Detroit's Keon Henderson has Game

Keon Henderson

Anybody who follows basketball in the midwest knows that the state of Michigan traditionally turns out elite point guards.  Based on his standout performance at the Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase in September (made the all-star team), Keon Henderson (5'2 PG Detroit 2021) should be added to the list.  In September, Henderson's extreme handle and ability to defeat his defender off the bounce caught our eye.  Henderson's cross over and in and out dribbles are advance, as is his ability to get into the paint.  A crafty young guard who is fun to watch best describes Henderson's game.  Henderson's talent is apparently no secret, as Prolific Performance has him ranked #36th in the country. Hopefully we get a chance to monitor Henderson's progress, as he has a chance to be a good one!  Before we close, we have to give a shout out to Legend Greeter (5'8 PF Detroit 2021), who traveled to Columbus last month to participate in the Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase and played his way into the all-star game and Top 5 Award honors.  Clearly, there is a lot of talent in Detroit.

Chance Mott has a Chance

Chance Mott

For many young aspiring hoopers, the National Youth Basketball League (NYBL) provides a platform whereby they could both compete against elite players from across the country, while gaining national exposure. Chance Mott (6'3 PF Mansfield 2020) did just that this past season as he led his Mansfield Cavs teams to some surprising big time wins in the NYBL.   Mott not only proved he could power a team, rebound and provide low post scoring, his standout performance (Top 5 Award winner) at the recent Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase confirmed his ability to excel at individual events. For his handwork, Mott has received national recognition and now appears on top player lists around the country.  In fact, Prolific Performance recently ranked Mott as the #51st best player in the country. Already 6'3 and only in then 7th grade, Mott projects well and is worth tracking going forward.  Pictured holding some hardware above, with continued growth and development, Mott should add a lot more peaces to his collection down the road.

Slam City Elite Prepares for NYBL

Slam City Elite

Dubbed the “Terror Squad,” by some national media,  Bill Francis'  newly constructed Slam City Elite (class of 2020) has caused quite a stir around the country in only a few short weeks.  Boasting a roster full of nationally ranked players, the DMV based squad’s recent run through the Tri State Summer League in New York City has officially put teams on notice that there is another player on the scene and has announced their arrival to the nation.  Slam City’s most impressive prize to date was the 79-72 win over the #5 ranked New Your Gauchos.  This win was the first step in building a national “resume,” while providing some legitimacy to their preseason #1 ranking.   In addition to the victory over the Gauchos, Slam City Elite took down New Heights, the PSA Cardinals and Milbank during their stay in the Big Apple.

As one might expect, some of the “blue bloods” of the class have taken issue with all of the hype this newly formed team has already garnered, and some have let their feelings be known through various media outlets. One has to imagine that the reigning AAU National Champions, Oakland Solders and the reigning NYBL National Champions West Coast All-Stars are taking issue with all of the hype this young team is getting.  Clearly, WACG’s flamboyant coach, Carlos Williams has some serious concerns as evidenced by his frank comments in 2 recent interviews, where he questions Slam City’s resume and status as the top team.  

Mike Morris, head coach of the West Coast All-Stars is not real concerned about the hype Slam City is receiving. “At the end of the day, we have to lace them up and play,” said Morris. “I don’t see their [Slam City Elite] ranking as disrespectful [to us], we plan to earn what we get any ways. You have to settle it on the court,” continued Morris.  Juno Thomas, the head man for the Oakland Solders has respect for what Francis has put together, but feels the Solders are the number 1 team until they are beaten. "They [Slam City] has a great collection of talent; they have a couple of reclasses. A lot of teams are pattering themselves after the Solders, Thomas said.  "They can't be considered #1 until they play some of the top teams. They beat the Gauchos by 7 points which is really not that much; we beat them by 18 points at the [AAU] Nationals this year," said Thomas.  

