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Earl Watson Elite was facing a familiar foe in the title game of the Las Vegas Fab 48 17U Invitational Division in Splash City. Both California-based grassroots programs competed on the Under Armour Association (UAA) Circuit and were hungry to win a major Las Vegas title after coming up just a bit short in the UAA finals during the second live NCAA evaluation period earlier this month.

Earl Watson Elite was missing power forward Ira Lee (who spent his junior season at Prolific Prep in Northern California), while Splash City was missing its floor general Damari Milstead, who will be a senior at Moreau Catholic (Hayward, Calif.) in the fall. While EWE missed Lee's rebounding and intensity, it got off to a hot shooting start and without Milstead's scoring and setups, Splash City wasn't able to overcome the early offensive onslaught as Ryan Silver's program captured the title with a 65-50 victory.

Doing most of the early damage for EWE (which also beat Splash City during FAB 48 pool play 68-63) was 6-foot-4 shooting guard Jemarl Baker (Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif.), who set the tone by nailing four 3-pointers. Baker hit two right away to give his team a 14-5 lead and his third made it 21-5, as the program named after the current Phoenix Suns Head Coach (the former NBA point guard was a classmate of Silver at UCLA) was well on its way to victory.

Splash City, which made the UAA final and is coached by Jules Milstead (Damari's father), made it more competitive by the end of the first half, trailing 40-24, but just couldn't get the offensive run it needed to get back in the game.

"The reason we won is we came together as a team and started playing for each other," said Baker, a CAL commit who finished the title game with 20 points and was named FAB 48 MVP. "Not worrying about individual play or anything else, that the was difference. At the start of summer, I set out a goal to compete against the best to prove I was one of the best guards in the country."

EWE also got excellent scoring all tournament from guard Reed Farley, a 2017 prospect out of La Jolla High who is an excellent student and is starting to get serious D1 interest. He finished with 14 points, including four 3-pointers. Zafir Williams (Poly, Long Beach, Calif.) and Adrease Jackson (Santa Margarita, Calif.), a pair of 2017 forwards, did the dirty work inside and combined for 18 points.

Six-foot-3 2017 guard Jad'e Smith (St. Joseph, Alameda, Calif.) led Splash City with 12 points. The program also got excellent play from 2016 forward Chris Seeley (Central, Fresno, Calif.) throughout the event, but he finished the title game with six points. Seeley saw his recruitment take off after he qualified academically with some excellent performances during the July live period and one EWE player was extremely happy to see that. Baker was teammates with Seeley two years ago at Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) before the bouncy wing moved back to Fresno.

"Chris got much better," Baker said. "I always knew he was going to get better."

Splash City defeated Each 1 Teach 1 in the semifinals by two points (62-60) after defeating Big Red 76-61 in the quarterfinals. Big Red, made up of players from Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), advanced after it lost on the court in the round of 16 to UAA champion We R 1, 88-83, because that Delaware-based program had to catch an early Sunday flight. Milstead had 18 points in Splash City's UAA title game loss to We R 1, and it could have used some of that scoring in the Fab 48 title game.

EWE defeated Splash City during Fab 48 pool play, 68-63, in a game Baker had 26, with Milstead going for 25.

EWE defeated the Florida Vipers in its semifinal contest, 71-61, as Baker nailed four 3-pointers and finished with 22 points. He made five 3-pointers and finished with 18 points in the 79- 60 quarterfinal win over the OSA Crusaders.

Adidas Uprising Summer Championships: Mass Rivals Wins 17U Title To Cap 21-0 Summer

The team concept always defeats individual play and while there is general complaints about a lack of quality coaching in grassroots basketball, Mass Rivals is exhibit A why that is simply not true. Vincent Pastore’s outfit captured the major adidas 17U division title with a 93-78 victory over North Carolina-based Garner Road. With its nationally-televised win, Mass Rivals finished as the team of the summer with an unblemished record behind its magnificent backcourt play and stellar defense.

