Zachary Lyon:
Future150 Regional Analyst. Covering high and middle school basketball: NC, SC & VA
Charlotte, NC (Future150) -- The Carolina Pressure dominated the 16U division before topping Upward Stars - Columbia in a tight knit title game. The Pressure was led by 2019 PF Naz Baltimore and 2020 SF Kelton Talford, who both impressed from the get go. On the other hand, Upward Stars - Columbia had a ton of studs led by 2019's Crosby James and Devin Dean. Who else stood out in the 16U division?
Future150 Main Event Charlotte 16U All-Tournament Team:
Antwi Asante, 2019 PG, Higher Level
Crosby James 2019 CG Upward Stars - Columbia
Juwan Perdue, 2019 SG, SC Ballers Elite
Marlow Gilmore Jr., 2020 SF, Columbia Hoyas
Naz Baltimore, 2019 PF, Carolina Pressure
Future150 Main Event Charlotte 16U Honor Roll:
Marlow Gilmore Jr., 2020 SF, Columbia Hoyas (SC): Already holding a South Carolina State offer, Gilmore was putting on a show all weekend. The 6'5" wing can jump out of the gym, and is nearly unstoppable when he's in attack mode driving to the rim. He showed the ability to knock down the mid-range jumper off the bounce as well. Once he adds a consistent three point shot to his game, good luck with stopping him. Gilmore has to be considered a sure fire low-major prospect with a ton of upside at this point.
Antwi Asante, 2019 PG, Higher Level (VA): Asante was a joy to watch all weekend. He has solid size (6'1") and strength at the lead guard position, his court vision in the half court setting was very impressive. He takes pride in his on-ball defense which led to him causing plenty of distress and turnovers for the opposing teams. Could turn out to be a very solid DII/Low-major point guard when it's all said and done. Keep an eye on the Virginia native.
Naz Baltimore, 2019 PF, Carolina Pressure (SC): Baltimore impressed from the get go with his extremely long arms and strength. Even though he's a bit undersized for the four spot at 6'6", he was the best rebounder in the division. If he continues to develop his low post moves and grows a few more inches there's no telling how good he could be. For now he should be recognized a fringe low-major prospect with a good amount of upside.
Crosby James, 2019 CG, Upward Stars - Columbia (SC): James may have been the most dominant/consistent scorer in the 16U division throughout the weekend. His combination of strength, speed, and craftiness makes him a very tough cover and there weren't many guards that could hang with him for the full game. He doesn't have elite size, but his feel for the game and elite scoring abilties make him a potential DI recruit, or at the least a DII stud at the next level.
Juwan Perdue, 2019 SG, SC Ballers Elite (SC): Perdue showed flashes of dominance and how good he can be all throughout the weekend. The 6'5" scoring wing guard already has an offer from South Carolina State and has a handful of other DI programs tracking his steps. He has great handling abilities and can score around the rim from a variety of angles. Don't be surprised to see him playing at a mid-major program in a few years.
Shaun Neely, 2019 CF, Carolina Monarchs (NC): Neely is an extremely undersized combo forward at 6'1", but he was fantastic when slashing the rim and bullying smaller, weaker guards down low in the paint. He was a pleasure to watch and was always working extremely hard on both ends of the floor. Neely could be a huge addition to a DIII/JUCO program.
Dechaun Reed, 2019 SG, Higher Level (VA): Reed stood out because of his passion and itensity he shows when he's on the floor, not to mention his consistent scoring from all three levels. Even though he stands at just 5'10" his upper body strength allowed him to finish through contact against taller and stronger defenders all weekend. It's going to be fun to see how his game continues to progress over the next year or so, but for now he can be considered a solid DII/NAIA prospect.
Jadon Moore, 2019 PG, Rock Nation (SC): Moore's speed and skill were undeniable when watching him tear apart opposing defense's. He's the type of player that you always need on the floor in a tight game because of his how hard he plays, and his great feel for the game. He would benefit from some added muscle mass and a few inches of growth, but either way he is a stud lead guard prospect.
Antonio Barber, 2020 SG, Upward Stars - York Co. (SC): Playing up an age division, Barber showcased his elite scoring abilties and solid athleticism. He is a great rebounder for a guard and knows when to score and when to distribute the ball. He has a chance to be really good depending on his growth and development over the rest of the summer. Barber is certainly one to start tracking.
Nicholas Long, 2019 SG, Charlotte Kingz (NC): Long did most of his damage in the open floor, using his speed and ball handling skills to get to the rim on command and get the defense into foul trouble. He showed the ability to knock down the long range jumper when left open, but he is definitely at his best when getting to the rim and distributing to open teammates.
Kelton Talford, 2020 SF, Carolina Pressure (SC): Talford caught our eyes as soon as pool play began, as you wouldn't have been able to tell he was going up against players who were mostly older than him. He has solid size at his position standing near 6'5", and has a very high ceiling at this point. His long, lanky frame, three way scoring, and versatility on defense makes him a very intriguing prospect heading forward.
Devin Dean, 2019 CG, Upward Stars - Columbia (SC): Averaging around 15 points per game on the weekend, Dean was quietly efficient all throughout the tournament. He kept the defense on their toes because of his scoring abilities along with his fantastic court vision in both the transition and half court settings. Dean could be a great DII prospect and definitely has some DI upside.
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