The event featured many of the country's top senior basketball players in a high-level game that saw Team Elite edge out Team Future, 123-122, at the Long Beach Entertainment & Convention Center.

While the game itself, the dunk contest and the three-point contest were the main reason why fans flooded the venue, it was the HoopCon aspect of the event that set it apart from other All-American experiences.

The perimeter of the site was filled with vendors, allowing fans to buy, sell and trade sneakers, and cop some some swag from companies like Ballislife, Eastbay and McDavid. And if those fans were brave enough, they could go up against the guys from Venice Basketball League in a variety of hoop competitions and 3-on-3 games.

The on-court festivities began with the 3-point contest won by uncommitted guard Boogie Ellis out of Mission Bay high school in San Diego.

The dunk contest came down to a slam-off between Duke-bound wing Cassius Stanley of Sierra Canyon and Arizona-signee Terry Armstrong of Bella Vista Prep. Armstrong took home the crown as the day's best dunker with a variety of explosive slams, one of his most impressive coming when he caught a lob from Isaiah Mobley while at the same time jumping over the 6-foot-10 forward.

It didn't take much time for the one-on-one battles to take form once the game started as Ellis and Tre Mann (The Villages Charter, FL) went shot-for-shot in the first five minutes. Mann ran off 10 quick points to Boogie's six, each knocking down a couple of trey's in the process.

The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair, but Ohio State-bound forward E.J. Liddell helped Team Elite take a four-point lead into the second quarter with a one-handed dunk through contact and completed the old-fashioned three point play at the charity stripe.

Elite came out on fire in the second quarter behind a couple of highlight reel dunks from Texas Tech-signee Jahmi'us Ramsey (Duncanville, TX) and Niven Glover (Oak Ridge, FL), and a handful of nifty passes from Trendon Watford (Mountain Brook, AL), to take a 42-28 lead early in the period.

Local Southern California standouts Isaiah Mobley (Rancho Christian) and Jaime Jaquez, Jr. (Camarillo) came alive for Team Future over the last five minutes of the second, cutting the deficit to eight, 62-54, heading into halftime.

Team Future got within six of Elite early in the third quarter on back-to-back buckets from Gonzaga-bound forward Drew Timme (J.J. Pearce, TX) and kept that momentum going throughout as a 3-pointer from Ellis cut Future's deficit to three, 88-85, with 2:10 left in the third.

Team Elite took a 100-95 lead into the fourth quarter after Ramsey threw down a dunk on a lob to himself off the backboard.

Future pulled to within two of Elite, 106-104, on a dunk by Ellis with 7:45 to play, but Elite again created space with a transition layup from Watford and a mid-range jumper from Armstrong to take a 114-108 lead with 5:49 to go.

The defense and intensity picked up in the last minute and a half as a top of the key 3-pointer from Mobley cut a six point Future deficit in half with 1:04 to play.

Jovan Blacksher (Shadow Mountain, AZ) was fouled with eight seconds left and sank both free throws to bring Future to within one of Elite, 123-122, but Future couldn't force the turnover needed to get the final look it needed.

Ramsey (Elite) and Mobley (Future) took home game MVP honors for their respective teams.

Notable Statistics

Team Elite

Niven Glover: 25 points, 6 rebounds

Trendon Watford: 20 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists

Jahmius Ramsey: 17 points

Tre Mann, Terry Armstrong: 12 points apiece

Mario McKinney: 10 points

Team Future

Isaiah Mobley: 33 points, 7 assists

Boogie Ellis: 25 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists

Jaime Jaquez, Jr.: 16 points, 8 rebounds

Jovan Blacksher: 11 points

Drew Timme, Precious Achiuwa: 10 points each

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While those players are bonafide first round picks in the 2019 NBA Draft, the guys you’ll find below are more along the lines of under-appreciated or unheralded based on their skill and production.

Jordan Ford, Saint Mary’s

Ford is the catalyst for the Gaels offense. A First-Team All-West Coast Conference selection, he tied BYU’s Yoel Childs for the conference scoring title at 21.5 points per game. Ford polished off his stellar pre-NCAA tournament campaign with 17 points in St. Mary’s upset of then-No. 1 Gonzaga in the WCC Tournament title game.