Wabissa Bede, a 6-foot 2017 point guard out of Cushing Academy (Ashburnham, Mass.), is unsung nationally but results speak for themselves, as he finished the title game with 17 points, including three 3-pointers, six rebounds and five assists. Four players finished in double figures for Mass Rivals, including Bede's backcourt mate Makai Ashton-Langford. The 6-foot-2 2017 Cushing Academy standout had 14 points for a team that also captured the adidas Uprising Creators Cup, a mini-tournament within the Summer Championships created for the event's best 17U programs.

In Sunday morning's semifinals, Mass Rivals defeated Team Loaded VA, 64-51, as Bebe (12) and Langford (11) combined for 23 points in a balanced attack. It also was a revenge win of sorts as Team Loaded VA defeated Mass Rivals by two points in the 2015 final of the same event. In seven games this week in Las Vegas, Bebe averaged 13.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, and 4.0 apg, while Langford averaged 11.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, and 2.9 apg. Mass Rivals defeated D-I Minnesota in the Creator's Cup final, 67-61, as Bebe averaged 17.0 ppg in the three victories.

Garner Road, which defeated Juice All-Stars (N.Y.) in the 82-74 semifinals, was led in the 17U title game by 6-foot-1 2017 point guard Thomas Allen (Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro, N.H.) and 5-foot-11 2017 guard Jordan Ratliffe (Village Christian Academy, Fayetteville, N.C.). Both netted 18 points in a losing effort.

Las Vegas Classic: Seattle Rotary Guts It Out

To win one of the major Las Vegas Tournament to close the summer viewing period used to be the most prestigious resume-builder of the summer, but that is simply no longer the case. With USA Basketball commitments, shoe-company driven circuits and non-viewing events taking place seemingly every weekend, plenty of elite players view Vegas as they would any other event.

Some of the nation's elite players were in Chile for the FIBA Americas U18 Championships and some simply chose not to play, or played one game during the week only to sit out the next to the distain of the college coaches in attendance. It made for lackluster play at times, but also gave lesser-known players the opportunity to shine on a big stage.

With that in mind, Seattle Rotary's roster stepped up its game to capture the 17U Platinum Elite Championship after its two star guards from Garfield (Seattle), Jaylen Nowell and Daejon Davis, left Vegas for the Nike Skills Academy in Los Angeles. The boys from the Pacific Northwest took on a Howard Pulley (Minn.) team missing 6-foot-5 Gary Trent Jr. (who will spend his senior season at Findlay Prep in Nevada and who also departed for the Nike event) and was able to pull out a 76-75 victory in overtime. Seattle Rotary nearly gave the game away by missing four free throws in overtime, as Howard Pulley had plenty of chances, but a turnover with five seconds remaining doomed the latter's chances.

Seattle Rotary was led to victory by 6-foot-6 2018 forward Charles Elleby (Cleveland, Seattle), who scored plenty inside and hit a 3-pointer to finish with 15 points. Kevin Porter, a 6-foot-4 left-handed shooting guard who the University of Washington was intently viewing, added 14 points. P.J. Fuller, a highly-regarded 2019 shooting guard who played his freshman season at Garfield, added 10 points for Seattle Rotary.

In the quarterfinals on Sunday morning, Seattle Rotary defeated Houston Hoops (which played without injured standout Jarred Vanderbilt) 69-67. The game was clinched when Porter nailed two late free throws, while Fuller nailed four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points. In the semifinals, they pulled away from the Oakland Soldiers down the stretch to record a 84-66 victory. Fuller again hit four 3-pointers and finished with 18 points. Seattle Rotary also got a big second half from athletic 2018 wing Khalil Chatman (Franklin, Seattle). He scored 12 points in the second half and finished with 14.

