Regional Recruiting Analyst. Covering high and middle school basketball.
Birmingham, AL (Future150) -- The 2019 Future150 Tournament Series was home this past weekend for it's fourth tournament of the 2019 season in Hoover, AL at the Hoover Finley Center which featured 11 courts under one roof. The Birmingham Main Event has been one of Future150’s top tournaments in its series due to all of the talent in the Southeast.
The 15U division featured a Gold bracket and Silver bracket for the weekend. The Gold bracket championship featured Mid-State Elite who had a lopsided victory over the Monroe Grizzlies, 52-22 behind very strong guard play. The Silver bracket championship featured two athletic teams in Alabama Celtics and Brothers of Basketball. The Brothers of Basketball came out on top in an exciting back and forth game 70-67.
Let's take a look at top performers throughout the entire 15U division below:
JJ Wheat - 2022, PG of MSE was one of the best guards all weekend, scoring in bunches, defending with high energy, and showing off great athleticism. Wheat was scoring on all three levels, getting to the rim, hitting contested three pointers, and coming off ball screens for midrange pull-ups. He featured multiple 20+ point games this weekend, but it all started on the defensive end as he is a pest on defense, forcing turnovers which led to open court opportunities. He helped lead MSE to an undefeated weekend, including a lopsided Gold championship win by a margin of 30 points.
Jaylen Washington - 2022, CG of MSE is a quick, athletic, and high energy guard who does a little bit of everything. He is a great compliment to guard Wheat (mentioned above) and Allen Hughes. Washington defends very well, forces turnovers, and is extremely quick getting up the floor. He shoots from DEEP consistently well, gets to the rim, and also featured 20+ point games all weekend.
Allen Hughes - 2022, SF of MSE is a long, athletic, versatile player who plays very well alongside Wheat and Washington. His length and ability to handle the ball like a point guard make him very special. He attacks the rim with his shifty, yet efficient handle, and can shoot the cover off the ball from outside. Hughes also shoots the gaps very well, applies pressure on defense, and forces turnovers for his team.
Dakota Gasca - 2022, PG of the Monroe Grizzlies is a quick, savvy guard with poise and great basketball IQ. He is a Steve Nash type point guard who sees passes before they actually open up, making behind the back passes, no looks, etc. He has a low, tight handle, doesn't turn the ball over, and while he can score very well, he makes the right play always. Gasca is a special guard who can score over taller defenders, shoot the midrange, and hit from deep. He and the Monroe Grizzlies fell short in the Gold bracket champioship.
CJ Hyde - 2022, PG of Brothers of Basketball is a shifty, athletic, and wiry guard who gets what he wants, when he wants. He's super quick along with a quick handle, and can take anyone off the dribble. He gets to the rim easily, finishing over taller defenders, dishing off to the open man, and just showed how he can score on all three levels. He plays intense defense, forces turnovers, and has a will to win. Hyde helped lead BOB to a Silver bracket championship win over the Alabama Celtics.
Jermaine Russell - 2022, CG of Brothers of Basketball is a strong, athletic guard who plays with a high motor. He attacks the rim fearlessly, can pull-up midrange, and will hurt you from outside. Russell has a shifty handle which allows him to get by anyone, but his awareness to pull-up midrange with great elevation really separated him as a scorer this weekend. He and Hyde were a great 1-2 punch throughout the weekend in leading their team to a Silver bracket championship.
Oran Perrier - 2022, PG of Brothers of Basketball is Mr. Clutch as he lives for big moments. He showed multiple times that he can score, especially from outside, when his team needed him the most. He handles the ball well, plays with great energy, and defends with a chip on his shoulder. Perrier, alongside Hyde and Russell is a great 1-2-3 combo. Expect Perrier to continue building his stock as he has that Mamba Mentality naturally.
Quentin Hayes - 2022, CG of the Alabama Celtics is a 6'0 guard who can play the 1,2, or 3 positions comfortably. He has a knack for scoring as he can shoot from deep range, attack the rim against anyone and finish through contact, and has a great midrange game when it opens up. Hayes handles the ball very well and plays point guard quite a bit for his team. He is long, athletic, and uses that length to force a lot of turnovers for his team. The Celtics fell short in the Silver bracket championship.
Jamarion Ryans - 2022, PG of the Alabama Celtics is a guard with a fearless mentality who lives in the moment. He has the ball on a string, lulls defenders to sleep, and is quick to attack or hit them with a step-back three. Ryans' confidence is infectious amongst his teammates and his poise at the point guard position is what has helped the Celtics play well. He has great court vision, can shoot the outside shot, and loves to get in his opponents' heads.
Tanner Burcham - 2022, SF/PF of Redhawks Elite is a long, lanky double-double machine who runs the floor very well and is extremely active on both ends. He's a blue collared worker who crashes the boards relentlessly and is always in the mix for loose balls. Burcham scored in a variety of ways in the post, slashing to the basket, and hitting open shots. He plays with great energy and really helps his team compete.
