Start, Stop, & Continue

There are a handful of coaches, business men, mentors and teachers that are of superb value to my growth personally and professionally. Alan Stein is one of those who does it the right way, which contributes to his success. So I thought I might share with y'all his most recent blog going into the new year.
Start, Stop, & Continue

Tear'a Laudermill

Pictured: left to right is Nebraska commit Tear'a Laudermill (2011 Ca) and ASU commit Arnecia Hawkins (2012 Az)


Just recently had a phone interview with Nebraska commit Tear'a Laudermill.
'T', as she is often affectionately refereed to is a dynamic, extremely athletic, fiery intense guard that has always been a steady at Arizona tournaments. So much so, most Sun Devil fans and locals were sold that come 2011 she would be sporting the maroon and gold. Tear'a is intensely fast and puts the ball on the ground in the full court at neck breaking speed and never lets up. She will challenge the help by beating them to the punch or finish over them with her great leaping abilities. She also can stop on a dime and pull up with a short jumper that is pretty and pretty consistent if the lane closes. Her length and athleticism allows her to maneuver around defenders with her dribble and steps without slowing down. Her game is transitional, & offensively explosive.

TRIFECABASKETBALL: "When did Nebraska come into the picture?"
TL: "It was actually Nebraska that first showed interest then ASU."

Tear'a had mentioned that with all the time she had spent on the ASU campus coming out here for tournaments, she became really attached and focused her recruiting on ASU and put Nebraska on the back burner.

TRIFECTABASKETBALL: "What was it that most pulled you to choose Nebraska?"
TL: "My family and I are very religious. We spent a lot of time praying. We sat down, did research on their history, record, other guards being recruited, and I had a good relationship with Coach Yori."

TRIFECTABASKETBALL: "What best describes what kind of player you are?"
TL: "Motivator, I love motivating my teammates, clapping and encouraging them. I run with my teammates who are running because they are in trouble or something."

Tear'a who was also recruited by Louisville, Vanderbilt, ASU, and KU didn't seriously start playing basketball till 12yrs old. Soon got involved with NJB then travel ball. Her dad played basketball for University of California Riverside and her brother is currently playing at Cal. State San Bernardino. She says her motivation for putting time in the gym is that she knows somewhere there is someone working as hard or harder. She told me that when she gets to Nebraska her focus is to be in the right mindset and make sure her grades are on point.

A New Number One

On 12/22/10 In Chandler Arizona Brea Olinda was crowned Queen of the Hardwood, overcoming a double OT game against a very good Bollingbrook, and handling biz against a dynamic Long Beach Poly. In the end they outshined the most glimmering of opponents, taking a huge step to win the most coveted of prizes, a national championship. Recently I was asked on a message board, "Are they as good as advertised?". So you might ask how do they do it. They don't out flash anyone at any position. Justine Hartman is their most skilled position player but they don't get it done by being better skilled or trying to outscore their opponent. Their reasoning is, 'If I can stop you more than you can stop me, we have a chance." That never proved more right than in the championship game. In the clutch, it wasn't how many points Hartman or Perry scored. It came down to Brea controlled the boards, led by Jeanier Olukemi, probably women's high school's best weakside rebounder. They didn't give too many second chance points. They kept the ball in front, limited penetration and played great help-side defense. Offensively, all tournament they didn't fluctuate. They didn't have those big ups & downs. They were solid and consistant all through out. They didn't relinquish much. They stayed true to who they were and did their job.

Nike TOC (Joe Smith) Individual Awards

• Darling of the Tournament - Alexis Riley-Perry (2011 Brea Olinda): There was not a player on the court that played with us much heart and determination as Lexy Perry. This young lady has what it takes. She is tenacious, determined, and resolvent. In her her words, she is "the best unsigned guard in the country." One couldn't help but cheer for her.
• Defensive Player - Tajanae Winston (2011 LB Poly): After Kaleena Lewis erupted for 25 first half points, Winston drew the assignment of stopping Lewis. She is long, athletic, anticipates, and plays passing lanes tremendously. In the second half of the Mater Dei and LB Poly game she seemed to be two steps ahead of anything Mater Dei was doing.
• Impact Player - Justine Hartman (2011 Brea Olinda): Her presence on the floor draws so much attention she really opens things up for her teammates. When she is presented with the ball either on the low block or high post she makes good things happen. She is a superb passer, a confident scorer, and poised leader.
• Best Player - Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (2011 Mater Dei): Is no doubt the best player in the country. There is nothing to argue. She has a refined skill set, basketball smarts, and big time play. She is at a whole different level than most. She is one of those elite players that will go on to do great things in women's basketball.
• Most Exciting - Ariya Crook-Williams (2011 LB Polly): Crafty and quick, Ariya will leave defenders stuck like in mudd with her AI like crossovers and in&out move. She knows how to get in the paint and make plays. She is listed at 5'7 which might be a little of an exageration. She reminds me of my favorite female basketball player, Dymond Simon.
• Board Queen - Jeanier Olukemi (2012 Brea Olinda): 6', long and extremely athletic, Jeanier jumps twice before other 6fters ever leave the ground, and twice as high. She anticipates well and has great timing catching the ball at highest point. She has great hands and secures the ball well.
• Most Athletic - Madison Cable (2011 Mt. Lebanon): She combines speed, leaping ability, hand-eye coordination, and balance as good as the best. She can cuts and drives to the basket with such ease and has great body control. Is able to get around help defenders with the step, dribble or in the air to finish. Shoots well, dribbles dexterously.
• Toughest Player - Bria Smith (2011 Christ The King): Who doesn't like to watch this young lady play. When she is on the take, it is fierce, aggressive, powerful. At 5'10, strong shoulders and muscular build, she gets everything out of it. She doesn't just box players out she moves them and if your thinking about tying her up with the ball, think again. I've never seen her lose a tie up, if she even gets tied up.
• Best Pure Shooter - Courtney Ekmark (2014 St.Marys az): With a 6' long frame, she can get shots off. She spots up well, knows how to set her feet and has a great release and finish. Opponents need to know where she is at all times. Is a high percentage free throw shooter.
• Hustle Award - Kennedy Cattenhead (2013 Bollingbrook): You don't have to tell her to get on the ball. I seen her fully lay out more than a couple times diving for a loose ball. She is a great defender and sprints every possession. She has a great demeanor towards working hard.
• Play Maker - Lauren Chase (2011 Riverdale Baptist): Can't take your eyes off the floor for a minute because you never know when your going to miss something spectacular. Whether it's a nifty no look pass, ankle breaking move or acrobatic finish, Lauren has the craft for excitement.
• The Leader - Ariel Massengale (2011 Bollingbrook): What sets Ariel apart from the rest of the PG's in America is her ability to lead. She has a much needed understanding of the game to be such a leader. She controls game tempo. She has the utmost respect of her teammates. She has the utmost respect for her teammates. She knows and understands her players, where to get them the ball, whether their hot or how to get them hot. She is a floor general.

