Jason Pratt:
Future150 Senior Recruiting Analyst. Covering high school basketball nationally.
Birmingham, AL (Future150) -- The Future150 Birmingham Battleground was back again for the 4th year in a row this weekend and teams from 6 different states traveled to town ready to compete for the right to be crowned the "Kings of the Battleground" . The competition ranged from the 2019-2024 classes and the 17U division certainly did not disappoint.
In our 17U division, the final two teams standing this weekend were the Louisiana Jaguars and the Chattanooga Elite. After battling all weekend the Louisiana Jaguars were faced with a tough choice. With several players having finals on Monday and a lengthy drive home the coaches made the decision to forfeit their final game in order to ensure that their player's educations stayed the first priority. The Chattanooga Elite were crowned 17U Champions in the end.
Tournament MVP- Blake Pruitt- G 2019 (Chattanooga Elite Navy)
All-Tournament Team:
Jacolby Williams (Louisiana Jaguars)
Tate Ryder (Team Elite Heat)
C.J. Smith (Alabama Flames)
Victor London (Alabama Heat)
Anthony Watkins (Chattanooga Elite)
Heath Phillips (Bama Sting)
Now let's take a look below at all of our standout players from the 17U division this weekend.
Anthony Watkins- SF 2019 (Chattanooga Elite) Watkins is a Future150 alum who has gotten better every time we watch him play. His shot has become more consistent since we saw him last. Aggression, slashing and finishing at the rim through contact are all things he did well. Probably the biggest thing you notice when you watch him play is that his athleticism has gotten a whole lot better. This makes it easier for him to score and play defense. Solid performance on the weekend.
C.J. Smith- G 2019 (Alabama Flames) Smith is a well-rounded player who likes to score from all over the court. He has a good feel for the game, makes the right passes and loves scoring on the break. On ball defense, rebounding and a high basketball IQ are all prevalent when you watch his game. At one point during pool play, he scored on three consecutive possession and made it look easy.
Blake Pruitt- SG 2019 (Chattanooga Elite) Pruitt is another player who is a Future150 alum. We last saw him at the Main Event and he gets better every game we see him. The three-point shot is where he does most of his damage and he can flat out shoot the rock if you leave him open. Moving without the ball, solid defender, and making plays for his teammates are all things that stand out.
Jacolby Williams- PG 2019 (LA Jaguars) Williams is a lead guard with who can flat out score the rock in bunches. He does it on all three levels and is in constant attack mode when he has the ball. Court visions, great first step, and athleticism are all things that make him really hard to stop when in the open floor. He averaged 18 points per game on the weekend.
Tate Ryder- PG 2019, (Team Elite Heat) Ryder is a pass-first point guard who loves getting into the lane and scoring. He has excellent court vision in both the half and full courts which creates opportunities for teammates. Playmaker, leadership and coachable are traits that stand out in his game when you watch him play. All coaches want the ball in his hands when the game is on the line due to he makes all the right plays.
Tashawn Hicks- SG 2019, (AUSA Rampage) Hicks was one of the better all-around wings we saw this past weekend in the 17U division. At 6-foot tall, he plays solid on-ball defense and is very active in the half court set. Using his overall speed and quickness is what allows him to finish at the rim in both the half and fast break. Once his shot becomes more consistent look for his game to take the next step.
Victor London- PG 2020, (Alabama Heat) London plays the position of point guard about as well as anyone we saw over the weekend. He is a leader on the floor, makes good decisions and can score from all three levels. Coaches want the ball in his hands at all times due to you know he's gonna make the right play and set his teammates up for open jumpers. His play over the weekend helped land him on the all-tournament team.
Heath Phillips- PG 2019, (Bama Sting) Philips is another player that is a Future150 alum who has gotten better and better since we first saw him 3 years ago. His three-point shot consistency has grown to go along with better court awareness. Finding his spots on the floor, making the correct pass and playing good on-ball defense are things he does extremely well. College coaches if you are looking for a solid PG who competes on every play, make shots and loves grinding this is your guy.
DeMarcus Martin- G 2019, (Tuscaloosa Rams) Martin is a familiar face to Future150 as well. He plays hard on every possession and makes plays not only for himself but his teammates. This wing player is a big-time slasher who loves getting out on the fast break and attacking the rim. Athleticism, defensive rebounding and playing with a ton of energy helps his team compete at the highest levels. Coaches love this type of player on their team due to his overall consistency to his game.
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