KINGS OF THE COURT: REGIONAL PREVIEW OF NATION'S POWERHOUSE 2020 PROGRAMS

WEST COAST

 

OAKLAND SOLDIERS – THE 2014 6^th GRADE DIVISION 1 AAU NATIONAL CHAMPIONS GARNERED A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT WINNING THE TITLE GAME IN GRAND FASHION.  SOON AFTER LEAVING HAMPTON, THE SOLDIERS TRAVELLED TO ITALY FOR A FEW WEEKS AND LOGGED SOME DOMINATING PERFORMANCES AGAINST FUTURE PROS FROM THE LEGENDARY BENNETON TRAVESIO PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL ORGANIZATION’S JUNIOR SQUADS.  THE SOLDIERS ALSO DOMINATED THE NYBL ONLY LOSING AN EPIC BATTLE TO WEST COAST ALL-STARS BY A CLOSE MARGIN.  LOADED WITH POTENTIAL DIVISION 1 COLLEGE PROSPECTS HEADLINED BY 6’3 ULTRA-ATHLETIC PHENOM SHERMAR MORROW AND 6’3 DO IT ALL PLAYMAKER/SCORER KYREE WALKER.  THE SOLDIERS ALSO FEATURE 6’1 WING FRED BURTON, 6’6 POST KENDALL MUNSON, 6’3 HIGHLY SKILLED INSIDE/OUTSIDE THREAT DILLION DEPINA AND AN OUTSTANDING GUARD TRIO OF DEVIN ASKEW, DEVIN HIGHTOWER AND JAMIR THOMAS WHO CAN ALL SHOOT, DISH AND PLAY AT A HIGH LEVEL.  WE MUST SALUTE THIS SQUAD!

 

WEST COAST ALL STARS – THE 2014 CHAMPIONS OF THE NYBL DOMINATED MANY TOURNAMENTS LAST SEASON INCLUDING WINNING NEW ORLEANS SUPER 60 AND THE WCE CHAMPIONSHIPS.  6’5 JASON HARRIS AND 6’10 BEN TODD LEAD A LOADED STABLE FOR THIS HIGH PROFILE PROGRAM THAT ALSO FEATURES FUTRUE 2021 STAR PG 5’7 PARIS DAWSON.  JASON HARRIS DOES EVERYTHING WELL ON BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR AND IS ONE OF THE BETTER DEFENDERS IN THE 2020 CLASS.  PARIS DAWSON IS A FLAT OUT BALLER.  HE PLAYS AT A HIGH LEVEL AND PLAYS WITH ALOT OF SWAG.  TYRONE WASHINGTON, NICK VELNZIA, WILL MCCLENDON AND JAYLEN CLARK GIVE THIS TEAM LOADS OF EXPERIENCE, HIGH SKILL LEVEL ROLE PLAYERS AND A GROUP THAT UNDERSTANDS HOW TO PLAY AS A TEAM AND WIN TOGETHER.  WORD ON THE CIRCUIT, DILLION DEPINA MAY PLAY WITH WEST COAST ALSO, WHICH WOULD BE SCARY FOR THE OPPOSITION.

 

SAN DIEGO SELECT – TALENTED WEST COAST FUNDAMENTALLY SOUND AND WELL COACHED TEAM THAT HAS SOME HIGH PROFILE PROSPECTS IN PHYSICAL TWIN TOWERS, 6’4 OBINNA ANYAWAU AND 6’4 CHIBUZO AGBO. THE FLOOR GENERAL IS ALEX WADE, ONE OF THE MOST SAVY HIGH IQ PLAYES IN THE 2020 CLASS.  HE RUNS THE PICK AND ROLL LIKE A YOUNG STEVE NASH.  THOMAS NOTARANNI IS A FLAT OUT STUD AND CAN DO IT ALL FOR THIS BALL CLUB.  THEY ALSO HAVE A PLETHORA OF SHOOTERS. REFRESHING TO SEE A TEAM THAT BEATS YOU WITH DEVELOPMENT, COACHING AND EXECUTION.  THIS TEAM CAN BE DEADLY IN THE HALFCOURT AND HAS SOME HIGH PROFILE WINS ON THEIR RESUME FROM LAST SEASON.  THEY ARE DOING IT ORGANICALLY AND IT’S EASY TO SEE DEVELOPMENT IN THE GAMES OF EACH PLAYER IN THEIR SYSTEM.