First Team All-Tournament Selection as reported by me on http://www.shecanplay.org/index.php/topic,1514.msg2765.html#msg2765

DYMOND SIMON

Dymond Simon of ASU will always be my favorite player. She might be the single reason why my daughter plays basketball today and why it got my approval. Long before I got involved with girls basketball, I use to play pick-up bball at a local gym. The gym was always packed with the likes of Mike Bibby (current NBA Hawk), Negel Knight (former Suns), a young Richard Jefferson (Spurs) and Jaryd Bayless. My daughter, Jasmine Hotchkins, at the time was 8-9 yrs. old. She would often sit to the side in the corner and watch. One day she started shooting around and I was like "your pretty good", but at the time I was unfamiliar with the women's game. Then Dymond and her dad (James) came in one summer afternoon. Dymond just started tearing it up. She would get to the lane, draw contact and finish (against grown men). She would step beyond the arc and knock down jumpers. If one guarded her to tight, she would make a grown man look silly holding his ankle as she drove by them for the lay-in. This was all about when she was just 15-16yrs.old. I walked out of that gym saying to myself if a girl can play like that and my daughter wants to play ball that is just fine with me. After a while I got a hold of James and asked his advice on how to get my daughter started in basketball. The rest is history. Today I still stay in regular contact with both Dymond and James and it instills pride in me when I see her perform. Like tonight, when she led her un-ranked Devils against #14 DePaul with 24pts, 7a's, & 5rebs. I usually sit by James for the games but tonight I took in the action with colleague Brandon Clay of Peach State Hoops. In his words
"Every year Arizona State has the biggest team in the country, they are huge!!! But their senior PG Dymond Simon makes 'em go."
Well tonight is one of those proud moments when I reminese about when I would sport the green & white, while my daughter wore her green "future Knight" t-shirt and we would drive down to Chandler to watch Dymond play in the Nike TOC. I still have those white adidas shoes with the green stripes. My daughter never became a Knight, instead she plays for arch-rival Xavier College Prep that was coached by LA Sparks head coach Jennifer Gillom her frosh year, who was in attendance tonight. Could it be? With the ups & downs of her college career, in the form of two ACL tears in the same knee, Dymond still has aspirations to play in the WNBA and no doubt has the skill, ability, and drive to be successful. Watching the WNBA as a scout and a fan I believe the league could use a player like Dymond. She knows and understands the game. It's in her blood. It's inherent in her. I think she would bring a breathe of fresh air to the leauge in terms of high guard skill and exciting play-making abilities. Good luck to you Dym! Your always in our hearts and in our prayers.
Here is a recent article by local by Jeff Metcalfe of azcentral:
http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/jeffmetcalfe/111251
FOX Recap:
http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/pages/video?PID=v3at1OEIBcenP7qMv3fZ80VuA6EXOwki

Nike TOC Off Day

Brea Olinda's Chanelle Di Croce, Justine Hartman, Lexy Perry, Jeanier Olukemi, Perry Arin

Bollingbrook's Ariel Massengale, Morgan Tuck, Nia Moore, Annaya Moore

Mater Dei's Khalia Lark, Kaija Powell, Jordan Adams, Kaleena Lewis, KiKi Alofaituli

Taking in an off day @ Nike TOC. Chilling with the some of the top players in the country. Evaluations and tournament team selections coming at the conclusion of 1st session 12/22/10.
updates, player performance evals and profiles can be found @ www.shecanplay.org

Az HS Girl's Top Ten 12/13/10

My top ten high schools as reported on Crash The Boards message board as of 12/13/10
http://crashtheboards.hoop.la/displayForumTopic/content/185088186388478604

Holiday Hoopla & Christmas Classic

Evaluations & All-Tournament selections on boy's Holiday Hoopla & girl's Christmas Classic to be posted this week as soon as I recieve rosters on participating teams.

HIGHLAND THANKSGIVING BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

Final Four All-Tournament Selection

First Team:

• Alyssa Heeman (pg) 5'4, Highland (2011) At 5'4 and not necessarily fastest or quickest with sick handles, Alyssa will not wow anyone out of the gym but simply put she gets the job done. She gets by her defender cutting off the their angle and getting them off balance using a stop&go again dribble. She has the capability of lighting it up from outside. She plays with a lot of poise and discipline. She makes the right, simple pass. She makes the right reads and controls the games tempo. Even without flashy handles she knows how to get into the paint and create for her teammates, always with her eyes up making smart plays. Alyssa is already a senior and doesn't have the luxury of years to work on a whole lot. She is better suited for smaller colleges.
• Kenna McDavis (sf) 6'1, Pinnacle (2013) Kenna is probably the most pure shooter on the court this weekend. She possesses a silky smooth stroke and with her size can get it over most guards. She is extremely athletic and plays with a lot of moxy. Love to watch her play because she just has that 'it'. One never knows when she will catch fire and start dropping bombs from beyond the arc every trip down the court. Kenna possesses all the natural qualities to become great but will become even more versatile and dynamic as she gets a better economy of motion on her drive. Her first step tends to be too wide of an angle. Shorten that angle and she will get to the basket quicker and in better position to finish or create for others. She is just coming into her game at the perimeter having mostly played a post on her club teams at a younger age. Kenna is going to continually grow as she learns to become a more versatile wing & develops more perimeter skill set. Right now she sometimes falls into a rut and becomes too one dimensional as a shooter but with her athleticism and height she can be much more.
• Syerra Davis (g) 5'8, Tolleson (2011) Already signed with UTEP this fall. Had an offer from ASU but ASU rescinded. Syerra has a smooth game, a great mid-range pull-up where she rises high above defenders to get off. She is very gifted athletically and can be a great defender. Syerra's problem is she doesn't always show how good she is or can be. She often feels too content to play in the shadows even when she should be the one shining and taking over for her team. It seems she has to hit some big shots to get going and turn it on rather than just pouring it on from the get go till it gets right. I hope Syerra finds that swagger and confidence. Tolleson is going to need it this year from her and she will need it in college.
• Kaile Magazzeni (f) 6'1, Highland (2011) When the ball touches Kaile's hands good things happen. She is a fierce competitor. She is Highland's director and leader on the court. At only 6'1 she doesn't back down from bigger centers and will post aggressively herself. She is very difficult to guard in the low post because she gets great position. She goes at her defenders quick and early on the low block, gets opponents in foul trouble by getting great position and going up strong to the basket. She doesn't have an array of moves with her back to the basket, mostly relies on good positioning. She does however have a great turnaround jumper that she hits with precision. It is her go to move. She has range at about 15ft but definitely needs to increase her range out to the arc. She is a great defender against multiple positions and anticipates off the ball well, reading passing lanes. Oh, by the way, she is a fierce rebounder and slick passer. To be a strong DI prospect she is just going to have find a better perimeter game and face up more.
• Aley Rohde (c) 6'5, Pinnacle (2011) Already committed to UofA Aley has a lot of upside. She is a south paw 6'5 post and has always conjured up a lot of interest from college recruits. She does show a lot of capability when her team finds her. She likes to get the ball on the low left block and go to her left hand baby hook shot. Sometimes shots come to easy to Aley whether she is on or off and I rarely see her go to an array of counters that might get her a higher percentage shot. She does have a nice release on her jumper which she is capable of hitting from 10-15ft and occasionally might knock down a 3 but does have somewhat of a hitch to her shot. Confidence is key for Aley and possibly with maturity and in the right environment she will flourish. My advice to Aley to have a successful college career would be to forget she is 6'5, train like a under 6'3 post, get stronger, get the advantage by playing for position before she gets the ball and demand the ball, make good things happen.

Second Team:

• Anne Marie Holter (pg) 5'8, Seton Catholic (2013) Anne shows high basketball IQ and is an exceptional passer. She finds open players and gets them the ball where they can score. She does a great job of controlling the tempo of the game and displays a lot of poise. Is not going to wow anyone with her skill set but knows how to use what she has to get the job done. Really does a good job of getting the ball up the court, dribbles N-S and doesn't over dribble.
• Kayla Bustos (g) 5'4, Seton Catholic (2011) Kayla heated up from outside this weekend and scored 27pts against a very tall athletic Pinnacle high school. She gets her shot off quick but defenses might be able to control her ability to get open looks by putting taller defenders on her. Not sure she has the ability to create her own shot.
• Sydney Wiese (g) 5'8, Pinnacle (2013) Sydney can be one of Arizona's deadliest shooters from outside. She has unbelievable range but Pinnacle has to use her as their primary point guard limiting their chances to get her open looks in transition in open court. She has a little razzle dazzle to her ball-handling abilities but tends to over dribble, dribbles with her head down and her lack of strength allows her to get bumped farther out of the driving lane forcing her to take much more difficult lay-ins. She often fails to see traps coming and forces turnovers because her head is down and she tries to engage the defender with too much dribbling. She is also very predictable which is why she probably gets picked off so much. Over the three games I have watched her play this fall she is averaging near 10 to's a game. Not a good stat to have. As advanced as her offensive game is her ability to lock down other guards is hazardous and led to many open looks on the perimeter for the opposition because of the penetration allowed. Also Pinnacle's bigs tend to get in foul trouble a lot which can somewhat be attributed to the lack of perimeter defense. Sydney no doubt has a lot of up-size and will go very far but definitely has some kinks to work out which have been exposed as of late. Sydney's offensive skill set easily has her on my 1st team but her turnovers lack of control of team's offense and defense puts her on the second team.
• LaQuese Garrett (f) 5'11, Tolleson (2011) LaQuese plays with great energy, plays bigger than she is and can still step out and put it on the floor for the take. She is extremely athletic and poises problems for bigger slower forwards guarding her on the perimeter. Her shot is in need of some desperate help. I say it like that because if she were a sophomore or maybe even junior, one can look at working on it but high school season has already started and this is her final season.
• Theresa Wirth (sf) 5'11, Seton Catholic (2011) Theresa is more suited for a perimeter game and as such is an exceptional shooter but for her high school she has to take the load of the work inside. She has a nice athletic build, is no doubt dedicated to being in shape and did a great job of rendering 6'5 Aley Rohde ineffective in their match-up. I was shocked to when I saw Theresa have to handle the ball in the open court. Her handles are very inferior of where they should be at her level and other abilities. She no doubt is an exceptional guard/sf but really needs to sharpen her ability to handle the ball even to play in the SunBelt conference which is where she will be next year for University of Denver.