Howard Pulley's standout minus Trent was Minnesota commit Brad Davison, a 6-foot-3 guard out of Maple Grove (Osseo, Minn.). He netted 26 points in a losing effort versus Seattle Rotary. He also had three second-half 3-pointers and finished with 17 points in a 74-69 semifinal win over upstart California Stars Elite. That game was clinched on two free throws with 24 seconds remaining by 6-foot-4 2018 guard Gabe Kalsheur (De La Salle, Minneapolis). He also finished with 17 points.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

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BTI Select (Calif.) came into the Las Vegas Fab 48 major division title game riding a wave of confidence because of its hot outside shooting Sunday morning leading up to its championship encounter with 1Nation (Mich.). After all, BTI shot the lights out in quarterfinal and semifinal wins over Canada Elite (46-45) and MWA Elite (86-81), respectively.

The upstarts advanced behind a 3-pointer by Abod Oses, a 6-foot-5 2015 prospect from San Gabriel (Calif.), with seven seconds remaining to knock off Canada Elite and by making 15 3-pointers in the win over MWA Elite. BTI didn't shoot quite that well versus 1Nation, but was in position to complete an incredible run through the championship bracket with the game tied at 38-38 with 11 minutes remaining.

Over the final 10 minutes of the second half, 6-foot-8 big guard Josh Jackson of 1 Nation took charge of the game on both ends to lead his team to a 56-49 win. Jackson grabbed some big-time defensive rebounds and on the offensive end created off the dribble or hit clutch jumpers -- even though the defense knew he was the focal point of 1Nation's attack.

Jackson, one of the nation's top rising seniors who spent his junior season at Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) with rumors swirling he may be on the move for his senior season, hit a 3-pointer to give 1Nation a 41-40 lead. After BTI's Miye Oni, a 6-foot-6 2015 prospect from Viewpoint (Calabasas, Calif.), hit a 3-pointer, Jackson answered with a conventional 3-point play to make the score 52-46. In between hitting three important free throws in the last two minutes, Jackson grabbed three defensive rebounds. In the second half alone, Jackson had four blocked shots and nine rebounds.

1Nation didn't win another any tournaments this summer and for Jackson, he joins an exclusive list of top nationally-ranked players who have led their travel ball team to a major Las Vegas summer tournament championship in recent years.

"They were a good team and we knew we had to play team ball," said Jackson, who finished with 22 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks and was named Fab 48 most outstanding player. "It's an honor to join the names of players who have won championships. It's a great tournament and it's humbling to even be mentioned with those names."

For 1 Nation, the tournament win was vindication of sorts after the Canada Elite and MWA Elite teams BTI defeated in Las Vegas fared better on the Under Armour Association circuit. Team Canada advanced to the UAA championship game whereas 1 Nation lost in the opening round.

"It feels good, but it wasn't like we lost by a lot...they were close games," Jackson said.

Also having a big game for 1 Nation was 6-foot-5 2016 prospect Arguster Daniels from Kalamazoo Central (Mich.) with 15 points.

In the semifinals, Jackson had 20 points in a 66-65 overtime win over We R1 (Pa.), a team that also advanced to the semifinals of the Under Armour Association finals during the second July viewing period.

Adidas Uprising Summer Championships: Team Loaded VA Reins Supreme

After Team Loaded Virginia and Team Loaded North Carolina advanced to the finals of the adidas Uprising Creators Cup, a mini-tournament within the Summer Championships created for the event's top 17U teams, there was a good chance a travel program named "Team Loaded" was going to win the 17U Gold bracket.

That program turned out to be Team Loaded VA, which staged a big comeback to defeat the Mass Rivals, 76-74, in a ESPNU televised game.