T. Williams, J. Toles, C.Byers, AJ Hoggard & T. Brelsford

Stacking a team with multiple elite players is not a new phenomenon (i.e., Oakland Solders, WACG, etc.), but the Slam City Elite situation is a bit different, in that most of the players hale from the same area, and several of their top guys (Terrence Williams, Cameron Byers, AJ Hoggard and Tyler Brelsford) were recently elite players in the class of 2019, which has proven to be a very talented class. Also on their roster are Jordan Toles, a top 5 talent in the class.  Not only did Toles excel in the ultra competitive NYBL last season, his play in New York recently demonstrated his elite athleticism and significant upside potential, and confirmed his place among the best in the class. Also on that squad are Isaiah Todd, Montez McNeil, Ryan Conway, Demon Clowney and Austin Allison, all of whom are elite level players.  In fact, according to some, Todd could eventually be the best long-term prospect on the team, and that’s saying a whole lot!

Over the last 2 seasons, the NYBL has attracted the most elite teams in the country, as evidenced by the AAU National Championships our teams (Team CP3 & Oakland Solders) have garnered.  In 2015, with the addition of Slam City Elite in 2020 and DC Premiere in 2019, the league could crown another AAU National Champion, and is poised for another strong year.  With the return of our 2019 and 2020 NYBL National Champions (All-Ohio Red and West Coast All-Stars), the NYBL will remain the most competitive event in the country.  Can't wait for the ball to tip in March of 2015!

Makani Whiteside Reps the West Coast

Makani Whiteside-2019

He's been on the circuit for several years, but 2014 appears to be his coming out party. Makani Whiteside (6'0 combo guard California) has quickly made a name for himself on the national basketball camp circuit as one of the best guards in the country.  We first saw him running with the I-10 Celtics at the Gym Rats President's Day Tournament in Portland, Oregon earlier this year and were impressed with his game.  This spring, we caught him in action at the Lucas Camp in Houston, Texas where he was a standout.  When we saw him ball out at the Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase in September it was clear Whiteside had arrived on the national scene.  His selection to Bill Francis' USA Select squad and his participation in the NYBL vs The Nation All-Star Game further announced Whiteside's arrival on the national stage.

Possessing good size for his position, Whiteside has an elite handle and knows how to use it to create separation from his defender.  He's not just and elite ball handler, Whiteside can score the rock from deep, the midrange or at the cup.  When his motor and confidence are high, Whiteside is highly productive both in terms of scoring and creating scoring opportunities for his teammates. Recently featured on Prolific Performance, Whiteside's recent mix tape tells the story. You rarely here a lot of hype from west coast players this early in the game, but because Whiteside has taken his game in the road, he's receiving props from the midwest and east coast.  From what we have seen so far, D-I college coaches should soon be tracking Whiteside's progress.

All-Ohio Plans to Retool for 2015

All-Ohio Red NYBL Championship Picture

Two years ago, Jerry Francis’ All-Ohio Red squad joined forces with Demarko Bradley’s All-Ohio Purple team with the intent to “put a competitive team together, to survive and to win a national championship,’ said Bradley. The coaches of 2 of the top 5^th grade teams in the country noticed that other teams had picked up kids and upgraded and realized a need to do the same. Heading into the 2013 travel basketball season the newly constructed All-Ohio Red received a significant amount of hype (admittedly from this website) and was quickly ordained the number 1 ranked team in the country.  As luck would have it, the newly formed National Youth Basketball League (NYBL) gave the elite squad a new platform in which to display their talent, and they did not disappoint. Although they dropped a close game to Carolina Preps (now Team CP3) in session #2 of the NYBL, All-Ohio Red would later avenge their lone loss to Carolina Preps in the NYBL Finals in route to their first of 2 NYBL championships

Fast-forward to the 2014 season, and despite losing to the then Carolina Preps in the AAU National Championships the previous year, All-Ohio Red was still considered one of the top 2 teams in the country. After a 5-0 start in session #1 of the 2014 NYBL season, and a Team CP3 loss at the hands of Josh Woodson’s Texas Express Elite, All-Ohio Red was again considered the favorite to repeat as NYBL National Champions, and possibly collect an AAU National Championship as well. As most people know by now, All-Ohio collected their second NYBL National Championship, but was again defeated by Team CP3 at the AAU Nationals, thus, finishing 3^rd for the second straight year.

