Buckeyes Receive National Recognition at Lucas Camp

EJ Williams and L'Christian Smith Excel at Elite Camp

After attending John Lucas’ International Middle School Combine in Houston, Texas last weekend, two Ohio players were recognized nationally. EJ Williams (6’9 C Middletown) and L’Christian Smith (6’5 WF Dayton) were both positively featured in Clark Francis’ Hoop Scoop post event report and were ranked among the camp’s top players.  Smith was ranked 3^rd overall and was described as “the most versatile player in camp, as well as one of the best players we saw in the stations and drills” by Francis. Buckeye Prep attended the camp and observed Smith in both the skills and drills stations as well as actual games.  In both segments, Smith played hard and excelled.

Francis commented that Williams “has nice hands,” “a high basketball IQ,” and “off the charts potential.” Francis also noted that Williams is projected to reach 7’2 or 7’3 by the time he stops growing, and “has the heart and desire necessary to evolve into a very good player.” Williams was ranked 44^th overall. We watched Williams in his opening game and noted that  he did a solid job with finishing close to the basketball and out letting the ball in transition.

The fact that Williams and Smith were lauded by Francis, one of the leading scouts in the country, is significant, as the elite camp attracted 180 very talented 7^th & 8^th graders from across the country, many of whom will attend high major college programs in the future. Congratulations to both players for their standout performances and for representing the Buckeye State well!

Buckeye Prep Wins Local Tournament

Buckeye Prep-Sport Plus Tournament Champions

Coach Aaron Brown and his 5th grade Buckeye Prep team recently went undefeated in route to the championship of the Sports Tournament in Columbus. 

King James Take 6th Grade Silver Championship

 King James Shooting Stars-Silver Division Championship

Congratulations to Coach Malcom Walters and his 6th grade King James Shooting Stars squad for taking the Silver Championship at the recent King James Classic in Akron. Before defeating Indiana MVP  (44-25) in the championship game, King James took down the Kentucky Playmakers (37-38), Charleston Cavilers, Boston Bobcats (39-49) and Made Elite (52-22). 

NYBL Session #2 Recap Two

B. Sanders, D. Hudson, A. Hale, JC Tharington, KJ Thorn, C. Jernigan, G. Baker, M. Christmas

Since we published our initial Session #2 recap a few days ago we have had the opportunity to go back and review the scorebooks in order to identify additional individual standout performances. The books reflect several players who really had big time performances in a few games. Also, we attempted to identify players who were more “under the radar” and who deserve more exposure for their play in Atlanta. One such player is Joe Jones who runs with Upstate Elite.  We don’t remember him from Session #1, but his play in Atlanta was big time. In games vs D-Wade Future Stars and TNBC, Jones dropped 22 and 21 points, respectively.

The Ohio Basketball Club went 2-3 in Atlanta, but Alfonse Hale put up some big numbers over the weekend. He went for 28 points against the Arkansas Soldierz, then added another 21 points against DC United. His teammate, Raytez Roberts joined him with 19 points in the Arkansas game.  DC Assault’s Fred Crowell hit the Charlotte Rivals for 27 points in a loosing effort. Team Takeover’s Terrance Williams did the heavy lifting for his squad, scoring 24 points versus D-Wade and 16 points against the Reach Higher King.

The 6^th Man Warriors finished 3-2 In Session #2, but LeVar Allen had a big game against Team United, to the tune of 22 points. Teammate Malik Anderson had 21 points in the same game, and went for another 19 points versus D-Wade. Not to be undone, Jamier Garrett went for 20 points against D-Wade as well. Everybody is talking about BJ Mack, but Team United’s point guard is a key piece to that puzzle. JC Tharington not only handled his PG duties well, his point production may have led his team. He dropped 21 points on the 6^th Man Warriors, and 14 points on Team Rio.

