Naseem Khaalid and Alex Caldwell scored 8 points apiece as SC Ravens defeated NC Running Rebels 37-31 to win the Basketball Spotlight CB Spiders Classic 11U Championship. Marque Maultsby scored 11 points for NC Running Rebels in the loss.
Top Performers
Naseem Khaalid Guard (SC Ravens)- Khaalid pushed the rock very quickly at the point guard position. He also didn’t mind catching the ball on the wing and draining the open jumper. He operates this well oiled machine.
Jerrel Kelly Forward (SC Ravens)- I like Kelly’s potential. The long wiry forward lefty is capable of turning in the lane and scoring easily. Right now he’s very thin but lookout for this kid in the future. He will eventually become a nice wing forward.
Winston Hill Forward (SC Ravens)- Hill has some smooth post moves as 5th Grader. He shook off a tough start in the finals to contribute well in the second half. When he is playing hard this team is tough to beat.
Alex Caldwell Guard (SC Ravens)- Caldwell got hot from the perimeter early knocking down 2 treys. The quick combo guard is a defensive hound and plays the passing lanes well.
Marque Maultsby Forward (NC Running Rebels)- Maultsby worked extremely hard on the offensive glass and scored well in the lane. His energy kept things close and gave his squad a chance to win at the end.
Camron McNeil Guard (NC Running Rebels)- McNeil has some smoothness in his game in terms of shooting and driving to the cup. He does need to become a little more aggressive at times.
Jahlil Johnson Guard (NC Running Rebels)- Johnson has some deceptive quickness when driving past defenders. He uses some nice dribble moves including a stop and go.
Stay Tune As We Bring You More Top Performers From This Age Group
Kobe Langley scored 12 points and Keyshaun Langley added 9 markers as the Carolina Gaters defeated the Fairfax Stars to win the Spotlight CB Spiders Classic 10U Championship. Justice Ellison finished with 12 points for Fairfax Stars in the loss.
Top Performers
Kobe Langley Guard (Carolina Gaters)- The southpaw has a sweet stroke and deep range especially for a 4th grader. He has a good feel the game was on full display when he helped his team dig out of an early deficit. This kid is a player.
Keyshaun Langley Guard (Carolina Gaters)- Kobe’s twin brother also gave the opponents headaches. He’s a righty but loves penetrating the defense and pushing the ball in transition. He hit a couple of big shots in the second half to help his team get the crown.
Wendell Moore Forward (Carolina Gaters)- It’s crazy when one of Carolina’s next top prospect might only be 9 years old but it’s true. Moore already towered over the competition but also can handle and shoot the rock. When you throw in that he currently wears a size 13 shoe and you see the size of his parents you would understand. This kid already palms a basketball.
Justice Ellison Guard (Fairfax Stars)- Ellison is small but has the heart of a lion and the skills to get anywhere he wants on the floor. He used his quickness to dart through the defense and get to the basket. He also will launch a deep trey if left open.
Jaylin Hunter Guard (Fairfax Stars)- Hunter is a poised lefty that hurt the defense by dropping floaters in the lane. He has good court vision and plays very strong with the ball. I think this kid might make his mark in a few years.
Matthew Morsell Forward (Fairfax Stars)- Morsell is a rugged forward that banged hard on the glass and showed a nice face up game. I like this youngster’s motor and passion for the game.
Stay Tune As We Bring You More Top Performers From The 10U Division.
The Spotlight CB Spiders Classic continued this evening and Basketball Spotlight had a chance to check out some more talent. Here’s our list of top performers from the evening session.
CB Spiders Classic Top Performers
JJ Watson Guard (CB Spiders)- In the first half of his second game Watson looked like the best player on the floor. He shot the ball well and distributed the pill to teammates. In the second half he did get a little careless with the rock trying to do a little too much. That being said this kid has some star qualities that you can’t teach.
Silas Nazario Guard (Charleston Eagles)- Nazario was a pleasant surprise. The lightning quick point guard sliced through the Spiders defenders like a hot knife through butter. His ability to finish among the giants in the lane makes him an interesting prospect. I don’t have a real feel for his range because he didn’t attempt any shots behind the arc. He did hit a nice pull up near the foul line.
Elijah Cuffee Guard (Charleston Eagles)- When I see Cuffee I think of potential. Right now you can see the youngster’s youth through his thin frame and shooting style on his jump shot. I think in a few years he will stretch out and become a good prospect.
