New Life Wins Back to Back NACA D4 National Championships!
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On Friday night the New Life Monarchs took the floor to defend their national title against GCAA and the Monarchs didn’t waste any time getting going. As soon as the game began, they applied their full court pressure which forced…
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Continue ReadingOn Friday night the New Life Monarchs took the floor to defend their national title against GCAA and the Monarchs didn’t waste any time getting going. As soon as the game began, they applied their full court pressure which forced turnovers and allowed them to get out into transition for buckets. The Monarchs would dominate from start to finish, taking home their third NACA national championship in the last four years. Let’s take a look at some of the players that stood out throughout the tournament and have proven themselves as college level prospects.
Senior Guard Darion Young was named to the All-Tournament team and has grown as a leader for this team over the last few months. He does a nice job of balancing of scoring and facilitating, has a nice midrange game and has improved with his ability to finish in the paint in traffic.
Junior Guard Malachi Travis Malachi Travis 6'2" | CG New Life Christian | 2023 State NC returned to the team about a month after the season began but once he returned, he hit the ground running, scoring the ball at a nice rate. He knocks down shots from three-point land and seems to be more comfortable making plays off the dribble to get to the basket.
Sophomore Guard Kaleb James Kaleb James 6'4" | SF New Life Christian Academy | 2024 State NC is a prospect that can be as good as he wants to be if he really locks in on a daily basis. His athleticism is very impressive and throughout the year we saw flashes of what he could be on both ends of the floor as he had quite a few big-time games scoring the ball early on.
Junior Forward Javian Grant Javian Grant 6'6" | SF New Life Christian | 2023 State NC was a player that joined the program just a few weeks prior to the season but as soon as he stepped on the floor, he found ways to make an impact. He brings a much-needed interior presence on both ends of the floor, finishing inside offensively and blocking shots on the defensive side of the ball.
Senior Guard Demetrius Polk is another player that was a late addition to the team, but he made his presence known in a variety of ways. His defense was probably his best attribute throughout the season, constantly applying pressure to opposing guards and not being afraid to sacrifice his body to take charges. However, when his team needed him to provide some offensive production, he stepped up, which was seen in their semifinal matchup as he led the way with 21 Points.
Sophomore Guard Jahiem Faison has shown some potential throughout, especially when it comes to his perimeter shooting. The next step for him will be to bring the same intensity on a consistent basis, but overall he has proven himself as a prospect to keep an eye on.