June 2, 2009 New England Hoop News Staff
With teams battling out for bragging rights in the 10-14u age divisions of the inaugural Best of the Best, many players made a name for themselves as guys to watch in the coming years. It can be difficult to judge at such an early age, when kids haven't truly developed their games yet, but make no mistake there was plenty of talent to be seen this past weekend in Springfield, Ma.
Tyree Robinson, 6'3 - BABC 13u: Robinson is athletic and long. He runs the floor like a deer, plays above the rim, as evidenced by his 2 dunks in the championship game vs. DC Assault, and can really finish the ball well. Robinson looks like he'll continue growing and developing and could be a scary player down the road.
Makai Mason - 5'6 - Indoor Action Elite 14u: Mason opened a lot of eyes this weekend. Some in the Western Mass area were familiar with Mason, but many weren't sure how he would do when facing stiff competition. Mason proved any doubters wrong this weekend. He has a little Steve Nash to his game. He has okay speed with the ball, but plays extremely crafty. Mason can shoot from anywhere on the court, and doesn't have much trouble getting his shot off either. He had big games of 17 pts vs MABC in a 1-point loss and 22 vs. the Boston Saintz.
Joey O'Connell - 6'5 - Indoor Action Elite 14u: O'Connell is a big body who isn't afraid to mix it up. He's very good around the rim, finishing when there's contact, and can step out to 15-16 feet to shot. He plays with a toughness that is much needed for his IAE squad.
Kahlil Dukes - 5'10 - CBC 14u: Dukes was as good a guard we saw this weekend. Although his shot selection wasn't always perfect, you feel like he's going to do something good when the ball is in his hands. He sees the floor extremely well, can get by you whenever he wants and is a capable shooter. The main thing for him to improve upon is his shot selection. Dukes is a name we should be hearing a lot more of. Tournament highlight: 19 pts in 'chip loss to Boston Saintz.