The leading scorer for Session #2 was Brampton’s Rowan Barrett Jr., who unloaded 32 points against Texas Express Elite and another 24 points on the Arkansas Soldierz. Balsa Koprovica gets most of the ink for the retooled Team Florida, and he should based on the 27 points he hit the Reach Higher Kings with, 19 points against D-Wade and the 17 points he laid on Carolina Chaos, but the real workhorse was Bryan Sanders. Sanders consistently had double digit scoring, including 19 points versus the Charlotte Rivals, 18 points against Chaos, and 13 points against the Reach Higher Kings.

Charlotte’s Myles Pierre had another solid session in Atlanta, and so far, it’s clear he is a major factor in his team’s success (6-4 over all). Pierre exploded for 27 points against Memphis and 17 points against Academy Prep Hawks. Any discussion about Butler Elite eventually ends up with Noble Days; however, Demonta Hudson was the man in Atlanta, leading his team in scoring. Hudson finished with 16 points against Arkansas, and 19 points against Team Power. Teammate Quinn Cafferty added 16 points versus Arkansas.

Other members of the “20 point club” include DC Assault’s Dominic Neely who went for 20 points in a game; Malik Tolbert who finished with 20 points against the Lexington Hustle; KJ Thorn (Arkansas Soldierz) who hit Central Florida Elite for 20 points, Ohio Hoopster’s Gavin Baker who had 20 points against Future Phenoms; Chaz Gwyn finished with 22 points against Memphis; Evan Johnson’s 21 points versus Team Florida; Malik Tolbert (Central Florida) who finished with 20 points in a game, and Diablo Stewart (Lexington Hustle), who went for 20 points in a game.

Other standout performances included:

Chris Hinton (Reach Higher Kings) 18 points vs Academy Prep Hawks

Shaathon Walker (DC United) 18 points vs OBC

Kobe Langley (Team CP3) 18 points vs 6^th Man Warriors

Chris Harris (Texas Express Elite) 18 points vs Riverside Flyers

Tyron Lott (Upstate Warriors) 18 points vs Carolina Chaos

Tanner Holden (Riverside Flyers) 18 points vs Future Phenoms

Eric Beckett (Northern Kings) 18 points vs Future Phenoms

BJ Mack (Team United) 17 points vs Memphis

Keyown Warfield (Enplay Elite) 17 points vs Ohio Hoopsters

AJ Bennett (Ohio Hoopsters) 17 points vs Enplay Elite

Juwan Gary (S.C. Hornets) 17 points vs Memphis and 17 points vs Upstate Elite

Nickelberry (Team CP3) 17 points vs Academy Prep Hawks

Tyler Brelsford (Team Takeover) 17 points vs Carolina Chaos

Anthony Edwards (TNBC) 17 points vs Academy Prep Hawks

Michael Christmas (Academy Prep Hoops) 17 points vs Team CP3

Jordan Beckett (DC Assault) 16 points in a game.

Jeremiah Keene (Ohio Hoopsters) 16 points vs DC United

Carston Kogelnik (Team Takeover) 16 points vs D-Wade

Emmanuel Adrloyin (Central Florida Elite) 16 points vs Future Phenoms

Daquan Berry (Northern Kings) 16 points vs Arkansas Soldierz

Brian Antoine (Team Rio) 16 points vs Team CP3

Marcus Bigsby (Future Phenoms) 16 points vs DC Assault

Colby Rodgers (D-Wade) 15 points vs Upstate Warriors

NYBL Session #2 6th Grade Recap

S. Morrow, K. Walker, D. Stevens, P. Dawson, J. Harris, M. McNeal, Agbo  & B. Williams

A couple of days ago we published a Session #2 recap for the 7^th grade division.  The recap outlined the top teams and several standout performers.  Well, the 6^th grade division may be smaller in numbers, but by no means is there less team or individual talent! At the very top of the division sits the Oakland Soldiers, who after a 5-0 run in Atlanta remain perfect at 10-0.  If the Solders were not already stacked enough, with studs Shemar Morrow and Kyree Walker, they will be even tougher to beat with the addition of Dylan Dupina (6’0 PF LA) who comes over from the City Stars and the emergence of Kendell Munson (6’2 C Kent, CA). Due to a slight philosophy change in Atlanta, there were a few teams than challenged the Soldiers, but at the end of the day, nobody could take them down. Team Glory was the stiffest challenger, but Oakland still got by them 67-54.

