Pictured here at the top of Tom's Thumb(10 mile hike the XCP Girl's basketball team did over winter break) 5'4, Xavier College Prep Star Shows Glimpse Of What's In Store. Jasmine Hotchkins is no stranger to big games. She has had plenty of them over the years on her club team, GSB. Her youth club team, AZ Ultimate, competed 12u & 13u in the top brackets in California at UPG Memorial Day Classic and SGV, competing against the likes of the GBL Lady Rebels, Cal Sparks, NJB All-Stars, Mission Rec. They dominated here in town at the club level, boy's recreation leagues, and high school fall leagues when they were just 12 and 13 years old. By the summer of her 8th grade year She played with AZ Swish (white) "Baby Swish". The only two times they played in a local tournament they made the 16U championship game. Beyond that they competed in NCAA Showcases at 16U where they fared very well. A game was specially arranged to be played at ASU Team Camp featuring the AZ Warriors vs. AZ Swish. They gave the Warriors the closest game to date in town losing only by a couple possessions. Hotchkins often led the "Baby Swish" in scoring, shooting close to around 60% from the field, on a team with Sydney Wiese, Kyndall Adams and Katie Werner. Over the past couple years, can't count how many times she has hit from beyond the arc more than six and even eight times a game. She has gotten hot in Oregon at End of Trail. She has tore it up in Georgia at Peach State Hoops, garnering lots of worthy interest and talk. Now, she is starting to do it at Xavier College Prep. A little more deferred and reluctant to take too much control early in her high school career, playing behind two established upper-class guards in Rikki Mulloy and Aubrey Lincoln, Jasmine has gained more confidence from herself, coaches, and teammates. She has the freedom to create for her teammates and self and is starting to seize opportunities. Expect more 22+ pts, like she put up against Desert Vista on Friday night in an 87-68 barn burner. She can get it done in a variety of ways: Three pointers, driving & pulling up, at the free-throw line, breaking defenders off the dribble and getting to the lane, even 4pt plays which she has had a handful of (fouled and making a three). Though we have mostly talked about her offense, she is even a better defender. As long as she is getting looks, Jasmine Hotchkins will be a sought after player for college.
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)
DyeshaStahly(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.
SaylairGrandon(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.
The best of the rest at Hoopfest: CassidyBrumby (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) ClarrissaSabadera (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(AzBam)~ 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.
BatabeZempare(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 LeeAnneWirth 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.
KhaliaLanier~ 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
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 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 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.
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.
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.
The 3rd Annual Arizona Middle School Basketball Exposure Showcase was held September 11, 2010 at Phoenix College just minutes from downtown Phoenix.
Area Codes Basketball presented this event which featured 239 middle school basketball players from Arizona. “It’s great to see the young talent play at a high level before high school”, said Ron Coleman, writer from Arizonavarsity.com.
Pictured here at the top of Tom's Thumb(10 mile hike the XCP Girl's basketball team did over winter break)
