Nike EYBL: Midwest Standouts

<p>Nike held their second-to-last EYBL event in North Augusta, South Carolina as all of the teams looked to make a case for making it into the Peach Jam next week. There were teams from all over the country at the event, and now, we will take a look at some of the top standouts from Illinois and Michigan from this past week.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="863583" first="Robbie" last="Avila"] (IL) - 2022 PF - Oak Forest (Meanstreets 2022)</b></p> <p>Avila is a big stretch 4 who shoots the lights out. He has a smooth shooting stroke, and he never seems to miss off of a good pass on the catch and shoot. Avila was also incredibly aggressive on the glass on both ends of the floor. Avila holds offers from Appalachian State, Cleveland State, DePaul, and Toledo, and he could see some more mid-majors come his way in the future.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="787606" first="Emoni" last="Bates"] (MI) - 2022 SF - Ypsi Prep Academy (Bates Fundamentals 2022)</b></p> <p>Bates is a big wing who comes in as the number two 2022 prospect in the country. He is a great shot creator and knows how to get into the open places on the court. He is also an insane finisher, and he seems to make every shot that he takes around the rim. His body control and touch around the rim make him nearly impossible to stop. Bates is also lights out from the outside shooting the ball. He de-committed from Michigan State recently, and he is expected to turn pro out of high school instead.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="925224" first="Nick" last="Martinelli"] (IL) - 2022 SF - Glenbrook South (Meanstreets 2022)</b></p> <p>Martinelli is a bigger wing who can do it all on the offensive end of the floor. He is always looking to score the ball when it’s in his hands, and he can knock it down consistently from the outside. Martinelli also showed off some nice body control in the paint, and he coupled that with his strong finishing moves to score some nice buckets in the lane. This included a transition dunk late in the game to really bring the Meanstreets bench to their feet. Martinelli is going to be a star for Elon in the future, and he’s going to be key to Meanstreets run to the EYBL Title.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="1181896" first="Kareem" last="Rozier"] (MI) - 2022 PG - St. Mary’s Prep (Meanstreets 2022)</b></p> <p>Rozier is a small point guard who is the energizer and the leader of this Meanstreets ball club. It seems like every big play that this team makes, Rozier is jumping up and down, pumping his fist. And he makes plays all over the court, too. He is a very good facilitator of the ball and makes some very impressive passes. He can also get up which helps at only 5’9. Now, Rozier can become turnover-prone at times because of the passes that he tries to fit in, but he makes those passes the majority of the time. He currently only holds one D1 offer from Mississippi Valley State, but he is the type of guy who can change the chemistry of a team by just showing up. I wouldn’t be surprised if he got a couple more offers to come his way.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="985658" first="RJ" last="Taylor"] (MI) - 2023 PG - Grand Blanc (Meanstreets 2022)</b></p> <p>Taylor is a bigger guard who consistently makes plays for his teammates. He sees the court incredibly well, and he is always looking ahead to make that extra pass. Taylor is a very good facilitator of the offense, but he can also stroke it from the outside which he showed in this one. He is also never afraid to put his body on the line by diving for a loose ball or taking a charge. Taylor has 3 offers right now, and he should see more mid-major programs get involved as he comes off his good week at the EYBL Tournament.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="983493" first="DeCorian" last="Temple"] (MI) - 2022 SF - St. Mary’s Prep (Bates Fundamentals 2022)</b></p> <p>Temple is a wing who is incredibly aggressive with the ball in his hands. As soon as he catches, he is looking to score the ball. Temple always goes strong to the hole, and he showed some nice finishing moves. He is also good at creating his own shot whether that be getting to the hole or pulling up in the open area of the floor. Temple has committed to Central Michigan to play football, and he should be in line for a big senior season on the field and the court.</p>