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Team Thad had plenty of motivation entering the Las Vegas Fab 48. The Tennessee-based club, particularly its head coach Norton Hurd, felt it should have won the Under Armour Association (UAA) Circuit title during July's second live NCAA evaluation period. Team Thad was a top seed, but finished in third place after a semifinal loss to Team Charlotte (N.C.).

Team Thad atoned for the upset loss by capturing the 17U Invitational title with a 77-61 victory over the New York Rens to win the Fab 48's 32-team bracket. Team Thad not only won the event's top division, it went unbeaten in pool play to finish the third evaluation period with a perfect 8-0 record.

The catalyst for Team Thad was uncommitted 2018 point guard Tyler Harris, a 5-foot-10 speed demon from Cordova (Memphis, Tenn.), who is one of the nation's fast-rising players this summer. He wasn't a household name on the grassroots circuit before July, but this tournament changed that. There wasn't a faster (under control) player with the ball in his hands at the three major Las Vegas tournaments than Harris, who went for 18 points and three assists in the title game victory over the NY Rens. He averaged 22.8 points per game over his final four games in the bracket and shoots the 3-pointer just well enough to set himself up to blow by defenders, set up teammates for athletic finishes or simply finish at the rim himself. Harris' unselfish style also rubbed off on his teammates, as he racked up many hockey assists, while his teammates got him the ball in transition, where he raced past the defense for easy lay-ins.

"I wanted to come here and play well, said Harris, who reported that Cincinnati, Virginia and St. Louis had become involved in his recruitment as of late. "I wanted to end my final AAU season the right way. After UAA finals, my recruitment has picked up a lot."

"Tyler stepped up his game in July," Hurd said. "He deserves all the attention he's getting...he's one of the top 10 point guards in the country."

Team Thad's title run was bolstered by the powerful inside play of 6-foot-6 2018 forward Robert Woodard (Columbus, Miss.), who joined the team for the Fab 48 after playing earlier in the summer for Mebo Elite Team Hood on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) circuit. He went for 13 points and eight rebounds in the title game, but had plenty of larger offensive outputs earlier in the bracket. Woodard, who is looking to cut his list of colleges by the end of summer, went off in the 72-63 first round win over Meanstreets EYBL (the only game in which Harris didn't score at least 18 points) with 23 points. He also had 15 points in the 62-58 semifinal win over defending Fab 48 champion Earl Watson Elite UAA, while Harris added 19.

Plenty of credit must also be given to 6-foot-4, 2018 shooting guard Tavin Lovan of Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, Va.), who netted a game-high 25 points in the title game. Lovan is excellent in transition and does plenty of work on the offensive glass.

By knocking off the NY Rens (who failed to qualify for the Peach Jam on the EYBL circuit) in the final, Team Thad becomes the sixth consecutive Under Armour-sponsored grassroots club to win the Las Vegas Fab 48. The only independent winner was the Kansas City 76ers in 2011, while the Nike-sponsored Oakland Soldiers won the inaugural tournament in 2010.

Coming Out Party for Josh Christopher at Las Vegas Classic

For a majority of the spring and summer, 6-foot-4 2020 wing Josh Christopher was the leading player on Cal Supreme's 16U EYBL unit, but the coaching staff of the Los Angeles-based, Nike-sponsored outfit decided to move him up to its main club. The move paid dividends as Cal Supreme won the 32-team 17U Platinum Elite Division at the Las Vegas Classic with Christopher not just contributing, but actually leading the way.

The championship game versus the hometown Las Vegas Prospects went to overtime and Christopher settled matters with a spin move floater that gave his team a dramatic 60-59 overtime win. He led his team in scoring with 16 points and also had a clutch performance with 24 points, including three 3-pointers, in a 64-59 semifinal win over Dallas-based RM5 Elite, another EYBL club.

The quarterfinals were an all-California affair and Christopher blocked a final 3-point attempt that helped secure his team's 68-66 victory over the Oakland Soldiers, the 2017 EYBL Peach Jam champion. Christopher finished with 19 points, while his older brother Caleb (a 6-foot-1 2018 prospect) also made some key defensive plays down the stretch. He finished with six points. Josh had 25 points in the 65-62 quarterfinal win over Dallas Showtime.

The Christophers are out of Mayfair (Lakewood, Calif.), the same school older brother Patrick (who has played in the NBA) attended and Josh and quickly developing into one of California's best players regardless of class. He is stretching rapidly and quickly gets into his offensive move, which draws a ton of fouls. Like any young player, his shot selection could be better at times, but he has all the tools necessary to be a dominant player on the circuit and in high school basketball the next three years. Pro forward Solomon Hill and NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal (who both were part of Cal Supreme's coaching staff for the event) raved about his long-term potential.

According to club director Gary Franklin Sr., O'Neal's son Shareef was usually Cal Supreme's other big scoring gun in the games he played (he sat out at least three games at this event with a hand injury). The team also got quality games from 6-foot-6 2018 forward Kenyon Martin Jr. of Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) and a big defensive boost from 6-foot-11 2018 big man Fred Odhaimbo (Alemany, Mission Hills, Calif.).

The Las Vegas Prospects got some outstanding play during the tournament from 6-foot-3 guard Marvin Coleman II (Foothill, Henderson, Nev.) and 6-foot-6 2018 forward Moses Wood (Galena, Reno, Nev.).