West Coast All-Stars-9-1 After 2 Sessiona

Arguably the second best team in the league is the West Coast All-Stars, who ran the table in Atlanta with a 5-0 record. This team is also loaded with talent with guys like Jason Harris, Paris Dawson Tyrone Washington, William McClendon, and the only reason they might not be considered the dog in the league right now is their loss to Team Takeover in Session #1. Although West Coast beat the Soldiers in Portland earlier in the year, that was without Walker, plus, Oakland defeated Team Takeover in an instant classic in D.C. Make no mistake, West Coast was challenged in Atlanta, just ask the Leesburg Basketball Club (2-3), who had a chance to get the win, but went down 49-48. Some observers are predicting an all-west coast championship in Columbus.

The Worldwide Wildcats had to feel pretty good about their weekend, finishing with a 4-1 record, with the only loss coming against a very talented San Diego Select (49-41), who was filling in for the weekend. The Wildcats had to fight back the Mansfield Cavs, who so far this NYBL season has surprised some teams with their toughness. Worldwide held on to get the 48-42 victory. Their next biggest challenge was the Carolina Kings (2-3), but again, they held on to win 48-36.

Worldwide Wildcats

Congratulations to San Diego Select for their 5-0 record in Session #2.  Although Steve Wade’s team worked hard to join the league this year, they simply could not make it happen.  However, they did make a cameo appearance in Atlanta, and boy did they look good! Great guard play, wings that can score, a big and aggressive frontcourt make this team very difficult to beat. Worldwide was their stiffest test, but they beat them by 8 points (49-41).

CBC Elite deserves some props, finishing 4-1 on the weekend. CBC had no cake walk either, as they had to get by the Mansfield Cavs (58-69), Brampton Warriors (49-55) and Flint’s Finest (59-69). They hung in there with San Diego, but eventually fell to them 63-48. The God First Crusaders continue to improve, and their 3-2 record is a reflection of that. The Texas based team is powered by Isaiah Leblanc who has led the team in scoring in 2 sessions. Last weekend, they beat Team Glory (44-34), Leesburg (52-49) and Go Hard in the Paint (64-37). Their 2 losses were to the Banneker Kings (62-70) and the West Coast All-Stars 89-49).

The Banneker Kings got 3 wins in Atlanta (3-2), over the likes of God First Crusaders (62-70), Enplay Elite (49-54) and Go Hard in the Paint (62-31).  They were defeated by West Coast (41-72) and Oakland (21-53). When you go 2-3 or worse in a session it’s difficult to get much ink, but there were some very competitive games, and a few teams who had a chance to better their record in Session #2

