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.

Arizona Middle School Showcase Recap

By Chad Groth

September 14, 2010

The 3^rd 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.

Special thank you to the many scouting services and websites in attendance that supported this event such as Jeff Meadows of www.hoopsreport.com, Ron Coleman of www.arizonavarsity.com, Larry Hill of www.areacodesbasketball.com, Anthony Ray of www.arizonapreps.com, Vernon Holmes of www.xdson.com and James Parker of www.TrifectaBasketball.blogspot.com.

Dozens of players made a name for themselves on this day. Let’s look at the eye catchers.

FIRST TEAM ALL-SHOWCASE (Top Prospects)

Brandon Hoffer 5-9 Explorer 2015

Top prospect in his class and makes everyone better.

Dakota Kordsiemon 6-2 Esperero Canyon (Tucson) 2015

Big - time player who can score in transition.

Ryan Stutzman 5-5 Marley Park 2015

All around crafty point guard who is becoming a leader

Ke’ von Dobson 6-2 Scottsdale 2015

Good upside and can run the floor.

Brad Viel 5-11 Cholla 2015

Blocks shots and can shot the mid range jumper.

Jim Scroggin 6-1 St Mary Basha MS 2016

Good playmaker and has great upside.

Jaylyn Juan 6-3 St Peter and Paul 2015

Best athlete in his class. Dunked in one game and has upside.

Xavier Smith 5-8 Sonora Trails 2015

All - Around performer and is one of the top in this class.

Cole Kelper 5-10 San Tan 2015

Good in transition and can get buckets in hurry. Future top prospect.

Anthony Enriquez 5-8 Verrado MS 2015

Fair player who can create in transition.

Devin Kirby 5-11 Florence MS 2016

Major upside and knows how to play. Remember his name as a top prospect.

Gennaro Silvestro 5-8 Pope John MS 2015

Goes strong to the basket and makes plays. Good defender and is one to watch.

Joshua Rhymes 5-3 Cheatham 2016

Good in transition and has a chance. Rhymes history runs in the family.

Nick Brewer 5-6 San Tan 2015

Solid player and can score buckets. Good shooting range.

Sterling Bell 5-4 Collier MS 2015

Very active on the court and has a chance. Runs the point guard with ease.

Marcus Nez 5-11 Collier MS 2015

Bouncy big who blocks shots and will grow. Good length in size.

DJ Hamilton 5-5 KMS 2016

Scrappy player and has a good understanding of the game.

Ben Arqueros 5-5 Home School 2015

Put a few nice moves on his opponents. Can make plays.

Delaney Roach 6-0 Osborn MS 2016

Has upside and must work on ball handling to adjust to the next level. Good size.

Jordan McGee 5-4 Verrado MS 2016

Top point guard prospect in his class and crafty playmaker, hit game winner in one game.

Montez White 5-7 Mountain View 2015

Good ball handler who made plays in the up-tempo game. Solid point guard.

Dominic Rhymes 5-3 Osborn MS 2016

Hard and tough player who knows how to play.

Justin Howard 4-11 Canyon Ridge 2016

Very competitive player and tough all around guard who will be a top prospect.

Aaron Allen 6-0 Luke MS 2015

Good guard skills and attacks the basket; still raw, but athletic.

John Rivera 6-0 Imagine Prep 2015

Common crafty player who really gets after it.

Frank Trujillo 6-2 Desert Sky (Tucson) 2016

Upside with size and performed well. Name to remember.

LJ Williams 5-10 San Tan 2015

Major upside and understands the game. Top prospect who makes players better.

Jacob Sosinski 6-3 Mesquite Jr. High 2015

Good size for his position. Good understanding of the game and remember this name.

Jeff Wahlin 6-1 San Tan 2015

Crafty playmaker and has a chance. Runs the floor well for his size.

Cesar Cervantes 6-3 Atkinson 2015

Can rebound well and plays center at this time and turns it up in transition.

Isaiah Barajas 5-4 Verrado MS 2015

Competes very well and is active on both ends of the floor. Has a chance.

Adam Turner 6-0 Mountain Sky 2015

Athletic wing and defends well and finishes in transition.

Duke Cobb 5-1 Centennial MS 2015

Good competitor who can shoot and runs the point guard position.

Jake Hatfield 6-1 Stetson Hills 2015

Nice post moves and runs well for his size. Upside!

Jeremiah Barkley 5-3 Desert Thunder 2015

Point guard who runs a team well.

Terence Johnson 6-1 Desert Sky (Tucson) 2015

Super scorer and knows how to get buckets.

Keaton Harris 5-6 South Valley MS 2015

Defends the ball well; good man on man skills and is a solid player.

Juan Rascon 5-11 Miles (Tucson) 2015

Made players better around him. Can do it all on the floor. Passes well.

Kenny Arrick 5-2 Connections Academy 2016

Tough guard with skills. Upside.

Keenan Walker 6-1 Madison 2015

Good size and takes up space. Learning; how to read defenses on the floor.

Sumeet Khara 6-0 Highland Jr. High 2015

Has speed and attacks the basket.

Riley Mckinnis 5-9 Chandler Academy 2015

Never took plays off, good prospect.

Sean Wood 6-1 Stapley 2015

All – around performer who can lead a team is a hard worker.

Thailand Gatling 5-8 Payne 2015

Hard nosed player who is good in transition.

BEST OF THE WEST! (Prospects making the grade)

Jarrod Diamond 5-10 Western Peaks 2015

Ben Hebert 5-8 Saint Thomas Aquinas 2015

Miguel Rosales 5-11 Sun Valley 2015

Kevin Nudo 5-8 Scottsdale 2015

Ryan Bayster 6-2 Copper Ridge 2015

Nate Grass 5-4 Sonoran Trails 2015

Evan Winje 5-6 Mountain View 2016

Brett Morrow 6-0 Mount Elden (Flagstaff) 2016

Andrew Wass 5-8 Osborn MS 2016

Alejandro Elias 5-6 South Valley Gilbert 2016

"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/