Day two NY2LA Sports GNBA tipped off on Saturday from Waukegan. Session 2 featured some highly competitive games in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade divisions. In 8th grade action, Anthony Sayles of All-In Athletics had the performance of the day, hitting the 30-point mark in a big time win over Yanders Law…
2017 GNBA SESSION 2 TOP PERFORMANCES – DAY 2
Andrew Alia – 7th Grade – G – Ray Allen Select
A tough guard that handles pressure well, Alia had a nice performance in a loss to the Wisconsin Shooters. Alia had his team up early, creating off the dribble and getting into the teeth of the defense where he became a playmaker. Alia has good quickness and burst off the bounce and takes contact well. Even though his team faded near the finish list, Alia was doing everything in his power to will Ray Allen Select down the stretch.
Scotty Ebube – 8th Grade – PF – Kessel Heat Black
Kessel Heat Black trounced the Milwaukee Rebels-Spartans Saturday morning and Ebube was dominant on both ends. The 6-foot-6 incoming freshman is a good looking athlete and that’s physically much more advanced than most. Ebube showed some skills on the block and as a mid-range slasher. When he’s stepping out and hitting jumpers, Ebube becomes very difficult to defend. On the defensive end, Ebube controlled the paint by blocking and altering shots and limited the opposition’s second chance opportunities. Away from the ball, Ebube set solid, hard screens that sprung shooters loose, leading to a blowout win.
Grant Flory – 8th Grade – PF – Wisconsin Playground Warriors
Flory was a beast in a win over Yanders Law. A skilled forward with athleticism and strength, Flory was too much to handle inside. Flory owned the glass on both ends of the floor and manhandled his way to some second chance finishes. Flory’s versatility makes him difficult to guard as he’s a big mismatch problem for opposing bigs. Once he got to the rim, Flory punished defenders with his strong frame and finished exceptionally well through contact.
Michael Foster – 8th Grade – F/C – Milwaukee Rebels-Spartans
Perhaps the No. 1 prospect in the 8th grade division, Foster is very impressive. A 6-foot-7 forward that runs like a deer, Foster has a lot you just can’t teach. As you might expect, Foster is an excellent shot blocker and rebounder. While his athleticism is often superior to everyone on the floor, he doesn’t just rely on that. Foster can step out and shoot the ball a bit and also handle it in transition. He’s got some skills on the block, but is still developing that part of his game. An instant impact freshman next season, the Milwaukee native is going to be very intriguing to watch in the coming years.
Zach Howell – 7th Grade – G/F – Yanders Law Blue
A skilled, dangerous offensive player, Howell controlled the game in a win over the Wisconsin Playmakers. The 5-foot-10 wing is a tough matchup because he can shoot from all over the floor at a high level and interchange within the offensive system. Howell has the ability to create his own shot or run off screens and catch and shoot on the go. He was active in a variety of other areas, attacking the glass, playing the passing lanes, and playing strong interior defense as well.
Ashton Janowski – 7th Grade - SG – Wisconsin Shooters
Leading a come from behind victory over Ray Allen Select, Janowski put together a big second half. The sweet-shooting guard was hitting some tough 3-pointers off the dribble, including a ridiculous step-back triple. A fancy open floor passer, Janowski fooled the defense with a few no-look and behind the back dimes. Helping his team shake off a slow start, Janowski sparked the Wisconsin Shooters to a big second half run.
Donald McHenry – 8th Grade – G – Playground Elite Fletcher
McHenry dropped 25 points in a win over Team Ramey. A quick, skilled floor general, McHenry has an electric first step and an array of moves with the basketball. The lefty has a very smooth dribble drive game and has mastered the art of the floater over the top of the defense. With defenders having to respect his speed, McHenry counters with the deep ball. A game changer in the press, McHenry gets after it and rattles ball handlers into making mistakes.
Romeo Metcalf – 8th Grade – F – Quad City Elite
In a win over DTA, Metcalf was active against the zone and found the weak spots in the defense. Metcalf was never stagnant and made himself available to passers, forcing the defense to work. A high motor player, Metcalf gets after it on both ends of the floor. Any available rebound, Metcalf thought it was his. A strong, athletic forward, Metcalf is very physical down low and excels at being a glue guy that makes the job on his teammates much easier.
Terrance Moncrief – 8th Grade – PG – Illinois Speed
Moncrief excelled in transition and on the defensive end in Saturday’s win over Yanders Law Blue. Moncrief racked up the steals that led to a ton of run outs for his team. An unselfish, pass-first point guard, Moncrief gave up a lot of his own points in favor of getting his teammates involved. He’s listed at 5-foot-6, but plays much bigger considering his length. A smooth floor general with good handles, Moncrief just seemed to be in control the entire way and made winning plays down the stretch to hold off a late comeback.
