Junior Elite 75 Event Recap
The future looks bright in New England! That was the overwhelming consensus after watching some of the region’s most talented middle school players compete at Saturday’s Junior Elite 75 Showcase.
There were literally so many talented youngsters on hand that it would be almost impossible to give everyone their due credit in just one story, so we’ll provide recaps and evaluations in a series of stories to be published throughout the next couple of days.
The big prize of the day was a scholarship to Hoop Mountain’s Junior Elite Camp this summer. The award went to the player who had the biggest impact on the day, both in terms of his play on the floor and also his overall attitude and approach to the game. That player was 8th grader Jared Terrell, a 6’1” forward from Abigail Adams Middle School in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Terrell obviously has plenty of physical gifts including great strength and athleticism. He wowed the people gym on a couple of different occasions, first with some fierce blocked shots on the defensive end and then with explosive dunks offensively. He also showed an ability to break his man down off the dribble with his cross-over move. But more than any individual talent, what was most impressive about Terrell was how energetic and intense he was throughout the entire day.
The day’s activities began in skill development stations where the staff of high school and college coaches provided instruction in dribble moves, rip series off the catch, setting & using screens, transition concepts, finishing, and offensive footwork.
From there the players in attendance participated in educational sessions providing them with valuable information on subjects including: what to expect from their high school basketball experience; what it takes to bring their game to the next levels; and an introduction to the recruiting process.
Finally, the players had a chance to show their stuff as everyone played two games to cap off the day.
Be sure to check back to the New England Recruiting Report’s Junior Elite Division Page tomorrow as we’ll be profiling the big men who proved their worth in the paint.
Jared Terrell