Team Loaded (VA) Captures adidas Uprising Summer Championships

While the on-court exploits of social media sensation Zion Williamson and the off-court antics of Lavar Ball, the coach of the Big Baller Brand team which played in the event, got a majority of the attention, it was actually a fine Team Loaded team which won the 17U championship bracket.

Virginia-based Team Loaded defeated the New England Playaz, 54-52, in the title game after downing Compton Magic Elite (Calif.) in the semifinals, 80-59. The Playaz advanced to the title game courtesy of a 75-68 semifinal win over the Iowa Barnstormers.

In the championship game, Team Loaded had balanced scoring, with three players in double figures led by the 12 points apiece of Kiyon Boyd, a 6-foot-5 2018 small forward from H.D. Woodson (Fairfax, Va.), and Armando Bacot, a 6-foot-8 2019 power forward out of Trinity Episcopal (Richmond, VA.).

Christopher Doherty, a 6-foot-8 post out of Marlborough (Mass.), led the way for the Playaz with 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.

In the semifinals, Team Loaded downed the Compton Magic club that won the Creator's Cup earlier in the event behind 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists from 6-foot-3 2019 guard Jaelin Llewellyn of Virginia Episcopal School and 15 points and seven rebounds from 6-foot-10 2018 big man David McCormack of FAB 50 power Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.

Team Loaded didn't have many individual statistical leaders from the event, but played a good brand of team ball and got positive contributions from nearly every player on its roster throughout.

Individually, 2019 La'Melo Ball of Big Baller Brand led all scorers with 33.5 ppg. The popular point guard and youngest brother of Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball was also eleventh in rebounding with 10.8 per game and ninth in assists (5.5) while shooting 37 percent (40-108) from the field.

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

The post Team Thad, Cal Supreme, Team Loaded win Vegas Tourneys! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

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

The post Josh Jackson leads 1Nation To Fab 48 Title! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Travel basketball has been around a lot longer than the average basketball fan thinks. When teams were first formed in the 1970s and early 1980s, there was one or two teams per each large geographic region such as a county or small state. In other words, kids really had to be highly-regarded to earn a spot on a team. There wasn't a lot of media attention and some of the best high-level, high school games ever seen were played in front of only a handful of fans and a small number of scouts.

Today, the travel ball scene is totally different. There is an endless number of teams -- and we mean that in the literal sense. If the parents of a young player are not happy with their son's situation, they might form their own team and enter it in NCAA-sanctioned events. More often than not, the son is one of the featured players on the team. "Daddyball," as the phenomenon is coined, runs rampant in tournaments across the country and is especially scoffed at by basketball scouts and writers when the featured player is not a legitimate, high level college basketball prospect.

Thousands of players hit Las Vegas every year for the final July NCAA recruiting period with hopes of catching the eye of college coaches. Realistically, only a handful will eventually play in the NBA although thousands harbor that dream. Many didn't play in front of a single college coach the entire five-day period; then there is the large crop whose play determined at what level colleges will seriously recruit them.

Meet Victor Bailey Jr., a junior-to-be at McNeil (Austin, Texas) who plays for Mo Williams Academy Elite. He falls into the latter category -- and for him it can doubly tough to stand out because he plays for one of the most talent-laden 17U grassroots teams in the country.

To give some perspective on the competition numbers Bailey and the other college hopefuls face, MWA Elite is participating in the Las Vegas Fab 48, one of the three concurrent tournaments running throughout Sin City July 22-26. The Las Vegas Fab 48 alone hosted 475 teams in the high school portion of its tournament with five different championship brackets in 17U ball, not to mention its 16U and 15U brackets.

Bailey could join a lesser team and perhaps score more points, but in this exclusive BIL video he talks about maintaining the proper balance between playing his game and doing what is necessary for a team that advanced to the Fab 48 17U Invitational division semifinals. Bailey also talks about what he brings to a team with three or four high level college recruits with realistic NBA aspirations and coming off the beach as a sixth man, as opposed to starring for his high school team.

THE LINE ON VICTOR BAILEY

MWA Elite's sixth man is a 6-foot-4 slashing guard who is always around the action when he doesn't have the ball in his hands. Although he's not a lead guard in the true sense of the term, Bailey has good vision and is always looking for the throw ahead pass.

Bailey's left-handed shooting stroke is not consistent yet, but he's a good enough all-around player to be ranked No. 32 in the 2017 class by ESPN.com and No. 56 by Rivals.com. He's holds an offer from Missouri and is getting interest from high major schools and Harvard. Ultimately, his development over the next calendar year will decide the right fit for him on the next level.

Bailey is a pesky defender and loves to knock down long passes. That shouldn't be surprising considering his football background. After leading at halftime 49-37, Bailey's energy helped MWA Elite open up a 20-point lead en route to a 106-76 victory over Louisiana Elite in the invitational division opening round of the Las Vegas Fab 48. Bailey finished the game with 16 points. He played four minutes in the first half, but got the second half start and played the first three minutes and the last nine.

Bailey, the son of Victor Sr. and Tonja, first played basketball in fourth grade and joined his first travel ball team in seventh grade. He carries a 3.5 GPA and his goal is to play four years of collegiate basketball -- and if the opportunity allows itself to play pro ball.

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

The post Victor Bailey: Inside the Mindset of a Scholarship Hopeful appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

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

The post Marvin Bagley, John Petty & CJ Roberts Show Out @Fab48 appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

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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