We already discussed Ford’s ability to score in bunches, but it’s the variety of ways in which he does it that makes him so fun to watch. The 6-foot-1 point guard has the ball on a string, which allows him to take advantage of his elite speed and stop-and-go ability. Ford is a master space creator both on the perimeter and in the paint, which lends to his ability to create shots in just about any situation. He’s shooting 42.3 percent from distance this season and 80 percent from the free throw line. St. Mary’s is the 11-seed in the South and will begin tournament play against 6-seed Villanova Thursday on TBS.

Wofford senior Fletcher Magee leads NCAA Division I with 151 three-point field goals made this season. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Fletcher Magee, Wofford

Magee is perhaps the most lethal three-point shooter in all of college hoops. The senior leads the country in trifecta’s made with 151 and is second to Campbell’s Chris Clemons (376) with 353 attempts from deep, those figures are good for just under a 43 percent clip from behind the arc. The senior, who is averaging 20.5 points this season, has made the second-most three-point field goals in NCAA Division I men’s basketball history, recently passing Duke’s J.J. Redick and trials the all-time mark of 504, set by Oakland’s Travis Bader, by two.

What makes Magee such a difficult cover is, as mentioned with another great shooter above, how he sets up and comes off of screens to free himself up. The 6-foot-4, 200 pounder can stop-and-pop off of a dead sprint, square himself to the basket mid-air, and hit those normally tough looks with consistency. Wofford opens the NCAA Tournament as a 7-seed in the Midwest taking on 10-seed Seton Hall Thursday on CBS.

Sam Merrill, Utah State

Merrill is certainly a name making his way into more and more households after he was named the Mountain West Player of the Year after leading the Aggies to a share of the league title (with Nevada) and earned the MVP of the Conference Tournament as Utah State defeated San Diego State in the championship game to seal a berth in the NCAA Tournament behind 24 points from the junior.

At first glance, Merrill’s numbers pop off the screen with averages of 21.2 points and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 90.7 percent from the charity stripe. What you’ll notice most about the 6-foot-5 guard is, of course, his smooth 3-point shooting stroke, but also his ability to move without the basketball. Merrill utilizes screens as good as anyone you’ll find in the college game, makes overzealous defenders bite with shot fakes and is a crafty finisher around the cup. Utah State is the 8-seed in the Midwest and will take on 9-seed Washington Friday on TNT.

Utah State junior Sam Merrill was named Mountain West Player of the Year and conference tournament MVP. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

Myles Powell, Seton Hall

The junior has continued to make steady progress from very reliable role player as a freshman, to solid starter as a sophomore and now one of the breakout stars this season in college basketball. Powell’s 22.9 points per game rank 13th in the country and he’s producing buckets in every way imaginable. Powell is shooting 45 percent from the field, 36.3 from three-point range and 84.6 from the free throw line and has put up 28 or more points on nine different occasions this season, including a 40-point effort against Grand Canyon in a Wooden Legacy quarterfinal win over Grand Canyon.

Powell is not afraid to take and make the big shot with the game on the line and has hit a handful of clutch three-pointers over the course of his Pirates’ career. Many of the clips you’ll see on the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder will show that he isn’t bashful about when and where he pulls from and he gets great lift on his jump shot. Powell has nailed 103 triples so far this season. Seton Hall, a 10-seed, will find itself in a shootout against 7-seed Wofford Thursday on CBS.

Shizz Alston, Jr., Temple

Alston was named a First-Team All-American Athletic Conference performer after tying for the conference scoring title at 19.7 points per game and finishing top five in assists, three-pointers, free throws, assist-to-turnover ratio and minutes played. Alston has scored 20 or more points in each of his last eight games leading up to the NCAA Tournament.