All-Defensive Team:

• Anne Marie Holter (pg)
• Cassi Damyanovich (g)
• Britta Nordstrom (f)
• Theresa Wirth (f)
• Kaile Magazzeni (f)
• LaQuese Garrett (f)

Best of the rest:

Briana White

Susan Spinner

Madi Rinehart

Emily Wahlberg

Jordan Hagen

TOURNAMENT TIME OCTOBER HOOPFEST

By James Parker, talent scout/evaluator
Phoenix Az, 10/29-31/2010, Dobson high school
Tournament Time October Hoopfest


Many thanks to our wonderful Debbie Moulton for the hardwork and patience she puts into her tournaments, so the players, parents, coaches can have an enjoyable weekend. Her tournaments are some of the smoothest most well organized tournaments you coaches will ever enter. Be thankful.
Debbie, thank you to you and your husband for your accomodations. May God bless and keep you safe in your travels. Our hearts go out to you and your family in this time of transition.

Here it is folks. The long awaited, TrifectaBasketball player evaluation and tournament recap on girls basketball tournament here in Arizona. It was great to see all the talent and girls play hard. Their hard work and the dedication of their coaches and families is paying off.

ALL TOURNAMENT FIRST TEAM (8TH GRADE)

• Dyesha Stahly (Az Lady Hoopers)~ Is a small 5'6 lightening quick guard who can get the ball up the court in a hurry and break any press. She is very exciting to watch. Simply put she breaks down defenses. Plays with her head on a swivel and has good court vision. Knows how to kick and dish. Play is very unselfish. Knows how to pass the ball into the low-post. Needs to establish her outside shot and ability to pull up short of the basket for mid-range jumper. Is going to need to strengthen the week hand and cut down the angles. Tends to cover too much east&west up the court. Angles need to be quicker and sharper to get the ball going more North and South.
• Armani Hawkins (Az Elite)~ A 5'9 combo guard or shooting guard with nifty ball handling abilities, sound shooting mechanics, and good basketball IQ. Demands a lot of attention from opponents. Armani has established herself as one of the premier guards in this class not just here in Arizona but at least of the whole southwest region and she doesn't disappoint. She owns the pull-up jumper like it is her best friend, right or left. She has a silky smooth outside shot and has nifty handles. She is looking to be a solid college prospect in coming years. Armani's greatest plus side is what makes her successful now at this age translates well on the next level. What will elevate her game is strength and speed. She has decent speed in the full court but a more explosive first step and sharper quicker angles to get into the teeth of the defense will make her much more dynamic.
• Sabrina Haines (Az Elite)~ 5'9 guard/sf that plays hard every possession. Simply put, she gets it done! Has great energy about her, lots of ambition and shows a great competitive fire. She can shoot anywhere on the floor and will attack the basket. She cuts and slashes to the basket very well and crashes the boards like no other guard her age. She owned the glass this weekend. Sabrina can play multiple guard positions and some small forward as well as defend those positions. She also is a great shot blocker and help side defender. She can handle the rock and bring it up with speed but needs to work on her ability to attack and beat the defender off the dribble or pull-up for jumper.
• Emma Newman (Az Elite)~ 5'11 forward that aims to please. Emma would probably get my vote for surprise player of the weekend. She is tall and long, possess decent athleticism and has a nice stroke from the 10-15 foot range. She works hard on the court. She is the type of player that listens and wants to please. Will do what the coach wants from her, very unselfish. Will have to get stronger and play a more face up game, maybe all the way out beyond the arc depending on her growth. Can be a little unsure of herself at times.
  
• Allies Fuller (Az Lady Hoopers)~ 6'2 post. Is a tall strong player that knows how to post. She has soft hands, a great drop step right or left, to the outside or middle. She keeps the ball high on post entry and makes quick decisions on post move. She is a great re-bounder and does a great job of keeping the ball high out of reach but will need to learn how to chin it in the future because there will be players who can pluck it out from on top of her head. Mobility is a factor, to get to bad passes or defensive rotations.

ALL TOURNAMENT SECOND TEAM (8TH GRADE)

• Taylor Kalmer (Az Elite)~ 5'6 PG, is very fundamental in her approach. Good ball handling ability, good stroke. Is a great system player. Doesn't gamble too much. Is a very active on both ends of the floor. Plays with a lot of energy.
• Kendal Perry (Az Elite)~ 5'7 guard that possesses an all-around game. Has a complete package of perimeter skills. Kendal plays on a very talented team and at times seems content to allow others to run the show but I would like to see her aggressively attack the basket more and work harder to get open to shoot. She has the skill.
  
• Saylair Grandon (Team Bibby)~ 5'10 very aggressive, strong guard/sf. She can get to the basket and finish strong. possesses a lot of strength. Owns a decent mid-range jumper and ball skills. Conditioning and emotions can be a factor.
• Courtney Christmas (Az Thunder)~5'10 sf, lean and long. What I like most about Courtney's game is her shot. She has potential to be a good shooter in this game and will get better as she elevates her game by stepping out to face up more. Will have to get better at putting the ball on the floor and get stronger.
• Kristine Anigwe (Team Bibby)~ 6'2 long post player with a lot of upside. Kristine is a raw talent. She is a little behind in her basketball skills but has a great physique for the game. She is already turning into a great shot blocker. Needs to work on her footwork and ball skills. Lots of upside.

Hoopfest Tournament MVP (8th grade)~ Sabrina Haines

The best of the rest at Hoopfest:
Cassidy Brumby (Az Elite)
Micaela Clayton (Az Elite)
Thisa king (Team Bibby)
Juwanna Milton (Team Bibby)
Ozario Fisher (Az Thunder)
Tatum Brimley (Az Thunder)
Michaela Palladino (Az Thunder)
Clarrissa Sabadera (Az Thunder)

ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM (HS Division)

• Alex Gilligan (Chapparral)~ 5'5 PG, very quick in transition, pushes the ball up the court very well. Plays a true pg position, possesses above average outside shot. Needs to work on change of direction dribble, is very linear in her dribble and doesn't change hands smoothly or direction.
  
• Casey Rarrick (Chapparral)~ 5'8 combo guard, long and athletic with decent ball handles. Is great in transition and can knock down the outside jumper. Especially likes to take the open shot when in transition with plenty of time in a nice spaced fast break offense. Doesn't play as well in a slow downed game. Does a great job of putting the ball in a triple threat position on the catch but doesn't really anticipate the shot and in many ways looks to be too passive. She also tends to take her catch a lot further out from the arc, out of range. The space is great to help facilitate an offense for cuts and screens away from the ball but often leaves her without a real shot. Likes to put the ball on the ground but too often without a plan and doesn't really have any go to moves to finish in traffic. Can be more dynamic if she learns to use finishing moves because of her length, like a strong spin move, euro step, up&under, Hakeem turnaround, Kobe reverse pivot, crow-hop, tear-drop shot, etc.
  
