The Life Changers 16u Match-Up with CCB 16u

The Life Changers 16u team began their Mother’s Day Weekend Saturday versus CCB 16u at the Bluff City Blues in Memphis.  CCB 16u trounced the Memphis-based team, 64-36. CCB is a team based out of Toledo, Ohio. Life Changers 16u Roster #1 VJ Simmons VJ Simmons 5'10" | PG State TN   #2 Braylon Outley Braylon Outley 5'11" | PG FACS | 2025 TN (2025) #3 Eugene Pratcher III Eugene Pratcher III 6'0" | PG Germantown | 2025 TN (2025) #4 Trayvon Williford #5 Nicolas Warner #6 Carson Taylor Carson Taylor 6'1" | SG State TN #7 Kor’mar Stewart (St. George’s) #12 Corbin Bowling Corbin Bowling 5'10" | PG Fayette Academy | 2025 TN (2025) #15 Crews Butler Crews Butler 6'3" | SG Arlington | 2024 State TN #20 Tyler McFaden #24 Jayden Logan #25 Xavier Alexander The Life Changers started the game with Corbin Bowling Corbin Bowling 5'10" | PG Fayette Academy | 2025 TN , Carson Taylor Carson Taylor 6'1" | SG State TN , Kor’mar Stewart, VJ Simmons VJ Simmons 5'10" | PG State TN , and Xavier Alexander. The Professor Xavier Xavier Alexander jumped center though he operated most of the game away from the basket offensively. Xavier was a scrappy, defensively-invested player with quick, strong hands.  He wrestled free two dribbles from aspiring outlet passers in succession. XA showed a good mix of toughness and quickness. The first two minutes, including these rips, truly existed as Life Changers’ best stretch. Xavier Alexander is probably the team’s best player at this moment.  Best potential?  Tough to determine.   Development Plans The 16u players certainly showed some strengths and weaknesses.  For example, Kor’mar Stewart was able to dribble a little bit, but he simply lacked the speed and quickness to get around the more traditional guard defenders.  Kor’mar is a superbly strong, stocky wing, it seemed.  If guard is his future, then a commitment to developing speed is critical. His perimeter defensive speed is simply not there yet. Eugene Pratcher III Eugene Pratcher III 6'0" | PG Germantown | 2025 TN came off the bench and gave the team a little bit. A Class of 2025 player, Eugene was decent defended out high, but was completely overwhelmed any time he found himself below the free throw line.  Playing up will do this, occasionally demonstrating a gap in physical maturity.  Broadly, the Life Changers lacked the explosiveness of their Ohio-based opponents.  More than once a CCB attacker scored simply by jumping higher.  To be fair, the Life Changers gave up 2-3 inches at each position outside of point guard. PG With Skill Corbin’s court vision and offensive awareness was excellent.  He made mature decisions consistently, despite playing up from his customary 15u age.  Corbin Bowling Corbin Bowling 5'10" | PG Fayette Academy | 2025 TN was very adept at playing with the ball in his hands. The willingness to pass and involve teammates certainly made him popular.   The young guard will need to bulk up and add good weight over his high school career, but it looked like he might have a start in the weight room.  A current weakness is defensive awareness.  Corbin’s defense Saturday morning including some guessing.  He put himself in vulnerable positions by either reacting slowly or reacting wrongly, like biting for fakes. The Carson Contribution Carson Taylor Carson Taylor 6'1" | SG State TN was not effective offensively, but he played with high effort and pride defensively.  Carson put his chest into the play and dove on the floor for a steal he created.