Eric Hampford:
Future150 GM / Senior National Analyst. Covering high and middle school basketball.
Biloxi, MS (Future150) -- The 2013 Gulf Coast Hoop Fest came to a close on Sunday afternoon with three teams bringing home titles.
The action was fierce in each of the games, as bragging rights were on the line, and reputations were made or broken with college coaches and media in attendance.
15U Championship:
The Georgia Renegades held on to beat the LaGrange Warriors 64-63 in a back-and-forth contest. Point guard Anfernee King controlled the tempo of the game for the Renegades throughout the game, but Trey Clemons was the star of the contest, scoring 21 points in the victory. He blocked shots, ran the floor for easy baskets, and was the interior presence his team needed in order to bring home the championship.
16U Championship:
It was a battle for state bragging rights between the Arkansas Soldierz and the View Patriots Elite, with the Soldierz coming out on top 55-54. The x-factor for the winning team was point guard K.J. Hill, who handled the ferocious pressure by the Patriots all game long. He also used a quick first step to get to the basket and score, using his extreme upper body strength to his advantage. Super athlete Victor Dukes also was impressive for the Soldierz, using his explosiveness to his advantage on the break and on the defensive glass.
17U Championship:
The highlight of the weekend came in the last game of the event, between two nationally ranked teams; the Milwaukee Running Rebels and Team Thad. The game lived up to the hype, as the Rebels won by a score of 72-61, avenging their loss from earlier in the weekend. While Kevon Looney dominated the game from start to finish, the electric backcourt of Damontrae Jefferson and Brandon Key were instrumental in the victory, handling the relentless pressure put on them by Thad defenders.
Here are some of the other standouts from the final day of the tournament...
Kevon Looney - 2014 SF, Milwaukee Rebels:
The 6'8" small forward showed us exactly why we have him ranked as the #7 rising senior in the country on Sunday. In the 17 and under championship game against Team Thad, he scored 30 points with ease, scoring in a variety of ways, including mid-range jump shots, aggressive drives to the rim, and coast-to-coast fast break dunks.
Chris Chiozza - 2014 PG, Team Thad
The 5-foot-11 inch PG had us anticipating another great performance this weekend after going off at the Pitt Jam Fest. The Memphis poduct did not disappoint. He is a tenacious on ball defender and guards you 94 feet. He is super fast with the ball in his hands and see the floor extremely well when breaking down defenses both in the half and full court. All I can say is wow and look for him to make a big jump in the new rankings coming soon. Chiozza picked up offers from Florida and Memphis over the weekend.
Riley Norris - 2014 SF, Team Thad
Norris came into the weekend with something to prove after sitting out the first live period last weekend. The "Gordon Hayward" comparison of the 6-foot-7 inch long rangy player did not disappoint. He showed his ability to score on all 3 levels while doing it efficiently. The SF averaged 17 points and 9 rebounds per game on the weekend. The one thing that stood out the most was his aggression when attacking the rim and finishing through contact. He also rebounded well against players bigger than him on both ends of the floor. As he continues to work on his on ball defense and getting stronger, the sky is the limit. Norris received offers from FSU, Oklahoma St, and Oklahoma this past weekend.
Damiyne Durham - 2014 SG, Franchize All-Stars:
The morning after lighting up the gym for 40 points on Saturday night, Damiyne was back at it again on Sunday morning. He is an excellent scorer who is extremely crafty with the ball in his hands. He loves to stroke it from deep, but he can also score on the break and at the mid-range level. After this weekend, there will surely be high major schools offering him.
Trey Clemons - 2016 SF, Georgia Renegades:
The 6'6" wing has as high a ceiling as any prospect in this tournament. He is long and athletic, using it to his advantage when rebounding and blocking shots. He is beginning to develop his guard skills, and impressed us by taking his man off the dribble on the perimeter and finishing at the rim. His game is coming together nicely, and it will be fun to watch him over the next few years.
Malik Smith - 2015 PF, Team Thad:
The 6'6" power forward was a rebounding machine for Team Thad on Sunday morning. He is a tough interior defender and is also a skilled shot-blocker and tough defender in the post. Very tough kid who will get a ton of looks once this 2014 Thad class moves on to the next level.
Gilbert Thomas - 2016 PF, Franchize All-Stars:
The 6'6" freshman is an extremely active player with long arms and great bounce. He loves to get out in transition and showed good interior toughness for his squad all weekend. Right now, he is caught between positions, so it will be interesting to see how he develops over the next year.
Laperion Perry - 2017 PG, LaGrange Warriors:
The 5'4" lead guard controlled the tempo of the game in their loss to the Georgia Renegades in the 15 and under title game. He has excellent court vision and instincts. He also has superb ball skills and gets to the basket whenever he pleases. Very fun prospect to watch.
Ryan Pippins - 2016 CG, The View:
The 5'11" combo guard is a deceptive prospect. He has a stocky build, but he has great speed and burst in the open floor. He has an excellent feel for the game and was drilling shots from deep in the championship game against the Arkansas Soldiers. He is a competitor if we have seen one. He just knows how to control the game from start to finish.
LaGerald Vick - 2015 SG, Team Thad:
The 6'4" shooting guard played his best basketball on Sunday, giving Team Thad valuable minutes from the shooting guard position. His best asset right now is his athleticism and speed in the open floor, where he finished several plays with puncturing fast break dunks. He is one of many young Memphis prospects who are proof that the city is rich in hoops talent, and will be for several years to come.
DeAndre Elliott - 2015 SG, Arkansas Soldierzs:
The 6'3" athlete impressed us with his excellent on-ball defense this past weekend. He has great lateral quickness and uses it to his advantage on the defensive end. He also has excellent explosiveness and second-jump quickness, which helped him gather several rebounds and put-back scores near this rim on Sunday.
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