Keion Brooks, Simon Banks, Sydney Curry & Kyle Rode

Despite an impressive 107-3 record over a 2-year span, Bradley’s team will look significantly different when the ball tips in March. The 2015 season will feature a revamped team with more size and more interior scoring.  Gone are Jordan Mitchell (will run the point for King James), Gerard Reynolds, Greg Tribble Jr. and possibly Chris Payne.  Returning players include Jeremiah Francis, Demarko Bradley Jr., Andre Gordon, Amari Davis, Malachi Matthews and Chris’Sean Stringer.  According to Bradley, his 2015 team will “have 5 of the best players in Ohio.” In an effort to keep pace with other elite teams who will upgrade in the off season (Team CP3 has picked up Chris Hinton and Myles Pierre), Indiana’s Keion Brooks (6'3 WF), Sydney Curry (6'5 C), Simon Banks (5'8 PG), AJ White and Kentucky’s Kyle Rode (6'5 PF) will join Bradley's team and will provide the size All-Ohio lacked this past season. Some sceptics of the merger might question if there are enough basketballs to go around on such a loaded team. "yes there are enough balls to go around. Our style of plays allows us to play a lot of kids," countered Bradley. "We will put kids in [their right] position. "We could not have survived with out bigs," continued Bradley.  In addition to the players, Keion Brooks Sr. will join Bradley and Francis on the bench next season.  

Now that we know the make up of the new team, the question of sponsorship and a team name remains. Currently, Bradley is in discussion with Under Armour (UA) and All-Ohio’s Jerry Watson regarding sponsorship for next year.  According to Bradley, George Hill was in the running early, but has since dropped out of the race. “Jerry [Watson] and Benji [Burke) are still trying to keep the team. They are coming the right way with us now,” continued Bradley. In elite travel basketball, it’s often about “show me the money,” and that’s apparently what UA has offered to do. According to Bradley, “Under Armour will pay for everything.  They want the kids in their tournaments and in their camps. They only want us to play at the AAU Nationals, the NYBL and play up in the 9^th grade division at several tournament,” continued Bradley. If Bradley signs with UA the new team will run as I-70 Elite next season.  In terms of a time frame for the decision-making, Bradley expects to have an answer from Watson (weather to match UA’s offer) by this weekend.  Speaking of this weekend, the new team is set to debut in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

 

2015 Coaching Staff

Despite All-Ohio’s tremendous success since the Red/Purple merger 2 short years ago, as is almost always the case, playing time, roles, positions and publicity were partially to blame for the departure of a couple of players. “There are so many hidden agendas; parents have hidden agendas,” said Bradley.  “It’s never enough.  We go 107-3 in 2 years and only loose to one team and it’s just never enough. “You guys [NYBL] gave too much pub to some guys and not enough to some others I guess,” complained Bradley.  Travel basketball at the elite level often results in resentment, anger and jealousy.  When faced with losing elite status, most teams are forced to upgrade their talent in order to remain relevant.  To make room for that new talent, coaches, players and parents often have to part ways.  This is a difficult process that is often resisted until the very end.  Unfortunately, there is very little loyalty in the game.

Now that Bradley’s squad can score, rebound and can handle zone defenses with the nation's elite, he feels his team is once again the team to beat, and should be ranked #1 nationally when pre-season polls are released.  "We will have 7 nationally ranked players on this team," Bradley said. With their return to year 3 of the NYBL in 2015, All-Ohio or I-70 Elite depending on the decision, will have to prove their medal against new comers like D.C. Premier who has also upgraded an already elite team.  In addition to D.C. Premier, the NYBL will add several more elite teams, some of which have flown way under the radar and will prove to be tough competitors. 2015 is already looking to be another very exciting year for the class of 2019!

Local Fall Leagues in Full Gear

Jeremiah Francis, Alex Williams & John Mobley Jr.

