#HustleSZNKickoff: 14U Championship Standouts
As fate would have it, two teams that met on the first night of the event would rematch in the Championship game of the #HustleSZN. The Legion of Hoops and Salt Lake Bounce, both of whom came out of came out of Pool D of the 14U bracket, found theirselves in a familiar place on Sunday morning as they were on Friday night when Salt Lake Bounce won 48-41. When it came to taking home gold, however, The Legion of Hoops had a different plan in mind when the eighth grade standouts came out with a 59-40 win. Here were final notes for both teams from the weekend in Los Angeles.
MVP: Scotty Root 2023 The Legion of Hoops point guard
Scotty Root was the most valuable player for the championship-winning 14U squad. The 2023, 5-foot-9-inch Legion of Hoops star caught fire each game we were able to see him, leading his team in scoring and making the competition look juvenile. Root is a shifty and talented ball-handler who can blow by defenders and get his own shot whenever he wants. Despite being one of the smaller players on the floor, Root displayed his ability to score among the best of his competition with scoring at the rim and shooting.
Zurian Marquez 2023 Salt Lake Bounce wing
Zurian Marquez was the best all-around player for Salt Lake Bounce over the weekend. He showed out with elite hustle and paying diligence to every facet of his game. Marquez scored the ball well, relying on his 6-foot-even frame and athleticism to help him elevate over defenders to finish at the rim. He also rebounded and passed particularly well, especially.
Leonard Romayor 2023 The Legion of Hoops guard
Credit is certainly due to 5-foot-6 standout Leonard Marquez, who was the second-leading scorer for The Legion of Hoops in the championship game. His height was not necessarily indicative of his talent. While he shot the ball well out of the catch, he was fearless when driving to the rack and finished over defenders that were over a half-foot taller than him. He also defended extremely well, batting down balls and snatching steals out of the air.
Micah Madry 2023 Salt Lake Bounce point guard
Micah Madry showed up big all weekend for Bounce as he showcased all-around scoring talents as well as great defensive tenacity. Madry could shot the ball exceptionally well out of the dribble and drove to score in traffic. Defensively, Madry was great at putting the clamps on ball-handlers and racking up steals in Salt Lake Bounce’s press defense.
Cameron Brooks 2023 The Legion of Hoops forward
Cameron Brooks played as a stretch for Legion and did a great job of being versatile and adaptable. He rebounded especially well on both ends, providing his team with an advantage in second chance opportunities. He defended the paint, but could also defend opposing wings on the perimeter and hold his own. The 6-foot-2 inch swingman can do a lot of things well offensively, but is best at getting put-backs and drawing fouls.
Junior Higby 2022 Salt Lake Bounce forward
Charles “Junior” Higby could get a bucket from anywhere on the floor that he was given the ball and was perhaps the most versatile independent scorer for Salt Lake Bounce. He stretched the defense by playing a threat from the perimeter, as he proved early in the weekend that he can score on the drive-in and from the post. He was also notably talented for passing out of the post, an often forgotten trait for guys at this age.
Ashenka Dharmarpriya 2023 The Legion of Hoops wing
Ashenka shot the ball extraordinarily well from the spot up, hitting a trio of 3-pointers in the championship game and efficiently generating scoring. He exemplified “heart over height,” as the 66-inch wing’s poise never wavered in assisting his team with a pivotal scoring addition.
Jaxon Smith 2023 Salt Lake Bounce wing
Jaxon Smith was pivotal to Salt Lake Bounce over the weekend, as he scored and shot the ball exceptionally well. Jaxon can hit both the floater or the long ball out of the dribble.
Kyle Perry 2023 The Legion of Hoops wing
Kyle Perry has an impressive crossover and is a tough finisher. Standing at 5-foot-10-inches, he was often found in a David and Goliath scenario, but was fearless in scoring. His most impressive quality was his ability to mix defenders along the 3-point line to finish long-shots. He was a tough, relentless player.
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