Big Shots B'More Certified Selected Players Pt. 1
Ron Bailey, Publisher
Tourney was full of 16u talent.
April 23, 2012 - Various sites in the greater Baltimore area were filled with the sounds of bouncing balls and squeaking sneakers, as the Big Shots Baltimore Certified grassroots boy’s basketball tournament took place this past weekend. Teams from across the East Coast and Midwest descended upon the Charm City.
Sunday, HoyaReport.com visited the tourney, where many talented players were observed. Several of them are documented, below. Hats go off to Team Final’s 16u team, which competed and won the Slam Bracket – a hyper-competitive grouping the pitted both 17u and 16u teams.
Ja'Quan Newton dropping off the pill in Slam Bracket 'chip action.
Ja’Quan Newton – 6’2”, 175 pound sophomore guard, Team Final (16u), Neumann-Gorietti (PA) – A dynamic driver, Newton attacks the rim with a fierceness not seen often; he finishes through contact and with either hand. Can also hit open shots (frequently), and run a team.
When asked what he needs to work on, Newton indicated “My jump shot’s consistency, defense, and decision making I.Q.”. That’s an honest assessment.
Newton is getting a ton of love, expectedly. Wake Forest, Penn State, Villanova, Temple, and Miami have all offered Newton, according to him. Georgetown and others are also on the scene.
Was tourney MVP.
That's Phil Booth defending Tommy Heard.
Phil Booth – 6’2”, 175 pound sophomore guard, Team Takeover (16u), Mount St. Joes (MD) – A smooth guard that generally plays the right way, Booth scores almost naturally. Has a strong hoops I.Q.
Needs to get stronger, and play harder more consistently. Also must focus on keeping his center of gravity lower, which will be aided by strength/balance work.
Villanova, Virginia, Maryland, Rutgers and Miami have expressed interest.
Tommy Heard – 6’4”, 200 pound sophomore swingman, Baltimore Elite (16u), St. Frances (MD) – A player that loves to attack the rim, Heard plays hard and strong, powering through contact. Will attack off the bounce on break and in half court.
Should develop his shooting range going forward, in addition to court/situation awareness; Tommy has to realize when to drive hard, and when to pull it out. Changing speeds is a must also.
Virginia, Virginia Tech Bucknell, and as he put it “a couple of other schools) have expressed interest in this 3.0 GPA student.
Jahair Jones, about to mix it up.
Jahair Jones – 6’5”, 240 pound sophomore forward, Squash All Beefs (16u), South River (MD) – Possessing good feet and solid hands, Jones is an under-the –rim performer that uses movement and strength to get his shot off. Will bang on the boards and defend the post solidly.
Needs to work on conditioning, which will allow him to go harder for complete games. Scores off of post moves – spins, drop steps – but a solid mid range spot up will be beneficial going forward.