The outcome wasn't decided until Wenyen Gabriel of Mass Rivals, a 6-foot-9 2016 power forward out of Wilbraham & Monson Academy (Manchester, N.H.), missed out on an opportunity to send the game into overtime at the charity stripe. Missing two of six free throw attempts was about the only thing Gabriel did wrong all week in Las Vegas, as he was one of the week's top performers in all three major Vegas tournaments. Gabriel, who was recently offered by Kentucky, finished with game-highs of 21 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Sacha Killeya-Jones, a 6-foot-11 2016 center out of Virginia Episcopal School, led four Team Loaded Virginia players with 17 points. Javin DeLaurier, a 6-foot-9 2016 power forward out of Saint Annes-Belfield (Charlottesville, Va.), added 14 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Team Loaded VA, which trailed by double-digits for a majority of the championship game, easily defeated Kansas Pray and Play Players in its semifinal contest 92-65. Once again offensive balance was key as five players scored in double-digits. The Mass Rivals downed Team Loaded NC in its semifinal, 71-54. Great team defense and the 20 points, seven rebounds and four steals of Gabriel were the keys to victory.

Las Vegas Classic: Another Title For Georgia Stars

It was an impressive summer for the Georgia Stars. The grassroots program from the Peach State captured the prestigious Nike EYBL title at the Peach Jam in Augusta, Ga. and completed the championship double dip with a 77-63 victory over the Mac Irvin Fire (Ill.) in the 17U Platinum Elite title game of the Bigfoot Hoops Las Vegas Classic on Sunday afternoon.

Trent Forrest, a 6-foot-4 2016 prospect out of Chipley (Fla.), paced the Georgia Stars with 24 points in the title game. In the semifinals, everything 5-foot-10 2016 guard Nick Hopkins was throwing up went in. The Sprayberry (Marietta, Ga.) product nailed six 3-pointers en route to 27 points in the 84-60 win over the Oakland Soldiers. Wendell Carter, one of the nation's top 2017 recruits out of Pace Academy (Atlanta), added 17 points. Carter had 13 points and 13 rebounds in the title game.

Mac Irvin Fire received standout performances all week from Miles Bridges, a 6-foot-7 combo forward who attends Huntington Prep (Huntington, W.Va.) and is one of the nation's top 10 prospects in the class of 2016. The powerful and agile Bridges scored 26 points in the loss to the Georgia Stars. He went for 28 points in a 72-63 semifinal win over Seattle Rotary and was arguably the most impressive player we saw all week at all three NCAA-sanctioned events.

Before Sunday, it looked like that player was surely Marvin Bagley III, the 6-foot-10 rising sophomore from Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.), but the gap between him and Miles (and anyone else for that matter) shrunk when his We All Can Go All-Stars 2018 club was shocked, 77-62, in the 16U Invitational semifinals by Wisconsin United at the Las Vegas Fab 48.

Wisconsin United lost in the Fab 48 16U title game, 43-42, to the Indy Hoosiers on a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Zach Gunn, a 6-foot-6 rising junior from Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.).

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

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Marvin Bagley, a rising sophomore playing at the Las Vegas Fab 48 for We Can Go All-Stars 2018 (Tenn.) and last season's national freshman of the year at Corona Del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.), led his team into the 16U Invitational quarterfinals with a performance for the ages in a win over Team Texas.

For talent evaluators that have covered grassroots and high school basketball for a long period -- for arguments purposes let's say since the turn of the century -- blanket statements and all-time comparisons are not easily tossed around .

However, after his performance in We Can Go All-Stars 2018's (Tenn.) 80-77 second round victory over Team Texas, 6-foot-10 Marvin Bagley III had scouts and college coaches shaking their heads in disbelief about his ability and scratching their heads trying to remember the last time they've seen such a performance from a rising sophomore.

Bagley finished with 28 points, including three 3-pointers, 14 rebounds, four blocks, and two assists. Many of the points were highlight dunks and finishes. He also hit a big 3-pointer down the stretch to keep Team Texas at bay.

It looked like the We Can Go All-Stars 2018 was going to pull away after taking on 69-53 on the third on three consecutive alley-oop dunk finishes by the consensus No. 1 player in the national 2018 class.

That's when Team Texas' C.J. Roberts went to work.