Bryant Sims Forward (Carolina Bas. Club)- Sims has become a more polished since I saw him last year for the Spiders. The slim but lanky forward showed supreme athleticism but really surprised me with his improved footwork. I see some good things from Sims down the road.
MJ Armstrong Guard (Carolina Bas. Club)- He’s not BJ Armstrong but this quick guard has a lot of game. He’s an aggressive dribbler and enjoys setting up defenders to use his crisp crossover. His job is to get into the lane and he does it well.
Jeremiah Hall Forward (CB Spiders)- Hall battled hard inside while using an up and under move to baffle shot blockers. He’s not as athletic as some of his competitors but he uses his body to box out well for rebounds.
Timothy Banten Forward (Carolina Bas. Club)- Banten is a huge road block in the lane in terms of rebounding the ball and stopping penetration. He has decent touch close to the rim and will continue to be a factor on the grammar school level.
Jael Scott Guard (Carolina Bas. Club)- Scott is a nice size guard that can look over most defenders when scoring or passing. His team came up with the short end of the stick against Team IZOD but he still had his moments.
The Spotlight CB Spiders Classic kicked off today and Basketball Spotlight got a chance to watch some new talent in the South. Finally, here’s a look at the top forwards at this event.
CB Spiders Classic Top Forwards
Trenton Russell Forward (Matt’s Mustangs)- Russell destroyed the Gaters inside during his team’s victory. He established good post position and used polished moves to score at will. He combines a high motor with a good touch and a scorer’s mentality.
Jatirious Smith Forward (CB Spiders)- Smith’s aggression and athleticism had in dominating play today. He’s very active on both backboards and now pushes the pill end to end before finishing. He seems to get better each time he touches the floor.
John Newman Forward (NC Gaters Blue)- Newman is a lefty that plays bigger than his size. He gave IZOD problems on the glass and he seemed to gather every loose ball. He made it his business to draw fouls and was pretty efficient at the charity stripe.
Reginald Davis Forward (NC Gaters Blue)- Davis battled foul trouble but was a menace inside. He’s still developing his touch but clogs up the lane and tries to snatch every rebound. He definitely has an inside presence.
Joshua Howard Forward (Carolina Flight)- Howard spent most of the afternoon roaming the perimeter. I can see he wants to develop his guard skills but he made his presence felt when played in the lane. He grabbed several rebounds and scored on a couple of put backs.
Cameron Hairston Forward (NC Gaters)- Hairston attacks well from the free throw and on the baseline. He’s a quick leaper and changes his shot well to avoid shot blockers. He does get in trouble at times when he leaves his feet and tries a difficult shot.
Tarique Simmons Forward (SC Heat)- Simmons is a flat out finisher. He slices through the lane and glides to the tin. He also will knock down the trey ball from the corner. Simmons looks his best in transition.
The Spotlight CB Spiders Classic kicked off today and Basketball Spotlight got a chance to watch some new talent in the South. Now let’s talk about top scoring guards that did damage.
CB Spiders Classic Top Scoring Guards
Nate Pierre Louis Guard (Team IZOD)- Pierre-Louis woke up after a tough start and put together buckets to help is team hold on. In the second half he scored from all three levels. He also managed to live at the charity stripe. He has to be one of the best scorers in traffic in the country. He finished with 24 markers in the win.
Aaron Clarke Guard (Team IZOD)- Nate’s sidekick also hard the alarm clock in the second half. He rattled off 9 straight points to push his squad ahead for good. Clarke did show his range when he got hot but mostly relied on pump faking and driving to the hoop. I’m also feeling his floater and use of his off-hand right now.
Chase Lewis Guard (Team IZOD)- Lewis gave his team a much needed spark off the pine with 9 points. He filled the lane on the break and even slashed through the lane. Lewis was also strong enough to help out on the defensive end.
Carlos Nuttry Guard (SC Heat)- You have to love this kid. He’s a problem on the perimeter because he can shoot the deep ball, mid range shot and finish at the tin. In transition he stormed through the retreating defense for easy buckets. His outside shot opens the lane up for him to attack.
Jonathan Hicklin Guard (Carolina Flight)- The Flight made a comeback and Hicklin had a major role. The southpaw stroked the pill with confidence while helping his team get out of the drought.
