Bash in the Desert: 16U Gold Bracket champ standouts
While the absolute top teams competed in the platinum bracket at the Bash in the Desert 16U event in Arizona, there were some solid teams competing for a title nonetheless at Inspire Courts in Gilbert on Sunday. Sharks Basketball Academy…
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Continue ReadingWhile the absolute top teams competed in the platinum bracket at the Bash in the Desert 16U event in Arizona, there were some solid teams competing for a title nonetheless at Inspire Courts in Gilbert on Sunday. Sharks Basketball Academy traveled to Arizona to beat Fuego 59-42 ande claim the championship.
Here are some of the players from both teams that stood out:
Caleb Corro – Sharks – St. Patrick
He opened up the game with his ability to shoot from outside, as it was a bit of a safety valve in the rare moments the Sharks could not churn out easy points. He also led the offense well, making some quality passes to scorers with the space his jumper opened up.
Isaiah Handley – Fuego – Hazen High
He played a quick style for a big forward, able to body guys up down low but also put the ball on the floor with some good handles. His long strides allowed him to cover a lot of space dribbling the ball to make for nice drives to the hoop.
Luke Loftus – Sharks – Oak Park and River Forest
I was impressed by his defense, rebounding and overall hustle. He fought really well through good screens when guarding the ball, which disturbed opposing pick-and-rolls. He was always in good spots to rebound on both ends, and the offensive boards led to some easy points to help the team win.
Kobe Davis – Fuego – Mountlake Terrace
He was fun to watch handling the ball, consistently cutting through both an on-ball defender and helper’s space to get to the basket and make some not only flashy, but effective, passes. He was pesky on defense, too, getting in the way of guards and coming up with some steals.
Michael Hamilton – Sharks – St. Patrick
He played well in his role as center, as the biggest guy on the team. He rebounded, blocked shots, and threw down a nasty dunk in the final seconds of the first half that energized the team.