of the floor without much fanfare. Carter is lightning quick, plays good defense and can hit the outside shot when he’s not attacking the cup.
Tyrone Johnson (Brooklyn Ballers)- The southpaw plays with a lot of energy and looks his best slashing to the basket. He still needs to develop his handle a little but right now his speed and power is enough to get the job done.
