Battle At The Lakes: Top 17U Defenders (Sunday)
The 17U Division at the Battle of the Lakes wrapped up a fantastic weekend with an absolutely thrilling finish.
First, Great Northern Basketball got a late bucket to beat Powerhouse Hoops White in the Regional Platinum Championship. Then came the best of the tournament, with 1Nation completing a double-digit comeback with a go-ahead bucket in the final seconds to beat Team Rush for the National Platinum Championship.
Throughout our Championship Sunday, there were some excellent defensive performances as teams fought and clawed to advance. Here’s a look at some of the best individual efforts:
Ja’Kavien Lewis, 5-11, 1Nation
Put simply, Lewis took over in the second half of the Platinum Championship game and willed his squad to victory. Ronnie Bell of Team Rush had caught fire early in the second half. 1Nation had few answers as the explosive guard darted into the lane and put Rush ahead by double digits. Then, Lewis turned on the gas. He forced brought pressure, forced turnovers and exhibited a streak of toughness rare to find. He simply refused to lose Sunday and it all began on the defensive end.
Terrence Shannon Jr., 6-5, Full Package
Shannon had a stellar performance Saturday in leading Full Package over Team Rose in the second round, one of the biggest upsets of the tournament. He followed that up with an excellent performance in the quarterfinals to get his squad to the semifinals. Shannon has a great motor and is seemingly always around the rim, disrupting shots and limiting opponents to one attempt by using his length and lower-body strength to own the glass. The toughness he displays as a standout football recruit is apparent when he’s jostling for position. Shannon is a talented two-way player low- to mid-major Division I programs should be keeping close tabs on.
Deng Deang, 6-6, Powerhouse Hoops Black
Deang has excellent length and size as a perimeter defender. He crouches his skyscraper frame low to the ground and shuffles side to side with quickness and with little wasted movement. His combination of long arms and lateral burst make him hard to get by.
Yor Anei, 6-10, Team Rush
The athletic big man was all over the place defensively on Sunday, making his presence felt as an anchor in the middle. Yes, he was swatting and misdirecting shots throughout the tournament. But an under-the-radar skill that stood out was his ability to hedge and recover on ball screens. Teams tried to switch him onto a guard, but he kept churning and getting back to his primary responsibility. His help there forced teams to initiate offense far from the perimeter. Anei’s skill set has taken large leaps over the past year, and his understanding of team defense has really grown. Add that to his obvious raw skills and you have a player with a chance to make a real impact at the next level.
Nathan Macho, 6-3, MN Eagles
Macho was simply solid in helping the Eagles reach the semifinals against a loaded field in the Platinum Bracket. He anticipates very well and does a good job taking away an opponent’s strengths, forcing them to go to off hands, pass from contested angles, etc. He has the necessary size and athleticism to guard three different positions, and he rebounds his position well.