#PHTuneUp: 16U Top Playmakers
Irving, Texas — The Tune Up, presented by Prep Hoops was another stop on the Prep Hoops Circuit that brought out the best of the best competition, this time from all over the South. Teams and their fans came out in droves…
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Continue ReadingIrving, Texas — The Tune Up, presented by Prep Hoops was another stop on the Prep Hoops Circuit that brought out the best of the best competition, this time from all over the South. Teams and their fans came out in droves all the way from North Florida, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, San Antonio, Houston, and many more, ready to battle it out. This event was an action-packed thriller filled with buzzer-beaters, slam dunks, ankle breakers, you name it. Here we’ll take a look at a few of the top playmakers from the Prep Hoops Tune Up.
Jakobe Dykes Jakobe Dykes 6'5" | SF Shaun Dumas Academy | 2023 State LA – Small Forward – Showtime Elite LA 2023
Jakobe Dykes Jakobe Dykes 6'5" | SF Shaun Dumas Academy | 2023 State LA showed and proved to be a high-quality three-level scorer that was a threat to create a shot from anywhere within the halfcourt. He beat guys off the dribble and either got to the basket or to his hot spots in the mid-range where he was crucial, and he always made sure to mark his territory from beyond the arc as soon he stepped on the floor, completely showing off his long-range shooting abilities. However, he never forced his shooting or tried to do more than he should, JaKobe scored and played well within the offense. For such a talented scorer, Dykes was very unselfish, he had a knack for creating a shot for his teammates, using his height and length to make assists over and around the defense, and always willing to make the extra pass and move the ball for a better shot. Jakobe Dykes Jakobe Dykes 6'5" | SF Shaun Dumas Academy | 2023 State LA often showed flashes of playmaking abilities and defensive dominance, he played with aggression, high basketball instincts, and awareness while also displaying fluid athleticism and comfort as a ball-handler.
Chidi Umeh – Small Forward – Team F.O.E. 2023 Grey
Pure ballplayer that plays basketball the right way, it doesn’t matter where you place him on the court he’s going to find a way to be a difference-maker in one way or another. Chidi was all over the court doing everything needed of him and more, making his presence felt on the glass, on the defensive end, and on the scoreboard. Umeh grabbed rebounds right off the rim, he consistently chased down his teammates’ shots all the way to the basket and cleaned them up, leading him to score second-chance buckets over and over and over again. Whenever he was able to put the ball on the floor and get to the basket or to his sweet spots inside the arc he was a major problem. He scored efficiently, found ways to get a high percentage shot, and went on to drop 21 points on day three, and was also recognized as a top performer of the Tune Up circuit. Umeh also proved that he could protect the rim defensively, he had a spectacular two-handed chase-down block that saved his team from giving up the lead late in the second half of a game, showing an outstanding motor and athleticism. Chidi Umeh played with a great feel for the game and a lot of promise.
Eldric Barnes – Point Guard – Texas Takeover 2023 Hoarch
Eldric Barnes was the lead guard for his team, he initiated the offense and everything ran through him first. He displayed next-level breakaway speed and quickness, this kid can flat-out fly like the wind, Barnes was an absolute blur in the open court with the ball, consistently putting relentless pressure on his defender, beating the entire defense up the floor, and touching the paint before dumping it off to his cutting man. Extremely unselfish and willing passer that always looks to set up his teammates before looking to get his own shot. Barnes has a shaky hesitation move to go along with his first step that created wide-open lanes to the basket all weekend long.
Donaven Davis Donaven Davis 6'1" | PG Wylie | 2023 State TX – Combo Guard – Team F.O.E. 2023 Black
Donaven Davis Donaven Davis 6'1" | PG Wylie | 2023 State TX proved to be one of the best pure shooters out of the entire division. When playing off the ball, this left-handed deadeye sharpshooter consistently got his feet set quickly, and was ready to catch and shoot at a moment’s notice, getting the ball out of his hands in a blink of an eye. His ability to get the ball off of his hands so quickly and effortlessly caught defenses off guard and gave him opportunities to score in bunches, Davis even had a stint where he scored 8 straight points on 3 straight possessions. Donaven excelled even more at the point guard position where he was able to create more for himself and others off the bounce. He showed phenomenal distributing skills by getting the defense focused in one direction while throwing a no-look pass the opposite way. This young man put a fantastic touch on his dimes, every pass he threw was catchable.
Nikk Williams – Forward – Top Achievers Elite 2023
6-foot-5-inch, Nikk Williams is a forward with a guard’s mentality and IQ. Williams showed good vision and always looked for an open man, especially in the post where he was able to see over the whole defense, he also threw good entry passes when out on the perimeter. Highly unselfish prospect that truly took pride in setting teammates up with passes or screens, he set great pin-down screens that freed his man up with wide-open deep corner three-pointers and mid-range jump shots. Smooth game off the dribble, Williams can really put points on the board when he gets it going and starts attacking the hoop. Nikk Williams showed some guard potential, and it’s only going to rise as his ball-handling develops.
D.J. Thomas – Small Forward – Team F.O.E. 2023 Harris
D.J. Thomas is a true point forward that made a major impact anytime his feet touched the floor. An all-out playmaker on both ends, Thomas was a turnover creator defensively, and a shot creator offensively, more for others than himself. Thomas always made the extra pass. He also took pride in his defense, although he ended up in foul trouble on the final game of day two, his presence was still felt in a huge way each time he was in. D.J. Thomas played and guarded multiple positions, showing off a versatility to his game that just couldn’t be matched.