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Scouting Report! |
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*Please note this is public information and is considered news based on the observations made Saturday & Sunday, June 8-9, 2019 during Youth Elite Sports Eighth Annual South Jersey Invitational Basketball Tournament at Peak Skills in Berlin, NJ. |
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YES Eighth Annual SJ Invitational was filled with opportunity, excitement, resurgence, acknowledgement, surprises and disappointment. When did opportunity present itself most - Every weekend a team plays there is opportunity. Opportunity to get better collectively, take their games to another level, and get noticed to eventually play at the collegiate level. Philly Blue Magic (16U) took full advantage when their opportunity came. Beating every team they faced by 18+ points and not only putting their team on the radar, but the entire program will now have eyes on them moving forward.
Where did the excitement come from - Probably the game of the weekend between HS girls' teams Philly Combat and Lindenwold Lions. The game was back and forth with solid defense forcing overtime. Philly Combat was able to pull out the victory and moments later the court was stormed as if this were a March Madness college basketball game. The support for Philly Combat was unmatched all weekend and seemed to give the girls an extra boost of energy which ultimately helped them become champions!
How was there a resurgence - Basketball is a game of runs which is something that most if not all viewers would be able to understand. Peak Skills (14U) was down 15 points in the second half and came back to win the championship. The players were locked into everything their coach wanted them to do and that was the main factor in their comeback. The full court pressure they applied and ball movement allowed them to prevail.
What was most acknowledgeable - The SJ Rebels (17U) squad showed the most grit and poise the entire weekend. They are a well oiled machine with a masterful captain. Their coach had complete control of each game by the way he was instructing the offense and switching up defenses to throw his opponent off. It definitely helps that they have an extended coach on the court in their floor general that can create plays.
Who were the biggest surprises - SJ Hurricanes stood out the most by winning all of their games by double digits en route to capturing the championship on Saturday for 14U. They have a 3 headed monster on that team with solid chemistry.
Why were there any disappointments - No teams in particular. What competition doesn't have a winner and a loser? Losing brings forth disappointment. This will only make those teams stronger and they will come back hungrier and tougher!
Champions:
12U - 215 Swag
14U (Saturday) - South Jersey Hurricanes
14U (Sunday - Red bracket) - Peak Skills
14U (Sunday - Blue bracket) - VCP Rebels
15U - Role Model Elite
16U - Philly Blue Magic
17U - South Jersey Rebels
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Listed below are standouts from the YES Eighth Annual South Jersey Invitational |
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Top
Shaquil J. Bender
11th grade
High School - Abraham Lincoln HS
Height - 6'1
Weight - 185 lbs
Athletic combo guard. Shot creator and maker. Very smooth game and can finish with either hand. Good rebounder for his size and uses the pick & roll to his advantage when the defense locks in on him. Emotions can get the best of him so that should be a strong point of emphasis to control. Too talented to let that be the reason he won't play at the next level.
Bottom left
Oluwadara Ieowu
11th grade
High School - Abraham Lincoln HS
Height - 6'8
Weight - 220 lbs
Strong and built like an ox. Knows how to control himself in the paint regarding fouls. Doesn't try to block everything, but alters the shots which ultimately lead to rebounds for his team. Raw on the offensive end. This is his first year playing the game though. Lots of upside.
Bottom right
Justin Labrusciano
11th grade
High School - Friends Select School
Height - 5'8
Weight - 150 lbs
Good shooter. Knows how to pick his spots on the floor. Could surprise you with his quickness and a good on-ball defender.
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Top left
Kai Burridge
11th grade
Height - 5'10
Weight - 160 lbs
Calm and skillful playmaker. Very aware in the open floor. Good decisions when to shoot or pass. Tough to stop him from getting back to his strong hand. Awesome finisher. Working on his jumper should be a primary focus this summer.
Top right
Will Norman
8th grade
Height - 6'6
Weight - 220 lbs
Eighth grader playing with the big boys and producing against the strong competition. Norman has a solid build and uses it as a upper hand against smaller players. Notices mismatches, when to take slower players off the dribble and smaller players in the post. Soft touch from behind the arc. Can grab the rebound and push the ball 94 feet. Definitely should prioritize developing a mid-range jumper.
Bottom
Anthony Torres
12th grade
Height - 6'0
Weight - 180 lbs
This unsigned senior is one heck of an on-ball defender. Picks up 94 feet without coach asking. Very aware on defense, so if they're suppose to be in zone he knows how to properly drop into the zone if his opponent gets through his pressure. Fearless guard who goes above and beyond for team to win. Can shoot the 3 ball, but should focus on ball handling seeing that he's an undersized guard.