Chris Nelson - 2022, CG of Redhawks Elite is a shifty guard with a very smooth game. He used his ability to change speed and direction with the ball to his advantage all weekend. Nelson moved well without the ball to get open, defended with intensity, and was an assasin from outside. He showed he could shoot off the dribble and off the catch equally well. His handle allowed him to play both the point guard and shooting guard positions for his team.
Raymond Collins - 2022, SF of the Gulf Coast All Stars is a strong bodied, versatile player who is active on the boards and can score the ball efficiently for his team. He's a glue guy who does a little bit of everything, whether it be drive to the basket, slash to open spots, or hit the occasional outside shot. He's an active defender and rebounder, dives for loose balls, takes charges, and just is great at shifting momentum towards the All Stars.
Caleb Paige - 2022, SF of the Auburn Raptors was quite impressive in the game he played this weekend, playing well above the rim on multiple occasions before sitting out the remainder of the weekend due to injury. He was getting to the rim at will, forcing turnovers with his length and athleticism, and even hitting shots from 15 feet out. Paige is a special player in the class of 2022 who has a strong 6'5 frame and a dominating mentality.
Jayden Buckley - 2022, CG of the Auburn Raptors is a shifty, athletic guard who plays above the rim. He attacks the paint with purpose, can finish through contact, and dishes it to his teammates once getting to kill spots on the floor. Buckley can flat out shoot the ball from outside, but his speed and athleticism really open up the outside shot for him. He is active defensively and is all over the floor for a very good Auburn Raptors team.
Curt Blanchard - 2022, C of SSBA is a dominating post player who has great size. He is strong in the paint, has soft hands, and great touch around the rim. He showed off solid footwork and balance for his size as he made opponents really have to buckle down to guard him. He runs the floor hard, rebounds very well, and his presence is noted every possession on both ends featuring his scoring ability and shot blocking.
Omarion Jackson - 2022, PF of Memphis Truth is a long, strong, and dominate post. He posts up great, has solid footwork, and he's getting to the rim when that ball gets fed to him down low. Jackson is an active rebounder and great rim protector. He crashes the boards on both ends for a strong Memphis Truth team. He was a double-double all weekend long at 6'6.
Darius Webster - 2022, PG of Memphis Truth is a downhill attacker who can make plays efficiently with little to no turnovers. He finishes through contact, was a great floor general for his team all weekend, and would post up smaller guards which he did very well. Webster controlled the tempo of each game, and showed off his athleticism with bursts of speed to get up the court.
Corey Stephenson - 2022, SF of Birmingham Blaze is a long, wiry prospect who plays hard on both ends 110% of the time. He showed off his athleticism getting to the rim, his savvy ball handling to pull-up from midrange, and shooting ability from outside. Stephenson not only scored on all three levels, but used his length to defend on all three levels, forcing turnovers for open court opportunities. He was one of the top players in the division and made that case every game.
Gary Blair - 2022, SG of Redhawks is a scoring guard who did so on all three levels. He attacked downhill, finishing through contact with some tough and crafty finishes. Blair would space the floor like a Klay Thompson and would either shoot the three ball or take it in for a pull-up. He defended very well with pressure on-ball, but also had a good feel for being in help position to make plays on the ball.
Eli Patterson - 2022, CG of the Arkansas Demons is a hard-nosed defending guard who can also score the ball efficiently for his team. He attacked the rim like a Russell Westbrook, finishing through contact after using his quick first step to get there. He shot the ball very well throughout the weekend from outside, and what we liked most about him was how good of a rebounding guard he was.
JJ Williams - 2022, PG of Team Loaded was quick as a hiccup attacking the rim this weekend. His athleticism and great first step really allowed him to blow past defenders with ease. Williams showed his ability to shoot the three and pull-up midrange as well. He is a tough nosed defender who gives opponents problems up the entire floor. Loved his energy and the way he plays with a high motor.
Suri Ware - 2022, PG of Wolverines Basketball Club is a quick, athletic, and savvy guard who gets to the rim very well. He is a playmaker who can finish efficiently off the glass. Ware pushed the tempo off makes and misses every possession, getting teammates involved to compliment his own scoring. He and teammate Quinton Norton were very active defensively, forcing a ton of turnovers for open court opportunities.
Treyveon Broadhead - 2022, PG of the Mobile Hornets Elite is a strong, athletic, downhill guard who finishes extremely well through contact. He has a great first step, absorbs contact, and gets into the paint at will. Broadhead is a floor general who directs teammates to get to the right spots, communicates defensively, and leads by example as he's a hard-nosed defender. He and the Mobile Hornets were showcasing a fun style of play as they really played up and down all weekend.
Cortlyn Clark - 2022, SF of the Alabama Saints is a long, athletic, versatile player who does everything. He scores, he rebounds, he blocks shots, he defends on-ball, etc. Clark is a lock down defender who forces a ton of turnovers. Offensively, he attacks the rim hard, slashes to open spots, and creates second chance opportunities for his team by crashing hard. He was one of the better players and harder ones to guard in the division.
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