ZG Battle for the Belt - Event Recap

by Jason Smith | Monday, October 30th, 2017

This weekend marked the culmination of the ZG Fall Season as teams competed at the Battle For The Belt. Talent emerged across all grade levels and divisions as we saw heavy amounts of competition with teams competing for their chance at The Belt.

BABC faced a tough test early in the day in a 13-point comeback victory and later captured the Varsity American Division Belt behind strong play from Syracuse commit Brycen Goodine and sophomore forward Matt Cross. Meanwhile NE Blizz captured the title in an 11-point victory over Expressions that was a much closer game than the score indicates.

In the 10th grade division Middlesex Magic edged out Worcester Team United to take the American championship belt using good games from point guard Matt Mulvey. Take Charge blew away their competition to take the National division title.

The American division in 9th grade went to BABC in a tight game over Boston Bobcats, as BABC took home their second belt in the final game of the weekend. Middlesex Magic also got their second belt by beating out the Meekrats.

Standout Players

Terrence Clarke (Expressions, 2021) Clarke showcased his advanced skillset, especially off the dribble, and threw down some elite level dunks as well. At 6’5 he was manning the PG spot for Expressions most of the weekend and showing why he is loaded with potential.

Max Bonney-Liles (Team Saints 2018) He can play in a lot of different spots on the floor and his versatility is directly tied to his shooting ability and athleticism.

Ghared Boyce (WrightWay Skills, 2018) Boyce had the performance of the weekend, putting together a 40-point second half on Saturday night. He is nothing short of a microwave on the offensive end, skilled and confident enough to pull-up anywhere on the floor.

Matt Cross (BABC, 2020) Cross is a young prospect who was playing up with the varsity team this weekend. He showed a lot of versatility between making jumpers, running the floor, driving within the offense, or playing with his back to the basket.

Michael Levesque (RI Rivals, 2020) An under-the-radar talent who began to emerge, Levesque is very fast with the ability to stop on a dime and knock down mid-range jumpers all day long.

Paul Roche (Middlesex Magic, 2019) Roche is a tough player who can hit shots from deep. He doesn’t take plays off on either end of the floor and was competitive defensively with some tough matchups.

Jack Rodgers (Mass Pemier, 2018) A strong slasher who can also make shots from distance. Rodgers is a hard-nosed player who can fit into any offense because he can score without dominating the ball.

Josh Morissette (BABC, 2021) Morrisette is a young prospect though he is pretty advanced physically with nice touch on his jumpshot. He highlighted his weekend in the semifinals draining 4 threes, grabbing 5 boards, and 5 steals, showing his ability to contribute as a jack of all trades type player.

Camaron Tongue (Expressions, 2021) Tongue is a big body down low with a solid jumper for his size and age. He has good timing defensively and above average ball skills which point toward him being a tough matchup in the years to come.

Nate Hobbs (WrightWay Skills, 2018) Showed off his big-time athleticism on Sunday with some huge dunks. He’s an all-around athlete that can make a positive impact for his team in a multitude of ways including defending either guards or smaller forwards.

Brycen Goodine (BABC, 2019) Goodine showed a lot of explosion near the rim this weekend. He is ideally placed as a secondary ball-handler but is more than capable of taking the reins himself. Solid in a lot of areas, he’s just scratching the surface of his potential.

Tyler Kolek (Middlesex Magic, 2018) A dangerous lefty, Kolek made big shots all weekend and showed he can pull up with minimal space. As a scorer he attracts a lot of eyes on his drives but knows where his teammates are on the floor and finds them open on the perimeter.

Johnny McCoy (Mass Premier, 2018) Much like his teammate Rodgers, McCoy can impact the game without dominating the ball. He goes to the rim very hard and can finish through contact. He’s a long forward that can slide into multiple positions on the floor.

Kyle Henderson (Mass Select, 2018) Henderson is a tough and smart player who always seems to have his defender off-balance. He can score at all three levels and is a rugged competitor, came up big late in a few games for his team this weekend.