The 6-foot, 172-pound rising junior guard simply willed his team back into the game with relentless drives and finishes at the rim. Roberts finished a couple of conventional 3-point plays, had a monster flush and a dunk attempt over 6-foot-10 rising freshman Francis Okoro that had the Bishop Gorman High School auxiliary gym buzzing. Even the normally stoic college coaches visibly enjoyed the show.

In fact, it will be the only game all summer in which the college coaches on hand wouldn't have mind if it had went to overtime. The game wasn't decided until Roberts missed a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer. Roberts finished with 31 points.

Hoop Scoop's Clark Francis, who has covered the national Grassroots scene since 1983, feels Bagley's Saturday night performance might have been the best one he's ever seen from a rising sophomore.

Fab 48 tournament co-director Dinos Trigonis stated it was the best non-17u performance in tournament history.

We are not sure where we'd rank Bagley's performance among the all-time best we've seen from an underclassman, but for now we're just going to attempt to let you enjoy it as much as we did.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

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Fab 48 Tip-Off Challenge 
July 22, 2015
Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas, Nev.)
(Court 1 Schedule; Subject to Change; All four games below will be STREAMED LIVE on www.ebooksnet.com)

5:00 pm - 1 Nation (Mich.) vs. Belmont Shore (Calif.)
6:30 pm - D.C. Premier (D.C.) vs. Pro Skills (Texas)
8:00 pm - Canada Elite vs. Team Loaded (N.C.)
9:15 pm - NY Rens  vs. Each 1 Teach 1 (Fla.)

BIL LIVE STREAM SCHEDULE & PREVIEWS

1 Nation (Under Armour Association)

Won-Loss Record: 1 Nation lost to Team Canada, 69-57, in the opening round of the UAA 17U finals in Suwanee, Ga. On the 3-stop UAA circuit, the team finished 6-6.

 Key Players:

Josh Jackson, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) via Southfield, Mich. 6-7 SF 2016 (Nation's No. 1 ranked prospect by 247Sports.com) 18.3 ppg, 10 rpg in 16 UAA circuit games. Offers from every major NCAA title contender in the country.
Devon Daniels, Kalamazoo Central (Kalamazoo, Mich.) 6-5 W 2016 (13.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg in 15 UAA circuit games. Minnesota, Utah, DePaul, Drake, Buffalo offers.)
Spencer Littleson, Rochester Adams (Rochester Hills, Mich.) 6-4 SG 2016 (7.5 ppg, 37.8 % 3-point in 15 UAA circuit games)

What To Watch For vs. Belmont Shore:

1 Nation is built around Josh Jackson, one of the nation's top three consensus recruits and a future NBA big guard/wing. Jackson is one of the most explosive players in the nation and offensively this team can play with anyone. On the defensive side, however, is where there are some question marks. Jackson is often the tallest player on the floor and often has to guard the opposition's best post player. 1 Nation is going to have to keep Belmont Shore from getting easy looks in the paint and keeping P.J. Washington off the glass. Watch out for Littleson. If Belmont Shore focuses too much defensively on Jackson, Littleson can hurt them with his perimeter shooting.

Belmont Shore (Independent)

Won-Loss Record: N/A - This grassroots team, which was founded and is coached by FAB 48 co-director Dinos Trigonis, has competed in a myriad of national grassroots events since its inception in 1993. The club won the Las Vegas Easter Classic in 2004 and 2010 and the Reebok Summer National Championship in July 2007 behind the play of 2008 National Player of the Year Brandon Jennings, one of the many numerous pros to play on Trigonis' club over the last 20 years.