 

EAST COAST

 





SLAM CITY ELITE – THIS TEAM IS NEW TO THE 2020 CIRCUIT AND DOESN’T HAVE A MAJOR TEAM RESUME JUST YET, BUT BOY ARE THEY LOADED FROM TOP TO BOTTOM WITH HIGHLY REGARDED NATIONALLY RANKED PLAYERS.  EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN REPORTED 6’4 TERRANCE WILLIAMS HAS LEFT SLAM CITY TO PLAY FOR TEAM RIO 2019 AND POSSIBLY TEAM TAKEOVER 2019, THE REMAINING PLAYERS INDIVIDUAL RESUMES & EXPERIENCE LEVELS SPEAK VOLUMNS.  THE CATALYST FOR THE GROUP IS 6’0 DO IT ALL WING JORDAN TOLES.  HIS SUPPORTING CAST IS ONE OF THE BEST COLLECIONS OF INDIVIDUAL TALENT AT THIS AGE LEVEL IN THE COUNTRY.  5’9 PHYSICALLY GIFTED AND SKILLED AJ HOGGARD JR, 5’6 TRUE PG TYLER BRELSFORD, 6’6 HUMAN SHOT ERASER ISAIAH TODD, 6’5 “CHARLES BARLEY BUILT” CAMERON BYERS, EQUALLY IMPRESSIVE 6’5 MONTEZ MCNEIL AND #1 RANKED 2021 PG/SG ZION HARMON MAKE UP A DEEP AND TALENTED GROUP.  WITH BIG GAME EXPERIENCE THIS GROUP COULD BE DANGEROUS.



NEW YORK GUACHOS – NEW YORK IS KNOW FOR HAVING OUTSTANDING GUARD PLAY AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THIS TEAM UTILIZES TO DOMINATE MOST GAMES.  THEY PRESSURE YOU ON DEFENSE AND UTILIZE DRIBBLE PENETRATION TO PRESSURE YOU ON THE OFFENSIVE END.  RJ DAVIS AND CJ ROBINSON ARE UNBELIEVABLY HIGHLY SKILLED, HIGH IQ GUARDS WHO CAN TAKE OVER ANY GAME WHEN THEY GET IT GOING.  THEIR BACKCOURT REMINDS YOU OF THE UCONN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BACKCOURT THAT CUT DOWN THE NETS IN 2014.  RODNEY BAILEY IS A STANDOUT PERFORMER FOR THIS CLUB AS WELL.  HE GETS BUCKETS AND MAKES PLAYS ALL OVER THE FLOOR.  ALTHOUGH THEY ARE USUALLY AT A SIZE DISADVANTAGE IN THE FRONTCOURT POSITIONS, THEIR HEART, TENACITY AND SHEER WILL USALLY GETS THEM TO THE WINNERS CIRCLE MOST TIMES OUT.  THEIR BEST ASSEST IS THEIR DISCIPLINE WHICH IS A TESTAMENT TO HOW WELL COACHED THEY HAVE BEEN BY THEIR MENTOR.

 

RIP CITY – THIS WELL COACHED AND DEVELOPED TEAM FROM THE PHILADELPHIA AREA HAS A COUPLE POTENTIAL NATIONAL STARS ON ITS ROSTER.  5’11 KIEVES TURNER IS ONE OF THE BEST SCORERS IN THE 2020 CLASS AND DOES A NUMBER OF THINGS WELL.  RAHIR HICKS IS A TRUE PASS FIRST POINT GUARD WHO LEADS A GROUP OF ATHLETIC AND FIERCE GUARDS THAT PRESSURE ON DEFENSE 94 FEET.  HICKS CAN ALSO FILL IT UP, BUT THIS TEAM IS WELL SCHOOLED IN OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE PRINCIPLES.  THEY HAVE DEPTH IN THE BACKCOURT AND SIZE UP FRONT.  6’6 ANDREW KING IS THE ONE THAT COULD DEVELOP INTO THE BEST OUT OF THE GROUP.  HIS COORDINATION IS CATCHING UP WITH HIS GROWTH RATE AND HIS DEVELOPMENT IS PROGRESSING THANKS IN PART TO GREAT COACHING, HIGH LEVEL COMPETITION AND TRAINING.

