Young Teams Meet the Press
Sunday’s edition of the Travel Team Jamboree presented by Hoop Exchange and Source Hoops was all about Generation Next. Travel teams in the 13U, 14U, and 15U age groups participated, playing against teams in their category. Not all teams and coaches took the time to sit down and talk with us but those that did shared who they thought their top players were and their philosophy on coaching and developing players at this level.
Lakeland Fire 13U
Coach Greg Abrams
Top Players
Jacquez Williams – 5’8 G/F – Sees the floor; passes well; good mid-range game
A.J. Jackson – 5’7 G – Tough defender; attacks the rim
Cameron McSpadden – 5’5 G – Good shooter; high hoops IQ; plays hard
A.J. Davis – 5’9 F/C – Good hands; can play facing the basket; finishes at the rim; solid defender
Coach Abrams Says: “We believe in learning life thru basketball. We want to make them better players by developing their individual skills. By teaching them discipline they can learn and respect the game.”
Lauderhill Lions 13U
Coach Jermaine Gammage
Top Players
Jeffrey Phophete – 6’2 WG – Solid defender; can play in the post or on the perimeter; already playing varsity at Coral Springs Christian
Abule Abadi – 6’5 C/F – Has only been playing a year; already has good footwork and is a good rebounder
Ezacural Dawson – 5’5 PG – Solid ball-handler; good shooter
Michael Moore – 5’7 CG – Solid ball-handler; good shooter and slasher
Coach Gammage Says: “We push our kids to get better and play up in grade and age level to challenge them. Our goal is to teach them to play smart, play disciplined, and be aggressive.”
Miami Ballers 13U
Coach Hugo Delarosa
Top Players
Zachary Scott (6th grader) – 5’10 PG/WF – Great shooter; good court vision; very good hands; defends well
K.J. Fitzgerald – 5’8 PG – Pure point guard; lefty; good court awareness; quick first step and change of direction
Samir Stewart – 5’7 PG/WG – High basketball IQ; very good court vision and controls tempo; good shooter
Kody Bowes – 6’2 BF/C – Soft hands; scores well inside; good passer
Wajid Aminu – (young 8th grader) – Solid perimeter game; high hoops IQ; excellent rebounder at both ends
Anthony Cambo – 5’8 WG – Cerbral shooter
Coach Delarosa Says: “The program is looking to develop people and players. The goal is to teach them how to close out games by playing smart. An emphasis is placed on playing together and when and when not to do things.”
South Florida Gators 14U
Coach Michael Thornton
Top Players
Walter Sapp – 5’9 WG – Complete ball player; good shooter; handles the basketball well
Alex Smith – 5’11 BF – Strong post player that scores well inside
Tyrik Waite – 5’6 PG – Runs team; good shooter and ball-handler
Billy Hayes – 5’11 WF – Very good shooter and scorer
Coach Thornton Says: “We are looking to build character and teach them to be good people on and off the court. We emphasis grades and that basketball is a team sport and that we have to work together to achieve both individual and team goals.”
Showtime Hoops 14U
Coach Leland
Top Players
Brandon Grant – 5’8 PG – Scores well and is a tough defender
Tyree Crump – 6’1 WG – Hits mid-range shots and scores well around the basket when driving to the rim
Keyshawn Johnson – 6’3 BF – Versatile inside/outside player
Raekwon Sloan – 6’3 BF – Plays hard; scores well on the interior
Coach Leland Says: “Playing hard is not an expectation. It is a demand. We are positive with the kids but try to push them to be the best they can be.”
Adidas Rams 15U
Coach Greg Tejada
Top Players
Majestic Tejada – 6’0 PG (Miramar) – True point guard; excellent passer and defender
Sandro Noel – 6’6 BF (Miramar) – Tough around the rim; shot blocker
Laterrance Butts – 6’1 CG (Suncoast) – Scorer; shooter; ball-handler
Derek Johns – 6’0 CG (Miramar) – Athletic leaper and a good shooter
Coach Tejada Says: “We are big on teaching the fundamentals as well as the little things. Offensively we want them to play a team game, move the basketball, get the ball into the post, and refrain from going one-on-one. Defensively we teach them man-to-man principles and get them to stay solid in their stance as well as see man and ball.”