• Monica Turley (Az Bam)~ 5'10 (W), Attacks the basket aggressively and gets to the line. Makes plays for her team. Shows a lot of fight and competitive spirit. Tends to play too up-right and can sharpen up her ball skills and outside shot.
  
• Jenna Savaya (Chapparral)~ 5'10 (F), scorer, very fierce competitor. Can knock down a variety of shots and knows how to get it off quick. Knows how and when to drive. Uses on-ball screens well, comes off aggressively looking to score either with the pull-up or take. Shot can tend to be a little flat and game falls off due to exhaustion. Key for Jenna will be to get in top condition to maintain stamina and high level of play and lots of extra shots, especially on tired legs. Needs to be as present in the 4th quarter as in the 1st half.
  
• Paulina Bledsoe (Gilbert Black Hawks)~ 5'10 (F), smooth mid-range and outside shot. Strong physique and decent athleticism. Knocks down big shots and knows how to carry a team. Above average defender and great re-bounder. Will get better with conditioning, agility training. Has to stay aggressive.
  
• Batabe Zempare (Chapparral)~ 5'11 (P), powerful, strong forward with big shoulders. Possesses decent footwork in the low-post and has a fatal knock down 10ft-15ft jump shot. Rebounds with authority and is strong with the ball. Needs to learn how to control emotions out on the floor. Allows too many things to get in her head. Want to see her put the ball on the ground from the high post and drive. She is strong and can get by most defenders with a quick first step.
• Rachel Jaworowicz (Chapparral)~ 5'6 (G), Very quick guard with good court awareness. Keeps her head up and has good vision to find open players. Moves well without the ball, owns a decent outside shot and handles the ball. She is a pesky defender and makes a lot of deflections, very active and hustles after loose balls. Rachel has a small frame, is tough but can benefit by putting on a little more lean muscle mass. She might be able to get pushed off her dribble to easy and take a beating going to the hole.

HOOPFEST HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION MVP~ Jenna Savaya

HOOPFEST (6th & 7th Grade Division)

I would love to give a shout out to Az Elite 6th graders for being such competitors and playing their hearts out. They played in a very tough 7th grade division and showed so much poise. Watch out for these girls in the years to come. There is no doubt we will be talking about them in the near future as some of Az's finest. Stick with it ladies and never doubt yourself or your potential.
Georgi Pregulman
Courtney Knecht
Jacquelyn Ries
Marjorie Glenn
Sarah Barcello
Jennifer Wirth
LeeAnne Wirth
Lizzy Newman

CONGRATULATIONS TO AZ PURE, WINNERS OF THE HOOPFEST 7th GRADE DIVISION!

This is fine assembled team of elite athletes and great basketball players. They like to press, run and gun. If they don't get something in transition they keep coming at you with half-court sets and execution that many high school aged players cant reproduce. Most of these young ladies are multi-sport athletes, and if or when any of them begin to specialize in basketball, WATCH OUT. They can be on the takeover.

Led by coack Ben Boyd, here is Az Pure (7th grade):

• Leah Goodman~ Made a strong showing over the weekend, great ball handles, gets the ball out and up the court quick. Plays great on-dribble defense. Already shows good basketball IQ. Plays great help side defense. Has a great first step. Look for a lot from this basketball player over the next couple years.
• Khalia Lanier~ Daughter of NBA Hall of Fame player Bob Lanier. Already about 6'+ and athletic. Loves to take it off the bounce to the sauce-pan from the high post. Gets by most easily and finishes strong. Strong re-bounder, runs the floor, blocks shots. Can be a phenom.
• Sierra Jarriel~ This young lady is as competitive as they come. She is athletic, fast, and has decent size. She can shoot the ball very well and get to the basket in transition. Extreme athlete.
• Addie Buzas~ Grabs rebounds with authority. Strong looking player. Great defender.
• Sydney Kilburg~ Tough as nails competitor. Plays aggressively. Attacks the glass and is a great passer.
• Kayla Shaw~Good in transition, unselfish, team-player, smart.
• Reece Benally~ Stonger taller guard. Is a great defender. Good rebounding guard.
• Page Nash~ Good shooter. Fundamental player. Runs the floor well.

Look for update on 4th & 5th grade division updates in coming days

WCFS "Super Pools" Awards/MVP's

West Coast Fall Showcase "SUPER POOLS" Individual Awards, MVP's & All Tournament Teams.

By: Jeff Meadows

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

The “SUPER POOLS” were full of talented players, good teams, big crowds & great match ups. With all of the great basketball that was played you know I had to give out my Hoops Report, West Coast Fall Showcase “SUPER POOL” INDIVIDUAL AWARDS.



TOP OUTSIDE SHOOTER: Austin West 6’3 (W) True Ballerz (2014)

TOP REBOUNDER/POST PLAYER: Chaz Mack 6’6 (F) Tucson Heat #3 (2014)

TOP DEFENDER: Rolando Rhymes 5’10 (PG) AZ STARS 15U (2014)

TOP OFFENSIVE PLAYER: Dorian Pickens 6’5 (W) AZ STARS 15U (2014)

TOP PLAYMAKER: Alasan Turay 5’9 (PG) SWS Academy (2014)

SURPRISE PLAYER: Pablo Rivas 6’6 (F) AZ Stars 15U (2014)

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Will Donovan 6’1 (CG) AZ FUTURE 16U (2014)


THE “SUPER POOLS” MVP’s.

Each of the four (4) pools was very competitive & because of that, I decided to award an MVP to the top player(s) in each pool. Below are the MVP’s for each of the four (4) pools in the 1st Annual Hoops Report West Coast Fall Showcase, enjoy!

POOL A MVP(s): Rolando Rhymes 5’10 (PG) AZ STARS 15U (2014), Roberto Reyes 6’3 (W) AZ STARS 15U (2014) & Dorian Pickens 6’5 (W) AZ Stars 15U (2014)

POOL B MVP: Eddie Little 5’10 (PG) AZ FUTURE 16U

POOL C MVP(s): Travis Jefferies 6’4 (G) Tucson Heat #3 (2012), Alec Sonderman 6’4 (F) Tucson Heat #3 (2012) & Brendon Sharky 6’4 (F) Tucson Heat #3 (2012)

POOL D MVP(s): Khari Holloway 6’2 (CG) True Ballerz (2013), Marcus Ramirez 6’3 (W) True Ballerz (2012) & Chris Davis 6’6 (F) True Ballerz (2014)



HOOPS REPORT WEST COAST FALL SHOWCASE “SUPER POOLS” ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM/TOP 40.

Alright everyone, what you’ve all been waiting for the West Coast Fall showcase “SUPER POOLS” All-Tournament team/Top 40, enjoy! (In height order).

Chris IIunga 5'4 (PG) K-9 UNIT (2012)

DeQwandre Jones 5’8 (PG) K-9 UNIT (2013)

Alasan Turay 5’9 (PG) SWS Academy (2014)

Rolando Rhymes 5’10 (PG) AZ STARS 15U (2014)

Eddie Little 5’10 (PG) AZ FUTURE 16U (2013)

Cole Sterns 5’10 (PG) Tucson Heat #4 (2014)

Alex Irke 5’11 (G) BTB Thunder #2 (2014)

Devante Walker 5’11 (G) Blue Devils (Free Agent Team) 2013

Max Melder 6’0 (G) Tucson Heat #4 (2014)

Khalid O’Neal 6’0 (G) K-9 UNIT (2013)

Will Donovan 6’1 (G) AZ FUTURE 16U (2014)

Dominique Branscumb 6’1 (CG) True Ballerz (2011)

Dalton Groenewold 6’1 (W) TEAM P.R.E.P. (2014)

Romano Bottini 6’1 (G) Oregon St. (Free Agent Team) (2014)

Terrence Johnson 6’1 (G) TEAM P.R.E.P. (2015)

Conor Triplett 6’2 (F) Orgeon St. (Free Agent Team) (2014)

Dakota Kordsieman 6’2 (W) TEAM P.R.E.P. (2015)

Antonio Romero 6’2 (W) TEAM P.R.E.P. (2014)