The 6-foot-4 senior boasts a wiry, but strong frame at 180 pounds and creates well for himself and others off the dribble. Alston is a tough shot taker and maker and is also a knock-down free throw shooter, hitting freebies at a 90.6 percent clip this season. One of his best attributes is his willingness to move the ball ahead via the pass in transition. The Owls will take on Belmont Tuesday in a First Four match-up on TRUTV.

Payton Pritchard, Oregon

Pritchard won’t blow the viewer away with freakish athleticism or flashy passes, but the Ducks’ signal caller embodies what a true point guard brings to the table. The junior has started all 35 games for Oregon this season and ranks top 10 in the country in total minutes played at 1,234 (35.3 minutes per game).

Pritchard, who didn’t make either First or Second-Team All Pac-12, is averaging 12.7 points and 4.5 assists on the season, ranks among the top 50 in assist-to-turnover ratio and is hitting free throws at a 84.3 percent clip. Oregon needed to win the Pac-12 Tournament to make the field of 68 and did so with a convincing 20-point victory over top-seeded Washington. Oregon enters the field as a dangerous 12-seed, taking on 12-seed Wisconsin Friday on TBS.

CJ Massinburg, Buffalo

When you talk about a player who fills up the stat sheet, Massinburg fits that mold. The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder is averaging 18.7 points, six rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 46.6 percent from the floor and 39.6 from three in leading the Bulls to a 31-3 record on the season. Massinburg’s performance earned him the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year award as Buffalo won both the regular season and conference tournament titles.

The senior was an outstanding player last year as a junior and put his skill on display when the 13th seeded Bulls upset 4th seeded Arizona in opening round. Massinburg scored 19 points in that game and has the game-changing ability to lead Buffalo to a strong 2019 tournament run. The Bulls are a 6-seed and will play the winner of the Arizona State/St. John’s play-in game Friday on TNT.

Justin Simon, St. John’s

Simon was a highly-touted player coming out of high school and spent his first collegiate season at Arizona where he played limited minutes. The 6-foot-5 guard made his way back east to the Red Storm where he’s turned into one of the best perimeter and team defenders in the country.

Simon’s offensive numbers are respectable at 10.4 points and 3.2 assists per game, but it’s what he does as on-ball defender, defensive rebounder, shot blocker and ability to shoot passing lanes for steals that shows his true impact on the game. Those who watch a lot of Big East hoops know Simon well as he was named Defensive Player of the Year in the conference. St. John’s will take on Arizona State in a First Four game Wednesday on TRUTV.

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This mixtape features some of the best 7th graders going into 8th grade - Devin Askew, Johnny Juzang, Joshua Christopher, Shemar Morrow & Kyree Walker.

Special shoutout to our friends over at opengympremier for putting on a great event for us!

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Stephen Curry of the World Champion Golden State Warriors represents the current state of the game. The 6-foot-3 guard out of Davidson is a point guard by trade and one of the greatest shooters the game has ever seen. He's the leader of a new era of lead guards that can score as effectively as they can run a team. Many teams nowadays utilize the two best guards on its team -- with no regard for position.

UConn won the NCAA title in 2014 with that philosophy and Golden State employed it as well -- and won 67 games and the NBA title utilizing small lineups. Golden State's strategy is obviously working and what Curry represents to basketball fans is working, too -- he recently surpassed LeBron James for the top spot among individual NBA jersey sales.

Curry had the ear of the guards in attendance at the Stephen Curry Select Camp and throughout the four-day camp at St. Joseph (Alameda, Calif.) led the workouts with prototype drill samples and hands-on instruction. The campers appreciated the work of Under Armour's top hoops pitchman.

Many of the individual drills on Tuesday focused on scoring from the guard position and finishing with secondary moves. The campers practiced a series of stepbacks, floaters and runners, but it's no surprise one of the top performers was an explosive guard who rarely settles for shots going away from the basket -- 6-foot-2 2016 point guard Dennis Smith Jr. of Trinity Christian (Fayetteville, N.C.). Smith caught Curry off guard on the final day with a dunk over his defender during a 1 on 1 drill. (See it here)

The uncommitted prospect was eager to take in the instruction and was arguably the most explosive guard in simulated 4-on-4 situations. Smith does need to work on consistency in his jump shot, but he surely doesn't lack confidence in his ability. In 1-on-1 situations, he was nearly impossible to stop. On the camp's final day, there was a 1-and-1 competition and Smith won, besting 6-foot-8 2017 Michael Porter Jr. of Father Tolton (Columbia, Mo.) in the finals.