 

MIDWEST

 

 



 

WISCONSIN UNITED – BACK TO BACK AAU CHAMPIONSHIPS DURING THEIR 4^TH GRADE AND 5^TH GRADE SUMMERS.  THIS TEAM IS WELL COACHED AND LOADED WITH POTENTIAL DIVISION 1 PROSPECTS.  NOT ONLY DO THESE KIDS KNOW HOW TO PLAY AS A TEAM FOR ONE ANOTHER, THEY EACH POSSESS HIGH SKILL LEVELS AND SACRIFICE INDIVIDUALLY FOR THE BETERMENT OF THEIR TEAM.  JALEN SUGGS IS THE CRÈME DE LA CRÈME OF 2020 COMBO GUARDS AND WHEN TEAMING UP WITH ONE OF THE NATION’S BEST BIG MEN, DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE, DONOVAN BILLINGS, THEY MAKE A TOUGH 1-2 PUNCH.  THEIR PRESSURE DEFENSE AND BALL MOVEMENT ARE SIGNATURES OF THIS TEAM.  WHEN THEIR SHOTS ARE DROPPING, THEY ARE TOUGH TO DEFEAT.  STANDOUT REECE BEEKMAN IS HIGHLEY SKILLED AND ONE OF THE BEST DEFENDERS IN THE MIDWEST FOR THIS GROUP.

 

ST LOUIS WILDCATS – COACH BRANSON HAD ONE OF THE MOST WELL COACHED, CONDITIONED AND DISCIPLINED GROUPS TO HIT THE 2020 CIRCUIT LAST SEASON.  THE WILDCATS IN ONE WEEK DEFEATED THE WELLINGTON WOLVES, TEAM IZON/SPORTS U AND THE TENNESSEE LEGENDS EN ROUTE TO THE AAU NATIONALS FINAL FOUR.  THEY PLAYED AN UNBELIEVABLE GAME AGAINST THE 2014 CHAMPION OAKLAND SOLDIERS FALLING 69-61 IN A GAME DECIDED AT THE END.  THEN THEY SOLIDIFED THEIR ELITE STATUS BY ALMOST PULLING ANOTHER UPSET OVER 2013 NATIONAL CHAMP WISCONSIN UNITED ONLY LOSING BY A SINGLE POINT.  THE CATALYST IS SCORING MACHINE AND HUMAN HIGHIGHT REEL, 5’7 COMBO GUARD RASHAD MCDANIELS.  HE AND HIS TEAMMATES WERE ELECTRIFYING AT BOO WILLIAMS SPORTS COMPLEX AT 6^TH GRADE NATIONALS.  ONLY PLAYING WITH 6 PLAYERS, THEY ALL MANAGED TO PERFORM AT A HIGH LEVEL AND PLAY THE GAME THE RIGHT WAY.  THE COACHE’S SON DYLAN BRANSON IS TREMENDOUSLY SKILLED AND ONE OF THE BEST SPOT UP SHOOTERS IN THE COUNTRY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL PERIOD.

 

GEORGE HILL RISING STARS – ELITE COACHING AND A COUPLE OF ELITE PLAYERS AT THIS LEVEL MAKE ANY TEAM A WORTHY OPPONENT, BUT WHAT MAKES GEORGE HILL SUCH A SPECIAL GROUP NOT ONLY DO THEY FIT THOSE DESCRIPTIVES, THEY HAVE BEEN DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY AND WINNING HIGH LEVEL GAMES ON THE 2020 CIRCUIT FOR A LONG TIME.  MOST TEAMS WOULD BE IN THE DUMPS AFTER LOSING THE NUMBER #1 PLAYER IN THE CLASS, BUT MIKE SAUNDERS JR AND HUNTER JACKSON ARE DOMINANT ON BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR AND HAVE HIGH SKILL LEVELS, A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND HIGH BASKETBALL IQ’S, WHICH MAKES THEM A TOUGH OUT.  HUNTER JACKSON IS AN X FACTOR TYPE PLAYER WHO DOES EVERYTHING FOR THIS SQUAD AND MAKES IT GO.  6’0 SABASTIN MURILLO AND 6’0 JAMARI LONDON ARE SOLID AND RAPIDLY IMPROVING WHILE JASON MORTON IS 6’6 NOW AND GROWNING AND SHOULD DEVELOP INTO A NICE PROSPECT.

 

SOUTH

 