Ben Nau – 8th Grade – PG – Ray Allen Select
Nau plays the game a lot like his older brother, Cole Nau. A player with a terrific feel and controls so many elements on the floor, Nau finished with 14 points in a win over Team Ramey. Much like his brother, Nau is a better athlete than he looks. Nau plays the game at a very fast pace and can process and make decisions easily in comfortable situations. Putting a ton of pressure on the defense, Nau has a quick first step and explodes right off the defender’s hip. He draws a lot of attention and a lot of fouls throughout 32 minutes.
Anthony Sayles – 8th Grade – SG - All-In Athletics
Sayles is just a flat out play maker. For the second day in a row, Sayles was owning the floor and changing the game on both ends of the court. Sayles plays the passing lanes very well and uses his length to anticipate and pick off passes at a high rate. From there, the 6-foot-2 guard just glides to the rim using an impressive blend of speed and strength. The transition play and unselfish demeanor on the floor make Sayles a big weapon for All-In. In a tightly contested game against Yanders Law, Sayles just got better and tougher down the stretch. As the defenders started to swarm him, all that did was raise the game of Sayles, who finished in traffic and against contact. Sayles absolutely took the game over and finished with 36 points in a big win.
Quincy Wiesman – 8th Grade – G/F – Iowa Barnstormers
Wiesman has an all-around offensive game and the ability to finish tough shots around the rim. In a win over Mercury Elite, Wiesman just made it look easy at times. When he gets into the paint, it’s already over as Wiesman opts to pull up with ease from mid-range or get all the way to the bucket. Wiesman also has a great feel in transition and constantly puts pressure on the defense. A talented two-way player, Wiesman does his job on the defensive end of the floor as well and takes pride in keeping his man out of the scorebook.
Kimarhi Wilson – 8th Grade – G – Kessel Heat Black
Wilson helped Kessel Heat Black run away from the Milwaukee Rebels-Spartans Saturday morning. A two-way guard, Wilson was really good defensively and collected a number of steals. Wilson consistently broke down the defense in the half court and in transition and lived at the rim. Wilson’s feel for the game and court vision was terrific. Always keeping his head up on the dribble and able to navigate through traffic, Wilson set up his teammates well on Saturday.
Kaleb Wofford – 8th Grade – SG – Yanders Law
A kid that just stays in the zone and never gets too high or too low, Wofford is always locked in. Whether he’s missed 10 in a row or made 10 in a row, Wofford plays the game the same way and he’s already moved on once the next possession has started. A deadly 3-point shooter, Wofford dribbled off screens and was always ready to rise and fire. With defenders having to play him so tight, Wofford took advantage and found open teammates whose defenders were over extended his way.
Foster Wonders – 8th Grade – F – Wisconsin Playground Warriors
Scoring a game-high 17 points in a win over Yanders Law, Wonders is a really nice prospect with a lot of tools offensively. He’s got a smooth stroke with deep range beyond the arc. Wonders can take people off the dribble and get all the way to the rack or pull-up from mid-range. His floor IQ is very high on Wonders finds numerous ways to beat his defender. Wonders should develop into a strong three-level scorer and already standing 6-foot-4, is going to be a big problem for opposing teams. A player with few holes in his game, Wonders also rebounds and distributes at a high level. This all-around player will make noise in the state of Michigan immediately next season.
NEW FACES TO KNOW
Brock Harding – 6th Grade – G – Iowa Barnstormers
Harding is a killer and put on a shooting clinic in Saturday’s blowout win over the Illinois Irish. A smooth shooter with a number of tricks, Harding has plenty of nifty moves to free himself for shooting space. When defenders cut him off at the point of attack that was only the beginning as Harding showed the ability to cut through defenses like a swiss army knife. When he steps out well beyond the arc and starts hitting triples, Harding becomes extremely difficult to defend.
Joshua Oraegbu – G/F – 6th Grade – Made Men
Oraegbu used his length and athleticism well in the press to spark a big first half run as Made Men topped Playground Elite Saturday morning. Oraegbu anticipated passes very well that led to easy transition buckets. The 5-foot-9 wing also created for others offensively. His ability to draw defenders and dump off passes kept the defense guessing throughout.
Mac Wrecke – F - 6th Grade – Ray Allen Select
Wrecke has some impressive athleticism. The 5-foot-8 forward can already play near the rim. Wrecke is a versatile prospect who spends time between the post and the wing. He’s good at putting the ball on the deck and has a soft touch from inside the paint. Wrecke had a big bucket late that helped Ray Allen Select survive a close game against Team Ramey as well.