Richard Palmer 6'2 (F) K-9 UNIT (2013)

Frankie Trujillo 6’2 (W) TEAM P.R.E.P. (2015)

Khari Holloway 6’2 (CG) True Ballerz (2013)

Roberto Reyes 6’3 (W) AZ STARS 15U (2014)

Marcus Ramirez 6'3 (W) True Ballerz (2013)

Jaylyn Juan 6’3 (W) TEAM P.R.E.P. (2015)

Austin West 6’3 (W) True Ballerz (2014)

Ahmad Levon 6’4 (F) AZ STARS 15U (2013)

Travis Jefferies 6’4 (G) Tucson Heat #3 (2012)

Koa Chi DU 6’4 (F) TEAM P.R.E.P. (2015)

Alec Sonderman 6’4 (F) Tucson Heat #3 (2012)

Amadou Gueye 6’4 (F) SWS Academy (2014)

Brendon Sharky 6’4 (F) Tucson Heat #3 (2012)

Cody March 6’4 (F) AZ FUTURE 16U (2013)

Dorian Pickens 6’5 (W) AZ STARS 15U (2014)

Zylan Cheetman 6’6 (W) AZ STARS 15U (2014)

Pablo Rivas 6’6 (F) AZ Stars 15U (2014)

Chaz Mack 6’6 (F) Tucson Heat #3 (2014)

Chris Davis 6’6 (F) True Ballerz (2014)

Mark Andrews 6’6 (F) AZ STARS 15U (2014)

Connor McDougal 6’6 (F) BTB Thunder #2 (2014)

Sam Jones 6'6 (W) AZ STARS 15U (2014)

KJ Hoffman 6’8 (PF) BTB Thunder #2 (2012)



There was our 1st Annual West Coast Fall Showcase “SUPER POOLS” All-Tournament team. Below is a listing of our West Coast Fall Showcase “SUPER POOLS” Best of the Rest (30 players in height order).



Conner Stark 5’2 (PG) Blue Devils (Free Agent Team) (2014)

Brandon Kimber 5’5 (G) K-9 UNIT (2013)

Logan Dubek 5’5 (PG) Oregon St. (Free Agent Team) (2014)

Thomas Wabaunsee 5’6 (PG) TEAM P.R.E.P. (2016)

Nick Tamponi 5’8 (PG) BTB Thunder #2 (2011)

Diquan Hubbard 5’8 (PG) K-9 Unit (2013)

Deron Kyle 5’8 (PG) AZ STARS 15U (2014)

Gino Littles 5’8 (PG) AZ STARS 15U (2014)

Jacob Allenspach 5’8 (PG) BTB Thunder #2 (2013)

Justin Dombrowski 5’8 (PG) AZ FUTURE 16U (2013)

Ronnie Ramirez 5’9 (PG) SWS Academy (2014)

Adam Zubakoff 5’9 (PG) True Ballerz (2013)

Kaleb Maguet 5’9 (PG) Oregon St. (Free Agent Team) (2013)

Corbin Smith 6’1 (W) Oregon St (Free Agent Team) (2011)

Trey Ingram 5’9 (PG) AZ FUTURE 16U (2014)

Mike Duffy 5’10 (PG) Tucson Heat #3 (2012)

Jordan Gorman 5’10 (PG) Tucson Heat #3 (2012)

Daniel Lugo 5’10 (G) Tucson Heat #3 (2012)

Andrew Dohm 5’10 (G) Tucson Heat #3 (2012)

Tyler Dilyard 5’10 (PG) AZ FUTURE 16U (2012)

Uno Ekpoh 5’10 (PG) AZ FUTURE 16U (2014)

Juan Rascon 5’11 (W) TEAM P.R.E.P. (2015)

Jonathan Panfil 5’11 (G) Blue Devils (Free Agent Team) (2014)

Bailey Harn 6’0 (G) Tucson Heat #5 (2014)

Tyler Perlberg 6’0 (G) Tucson Heat #5 (2014)

Josh Shell 6’0 (G) Tucson Heat #5 (2014)

Joshua Isaacs 6’1 (G) Blue Devils (Free Agent Team) (2013)

Amon Schenk 6'2 (G) Blue Devils (Free Agent Team) (2012)

Adonis Railing 6’4 (F) True Ballerz (2013)

Bryce Frintner 6’4 (F) AZ FUTURE 16U (2013)



West Coast Fall Showcase “SUPER POOLS” OUTRO

The West Coast Fall Showcase was an excellent event; it was full of talented players & very good, competitive teams that came ready to play all weekend long. This event which had 28 teams & over 280 players, is sure to grow even more next year so for all of you talented prospects out there that feel the need to play with & against top level competition & receive NATIONAL EXPOSURE make sure you get registered up for this one, you don’t want to miss out of this TOP LEVEL EVENT. I had given thought to providing you, the fan, prospect & or parent with my unique PLAYER PROFILES but I decided not to for the simple fact that the second week of November, I will be posting my nationally renown Arizona Preseason All-State Teams in the following classes: 2011-2014, regardless of class & a top 100 regardless class rankings. I HOPE ALL OF OUR WWW.HOOPSREPORT.COM frequent readers enjoyed my SECOND TO NONE EVENT REPORTS & PLAYER LISTINGS, INDIVIDUAL AWARDS & OUR POST GAME RECAPS just as I promised. Make sure you stay logged on to www.hoopsreport.com for the recap to the West Coast Fall Showcase “PLATINUM BRACKET”, believe me, YOU DEFINITELY DON’T WANT TO MISS THAT.

West Coast Fall Showcase

(Here is Jeff Meadow's Day 2 Recap of WCFS (Thought if fitting to share, since I wasn't available to do an objective recap myself. I say in for coach Gene Littles and Ray Arvizu to coach the Az Stars 15u team.)

West Coast Fall Showcase Day 2 Recap of the "SUPER POOLS", Semi Finals & Championship Game.

By: Jeff Meadows

Day 2: CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY

The 1st Semi Finals game of the “SUPER POOLS” AZ STARS 15U vs AZ FUTURE 16U.

As the “SUPER POOLS” pool play ended, the four teams that advanced to the semi finals were very eager to get the semi finals under way. In pool A you have the AZ STARS 15U. The AZ STARS 15U is a storied program that happens to be one of about 36-38 programs throughout the United States that has a Nike contract. This AZ STARS 15U team finished their spring/summer being ranked at the # 15 spot nationally. This AZ STARS 15U team is “STACKED” from 1-12 they can easily go that deep & not miss much of a beat. The AZ STARS 15U are led by Rolando Rhymes, Dorian Pickens, Roberto Reyes, Sam Jones, Zylan Cheetman, Deron Kyle, Gino Littles, Ahmed Levon, Pablo Rivas, etc. The AZ STARS 15U defeated the Tucson Heat #5 & Oregon St. (team of free agents) on their road to the semi finals & they would face the #1 team in pool B, the AZ FUTURE 16U. The AZ FUTURE 16U is a talented, well rounded team that has all of the makings to be a team that must be accounted in any tournament they play in. The winners of pool B the AZ FUTURE 16U, who on their way to the semi finals defeated the Tucson Heat #4 & TEAM P.R.E.P. to win their pool. The AZ FUTURE 16U is led by 5’10 court savvy (PG) Eddie Little, 6’4 (F) Cody March, 6’1 (CG) Will Donovan and 5’9 (PG) Trey Ingram etc.



Let’s take a look at both the “AZ STARS 15U” & the “AZ FUTURE 16U” roster.