 Key Players:

P.J. Washington, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 6-8 PF 2017 (Nation's No. 7 ranked junior by ESPN.com) Offers from Arizona, Baylor and Texas among others. Washington is the consummate Windex Man who works hard on the boards and is a terrific finisher in transition. He's also good at creating second chance points with his work around the basket.
Ethan Thompson, Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) 6-3 CG 2017 (Nation's No. 72 ranked junior by 247Sports.com) Oregon St., Washington State offers, brother of Oregon St. freshman Stevie Thompson Jr., whose father is on the Oregon St. staff and is a former NBA player.
K.J. Smith, IMG Academy (Florida) via Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 6-2 PG 2015 (Will spend a year of prep school after helping Mater Dei to the CIF Open Division title game as a senior. Late-blooming point guard is the son of former NBA point guard and TNT analyst Kenny Smith)
Jacob Hughes, Servite (Anaheim, Calif.) 6-10 C 2017 (One of the West Coast's top center prospects in the rising junior class, Hughes is rapidly improving after beginning to play in seventh grade. He can score with a soft hook with either hand and is underrated defensively.)

What To Watch For vs. 1 Nation:

Belmont Shore doesn't have a player the caliber of Jackson, but Trigonis' team is usually prepared for the big stage and will get some open looks against 1 Nation. Belmont Shore is most dangerous when its guard play is at a high level, so if Smith and Thompson step up it will put a lot of pressure on 1 Nation. Hughes can end up being a major factor if he can keep up with the fast pace of the game on this big stage because of 1 Nation's lack of size. P.J. Washington and Charles O' Bannon Jr. of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), a 2017 McDonald's All-American candidate, will get a crack at checking Jackson, but it's on offense where O'Bannon can make a difference with his ability to stroke from the wing.

 

D.C. Premier (Under Armour Association)

Pro Skills (Nike EYBL)
Won-Loss Record:

Pro Skills went 10-7 in Division A of the EYBL and qualified for the Peach Jam EYBL Finals. In its pool at Peach Jam, Pro Skills finished 2-3 and did not qualify for eight-team bracket play to decide the EYBL champions, which turned out to be the Georgia Stars.

 Key Players:

Marques Bolden, DeSoto (DeSoto, Texas) 6-11 C 2016 (Nation's No. 6 ranked prospect by Rivals.com) 13.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg in 17 EYBL games. Offers from all the big boys including Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and Louisville. A powerful finisher around the basket, Bolden turned into a legitimate McDonald's All-American candidate with his play on the EYBL circuit. He's now considered the nation's top center prospect in his class by Scout.com.
Andrew Jones, MacArthur (Irving, Texas) 6-4 CG 2016 (Nation's No. 91 prospect by 247Sports.com) 11.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg in 17 EYBL games. He's not a consensus Top 100 prospect yet, but Jones is one of the nation's July breakout performers. He averaged 18.4 ppg at Peach Jam to lead Pro Skills in scoring and recently picked up offers from Arizona and Texas.
Schnider Herard, Prestonwood Christian Academy (Plano, Texas) 6-10 C 2016 (Nation's No. 41 prospect by Rivals.com) 8.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg in 17 EYBL games. Herard is still a work in progress on the offensive end, but he's an imposing physical presence who works on the boards and must be accounted for because he runs the floor well for his size.

What To Watch For vs. DC Premier:

Pro Skills is a physical imposing bunch and with Bolden and Herard will be a load for DC Premier to handle. Bolden battled nagging injuries on the EYBL circuit, but he'll be ready for the big FAB 48 stage and if DC Premier doesn't get physical enough on the block it could make for a long night for them. DC Premier's Joe Hampton will have to play big against Bolden. Watch out for JaColby Pemberton, a rising senior for Lancaster, Texas, who is a good athlete.

Canada Elite (Under Armour Association)
Won-Loss Record:

Canada Elite advanced to the championship game of the UAA 17U finals in Suwanee, Ga., losing to Team Charlotte 56-46 after the game was tied at 41-41 with three minutes remaining. In its division (Humble) Canada Elite tied with Team Charlotte with a 9-3 record. Canada Elite defeated Team Charlotte in New York, the third stop of the UAA circuit.