E1T1 South 15U
Top Players
Matthew Maturah – 5’10 PG (McArthur) – Very quick; high basketball IQ; knocks down threes
Diandre Wilson – 6’0 WG/WF (Boyd Anderson ) – Deceptively quick with long arms; good mid-range game
Wyatt Walker – 6’2 WG/WF (West Broward) – Strong player can be effective both inside and outside; aggressive rebounder
Coach Says: “We teach team basketball first and foremost. The goal is to play hard and play uptempo. We want to improve their basketball knowledge by showing them how to play the game and not just run plays. Teaching the players how to play without the ball, box out for rebounds, and maintain intensity on the defensive end are just some of the things we emphasize.”
EYSF 15U
Top Players
Quinton Forest – 6’2 G/F (West Orange) – Attacks basket; good defender and rebounder
Darius Diltz – 6’1 F (Apopka) – Scores from fifteen feet and in; good post player and defender
Milton Dominguez – 5’11 G (Colonial) – good ball-handler and shooter that is very fast with the basketball
Coach Says: “We believe in playing uptempo and teaching the fundamentals. The players are asked to be aggressive and play thru their mistakes.”
Florida Fly Wade 15U
Coach Derek Heard
Top Players
Kamil Williams – 6’0 WG (Grandview Prep) – Shoots the ball well and is strong for his size
Keyshawn Evans – 5’10 PG (Plantation American Heritage) – Very quick and a great shooter from the point guard position
Prince Ali – 6’2 WG/WF (Booker T. Washington) – A long defender that gets to the basket quickly at the offensive end
Sean Downs – 6’3 CG (St. Andrews) – Strong and a good shooter but likes to drive to the basket
Coach Heard Says: “The goal is to get them exposure to college coaches as well as enhance the team concepts that they learn from their high school coaches. We are not going to roll the balls out and let them go.”
Miami Big Ox 15U
Coach Javier Cuenca
Top Players
Raul Frias – 6’1 CG (Hialeah Gardens) – Very athletic; handles and shoots the ball well; solid defender
Osmani Martin – 6’1 WG (Hialeah Gardens) – Deep range; finishes well in traffic with soft touch at the rim
Ariel Vasquez – 6’1 PG (Hialeah Gardens) – Very strong player; defends bigger players; uses body well at the rim
Jean Joseph (8th grade) – 6’4 BF – Tenacious defender and rebounder; could grow to 6’8
Coach Cuenca Says: “The purpose of this team is to develop the high school team. Too often kids leave the high school program in the spring and summer and return with bad habits. We emphasize teamwork, discipline, and hard work.”
Showtime Hoops 15U
Coach Darryl Hardin
Top Players
Jordan Gaskins – 5’10 PG (Tally Rickards) – Consistent shooter; high basketball IQ; finishes well at rim
Cameron Knight – 6’4 WF/BF (Leon) – Leader; plays hard; completes plays at the rim
Tremaine Wiggins – 5’8 PG (Leon) – Runs the team; shoots well; handles the basketball well
Malik Honeycutt – 5’11 CG (Rickards) – Athletic; creative scorer
Coach Hardin Says: “We want our kid to play hard, play smart and play with passion. We want to get them exposure to other talented kids in the state and beyond so they will see just how much work goes in to being great.”
Treasure Coast Elite 15U
Coach Efrem Montgomery
Top Players
Efrem Montgomer Jr (6th grade) – 6’6 (Ft. Pierce Lincoln Park) – No position listed because he can play all five positions; sees floor well; excellent passer and ball-handler; fast with the ball and pushes tempo
Biko Gaymon (7th grade) – 5’4 PG (Lincoln Park) – facilitator; aggressive; pushes pace; scores well
Sammie Smith – 6’4 BF (Ft. Pierce Central) – Athletic; rebounds; runs floor
John Allen (young 10th grader) – 6’5 BF (Lincoln Park) – Good post player that can step out to fifteen feet and be effective; tough rebounder
Coach Montgomery Says: “We are teaching them discipline and the small things that make players successful. Communication and attention detail will ultimately make them all better players. We strive to get them to work hard in practice and play hard in games. By playing up they face better competition and therefore become better players.”
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