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South Jersey Rebels 17U Champions |
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1st photo
Abu Hall
11th grade
High School - Woodstown High School
Height - 5'10
Weight - 185 lbs
Ultimate team player. Constantly attacking downhill and good at dropping his shoulder to turn the corner. Uses screens well to set up teammates. Talks on defense and great at rotating.
2nd photo
Nick Dalfonso
11th grade
High School - Clearview High
Height - 6'4
Weight - 190 lbs
Dalfonso is an explosive wing that can knock down the long ball. Extremely physical when driving to the basket. Loves going baseline, but as he continues his basketball journey he should develop a pull up jumper because at the next level it won't be that easy to go baseline.
3rd photo
Grant Sareylca
Sareylca is the floor general I was speaking of in the introduction. When his team gets a comfortable lead he's able to pick a part the defense to get the best shot possible for his team while taking a chunk of time of off the clock. Shifty handle and a great space creator. Can shoot the 3 ball from NBA distance. Gonna be a steal for any collegiate program! |
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 | Darren Brooks
9th grade
High School - Winslow
Height - 5'9
Weight - 130 lbs
Brooks is an athletic combo guard that must work on decision making to take his game to the next level. Gets into the lane with ease by using his speed and quickness. As long as he continues to develop the jump shot and stay active on defense; Brooks will be fine.
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Achieve More 15U
Laneir Harvey
9th grade
High School - APPO HS
Height - 5'7
Weight - 149 lbs
Active combo guard that can play the wing due to his strength. Gets to the basket and absorbs contact well. Main focus this summer should be the floater and mid range jumper. Can hit the 3 ball, but needs improvement.
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Role Model Elite 15U Champions |
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Top
Briheim Kelson
9th grade
High School - AI DuPoint HS
Height - 5'10
Weight - 163 lbs
Solid 2-guard with the potential to transition into a combo guard with his shifty ball handling and good use of the pick & roll. Active defender and plays the passing lanes well.
Bottom left
Ivan Martin
9th grade
High School - AI DuPoint HS
Height - 5'9
Weight - 155 lbs
Martin is a good slasher and uses his body well to finish at the rim. One of the only kids I saw use the floater to offset the height that he faced. Relentless defender willing to do the dirty work.
Bottom right
Kyshawn Drumgo
9th grade
High School - Caravel Academy
Height - 5'10
Weight - 180 lbs
Strong knock down shooter. Pure scoring ability. Will surprise you with his quickness, but if he works on his athleticism he will become one of the purest scorers in his class. Would like to see him post smaller guards as well.
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Top left
Gerald Pinkney
8th grade
High School - Math Civics & Sciences
Height - 5'3
Weight - 120 lbs
Pure point guard that is a willing passer. Loves setting up his teammates and gets them easy buckets. Craziest handles I witnessed all weekend. Pushes the tempo at the right time and knows how to slow the opposing team down by guarding the point guard 94 feet. Good finish for his size and should work on his pull up jumper.
Top right
Luis Roman
8th grade
High School - Abraham Lincoln
Height - 5'8
Weight - 180 lbs
Scrappy wing that knows how to get open, so guards can find him. Rarely stands still; very active on the boards. Soft touch around the basket and can guard 1-3.
Bottom
Andy Reyes
8th grade
High School - Esperanza Academy
Height - 5'10
Weight - 150 lbs
MVP for his team this past weekend and it was well deserved. Playing with 14U & 16U this weekend Reyes' impact on the court was felt. With a nice looking jumper from the mid-range to the 3 ball, this kid will be a deadly shooter in HS. Needs work on attacking the basketball against bigger defenders, but can stop and pop well. Very coachable and versatile.
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Jaden Jauregui
8th grade
High School - Strath Haven HS
Height - 5'10
Weight - 130 lbs
Knockdown shooter with the ability to get to the cup. Lags off sometimes during the game which puts him in attack mode late. Definitely should work on putting together a full game to show how dominate he can really be.
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South Jersey Hurricanes 14U Champions |
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Left
Tyler Levins
8th grade
High School - Haddon Township HS
Height - 5'11
Weight - 145 lbs
Master of the low post. Killer from 12 feet and in. Post up nightmare with his excellent footwork and turn around jumper. Long reach to shoot over defenders and very light on his feet. Needs work on the long ball though, especially the way the game is being played now a days. Quicker release and more lift off the ground should help the 3 ball, because the form is good.
Right
Cristian Mazzamuto
8th grade
High School - Williamstown HS
Height - 5'7
Weight - 140 lbs
Mazzamuto is a good leader to this group. Very tough guard with no quit in his game. Doesn't take plays off. Short term memory hooper which helps him move onto the next play whether it were a turnover or made shot. Can execute the offense, create plays for others and score off the dribble.
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