Key Players:

Thon Maker, Athlete Institute Academy (Toronto) 7-0 PF 2016 (Nation's No. 5 ranked prospect by 247Sports.com) 15.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg on the UAA circuit, considered one of of the best NBA prospects for the 2017 NBA Draft after declaring he will remain in high school for the 2015-16 season. Arizona St. and Indiana are the major players in the Maker sweepstakes.
Justin Jackson, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 6-7 SF 2016 (Nation's No. 28 prospect by Scout.com; UNLV COMMIT) 12.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg on the UAA circuit. Jackson can defend in the post and on on the perimeter and is a crafty scorer around the basket. Once he gains more consistency from the outside, he'll turn into a highly-productive college player.
Marcus Ottey, St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) 6-2 PG 2016 (10.1 ppg on UAA circuit) Ottey turned a lot of college coaches' heads with his play at the UAA Finals in Suwanee, Ga. The FAB 48 Tip-off challenge could be another breakout event for the lefty guard. Ottey is nearly as quick as he is explosive and that's saying a lot. He can play both guard spots.

What To Watch For vs. Team Loaded:

The Canadians don't have a perimeter player with the ability of Dennis Smith, but they won't be overmatched. Ottey is an explosive playmaker and point guard Godwin Boahen of St. Louis Christian Academy in Toronto is capable of putting up points in a hurry and is a solid defender. Thon Maker's ability facing the basket could be a big program because Team Loaded may have to double him if he gets going offensively. That could free up space for Justin Jackson, who is a strong candidate to have a big game.

Andrew Wiggins Team Loaded (adidas Uprising Gauntlet)
Won-Loss Record:

On the first stop on the Gauntlet in Dallas, Team Loaded went 2-1. On the second stop in Indianapolis, Team Loaded won the 17U Lillard bracket to qualify for the Finale. The Gauntlet finale hosted the top eight finishers from bracket play in Indianapolis, as well as eight at large teams. Team loaded lost in the round of eight at the Gauntlet Finale in Atlanta during the first July NCAA viewing period to eventual champion NY Rens, 57-54.

 Key Players:

Dennis Smith Jr., Trinity Christian School (Greenville, N.C.) 6-3 PG 2016 (Nation's No. 4 ranked prospect by ESPN.com) Offers from almost every big-time program in the country, including Duke and North Carolina. Smith led the adidas Gauntlet with 6.9 apg, and also averaged 16.2 ppg and 4.8 rpg. In the argument for the nation's top point guard along with De'Aaron Fox of Houston Hoops and Lonzo Ball of Big Ballers VXT, Smith is the most explosive of the three around the rim. His jump shot is a work in progress, but he finds ways to keep teams honest and impact the game even when the jumper is not falling.
Edrice Adebayo, Northside (Jacksonville, N.C.) 6-9 PF 2016 (Nation's No. 7 ranked prospect by Rivals.com) 14.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg in adidas Gauntlet games. Adebayo was one of the top five performers at the prestigious NBPA Top 100 Camp in June and is a consensus Top 10 recruit. "Bam" is not quite as tall as he looks, but because of his chiseled physique, strength and mobility, he more often than not plays like the biggest player on the floor. He goes after missed shots with reckless abandon and has made great strides offensively over the last year.

What To Watch For vs. Canada Elite:

Maker vs. Bam is must-see, and if Bam can move his feet well enough to stay out of foul trouble Team Loaded will have a chance down the stretch (each player gets six fouls in the FAB 48). Team Canada gets in trouble when it can't get Maker the ball inside, so if Team Loaded's perimeter defense can cause trouble by denying entry passes or making them difficult, it will cause less double teams and mismatches. The play of Jaylen Fornes, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard out of Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh, N.C., will be key because he's not a consistent threat with the outside shot. If he's on, Team Loaded will gain confidence.

 

Each 1 Teach 1 (Nike EYBL)
Won-Loss Record:

E1T1 went 13-4 in Division D of the EYBL, one game behind eventual EYBL champion Georgia Stars in the division. The team qualified for the Peach Jam EYBL Finals where it went 4-1 in pool play to qualify for the eight-team championship bracket to decide the 2015 champion. E1T1 fell to the Team CP3, 74-70, in the quarterfinals.