Porter attended the camp's final three days after leaving the Nike Basketball Academy in Los Angeles and made quite the impression with his vast scoring package and shooting touch. Porter and 6-foot-2 2017 Trevon Duval of St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.), who we rated as the top performer at the NBPA Top 100 Camp, were named co-MVPs of the SC30 Camp.

Porter and 6-foot-9 Billy Preston of Prime Prep (Dallas), who also attended the Nike Basketball Academy, were by far the tallest campers in attendance -- and were the only two players who national scouts wouldn't consider true guards. Both have some guard skill, but need to work on exploding out of their triple threats as some of the smaller guards are able to do in drills. Not all of their offensive moves are explosive, but the talent they possess at their size is impressive nonetheless. As one camp coach said about Preston: "He's a tough shot taker, but he's also a tough shot maker."

Jaylen Hands, a 6-foot-2 2017 prospect out of Foothills Christian (El Cajon, Calif.), was one of the campers who thrives on the ball and off it equally well. The drills and 4-on-4 play emphasized coordination and quick decision-making and Hands was impressive scoring or making the right reads to set up teammates. Hands has deep range on his jump shot and made defenders pay if they sagged off on him during simulations. He also got in the key at will using an explosive first step and made defenders pay with a nice series of drop off passes and ball reversals. Once Hands gains strength in his lower extremities so he isn't knock away from open driving lanes or knocked off balance, he'll be in the conversation as one of the top point guard prospects in the country.

Hands teamed up with Porter, 6-foot-1 2016 Jaylen Fisher of Bolton (Cordova, Tenn.) and collegian Bryant McIntosh (Northwestern) to win a majority of the quick simulation games during 4-on-4s where the defensive team that got the stop or the offensive team that scored stayed on the court while another team waiting to play defense was stationed on the opposite end of the court.

Fisher is ultra competitive and tough around the rim in keeping plays alive.

Smith's quartet with 6-foot-3 2017 Jalek Felton of Mullins (Mullins, S.C.), 6-foot 2016 Seventh Woods of Hammond (Columbia, S.C.) and collegian Isaiah Whitehead (Seton Hall) also had a nice run of victories.

Woods displayed quick hands on defense and Felton explosive moves on the baseline.

Another camp standout was Michael Bibby Jr., the son of the former NBA guard and a rising senior at Shadow Mountain (Phoenix, Ariz.). Bibby Jr. knocked down a high percentage of jump shots and excelled in situations where he played off Curry, whose father Dell also played in the NBA. Dell was in attendance offering instruction alongside his son.

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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Check out RG3 with the sick windmill for the camera.

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Check out LeBron's son with the trick shot from off the balcony.

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Marcus LoVett Jr averaged 33.3 points per game during his freshman season playing varsity for Providence High School in Burbank, CA. LoVett is already being considered as the best point guard prospect out of the west coast since Baron Davis.

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Marcus LoVett Jr with a couple of sick highlights.

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[tabs tab1="Strengths" tab3="Player Type"]

[tab id=1]Strengths: Strong lead guard type of player. Very high IQ type of pg who can take you going left or right. He can also hit the mid range jumper and take contact inside.[/tab]
[tab id=3]Overall: Lovett is only a freshman in high school yet he is considered to be the next big time pg to come out of California. Many have listed him and Tyler Dorsey to be 2 of the best guards to come out of cali since the 2008 class with Demar Derozan, Brandon Jennings and Jrue Holiday. Lovett plays much older that his age and is dropping the jaws of MANY scouts and coaches. He got his first college offer for the University of California Irvine and he has yet to even play a game in high school. Lovett recently took an unofficial to UCI and played a pickup game against their starting pg from last year. Marcus played well to say the least, so well that UCI offered him. [/tab]
[/tabs]

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