Ricky Wilson:
Jr.Future150 GM/Sr.Analyst. Covering middle school basketball nationally.
Washington DC, DC (Future150) -- Future150 was out for the 4th weekend in a row and travels took us to Washington, D.C. for the Maryland Invitational Tournament. The MIT is one of the top tournaments in the country for boys 10U-15U in the country. The 2017 class had some of the top teams in the country in town to get some final work in before they head off to AAU Nationals. Players such as DJ Heath, Reggie Crawford, Nathaniel Pierrre-Louis, Tremont Waters and Khalil Richards were just a few who headlined the tournament. Let’s take a look at some of the other top performers from the weekend.
2015 Top Performers
Derrick Green-[2015-Perry Hall]- Played very well in a losing effort to a very good Fairfax Stars team in the 15u division. He sliced through their defense and finished a lot of tough layups in traffic. He also was a one man press break at times for his Perry Hall team. He showed a mid-range game that had to be respected and did not take a play off. This kid has a very high motor and with work on ball-handling he will be a prospect to watch out for.
Matt Shirfim-[2015-TMT]- The 5-foot-9 inch guard started off slow but finished very strong for his TMT squad. He made key plays to put the game away against Team Suspect in a close contest. He got and-ones, knock down threes, and had made passes that led to easy points for his team. He looked more comfortable at the shooting guard position but his court savvy allows him to play the point when needed.
Roy Kane-[2015-TMT]- Kane really knows how to play the game. The 6-foot-5 power forward has a nice skill set and a soft touch that allows him to dominate opponents in the post. His 210-pound body allows him to take bumps and finish with contact. He also uses his long arms to block shots and gather rebounds.
Collins Gantz-[2015-Team Suspect]- At six-foot, 210-pounds, Gantz is a smooth-shooting small forward who knocked down shot-after-shot. He has a body that allows him to guard taller defenders and he knows how to use his size to box out and rebound. I can easily see him transitioning into a shooting guard real soon.
Juwan Smith-[2015-South Maryland Select]- Smith showed that he can shoot with the best of them this weekend. He also has a nice touch on his floater when he gets in the lane. He was a standout player for his South Maryland Select squad.
Justin Chicot-[2015-Tidewater Wildcats]- Chicot was everywhere for his Tidewater Wildcat team. He got loose balls, broke the press, and knocked down shots. He’s very quick and elusive and when he gets his shot off it has a good chance of going in. He played very hard all weekend.
Tyler Femi-[2015-Fairfax Stars]- He is a floor general that plays very good defense. He always finds the open man and values every possession. Shoots the ball well from deep and made his Fairfax Stars team go.
Ajan Smith-[2015-PA Rush]- The 6-foo-3 inch small forward has a motor that doesn't stop. He is a tenacious rebounder on both ends of the floor. He can score in transition or in the half-court setting. Smith was probably one of the best all-around players we saw all weekend long in the 2015 class.
2016 Top Performers
Michael Olmert-[2016-Georgia Stars]- Olmert is a pass first point guard that knows how to control the tempo of a game. He showed maturity and poise when the game got close and knocked down big free throws for his Georgia Stars 14u team. Work on his shot will make him more complete and that much harder to contain.
Dyaire Holt-[2016-Connecticut Elite]- Dyaire has very long arms, is super quick and will remind you of Eric Bledsoe. He uses his elite ball-handling skills to get to the rim and finish or find an open teammate. He showed a jump shot that his opponents had to respect but it could use some work. He definitely has the potential to be a high-major basketball player.
Khalil Richard-[2016-Crusader Nation]- Even though he played 15u and was awarded the MVP of that division, he’s actually an eighth grader. He posted three thirty-plus point games while averaging 24.5 points and 7 rebounds. Khalil has a nice strong frame and is relentless at getting into the lane and finishing at will. At 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds, he is a combo guard who at this point has the skill to be either a point or a shooting guard.
2017 Top Performers
Tremont Waters-[2017-Connecticut Elite]- One of the best shooters I’ve seen in a long time, waters has the ability to get his shot off anytime he wants. Only a seventh grader, he played up on the eighth grade level and dominated competition as usual, and he does it with ease. He can play either guard position because of his high basketball IQ and his ball-handling mixed with his unlimited range. This kid will definitely be name that the basketball community will know very soon.
DJ Heath/Kendrick Summerour-[2017-Team Rocafellas]- Heath is a 5-foot-10 inch combo guard who mixes his strength and speed to blow by defenders and finish in the lane with contact. Him and his partner in crime Kendrick were unstoppable in claiming the 13u championship in the gold division of the MIT. Kendrick is a 5-foot-8 scoring point guard who has a nice change of pace to his game that allows him to get by defenders. He is also a threat from three- point range as well, so pick your poison. Not to mention that they have one of the best big men in the country to dump the ball down to in Wendell Carter Jr. Team Rockafella has a very unique team with elite guards and bigs, and they will be hard to stop going into nationals.
Nathan Pierre-Louis-[2017-Sports U]- He is a smooth lefty combo- guard that slashes at will and finishes tough layups. He also has a nice handle that allows him to do so. He can score in bunches once he gets going and is a fierce competitor. He also has the potential to hit a big growth spurt and still have his elite guard skills.
David Kachelries-[2017-Sports U]- David is a pass first point guard who knows how to play the game at a young age. He has a nice feel for the game and a very high basketball IQ that allows him to always make the right play. He is very tough and gritty just like his teammate mentioned before him.
2018 Top Performer
Damon Harge Jr-[2018-Team Loaded]- The owner of several highlight tapes and over 2 million views on Youtube, this kid still plays like he has something to prove. He is a lights-out shooter who can shoot consistently out to 22 feet. He reminds me a lot of Dominic Artis the way he handles the ball and seeks his shot. He has a high basketball IQ and a great feel for the game. He plays like a savvy veteran which belies his age.
Comments:
Congrats Tyler! Keep doing your thing!