Key Players:

Jonathan Isaac, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-10 SF 2016 (Nation's No. 9 ranked prospect by Scout.com; FLORIDA STATE COMMIT) 14.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg in 17 EYBL games. Isaac has great long-term potential and is only beginning to scratch the surface of it. At the Nike EYBL Minneapolis session, he showed the makings of a future pro as a prototype 4-man with 3-man skills. Not strong yet, Isaac needs to improve finishing in traffic.
Kevin Knox, Jr., Tampa Catholic (Tampa, Fla.) 6-8 SF 2017 (Nation's No. 12 ranked junior by Scout.com) 7.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg in 17 EYBL games. Knox is in the same boat as Isaac in many ways in that he'll be a much better player down the line. Knox is a great athlete who shoots the ball well at his size. He's also a great quarterback prospect on the football field, but his future is on the hardwood.

What To Watch For vs. NY Rens:

Rawle Alkins and Mustapha Heron are matchups nightmares for E1T1, but on the flip side Isaac creates a matchup problem as well with his length. If E1T1 can hold the Rens to one shot per possession, they will be in position to take control of the game if they don't get physically overpowered in the backcourt. That's where Tony Bradley Jr., a 6-foot-10 rising senior from Bartow, Fla. comes into play. He's an excellent rebounder (8.6 rpg in the EYBL) and a double-digit scorer. If Bradley has a big game, E1T1 has to like its chances.

New York Rens (adidas Uprising Gauntlet)
Won-Loss Record:

The Rens got off to a rough start at the Gauntlet stop, going 1-2 in the same pool as Team Loaded. They turned it around in Indianapolis to qualify for the adidas Gauntlet Finale, July 8-10, in Atlanta. There the Rens stormed through bracket play, defeating Brookwood Elite (78-61), Team Loaded North Carolina (57-54), Indiana Elite (87-77), and the Atlanta Celtics (80-66) in the championship game to capture the 17U championship.

 Key Players:

Rawle Alkins, Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 6-5 SG 2016 (Nation's No. 13 ranked prospect by 247Sports.com) 23.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg in 12 adidas Gauntlet games. Alkins has all the big schools after him, but he won't be back at CTK for his senior season because of an athletic eligibility issue. He was dominant for the Royals as a junior, leading them to a CHSAA Class AA title and state runner-up finish. Alkins excels in transition and is much too physically imposing for most guards or wings on the high school level to handle. He's also a solid shooter and capable ball-handler, but must continue to develop on the defensive end.

Key Players:

Mustapha Heron, Sacred Heart (Waterbury, Conn.) 6-5 CG 2016 (Nation's No. 17 ranked prospect by Scout.com) 17.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.0 apg in 12 adidas Gauntlet games. Heron was originally committed to Pittsburgh but is now wide open in his recruitment. St. John's and new coach Chris Mullen would love to have Heron or Alkins or both join the Redmen. The MOP of the 2015 Pangos All-American Camp, if Heron wasn't the camp's most impressive performer, then it was surely Alkins.

What To Watch For vs. Each 1 Teach 1:

Like his running mate Alkins, Heron is a winner, as he led his high school team to a 28-0 record and No. 26 national ranking in the Grassroots Hoops FAB 50 as a junior. Heron had 19 points and 12 rebounds vs. the Atlanta Celtics in the adidas Gauntlet championship game, so he could be primed for a big game on a big stage vs. E1T1. As it that wasn't enough, Alkins had 34 points in the championship game. Heron is not quite as efficient from the field as Alkins, so if the E1T1 is going to have to pick its poison, it might make sense for them to concentrate on slowing down Alkins. If both of them are on their game, the Rens will be extremely tough to beat because everyone on the team thrives in their role. The Rens will also have to show they can handle E1T1 on the boards.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

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