Buckeye Prep Winter Showcase Revised Schedule (2-20-15)

Below is a link to the 2015 Buckeye Prep Winter Showcase (Southwest Ohio).  For additional information, contact Paul McMillan (Event Directer) at 513-487-0551.

Winter Showcase Revised Schedule 

King James Building for the NYBL

King James Shooting Stars 2020

King James Head Coach Malcolm Walters is currently in the lab trying to assemble a 2020 team that can compete in the upcoming season of the NYBL.  With a solid core of elite players including Isaiah Kennedy (5’8 PG Beavercreek), Grant Huffman (5’9 SG Aurora), Devaonte Blanton (6’2 WF Nordonia) and Darion Henry (6’3 C Cincinnati), Walters feels real good about his team’s ability to compete against the best in the country.  Both Kennedy and Huffman pack national reputations, while Blanton is top 10 in Ohio and poised for national recognition and Henry is well respected statewide. In addition to their core, Kings James will return Montori Foster (5’8 SG Warrensville) Marvin Davies (6’0 PF Orange) and Nicholas Walters (5’7 PG Orange), all of whom have been with the team since the 3^rd grade.

King James will be one of five 2020 Ohio based teams participating in the ultra competitive NYBL this season.  The other teams include: Mid Ohio Pumas, Ohio Basketball Club (OBC), Mansfield Cavs and SWO Elite. In terms of the pecking order in the Buckeye state, King James is widely considered the 2^nd best team in northeast Ohio behind OBC and ahead of the Mansfield Cavs.  Statewide, King James may be top 5 good.  In terms of his team’s style of play, Walters emphasizes defense. “We are very aggressive; our defensive is our offense. We are in your face defensively,” said Walters. 

Isaiah Kennedy, DeVonte Blanton, Montoria Foster & Grant Huffman

Although statewide recognition is ok, Coach Walters feels that with the addition of the above mentioned key players, his squad can be elite nationally. “With adding [Isaiah] Kennedy and [Darion] Henry, we are top 10 in the nation,” said Walters.  Walters is equally confident about how is team will fare in the NYBL this season. “Exciting, we get to play against other top teams in the country and to see where we stand,” continued Walters.  “I hope they [NYBL teams] are getting ready because we are getting ready for them,” Walter said.There are only a few more weeks before the 2015 season tips off and the excitement is really starting to build.

Major Landscape Changes Expected in the DMV

Kevin Durant Sponsors Grassroots Basketball Program

According to several credible sources, there may soon be a major shift in power in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area. Long known as a hot bed for basketball talent, with major shoe company sponsored programs such as DC Assault (Adidas), Baltimore Elite (Nike), Bmores Finest (Under Armor),  DC Premier (Under Armor), Team Mello (Jordan Brand) and Team Takeover (Nike), there may soon be a “New Sheriff in Town.”  Word on the street indicates the Team Durant (TD) is poised to explode onto the youth basketball scene with some very competitive teams and elite players

With sponsorship from one of the NBA’s most elite players in Kevin Durant, starting from scratch was not an option. Therefore, the fledging program has already attracted interest from several elite middle school programs such as the former 2020 Slam City Elite, 2019 DC Premier, 2021 Team Glory Elite and the 2021 Annandale Bulldogs.  In fact, each of these programs is rumored to be joining TD for the upcoming season as head coaches have already begun contacting their former program directors to inform them of their departures. It’s not just middle school aged programs as TD will be fielding teams in grades 2^nd through 8^th, with 8 total teams expected to hit the floor this year.

As most basketball fans know, the above middle school programs have stocked piled the type of individual talent not often seen in the area or nationally. Although the DMV is as talent rich as any area in the country, and annually pumps out anywhere from 60-75 D-I players per year, one has to wonder if there will be enough elite level talent to go around for all of the heavyweight programs in the area to remain viable.  TD’s emergence in the area could mean the demise of some much storied programs.  Only time will tell how the area will be impacted, but we won’t have to wait long to find out as each of the teams mentioned above will be participating in the National Youth Basketball League (NYBL) when the season tips off in DC in mid-March.

Although many may see TD’s arrival on the scene as a potential escalation of the local sneaker wars, Kevin Durant’s involvement in grassroots basketball should result in more opportunities for area youth.  A source close to the negotiations, which begin with initial discussions about 3-4 months ago, is impressed with KD’s commitment to giving back to the community where he grew up. “KD and his people want to be an example of what’s right about youth basketball,” said a member of KD’s team. “KD wants to provide role models, tutoring and other educational programs to the youth in the area.  He [KD] wants to bring a clean program to the area that’s run the right way,” continued the source.  Needless to say, things will be on and popping in the DMV for years to come, and only time will tell to what extent Team Durant makes an impact on the local and national landscape of middle school basketball.  Welcome to grassroots basketball KD!

Hidden Gems to Hold Tryouts

TRYOUT INFORMATION:

9u, 10u, 11u = Feb 15th 1-3p at Dodge Rec Ctr

12u & 13u = Feb 15th  5-7p at Dodge Rec Ctr

14u = Feb 15th TBD at Columbus State C.C.

Lucius Jones/614-330-1861
Hidden Gems
P.O. Box 26582
Columbus, Ohio 43226

Hidden Gems Basketball C.E.O.
http://www.leaguelineup.com/hiddengems
O.B.B.L. - Commissioner
http://www.leaguelineup.com/obbl
WUBA - Ohio Hidden Gems Owner(Formerly WBCBL)
http://www.ballcharts.com/wbcbl_chg 

UBA - Ohio Hidden Gems Owner(Formerly ABA & IBL)

http://www.usbasket.com/team.asp?Cntry=USA&Team=14963 

Verbal Commits National Analyst

http://www.verbalcommits.com

Eurobasket Journalist

http://www.eurobasket.com

Carlton Braggs Reps Ohio in McDonalds Game

Carlton Braggs-6'9 PF 2015 

Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase alum Carlton Braggs is 1 of 2 players who will represent the Buckeye State in the Prestigious McDonalds All-American Game. Braggs, a 6'9 PF from Cleveland ran with Mike Duncan's Ohio Basketball Club during the AAU season, and was a standout at Cleveland's Villa Angela-St Joseph High School.  Braggs recently committed to play his college ball with Bill Selfs Kansas Jayhawks and projects as a NBA player. Although he was a known quantity in Northeast Ohio, Braggs began to gain national attention after his standout performance in the Ohio North vs South All-Star game as part of the 2012 Fall Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase. At the event, Braggs wowed the crowd with his intensity, aggressiveness and elite athleticism.  Clearly, the 2015 stud arrived at the event with the intent to make a name for himself, and that's exactly what he did as the scouts who were in attendance raved about Bragg's performance. Braggs will be joined in the game by Franklin's Luke Kennard.  Congrats to Carlton and his family for this significant honor!

db Hoops Tryout Schedule

db Hoops will be having AAU tryouts for our spring travel teams. These tryouts will be held at Take Flight Sports in Canal Fulton, OH. The address is 709 Elm Ridge Ave. The tryouts will be held on the following dates and times, there is a $10 cash only fee to tryout. Also if possible please bring a jersey with a number on it to wear during the tryout.

Tryout Dates and Times:

February 15, 2015

5:00pm to 6:30pm - 3rd and 4th grade boys

6:30pm to 8:00pm - 5th and 6th grade boys

February 22, 2015

5:00pm to 6:30pm - 7th grade boys and 7th grade girls

6:30pm to 8:00pm - 8th grade boys and 8th grade girls

Any questions please email dblair@dbhoops.org