"WE ARE FROM TUCSON!"

By James Parker, GSB talent scout/regional evaluator
Phoenix, Az, 9-11-10, Phoenix College
Areacodes MS Showcase

"We are from Tucson!", exclaims Frankie Trujillo looking over at the Aces bench, as he sprints back on D after hitting a BIG shot from the opposite corner that changed the momentum of otherwise a close game against the Aces. Team Prep of Tucson was not having it, not on this day, not in this town, on this court. They came to make a statement, to prove a point. The sense of camaraderie amongst this small group of boys out of Tucson Az. is off the charts. They play for each other. They seem inseparable, together as one. They are finite definition of team, Team Prep. Prep (P.R.E.P) is an acronym which stands for Preparing Respectful Educated Players. Well on Saturday, 9-11-10 they came prepared, respected the game and each other, showed knowledge of the game, educated on team principles/concepts and they came to play. Often big brother Phoenix overshadows the smaller city of Tucson. With a larger talent pool to pull from and more resources, playing against the larger metropolitan teams can sometimes seem like an uphill battle but Team Prep came armed with not only matched talent but something there is no substitute for, determination.

In a day when majority of aau and club teams largely depend on defensive tactics like zones, half-court traps, three quarters traps, full-court zone presses, Team Prep chooses to play "mano y mano" (man to man). As a result I saw some of the best defensive fundamentals I have seen all summer. I think that is a big compliment considering during the month of July I was at AAU Nationals in Florida and every major showcase in the southwest region, boasting some of the countries highest touted NCAA prospects and elite club teams. On coach O's cue to "lock it down", thats what they did. Juan Rascon's on ball defensive slide is text book teaching material. I watched Dakota Kordsiemon lock down Brandon Hoffer (voted #1 top performer at the MS Showcase) and render him ineffective. Jaylan Juan, a small forward who plays with a defensive energy like that of football great Ray Lewis, played out of position as a center and completely dominated the paint, blocking shots and grabbing boards. Nothing came easy to opponents as Team Prep played passing lanes tough and kept constant pressure on the ball. Every player plays ball and jumps passes, always staying on ball side. Every cut was met with a bump and strong forearm, not allowing any face cuts. Every player on ball is solid limiting penetration to a minimal. The one place I felt teams could have exploited Team Prep was through screens on and off the ball. Often times I saw defenders out to far from the help area, hugging their players on the weak side. Some simple screens and curl cuts could have compromised their defense. Also a good pick & roll action would have been a nice option because the non-existent help and sometimes lack of hedging on screen. Then again, if that would have happened I would suspect coach O'Brien would have had the kids make the necessary adjustments. They are a well coached team.

Though I've mostly talked about their defense, which is obviously their strength as a team, their offense is not far off. All of them show great form on their shot mechanics and can hit the mid-range jump shot as well as shooting from beyond the arc. Dakota gets great lift on his shot. With a little more height and sharpening of his ball handling abilities Dakota looks to be a top SG in high school. Juan Rascon already has the makings of a great hs PG. Experience and time will only help him. Terence Johnson's shot might be a little unorthodox but makes it work for him, also shows great athleticism. Jaylyn Juan arguably the fiercest competitor in the showcase has great athleticism and good form on his shot. Jaylyn knocked down the mid range jump shot with ease. Can use a little more consistency from 3 but I didn't see enough of it because his game was greater inside for this tournament. Frankie Trujillo is a competitor, might not show elite athleticism but hits big shots, runs the floor and spaces well. KeKoa Chi Du's footwork and skill is still very raw, but he has a lot of length and height. He is still in growth years, potential possibilities if he keeps at it. Team Prep's offense is very fluid as well. They run great lanes, space in transition and don't force anything. If they don't get anything in transition they are seamless in their early flow offense. They recognize and make reads well. Offense tends to flow that way and rarely gets stagnate.

I believe Team Prep made their point and their statement, "we are from Tucson", resonates in the ears of their opponents as a team to be taken seriously.

For full roster and more information visit http://www.teampreptucson.com/