Andrew Force:
Future150 National Analyst. Covering High and Middle School basketball.
NASHVILLE, TN (Future150) -- Trailing by a point, Jeremiah Martin maliciously crossed his defender. Then he Euro-stepped his way to glory. The elegant finger roll capped an acrobatic flurry. "Ooo’s" were shared throughout the gym. Mitchell snatched the lead from University Lab (LA) 55-54 with 1:10 remaining.
Typically sure-handed Skylar Mays (LSU-verbal) tried to dribble through a forest of arms. One of two Mitchell guards poked it loose. Martin got the steal and called timeout. Martin's 20 points and aggression in the closing moments set the stage for a thrilling buzzer beater.
As the horn sounded, Mitchell guard Kylan Phillips' layup hit the backboard. It was obviously out of his hand when the game ended. Phillips, Martin, and team celebrated gleefully.
Memphis Mitchell High School finished the Next Level Hoops Fest in fourth place (1-2). After the exciting win Monday they fell Tuesday to eventual champion Ballard, 79-61. In the Third Place Game, Mountain Brook tripped up Mitchell, 52-48.
Martin's magic
Mitchell ran a methodical offensive set with strong guard play. They really hurt for size underneath, but Head Coach Faragi Phillips did the best he could with the troops he had. The team relied heavily upon the deft dribbling of Martin (Class of 2015). As a senior, Martin is one of three captains, along with Naba Echols and Kylan Phillips.
The brilliance of Martin boils down to elite handle and assertive finishing.
He can break down almost any defender via the dribble and confidently convert at the rim. University Lab has several guys taller than 6'6", so the path to success was not free from obstacles.
The 6'3" guard floated over the floor boards with a bizarre speed, dribbling faster than most men run. Where will the senior play college basketball?
Options
According to Martin, Murray State, Chattanooga, Louisiana Tech, and Tennessee Tech have offered.
After high school he will likely be used as a secondary ball-handler. For his current team Martin is an important scoring option. For him to continue that in college he might need to be the second guard, an off-guard who creates off the dribble. His aggression and talents create the points.
Tennessee and Tulsa are moderately interested. Many seniors have already signed and guard spots are highly competitive. Martin played well this week and will need to continue in 2015. Mitchell High School basketball needs him.
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