Brett Swilling Guard (Carolina Flight)- Swilling also can shoot the ball and loves setting up in the corner. He has good size which helps him get his shot off over defenders trying to close out.
The Spotlight CB Spiders Classic kicked off today and Basketball Spotlight got a chance to watch some new talent in the South. First we will take a look at the top floor generals that performed well in Concord, North Carolina.
CB Spiders Classic Top Point Guards
Devonte Shuler Guard (SC Heat)-I was overly impressed with the Heat point guard. He has a Kyle Lowry attacking style meaning he sets of teammates well but also finishes in traffic. Some players love the big time moment and this kid seems to be one of them. When the Carolina Flight tried to make a run Shuler closed the door with spectacular play. He was the top point guard I saw during the morning action.
Kameron Langley Guard (NC Gaters)- Langley gave Team IZOD fits with his ability to drive anywhere he wanted on the floor. He doesn’t have a dazzling handle but instead uses his strength to carry or over power defenders. He scored several times using floaters and runners in the lane. He has supreme confidence in his outside shot even though his percentage wasn’t good.
Matt Kachleries Guard (Team IZOD)- Matt helped settle the troops down last in the second half to prevail the victory. He came in off the bench and made some hustle plays while also distributing the rock. He stepped up his play.
Rechon Black Guard (CB Spiders)- Black played some inspired ball in their blowout victory. He has increased his speed and converted on some tough shots. Once he gets stronger opponents will have a serious problem with this Class of 2018 product.
The past two weeks in school has been very fun because we are done with finals. No more school until our end of the year trip to Sara Sam’s. It’s been a good year and I finished off strong, now patiently waiting this high school season.
The week of June 3rd to the 5th we had our own event the Blow Up! We started off pool play playing against Wolf Pack we gave them the mercy rule. Then after the game a couple of my friends came to my house to stay the night and chill out.
Saturday, our first game was against Rockland Rockets who we beat by 40. Our last pool play game was against NJ Got Game who asked to be in our bracket, it was a good game till the second half when we opened it up. I personally went on a 14-0 run against them. I finished with 24 pts highlighted with a dunk down the middle on 2 players plus the foul, the crowd went crazy.
Sunday, I started off the morning with a game at Iona College with St. Bennies we lost by 9. For the first time together we looked pretty good and we didn’t have all our players. Everyone said I played like a senior, so I guess I did ok. I finished with 15 pts and no turnovers. After the game I had to rush to NJ for my championship game vs. New Heights, it was blow out at the beginning but they didn’t quit. We ended up beating them by 14. I scored 22 and had a lot of hot dimes. I was named tourney MVP. Then after that I went to get something to eat and relaxed the rest of the day.
June 10 – 12th we had Rumble in the Bronx. Our first was at 9:45pm Friday night against a team from New York we gave them the mercy rule (boring). Saturday we played against King Street once again, they play us tougher and tougher each time. This time they took us in 2 overtimes! Much respect to The Kings, I finished with 29 points. We forfeited our last game pool play game on Saturday night so we can get rest, because we had already won our pool.
Sunday, we played New Heights AGAIN in the quarters this time we mercy ruled them. I hurt my elbow in the victory and didn’t play the second half. I still managed to score 15 pts when the game was interesting .Our semi-finals game would be against a tough NY Scan team .They hung with us in the beginning but we stared pulling away late in the second half. We won by 13 pts. I had a great game when the lights were on and believe me the lights were bright. The game had 5 nationally ranked guards balling, enough said. I ended up with 28 pts and hella rebounds. And yes I was out to prove something. No excuses but 15 minutes after the Scan game we had to play the chip game vs. BABC it was the best game all year. They came out patient on offense running a slow pace offense and dropped back in a zone on defense. We tried to get them to come out but their coach played it smart and it worked for them. They have a good team and they beat us 73-71 that was the first 14u tournament we lost all year. I finished with 19 pts and a nice 2 hand dunk.
Shout out to my big man Marquel for holding it down in the middle all year.
Tyler Bourne has put together a terrific season while helping Juice All Stars win the Connecticut 12U State Title and qualifying for Summer Slam. The charismatic floor general loves to display his slick handle while specializing in no look passes and floaters. His play earned him an invite to the Basketball Spotlight Super Showcase . Check out his highlight including him doing work at the AC Showcase.
The Spotlight CB Spiders Classic kicks off this weekend and of course Basketball Spotlight will their first hand to bring you the recaps. This event which is headlined by the 12U Division will feature some of the top teams in the country. The legendary Spotlight banner will be traveling with us. The question is who will grab it?