AZ STARS 15U Coach: Don Pickens & James Parker

Deron Kyle 5’8 (PG) Deer Valley 2014

Gino Littles 5’8 (PG) Chaparral 2014

Rolando Rhymes 5’10 (PG) St Mary’s 2014

Christian Harris 5’10 (G) Mesa 2014

Roberto Reyes 6’3 (W) Gilbert Christian 2014

Ahmad Levon 6’4 (F) North 2013

Dorian Pickens 6’5 (W) Pinnacle 2014

Geoffrey Vredevoogd 6’5 F/C Perry 2014

Sam Jones 6'6 (W) Gilbert Christian 2014

Pablo Rivas 6’6 (F) Chavez 2014

Zylan Cheetman 6’6 (W) St. Mary’s 2014

Mark Andrews 6’6 (F) MT. Ridge 2014







AZ FUTURE 16U Coach: Ron Bender

Justin Dombrowski 5’8 (PG) Brophy 2013

Trey Ingram 5’9 (PG) Pinnacle 2014

Trey Hoebee 5’9 (PG) Apache Elem 2015

Eddie Little 5’10 (PG) Queek Creek 2013

Uno Ekpoh 5’10 (PG) Sunrise 2014

Tyler Dilyard 5’10 (PG) Boulder Creek 2012

Jack Daley 5’11 (PG) Cactus Shadows 2013

Will Donovan 6’0 (G) Pinnacle 2014

Matt Lauer 6’1 (CG) Horizon 2013

Cody March 6’4 (F) Sandra Day O'Connor 2013

Bryce Frintner 6’4 (F) Pinnacle 2013





On paper, the AZ STARS 15U looked like the odds on favorite but having said that, no one thought that the AZ FUTURE 16U would have finished 1st in their pool either but that’s why we play the game. Now the moment that we’ve all been waiting for, the semi finals of the “SUPER POOLS” the AZ STARS 15U vs the AZ FUTURE 16U, let the games begin.



The game: AZ STARS 15U vs AZ FUTURE 16

The gym was packed, the players, excited as everyone began to stuff into the main gym to watch a very good match up for the 1st Semi Final game of the “SUPER POOLS” Championship. Once the game got started, the AZ STARS 15U came out fast & hard as they took an early commanding 16-4 lead. Rolando Rhymes the 5’10 (PG) of St. Mary’s 2014 spearheaded the charge with his constant penetration & getting to the basket. Dorian Pickens the 6’5 (W) also was very effective in the early going. Eddie Little the 5’10 (PG) was a very bright spot for the AZ FUTURE 16U as he did some penetrating & kicking out to the (W) for the open shot & playing solid defense. The AZ FUTURE 16U fought back to close the gap to 28-24 at the half.



In the 2nd half, the AZ FUTURE 16U looked as if they were going to make a big run to take the lead behind the solid play of Cody March 6’4 (F), cut the lead to 43-39 but that was as close as they would get as the AZ STARS 15U would close out the victory 59-46. The ENTIRE AZ STARS 15U team looked great in the victory. The AZ STARS 15U were led by Rolando Rhymes 19pts 3assist & 5 steals, Dorian Pickens added 16pts 8rebs & 3assist, Roberto Reyes added 13pts & 10rebs. & for the AZ FUTURE 16U 5’10 (PG) Eddie Little who scored a team high 13pts & 6assist, Cody March 6’4 (F) added 12 pts & 8 rebs & 5’10 (CG) Will Donovan chipped in 11 pts 4 rebs. With the win the AZ STARS 15U moved on to the Championship game of the West Coast Fall Showcase “SUPER POOLS”. “We stayed consistent all game” said AZ STARS 15U coach Don Pickens “We played well on both ends of the court”. “We missed a couple of easy baskets down the stretch which ended up costing us in the end” said AZ FUTURE 16U coach Ron Bender. The AZ STARS 15U advanced to the finals to play the winner of the next game Tucson Heat #3 vs True Ballerz.



Semi final game 2, Tucson Heat #3 vs True Ballarz

The 2nd semi final game between the True Ballerz & the Tucson Heat #3 is a very interesting match up that was hard to gage for the simple fact that the True Ballerz winners of pool D, is a team that is full of athletes & skilled players while the Tucson Heat #3 is a team made up of very hard working players that have bought into coach Brian Peabody’s style of hard nose defense & precise execution on offense. Tucson Heat #3 winners of pool C, is a team made up of players that have fairly good skills but as unit, they are very tough to beat. The Tucson Heat #3 defeated the K-9 UNIT & lost to SWS Academy (but won their pool by point differential) “True Ballarz is a very talented team" said Tucson Heat #3 coach Brian Peabody “We’re definitley going to have to execute at a high level in this game”. True Ballerz led by the high scoring 6’2 (CG) Khari Holloway, who can score in bunches, is major piece #1, major piece #2 is newly acquired 6’6 athletic jumping jack (F) Chris Davis who’s a serious FORCE TO BE WRECKIN WITH INSIDE. The Tucson Heat #3 is led by their “Triple Towers” Travis Jefferies 6’4 (G) (2012), Alec Sonderman 6’4 (F) (2012), Brendon Sharky 6’4 (F) (2012).





Let’s take a look at both the Tucson Heat #3 & the True Ballarz roster.



Tucson Heat 3 – Coach: Brian Peabody

Mike Duffy 5’10 (PG) IWR 2012

Jordan Gorman 5’10 (PG) IWR 2012

Daniel Lugo 5’10 (G) IWR 2012

Andrew Dohm 5’10 (G) IWR 2012

Travis Jefferies 6’4 (G) IWR 2012

Alec Sonderman 6’4 (F) IWR 2012

Brendon Sharky 6’4 (F) IWR 2012





True Ballerz-Coach: Chris Holloway

Jordan Williams 5’9 (PG) Desert Mt 2013

Adam Zubakoff 5’9 (PG) Horizon 2013

Austin Witherill 5’11 (PG) Mt Point 2014

Dominique Branscumb 6’1 (CG) Corona Del Sol 2011

Khari Holloway 6’2 (CG) Mt. Point 2013

Austin West 6’3 (W) Horizon 2013

Marcus Ramirez 6'4 (W) Mt. Pointe 2013

Adonis Railing 6’4 (F) Mt Point 2013

Chris Davis 6’6 (F) Trevor Browne 2014





The game: Tucson Heat #3 vs True Ballerz

The game started off at a fast pace with coach Peabody making his team do the usual on defense which press & apply pressure from all angles. While coach Peabody’s group applied the pressure on defense coach Holloway’s group applied the pressure on offense with their scoring (CG) Khari Holloway hitting mid range & long range jumpers & 6'6 (F) Chris Davis putting in work on the offensive glass getting quite a few put backs which helped the True Ballerz to into the half with a 35-27 half time lead.



In the 2nd half coach Peabody’s group came out just the way you would have expected them to, hard & affective on defense. Coach Peabody’s 3 HEADED (W/F’s) Travis Jefferies 6’4 (W), Alec Sonderman 6’4 (F), Brendon Sharky 6’4 (F) all began to loosen up a little on the offensive end going on an 8-0 run, scoring often early in the 2nd half as Tucson Heat #3 began to cut away at the lead to 4 but would be as close as coach Peabody’s team would get as the True Ballarz ran away with the lead & the game winning by the score of 59-48. “We’re peaking at the right time” said coach of the True Ballarz Chris Holloway “I feel really good about our chances of winning this tournament”. “We just didn’t play well today” said Tucson Heat coach Brian Peabody “We played solid defense but we just couldn’t get very many of our shots to fall”.





The “SUPER POOLS” Championship Pregame: AZ STARS 15U vs True Ballerz



This game was one that I could see happening from the very beginning & it has a few story lines as well. First off, let’s start by saying that these two teams of players are no strangers to each other, as a matter of fact; these 2 teams have faced each other in various tournaments championship games. The AZ STARS 15U is one of the Nation’s top 15U squads & they extremely loaded, so much in fact that 7 of the top 10 freshman in the State of Arizona play on the AZ STARS 15U squad. The AZ STARS 15U is lead by their “3 Headed Monster”: 5’10 lightening quick (PG) Rolando Rhymes, 6’3 athletic, slashing (W) Roberto Reyes & last but definitely not least 6’5 multipurpose (W) Dorian Pickens. The True Ballerz has always been a team to never be taken lightly but with their new acquisition, they have become an upper eschualan team at the 15U level, & that new acquisition is the 6’6 athletic (F) Chris Davis. Davis for the past 2 seasons played for the AZ STARS 15U up until about a couple of months ago, which is when Chris decided that he wanted to go play for Coach Holloway & the True Ballerz. The AZ STARS 15U defeated Tucson Heat #5, Oregon St. (a team of free agent players) to win their pool & in the Semi Finals the AZ STARS15U defeated the AZ FUTURE 16U. The True Ballerz, on their road to the “SUPER POOLS” Championship by defeating BTB Thunder #2, Blue Devils (team of free agent players) & Tucson Heat #3 in the semi finals.