Now that the AAU basketball season is in the rear view mirror and school ball is still several weeks away, the fall basketball season is in full swing, and heading down the stretch. In most communities, fall basketball leagues offer an opportunity for players to get in more work in preparation for the upcoming middle and high school season.  In central Ohio, Lamont Tillman’s Ohio Hoopsters League and All-Ohio’s Nike League are the 2 best options in terms of size and competition. 

On Saturday, I spent a couple of hours over at Whitehall High School taking in the action at All-Ohio’s Nike League. Once there, it was clear that the 2 local leagues are splitting the talent pool.  In terms of sheer numbers, the Hoopsters’ league appears to have the most kids, and conversely, the most talent; however, there was plenty of talent at Whitehall.

Although I spent most of my time watching Aaron Brown’s 6^th grade team, I took a peak at some of the high school games. As is the case most times I walk into a gym in central Ohio, 2019’s Jeremiah Francis was there putting in work.  On this day, Francis was playing up on a 9^th grade team and was still giving guys the business.  Although Francis has mostly been known for using his strength and big frame to attack the basket, he has continued to hone his perimeter game. On Saturday, Francis’ ball handling and his ability to create his own shot was evident.  Francis is now equipped with a nice looking pull up jumper and a sweet step back move. Now that he is a legitimate duel threat to score at the rim and from the outside, Francis is tough as hell to guard. We know he could do it against the best in the class of 2019, but his play on Saturday proved he could get it done against high school guys.  Look for Francis to make an impact on a high school program next year!

As I mentioned earlier, I mostly watched 6^th grade games on Saturday. One of the best 6^th graders I saw was Alex Williams, a sturdy built 5’5 WF from Xenia, Ohio. Williams will be running with All-Ohio next season, and makes the 1 hour trek from Xenia to Columbus on weekends to get some run in the Nike League. Although a bit undersized for his position, Williams plays strong around the basket and finishes with contact at a high rate.  Tough and aggressive with the ability to score best describes his game right now.  I had not seen him play before Saturday, but from what I saw, Williams has to be considered one of the best players in the class of 2021 in the state.  I plan to keep an eye on Williams’ development.

I also saw some good things out of Josiah Mobley (5'1 P/SG Columbus) who hit several big time shots in the loss to Bowling Green.  I also continue to be very impressed with his little cousin, John Mobley Jr. (PG 2024), who is off the charts in terms of his skill set, but who also has the heart of a lion. Mobley is widely considered to be one of the top players in his class nationally, and his play on Saturday was consistent with his status. Mobley consistently makes the right play rather that’s scoring the ball or finding a teammate in position to score.  He’s still very young, but his vision and passing skills are elite!

Aaron Brown’s squad, Bowling Green, consists of players from his spring and summer Buckeye Prep team, in addition to some prospects for next year.  Although no one player ever seems to dominate in any of the games I’ve watched, his team-based approach has several players who contributes to their success.  On Saturday, Brown’s team finished 2-1 with wins over All-Ohio’s top 5^th grade team.   Daron Brown (4’8 PG Columbus) is a consummate PG who runs the team with poise and is an able and willing passer with a high basketball IQ. Brown shares the point guard duties with Azzan Daniels (4’6 PG Columbus) who is a bit quicker and more aggressive, but also does a good job of running the squad. Also in the back court is Courtney Blake (5’1 P/SG Dayton) who shares the ball handling duties but also scores the ball. On the wing are Makhale Massey (5’4 WF Columbus) and Jayden Hawkins-White (5’0 WF Columbus).  Massey knocked down several jumpers on Saturday, while Hawkins-White was more about slashing to the basket. Patrick Daniels (5’1 W/PF Columbus) is a key component to this squad; when he’s on his game there is a good chance this team gets the win. New to the team is Kobe Buford (5’7 PF Dublin), who plays in the post and gives this team more size, rebounding and post scoring.  By most accounts, Buford may be one of the top 2 post players in central Ohio. Last but not least, Mark Small (4’9 W/PF) is another kid who can get streaky from game to game, and can be the key peace to winning or losing.  With the talent from last year and the possible new additions for 2015, Brown’s squad could make some nosie in the NYBL next season!