#ThePlatform: Saturday morning favorites (16U)
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Justin Ayubi Justin Ayubi 6'1" | SG Edmond Memorial | 2023 OK | Tulsa Hawks 6’0” W Edmond Memorial (OK) ’23 Mid-range maverick If ever there was a kid who loved his mid-range pull-up, it was Ayubi on Saturday morning…
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Continue ReadingJustin Ayubi Justin Ayubi 6'1" | SG Edmond Memorial | 2023 OK | Tulsa Hawks |
6’0” W | Edmond Memorial (OK) ’23 |
- Mid-range maverick
If ever there was a kid who loved his mid-range pull-up, it was Ayubi on Saturday morning in Birmingham. He habitually caught the opposing Georgian team asleep in an 8 a.m. match, usually catching the ball on the wing before tossing his shoulders and neck into a convincing pump fake, then taking a wide step into the shot. He scored 20 points in the game shooting 50 percent from the field.
The key to Ayubi’s mid-range mania is his readiness out of the catch; the lanky shooter, each time he received the ball, set his feet mid-catch and squared his hips to the goal with his eyes fixed on the rim. This detailed coordination between his feet, eyes, and head may seem insignificant to some, but it allowed Ayubi to exploit under-disciplined foes and create open shots for himself.
The wingman also drained four 3-pointers in the match.
Jarreth Ingram Jarreth Ingram 6'4" | SF Noah | 2023 State OK | Tulsa Hawks |
6’6” F | Tulsa NOAH (OK) ’23 |
- Cerebral forward
- Board man
Ingram was hardly short of exceptional in an 8 a.m. match Saturday morning, scoring 26 points and 13 rebounds on 77 percent from the field. On the boards, finishing at the rim, and putting a pair of unlucky defenders beneath him on a strong one-handed jam, Ingram tore through a corps of opposing Georgian forwards who, by the way, were no pushovers themselves.
He scored the ball with high efficiency in the interior, exposing the gaps of the opposing team’s zone (brief recognition to his teammates for moving the ball well to him) often cutting baseline on the back side for an easy toss-and-shoot. He also was able to show off his bunnies on the aforementioned play in which he knocked down a right-handed slam with two defenders (trying) to contest his shot. At the end of the game, just for good measure, Ingram finished another dunk on a lob from Palmer, capping off his double-double performance the fun way.
Ryan Forrest | Woodz Elite |
6’3” PG | Marion (AR) ’23 |
- Two-way guard
- Great acceleration
Forrest started a morning game against an Indianan team in outstanding fashion.
A pair of defensive plays by Forrest and his hounds led to two fast-break slams by Forrest as he gathered, both times, with the ball in his right before wrangling the ball into both hands and elevating at the rim for two-handed jams.
He finished the match with 27 points against the Indianan foes. As far as his athleticism goes, Forrest has some of the most upside at his position in reference to others at the tournament. His acceleration down-floor, especially, stood out against 94 Feet Elite. Though he can take angles on defenders, he rarely had to, as he was able to consistently speed by defenders and come at the rack from whichever angle was most convenient for him.
Pairing that acceleration with his float, it only took trivial mistakes on the part of his defender to lead to relatively easy scoring opportunities for Forrest. Once he made his way into the perimeter with some build-up, he was able to simply gather the ball, rise and float about half the distance from the arch to the rim before tossing some type of crafty finish with either hand, though he favors his right.
Kamari Slaughter Kamari Slaughter 6'2" | SG Cathedral | 2023 State IN | 94Feet Elite |
6’4″ G | Portage (IN) ’23 |
- Impressive athlete
- Strong guard
Slaughter forced the Arkansan team to no-catch him early in the second half — all 94 feet.
With broad shoulders and a strong frame, Slaughter looks the part of a Division-I X receiver, not a point guard. Regardless, Slaughter has serious skill and great vision for the court, and he paired the two — athleticism and talent — Saturday morning to lead 94 Feet Elite to a stellar team performance.
He has a decent handle on the ball, and he used the dribble to power his way to the rack against a long team, often drawing defenders towards him before dipping the ball off to a teammate on the wing or corner. He was also able to consistently create his own shot on the handle, displaying a quick release and smooth shot.