Let’s take a look at the rosters for both the AZ STARS 15U & the True Ballerz



AZ STARS 15U Coach: Don Pickens & James Parker

Deron Kyle 5’8 (PG) Deer Valley 2014

Gino Littles 5’8 (PG) Chaparral 2014

Rolando Rhymes 5’10 (PG) St Mary’s 2014

Roberto Reyes 6’3 (W) Gilbert Christian 2014

Ahmad Levon 6’4 (F) North 2013

Dorian Pickens 6’5 (W) Pinnacle 2014

Sam Jones 6'6 (W) Gilbert Christian 2014

Pablo Rivas 6’6 (F) Chavez 2014

Zylan Cheetman 6’6 (W) St. Mary’s 2014

Mark Andrews 6’6 (F) MT. ridge 2014



True Ballerz-Coach: Chris Holloway

Jordan Williams 5’9 (PG) Desert Mt 2013

Adam Zubakoff 5’9 (PG) Horizon 2013

Austin Witherill 5’11 (PG) Mt Point 2014

Dominique Branscumb 6’1 (CG) Corona Del Sol 2011

Khari Holloway 6’2 (CG) Mt. Point 2013

Austin West 6’3 (W) Horizon 2013

Adonis Railing 6’4 (F) Mt Point 2013

Marcus Ramirez 6'4 (W) Mt. Pointe 2013

Chris Davis 6’6 (F) Trevor Browne 2014



Well Folks are you ready? Ready or not, here we go the West Coast Fall Showcase “SUPER POOLS” Championship game: AZ STARS 15U vs True Ballerz.



The gym was packed (log on to www.ballislife.com to see the crowd size) & you could feel it throughout the gym that this was going to be a game every bit of exciting as advertised. “This is what we play for” said Chris Holloway coach of the True Ballerz “As a coach; you always love to play a prime time game on center stage”.



1st HALF

Once the ball was jumped, the game just took off from there. The AZ STARS 15U took command with a 24-19 lead toward the end of the 1st half, shortly after, the True Ballerz, behind solid play from 6’4 (W) Marcus Ramirez, sharp shooting of 6’3 (W) Austin West & scoring machine (CG) 6’2 Khari Holloway pulled his team to within one 29-28 but by the end of the half the AZ Stars 15U pushed their lead back up to seven, 37-30.



2nd half: Will the AZ STARS 15U be dethroned?

Once the 2nd half began, the intensity picked up & both teams took it up a couple notches. AZ STARS 15U sensational (PG) Rolando Rhymes began to display his stifling defense by causing a couple of turnovers which led to a couple of quick baskets along with a couple of 3’s from 6’5 multipurpose (W) Dorian Pickens & a few break away 2 hand slams by 6’3 athletic HIGH OCTANE (W) Roberto Reyes & the AZ STARS 15U were in total command with a 56-48 lead midway through the 2nd half. Not to be out done, the True Ballerz led by 2 quick 3’s from their 6’4 (W) Marcus Ramirez, some effective inside scoring from their BIG FELLA 6’6 (F) Chris Davis & a couple of 3 point plays from the scoring (CG) Khari Holloway & they were back in the game by cutting the lead to 62-57 but in the end the AZ STARS 15U proved to be too deep & too much for the True Ballerz as the AZ STARS 15U went on to win the 1st Annual West Coast Fall Showcase “SUPER POOLS” Championship. “This was great event” said AZ STARS 15U team Pres. Donna Littles “This was such a great tournament & for us to win it with all of the good teams that were in it is truly special”. “We just couldn’t get over the hump” said True Ballerz Coach Chris Holloway “I’m pleased with my team’s effort & play”.



“SUPER POOLS” CHAMPIONSHIP PARTING FACTS

While watching this game one thing was obvious & that one thing is, the AZ STARS 15U is one of the best 15U teams in the country for sure. Their depth, size, guard play, position depth, team length & athleticism make it hard for anyone to beat them. Even after losing a top notch player in 6’6 (F) Chris Davis, the AZ STARS 15U is still a top level squad. As far as the True Ballerz, look for them to really make some noise this upcoming spring & summer with their newly acquired (F) 6’6 Chris Davis & the play of the constant improving (CG) Khari Holloway & 6’4 all purpose (W) Marcus Ramirez .

AZEA Fall Feature/ASN Web TV

By James Parker, talent scout/evaluator



What a fun event for players and spectators alike. This weekends event was hosted by AZ Elite Athletics @ Premier Courts and sponsored by Game Time DVD and Amateaur Sports Network (AZ) Web TV. Can't say enough good things about Derrick Warford and AZEA, for being such good hosts and genuine people. Also Thanks to Ron Hayes of Arizona Premier Courts for their accommodations. AZEA, still in it's infant stages hosted an event with a lot of potential and much upside. Thanks to the crew, hosts, camera men and women of Game Time DVD and ASN for making this a memorable event for the kids, programs and fans. Special thanks goes out to Switch Marketing Company. Also a special thanks to Subway, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Powerade for the VIP Accommodations.

If you didn't get a chance to come out to Premier this weekend, what made it very unique to other tournaments this year was the web tv. Where ever you were in the world by laptop, pc, Ipod, Ipad, Iphone or other cellular device via Internet you were able to see live action and interviews streamed live from the event. So family members,friends, fans who couldn't make it for whatever reason could watch from wherever. Take a look now also to see what you missed http://www.ustream.tv/channel/asn-oct-15th-tournament or http://www.ustream.tv/channel/asn-preview

12u Magic took the chip in their division, Cagers won the 14u division, and CR Suns won the high school varsity division.

Top Performers: (high school division)

Sam Jones (CR Suns) - 6'6 (SG/SF) from Gilbert Christian. Sam is the best shooter in the class of 2014. This was the first tournament for Sam since breaking his arms in a game before the summer. If he was able to participate in the Frosh/Soph combine and any other fall showcase he would have been on the top of their lists. He has decent athleticism and shows ability to score the ball from all over. Need to see more to evaluate his ability to defend.

Ben Cuevas (CR Suns) - 6' (G) . Quick explosive guard with range who can score in a variety of ways, also finds the open player on the take. Ben is capable of running an offense from the point position as well as off the ball. Needs to find mid-range game, either takes the open three or drives. Struggles against teams with good big man and good help. Take the ability to drive to the cup away and the defense is much harder on him on the perimeter to get open.

Sam Sprout (AZEA) - 6'3 (F) from Tempe Prep. Tough strong competitor on the defensive end and under the basket. Sam competes the same whether down by 20 or up by 20. Undersized forward which is where I saw him play most, but plays with a lot of energy and heart. He attacks the boards and never gives in.

Sammy Cabrera (AZEA) - 5'11 (PG) Sammy has one of the most explosive steps and he does not look to go around defenders, he blows by them, sometimes right at them. He sees the smallest of lanes but is so quick it's hard to get a charge on him. Hard to get to a spot and get your feet set. Before you know it his is already there. Can seem to be a little eratic at times.

Alasan Turray (NFL YET) - 5'9 (G) from St. Mary's. Has great freeze moves, stutter stall step, can pull up or put it back on the ground for drive. Alasan finds open players on the take and can finish with a variety of moves. Being a smaller guard he shows a lot of poise. Alasan has been playing great basketball as of late.

Other high school notables:

Michael Garcia (CR Suns)

Derek Rojas (CR Suns)

Travis Meener (CR Suns)

Zylan Cheetman (NFL Yet)

14u Notables:

Cole Kepler (Cagers) Runs lanes in transition very well. Makes great cuts and slashes to the basket with authority. Show athletic ability to finish and can pull-up for outside shot. Rebounds the ball well.