WE ALL CAN GO (WACG) – THIS TENNESSEE BASED ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN RACKING UP AWARDS FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND SHOWCASING AND DEVELOPING SOME OF THE NATION’S BEST GRADE SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL TALENT.  THE 2020 GROUP IS LOADED AND RESEMBLES A 2014-2015 KENTUCKY WILDCAT TEAM IN TERMS OF TALENT FOR THIS LEVEL AND SHEER DEPTH.  5’10 JADEN SPRINGER IS THE PROSPECT WHOSE STOCK IS ON THE RISE THE MOST.  HE IS VERY SKILLED AND HIS MOTOR IS A GIFT FROM ABOVE.  5’7 NIMARI BURNETT IS THE CLOSEST THING TO A STEPH CURRY TYPE OF PLAYER IN THE 2020 CLASS, AND COLTON FRALEY IS ONE OF THE TOP SHOOTERS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.  JUWAN CARPENTER, MARCUS FITZGERALD, AND LONNIE RAY TYLER ARE WINNERS WHO ARE SEASONED VETERANS ON THE 2020 CIRCUIT AND GUYS WHO CONTRIBUTE IN SO MANY WAYS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL.  6’3 POST CHRIS MOORE IS VERY UNDERATED AS IS DO IT ALL, LUCKY DIXON, BUT 6’0 VITO TISDALE IS THE BEST ATHLETE OF THE GROUP AND ALL THREE FORM A TOUGH FRONTLINE.  BTW 6 FOOT PLUS AND GROWING MACUS BAGLEY IS ANOTHER VERY SKILLED WEAPON WACG HAS IN THE STABLE AND BARRING A HALF COURT BUZZER BEATER, THIS GROUP WOULD HAVE BEEN NATIONAL CHAMPS LAST SEASON IN HAMPTON.

WORLDWIDE WILDCATS – ONE OF THE MOST DOMINANT GROUPS IN THE SOUTHERN REGION, THIS TEAM BASED OUT OF GEORGIA IS STOCKPILED WITH TALENT.  THEY WERE ONE OF THE BEST TEAMS LAST SEASON IN THE NYBL AND IMPROVED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.  THEY HAD A GREAT SHOWING AT JOHN LUCAS ALL STAR WEEKEND EARLY IN THE SEASON AND ENDED THE SEASON ON A HIGH NOTE DOING WELL AT AAU NATIONALS.  THEIR BACKCOURT OF DEVION SMITH AND BROCK WILLIAMS IS TOUGH TO HANDLE FOR MOST TEAMS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY GET IT GOING IN UNISON.  BOTH ARE ENTERGETIC, HAVE ELITE HANDLES AND COURT VISION.  6’3 CHASE ELLIS WAS A BREAKOUT STAR IN THE NYBL AND AT AAU NATIONALS LAST SEASON.  HE UTILIZES HIS BIG BODY AND SOFT TOUCH TO PUNISH DEFENDERS ON THE GLASS AND IN THE PAINT.  5’11 JUSTIN POWELL IS A SHARP SHOOTER FOR THIS GROUP BUT HIS GAME IS EXPANDING AND WHEN HE IS AGGRESSIVE THIS TEAM IS TOUGH TO BEAT.  THE SLEEPER IN THIS GROUP COULD BE RAKIEA HERBIN A PROSPECT ON THE RISE.

 

GOD FIRST CRUSADERS - IN TERMS OF MAXIMIZING THE MOST OUT OF THEIR PERSONAL, GOD FIRST’S COACHING STAFF SEEMS TO DO A GREAT JOB OF TEACHING AND THE KIDS DO A GREAT JOB OF TRANSLATING WHAT IS TAUGHT INTO GAMEPLAY.  THIS HOUSTON, TEXAS BASED ORGANIZATION FINISHINED IN THE TOP HALF OF THE TOUGH NYBL LAST YEAR.  THE SEASON ENDED IN THE CLASSIC BRACKET CHAMPIONSHIP AT NATIONALS BUT THEY HAVE RE-LOADED IN A MAJOR WAY.  6’1 ISAIAH LEBLANC IS A STAR IN THE 2020 CLASS NATIONALLY AND IS A HIGHLY SKILLED STAT SHEET STUFFER, 6’4 STAYVE THOMAS, JR. IS A SOLID POST PLAYER AND 6’0 MARKUS DIGGS IS A WARRIOR ON THE COURT WHO DOES THE DIRTY WORK.  THEIR GUARD TRIO IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.  5’9 COMBO GUARD TRAMON MARK IS A NAME ON THE RISE AND A MATCHUP NIGHTMARE FOR MOST COACHES.  MARK ALONG WITH TRUE PG DJ STEWART, JR AND COMBO GUARD ANTWON NORMAN ARE LEGETIMATE DIVISION 1 PROSPECTS WHOSE NAMES ARE ON THE RISE NATIONALLY.  WORD ON THE STREET, THEY HAVE ADDED A HUGE IMPORT AND SOME NEW HIGH PROFILE PLAYERS, ONE OF WHICH APPEARS TO BE 6’1 JOHNATHAN JACKSON, LITTLE BROTHER OF UNC FRESHMAN AND MC DONALAD’S ALL-AMERICAN  6’9 STAR JUSTIN JACKSON.