R. Harris, J. Banks, I. LeBlanc, C. Ellis, L. Stankavage, C. Harris, T. Notarainni & L. Gonzales

In terms of individual talent, there were a number of players who logged in impressive performances in Session #2.  The following is a short list of the kids we saw: Isaiah Leblanc (6’0 WF Houston), Dimingus Stevens (5’8 SG Washington D.C.), Montez McNeil (6’3 C Baltimore), Jahmal Banks (5’8 WF Washington D.C.), Luke Stankavage (5’3 SG Charlotte), Jordan McPrater (4’10 PG Charlotte), Logan Howe (5’6 SG Mansfield, OH), Chance Mott (6’2 C Mansfield, OH), Devon Smith (5’4 PG Snellville, GA), Rakiea Herbin (5’11 C Burlington, NC), Chase Ellis (5’9 PF Dougsville, GA), Jeremy Roach (5’6 SG Leesburg, VA), Chuck Harris (5’6 PG Leesburg, VA), Thomas Naarainni (5’10 WF San Diego), Brock Williams (5’2 PG Burlington, NC), Paris Dawson (5’7 SG Long Beach, CA) Shemar Moorow (6’2 WF Aurora, OH), Kyree Walker (6’2 WF Atlanta), Rico Harris (4’11 PG Flint, MI), Dylan Dupina (5’10 C LA), Karsen Perkins (5’10 C Concord, NC), Jason Harris (6’3 C Chandler, AZ), Tyrone Washington (5’5 PG Tempe, AZ), Zawdie Jackson (5’3 SG Snellville, GA), Jordan Toles (6’0 SG/WF Baltimore), Chibuzo Agbo (6’0 C San Diego), Obinna Anyanwu (6’1 C San Diego) and Alex Wade (5’0 PG San Diego).  Session #3 in Louisville, Kentucky will give teams another opportunity to bolster their record and raise their seeding for the championship session in Columbus, Ohio in June.

Current League Standings

League Website

NYBL Session #2 2019 Recap

Rowan Barrett Jr., Balsa Koprovica, Chandler Lawson, Brian Antonie & Wendell Moore

If there were any lingering doubts about the significance of the NYBL, what went down in Session #2 in Atlanta last weekend squashed all of that. The NYBL is hands down the best thing to hit middle school basketball in decades. The amount of team and individual talent amassed in the second session is unmatched. In terms of elite teams, the addition of the Memphis War Eagles and George Hill, the emergence of the Brampton Warriors and Team United; the discovery of Butler Elite and the known juggernauts like All-Ohio Red, Team CP3, S.C. Hornets, Team Rio, Texas Express as well as other elite teams, the NYBL is a force to be reckoned with.

In terms of individual talent, 9 of the top 10 ranked players in the country were ballin out in the ATL. When you talk about top 100 ranked players nationally, it’s safe to say 90% of the most elite players are in the league, and they hooped last weekend. Names like Balsa Koprovica (6’8 C Florida), Chandler Lawson (6’7 WF Tennessee), Scottie Lewis (6’3 WF New Jersey), Wendell Moore (6’4 PF North Carolina), Jeremiah Francis (5’11 PG Ohio), Jordan Mitchell (6’3 WF Ohio) and Kobe Langley (5’9 SG North Carolina) were all established top 10 players when year #2 of the NYBL tipped off in Washington D.C. in March, but guys like Rowan Barrett Jr. (6’4 WF Canada), Nobal Days (6’8 C Wisconsin), Isaiah Moseley (6’0 SG Canada), Andrew Nembhard (6’0 PG Canada) and BJ Mack II (6’6 C North Carolina) have all burst onto the national stages since their teams joined the NYBL.

All-Ohio Red Sits 10-0

This past weekend featured early season match-ups that could not even be imaged 2 years ago. Team CP3 vs Memphis War Eagles; All-Ohio Red vs Texas Express Elite; Team Rio National vs S.C. Hornets; Memphis War Eagles vs S.C. Hornets and Team CP3 vs Memphis War Eagles our just a few of the elite match-ups that were offered in Session #2. With those types of battles, some teams that are not accustomed to loosing at all, let alone this early in the season were going to take some “Ls.” All-Ohio Red went undefeated for the second time in 2 sessions, including a surprising blowout (41-62) win over Texas Express Elite, and now sits at a perfect 10-0 in league play. All-Ohio is playing some of the best basketball in the league.  Not only are they bringing the full court pressure for 32 minutes, they bring a fresh 5 players off the bench to maintain that pressure.  Most teams simply can’t hold on for an entire game.  We no their top guns (i.e., Francis, Mitchell & Reynolds), but guys like Chris Payne, Chris’Sean Stringer and Amri Davis have been leading the team at times. According the score books, Payne was the big dog in Atlanta.