Chris Cordova (Cagers) Chris has a mature physic for his age, is aggressive and powerful driving to the basket. He also is physical great rebounding guard. Explosive off the dribble.

Chandler Solis (Dream) (6'W) Has great form on his shot, is money in that 10-15ft range. Has good body build for a shooting guard. Will be around in years to come for more evaluation. Has solid well rounded game already. Great rebounding guard.

Isaiah Wilson (Dream) (6'3/W-P) Already has great size and length. Has good hands, soft touch around the rim. Can use both hands equally, loves the left. Is a great shot blocker and presence underneath. A lot of upside with this kid as he has a lot of growing potential and is still very raw.

Devon White (Dream) Is a great match-up defender. Very active on the court. Gets loose balls.

Tyra Eull Long (NFL Yet) This young lady is a gem. She is only 11 and is locking down 14u guards in the boys division. She plays aggressive and without fear. Can beat her defender off the dribble and is great running the floor and in transition.

Johnathan Harris (NFL Yet) Has a smooth looking stroke from outside. Plays very patient. Has a great shot fake that he waits till his defender comes out or relaxes puts it on the floor for the 15ftr. Owns the mid-range shot. Knows how to keep the floor balanced and spaced.

Ronnie Ramirez (NFl Yet)

Armondo Ruiz (NFL Yet)

Sklar Lane (Cagers)

Xavier Smith (Cagers)

Sean Wood (Cagers)

Battling the Odds

By James Parker, talent scout/evaluator
Phoenix Az, 10/10-11/2010, Phoenix College
Areacodes Phoenix Fall Showcase

This year's Phoenix Fall Showcase is a wrap. Saw so much great play from a variety of players at every level. Many players atop their class seemed to struggle much with their respective high school teams as they are making the transition from summer competition to preparing for the high school season. Many marquee players that are expected to be impact players for high school only played to the level of the competition and players around them, exposing areas of their game that still need a lot of development. Prior commitments did not allow for me to attend PFS in it's entirety, therefore a full and just assessment of every player is not possible. So to come up with the "best of" or "top performers" would not be fair to all the players that competed. Although I did get a chance to follow a particular team that was tops in their class and who were by far the most competitive team of the tournament in their rightful division, Areacode's team Stanford.

Areacode's Stanford team which is mostly comprised of players from the Southwest program is unique for this feature not just because of their talent, how hard they compete on the floor, but how hard they compete in life. The Southwest program is no stranger to many of life's struggles. These kids are not just competing to win in basketball but to win in life. From single parent households, family members battling cancer, lupus, lack of resources, failed relationships, failed economy, to the different pressures that come with certain demographics, many of these kids have seen it all. And just like life throws many of them unfavorable odds, they throw at their opponents on the court every thing but the kitchen sink. I liken their up tempo style of game and pressure defense to Nolan Richardson's "40 minutes of hell". They don't just play man/man full court pressure but team to man full court pressure. Every player understood their defensive assignment was to stop ball, not just their player. As an offensive player with the ball it's never 1/1 against them, more like 1on5. There was almost no second guessing when it came to defensive rotations. If a player wasn't trapping they were anticipating immediate next pass, and if they didn't pick it off they were right there defensively in the offensive player's shirt. The trappers immediately recognized and found open players to defend. If the ball didn't move quickly enough out the offensive players hands the trap was coming again. If a teammate got beat, help was there quick. Sporting the purple "Ball-is-life" shirts they were relentless in their attack and if other teams weren't falling behind by so much they had to pull their press, they could have topped 100pts in a couple of their games. That's even more remarkable considering the average age of the players is 14-15, and the game was played by speed ball rules and a running clock.

Led by coach Dailey and coach Ramirez, here is this weekends feature team Stanford.

• Gianni Dailey (6'3)(2012) St. Mary's high school; This kid has the makings of a mid-high major prospect. He has a solid build and good frame with wide strong shoulders. He possesses a well rounded game. Has the ability to take defenders off the dribble, finish in traffic and knock down the long range jumper. He knows how to get his teammates involved. He has great court awareness, vision, and can make a variety of passes, knows how and when to get the ball to teammates. Gianni plays both sides of the court. He is very physical and possesses enough foot speed to control dribble penetration. He is best off the ball defensively reading passing lanes. He has great leaping ability and quickness to pick off passes. Though Gianni can score without the ball coming off screens and such he seems more fit as a PG at the higher level, much more comfortable with the ball, getting others involved.
  



• Jaylen Broom (6'1)(2012) St. Mary's high school; A really quick perimeter defender. This kid gets it and has some
  of the quickest hands and feet. If I had to play against Jaylen I would want to only do one of two things, pass or shoot. Because your not going to do much else, if you can manage to get a couple screens to get free enough to shoot. Jaylen also possess much athleticism getting to the basket. He is a speedster and gets up the court quick in transition. He has a great pull-up jumper that he is not afraid to use, squares his body to the basket and gets nice and vertical. I want to see him work on his release, soften his shot and get more rotation on the ball over this next year.



• Jaydarion Reagan (5'11)(2012) Ceasar Chavez: Strong, broad shoulders and athletic. JD is a great cutter/slasher to the basket. He does not have to dominate the ball to be effective. He is a great contributor on the defensive end of the court and a good rebounding guard. Jaydarion is an efficient scorer, might not put up astronomical numbers but makes good things happen every time he touches the ball.


• Joshua Isaacs (5'10)(2013) Verrado: Josh was a free-agent/individual registrant who to date probably never played with the talent and speed he found himself surrounded by on Saturday and Sunday. No worries, the players welcomed him as one of their own and got him the ball as best they could so he could contribute on the scoring side as well. Josh didn't disappoint. His confidence was on an all-time high and he showed no fear handling the ball, shooting, or playing defense against faster kids. He gave it his best and looked to be having a good time.


• Casey Benson (6'1)(2014) Corona: Casey contributes in many ways on the offensive side of the ball. He can put it on the floor and finish. He can shoot the rock from outside, pass it, and clean up the glass. If Casey puts on another 3-5 inches in the next couple years look for him to be a standout shooting guard in high school.
• Ronnie Ramirez (5'8)(2014) Brophy: The General; that's what Ronnie is and that's what he brings to the table. Ronnie is a leader. He is very unselfish, gets the ball to his teammates when and where they can score. He is very unassuming and plays within himself. As Ronnie matures and gets stronger he needs to learn to be more aggressive, take the ball to the cup, get to the charity stripe and create for his teammates. Ronnie's ultimate strength is going to be his ability to lead. It will be his bread & butter.
• Armondo Ruiz (5'11)(2014) NFL YET: Armondo plays smooth under control but can seem disengaged sometimes. He no doubtfully has ability but doesn't always seem to push himself. Armondo has some potential as a player on the wing. High school will require him to work on his speed, conditioning, and effort.
• Zylan Cheetman (6'5)(2014) St. Mary's: Zylan did not have his best outing but no doubt still showed his upside as an elite basketball player. At a long 6'5 and still growing this kid can get up and down the court, jump, handle the ball, and shoot from all areas of the court. Zylan in time is going to be a threat in his own right offensively but something he already has and will be a mainstay in his game is to defend multiple positions, block shots, and rebound. As long as Zylan continues to work hard, play hard, and enjoy the game, his potential is limitless.
• Amadou Gueye (6'2)(2014) Carl Hayden: Not very polished yet but, possess good size as a freshman and strength. His upside is his strength and size. Needs to work on his skill set and begin to identify himself at his position. Right now one can't really say if Amadou is a guard or forward. Hard to say how much more Amadou will grow. My advice would be to really sharpen his skills, to shoot the 3 and mid range jumper, and be able to put the ball on the floor with control. Amadou is a good rebounder, sets good screens and dives on floors for loose balls.
• Taylor Scruggs (6'2)(2014) Moon Valley: Like Amadou Taylor has yet to identify whether he is a guard or forward. He definitely likes to post and bang inside. I like that, because it shows aggressiveness and a willingness to be physical. Taylor has a good body and size but I want to see him focus on his conditioning, agility, and polish his perimeter skills. Taylor is going to get his team rebounds and be a scrappy, hustle type of player.