Spotlight CB Spiders Classic Preview
12U Division
CB Spiders: The Carolina state champs come to this event with a heavy rep. They are the host team and expectations will be high. This group has added a few pieces from last season and has won a string of events. I love their big guard play and passion for winning. Key Players: Ty’son Alexander, JJ Watson, Jatirious Smith, Rechon Black and Zachery Butler.
NC Rising Prospects: The Prospects are a well traveled squad. They go anywhere to play the best. Now the Spotlight will get a first hand view of this team. This field is very deep and it will be interesting to see how they fair. Key Players: Jordan Riley and Ian Dubose.
Team IZOD: The Big Red Machine will be looking for some meat after an early exit from the MIT. Coach Pierre Louis is one of the best motivators in the business so we know his squad will be focused. Key Players: Nate Pierre Louis, Aaron Clarke, Joseph Rooner, David Kachleries and Matt Kachleries.
Atlanta Knicks: I love the Knicks style of play. They have some aggressive guards and big playing forwards. Plus they are hungry to get back to their winning ways from the past. Key Players: Jay Estime, Christian Nelson, Zach Cooks, Al Durham and Jordan Goldwire.
Team Takeover: The PV boys are making the trip to Carolina to make some noise. Their guard play is tremendous and they have a poised style that can help them win it all. Key Players: Aaron Thompson, Camaron Spence and Quinten Drayton.
Carolina Flight: The Flight is scheduled to be in the building with their huge front line. Their true test will be if their guards can handle the pressure that these top squads will apply. Key Players: Anthony Gibbons and Josh Howard
Other Teams To Watch For: Gardner Road, Atlanta Celtics, QC Thunder, QCAA, Gaters Blue, Carolina Basketball Club, SC Heat, Charleston Eagles, Georgialina Heat, Matts Mustangs and MD Cougars.
There are other age groups in this tournament that Basketball Spotlight will become more familiar with during this event.
Atiba Taylor took the trip to the MIT this past weekend with the King Street King and displayed some of his skill work. The southpaw has the knack to score or set up teammates. His size makes him a constant matchup problem in the backcourt. His play earned him an invite to the Baby Baller Super Showcase. Check out his work on these highlights.
DC Assault used a balanced attack to defeat Louisiana Primetime 62-60 and win the Maryland Invitational 13U Championship. Congrats to DC Assault’s staff and players for winning the crown.
Roster: Jamar Watson, Jamir Moultrie, Mickey Bell, Anthony Cowan, Blake Francis, Sam Green, Ako Adams, Sean Strittmatter, Reggie Gardner, Alani Moore, Joe Hampton
Dowtin Leads Force One To The Silver Division Crown
Jeff Dowtin found the hot hand at the MIT nailing over 20 treys in 6 games while helping his team win the 13U Silver Division Championship. Dowtin is known for his ratchet and has earned an invite to the Basketball Spotlight Super Showcase.
SC Ravens Are The 11U Champs
Naseem Khaalid Guard (SC Ravens)- Khaalid pushed the rock very quickly at the point guard position. He also didn’t mind catching the ball on the wing and draining the open jumper. He operates this well oiled machine.
Jerrel Kelly Forward (SC Ravens)- I like Kelly’s potential. The long wiry forward lefty is capable of turning in the lane and scoring easily. Right now he’s very thin but lookout for this kid in the future. He will eventually become a nice wing forward.
Winston Hill Forward (SC Ravens)- Hill has some smooth post moves as 5th Grader. He shook off a tough start in the finals to contribute well in the second half. When he is playing hard this team is tough to beat.
Alex Caldwell Guard (SC Ravens)- Caldwell got hot from the perimeter early knocking down 2 treys. The quick combo guard is a defensive hound and plays the passing lanes well. 
Marque Maultsby Forward (NC Running Rebels)- Maultsby worked extremely hard on the offensive glass and scored well in the lane. His energy kept things close and gave his squad a chance to win at the end. 
Camron McNeil Guard (NC Running Rebels)- McNeil has some smoothness in his game in terms of shooting and driving to the cup. He does need to become a little more aggressive at times.
Jahlil Johnson Guard (NC Running Rebels)- Johnson has some deceptive quickness when driving past defenders. He uses some nice dribble moves including a stop and go.