Team CP3

Keyford Langley’s Team CP3 faced one of the toughest schedules of the weekend and came out unscathed (9-1 overall) with wins over Team Rio (54-47), Memphis (57-52), Team Takeover (67-39), 6^th Man Warriors(63-43) and Academy Prep Hawks (50-45). Wendell Moore had another good weekend as did Chaz Gwinn, the Langley twins and Mike Green. The upstart Brampton Warriors solidified their place among the elite teams in the league with a 5-0 record in Atlanta. That unblemished recorded included a lopsided victory over Texas Express Elite (62-41) on Saturday. A virtual unknown in the U.S. prior to Session #1 in Washington D.C, Brampton’s Rowan Barrett was killin it in Atlanta. Multiple 20 point games, dunks and athletic demonstrations finally convinced some folks that he’s the top guy in this class. Speaking of tops in his class, his running mate, Andrew Nembhard, is quietly building a case as the top PG in the class. He’s not flashy, but he runs the point like a poised college guy.

Andrew Nembhard, Isaiah Moseley, Myles Pierre & BJ Mack

Although the Ohio Hoopsters left D.C. 0-5 in the opening session, their ride home from Atlanta had to feel much better packing a 5-0 record. Now that’s a serious turnaround! Speaking of turn arounds, with the addition of Balsa Koprovica, who is a big who is super skilled, and the continued physical play of Bryan Sanders, Team Florida has a new look, a new swag, and 5-0 record coming out of Atlanta. They are now a legitimate threat to upset somebody in Columbus in June. Over the weekend, Team Florida took down the Charlotte Rivals, D-Wade Future Stars, Team United, Reach Higher Kings and Carolina Chaos. In 2 sessions Team Rio has only lost 2 games (8-2 overall) and has played a very competitive schedule.  We know they have top 5 Scottie Lewis on the roster, but Brian Antonio was the story this weekend, as he knocked down a boatload of treys in several tough games. Team Rio continues to get better, and could find themselves in the final 4 in Columbus in June.

Other impressing showings included Team United’s 68-67 overtime victory against the Memphis War Eagles on Sunday. In that game, North Carolina’s BJ Mack silenced some of his many critics with a big time, 30 point performance. Butler Elite had to be happy with their 4-1 showing last weekend. Their only loss came at the hands of Texas Express Elite, who had to overcome a double digit deficit to pull out the 58-60 win. Noble Days was hurt on day one, but returned on Sunday. In his absence, Demonta Hudson put together a great weekend, and was his team’s leading and most consistent scorer.

Juwan Gary, Chris Payne, DJ Jeffries & Joe Jones

Fresh off a great showing in a big tournament their home country, the Northern Kings logged in a surprising 4-1 record in Session # 2.  Their lone loss came against DC United, another Canadian team (33-30). Their best win of the weekend was a 39-37 nail bitter against Texas Express Elite Saturday afternoon. A big shout out goes to the Georgia based TNBC, who got out of Atlanta with a surprising 4-1 record. You can’t blame it on a soft schedule, as TNBC beat a very competitive Team Takeover (59-57), the Academy Prep Hawks, DC Assault and Upstate Elite.

There were a number of 3-2 teams after last weekend, most notably the Memphis War Eagles. Rodney Newsome’s bunch has rarely lost 2 games in a season, let alone in 1 weekend! But hey, that’s what happens in the NYBL. It was hard getting him here (the league), but it was clear his team enjoyed the competition and are very much looking forward the Session # 3 in Louisville, Kentucky in 2 weeks. The S.C. Hornets were initially flying high after the opening session with a gaudy 5-0 record; however, in Session #2 they took 2 body blows from Memphis (60-69) and Team Rio (48-51). No shame in those losses, as they came at the hands of 2 of the league’s top teams.

Now that Session #2 has been put to bed, all eyes turn to Louisville and the third stop of the league. Teams are starting to think about seeding and the championship session in Columbus, Ohio in June. With a crystal trophy, and national championship rings up for grabs, teams are starting to feel the heat! Can’t wait for Louisville!

Session #2 Photo Gallery

NYBL League Standings