Day two of the GNBA championships got off to a great start and continued through the day as we saw many talented teams and prospects playing at a high level. With the championship on the line and teams not wanting to be sent home a day early there was great energy in the gym all day long. Some of the top middle school teams in the Midwest were on full display as we saw teams from 5 different states including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, and Michigan. Here are some of the players that stood out to me.
2018 GNBA CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 2 TOP PERFORMANCES
Kam Craft – 2022 (Mac Irvin Fire 14u) – Craft is one of the best scorers in the league and he proved it all day long Saturday. He is a deep ball threat and will hurt his defenders if they leave him any kind of space. He can finish around the rim at a very high rate using a variety of different kinds of flashy moves. In Mac Irvin's win early Saturday morning Craft finished with 22 points including four three pointers.
Zach Howell – 2022 (Yanders Law 14u) - Howell has had one of the most impressive springs in the GNBA and so far, this weekend has been no different. He is a scoring wing who can do a little bit of everything. He is the definition of a knock down shooter and will tear it up from anywhere beyond the arc. He is physical and strong and knows how to use it to his advantage down low. He is a rising 2022 prospect that we will hear a lot about in the coming years.
Jordan Jahnke – 2022 (Pack Attack 14u) - Jahnke wasn’t scoring at a high rate Saturday but he was doing all the little things to help lead his team to wins. In the final moments of Pack Attacks win over Marcus Denmon Elite Jahnke finished a tough go-ahead basket with 1.7 seconds left and then followed it up with a deflection on the defensive side that sealed the win. Jahnke is a classic big man who has added a new post move every time I have watched him. He has a high ceiling and if he continues to develop he will turn into a legitimate division 1 prospect.
Maximus Nelson – 2022 (WI Shooters 14u) - Nelson played solid Friday night and he was able to carry that momentum into Saturday. The young post player has a lot of things in his package and he is just scratching the surface of his potential. He showed hat he can knock down midrange shots, use his foot work to get nice easy looks around the rim, and with his height he can look over defenders and find his open teammates.
Dalen Davis – 2023 (WI Phenoms 13u) - Davis has shown all spring that he is one of the best scorers at the 13u level and Saturday afternoon was no different. He can score from all three levels and do so in fashion. With the combination of his quickness and crossover package there isn't much defenders can do to stay in front of him, he gets where he wants when he wants. His finishing ability is impressive at this level because it doesn’t matter how many defenders he goes through or how hard they foul him. The young guard erupted for 29 points in Phenoms win Saturday afternoon.
Cooper Farrall – 2023 (G3 Grind 13u) - Farrall was phenomenal in G3 Grinds win Saturday afternoon. He was getting whatever he wanted in the paint which allowed him to put up 17 points in the first half. Farrall can finish around the rim and when his teammates were able to find him he almost always answered with a bucket. Defensively his presence is known as he protects the rim at a very high rate and is almost always affecting shots or blocking them. Farrall ended with a team high 22 points in G3's win over Cream City's Chosen.
Nicholas Janowski – 2023 (WI Shooters 13u) - Janowski had one of the most impressive shooting performances of the day in the Shooters big win over the Illinois Irish. Janowski was hitting from all over the floor his quick release makes it hard for defenders to know when he is going to let it fly which allows him to get his shot off in tight situations. He was virtually ungradable from anywhere on the floor as he was knocking midrange jumpers, floaters, and laying it in. Janowski finished with a game high 25 points.
Jackson Paveletzke – 2022 (WI Phenoms 14u) - Paveletzke has one of the purer jump shots in the GNBA and he isn't afraid to show it off. In a big win over All In Athletics he dropped a team high 19 points and was scoring from all over the floor. His teammates trust him and always find him when he is open. When he gets hot there is not much his defenders can do to stop him as he knocks down anything from anywhere. Defensively he does a good job of keeping his opponents in front of him and he does not shy away from picking up for the full length of the floor. As he continues to develop he will turn into a 2022 prospect that makes some noise in the badger state the next couple of years.
Donovan Sparks – 2022 (Milwaukee Rebels 14u) - Sparks was doing a little bit of everything Saturday and was a huge part in the Rebels big win over a talented Team Ramey team. Still developing athletically, he has the strength and power to make up for what he lacks at this stage. He has great instincts and a high IQ which allows him to make him and his teammates better. He has a high motor when he is locked in and will go hard for loose balls and crashes the boards hard. For a young forward he has excellent vision and knows when and where to make the right pass. Sparks was flirting with a triple double posting 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists in the Rebels win over Team Ramey.
Chase Carter – 2022 (Gain Elite 14u) - Carter was all over the floor making plays for Gain Elite in their win over Martin Bros Select. Every tournament he has developed his game and added new things to what he does on the floor. He has a very well-rounded skill set for a player his size and age and it causes many matchup problems for his opponents. He has a high IQ and knows when to take control if needed. He finished with 10 points in Gain Elites win.
Tynan Numkena – 2022 (Quad City Elite 14u) - Numkena was a huge reason why Quad City Elite was able to hold off the Shooters in a close game. The young prospect did not shy away from making plays when it mattered down the stretch. He is a max effort player that gives it his all on every possession which allows him to get plenty of 50/50 balls, steals, and blocks. He has a knack for getting to the rim and can get there with his quickness, strength, and creativity. Numkena was finishing tough baskets with both hands and doing so in tough traffic. He finished with 20 points in Quad City's win over the WI Shooters.
Jeff Brazziel – 2022 (Ray Allen Select 14u) - Brazziel continued his high level of play and was lighting up score boards all day long. His length, athletic ability, and skill set causes problems for defenders as they have a hard time stopping him from scoring the ball at all three levels. Brazziel erupted for 15 first half points and ended up finishing with 26 in Ray Allen's big win over the Milwaukee Rebels. The young prospect got up and threw down a nice fast break dunk making one of the better highlight plays on the weekend. Brazziel will be one of the most talked about 2022 prospects in the Badger state.
Steven Clay – 2022 (WI Phenoms 14u) - Clay was doing what he had to do all day long Saturday and was a huge part in why the Phenoms were able to go 3-0. Clay is a versatile wing that can hurt his defenders in multiple different ways defensively. He has proven that he can score from all three levels at a high rate and when he flips his switch he is very hard to stop while attacking the rim. Clay is another prospect who will be one of the most talked about 2022 players in the Badger State over the next couple of years. The young wing finished with 11 points in Phenoms win over Marcus Denmon Elite.
JT Seagraves – 2022 (WI Phenoms 14u) - Seagraves is a very active big man who keeps getting more and more athletic. He finishes above the rim with consistency and doesn’t shy away from any defender. The young big man has nice body control and knows how to take advantage of less quick and athletic post players that try to defend him. He is very active on the glass and a solid rim protector too. Seagraves finished with 15 points in Phenoms win over Marcus Denmon Elite.
Ahmad Henderson – 2022 (Mac Irvin Fire 14u) - Henderson is a relentless competitor who goes hard game in and game out. A true point guard who can create for not only himself but for others too using the combination of his court vision and ball handling skills. A lethal three-point shooter as he proved that he can knock down NBA range threes with consistency. In one of the more clutch and exciting plays all day Henderson hit a contested three point shot to in the final moments to win the game for Mac Irvin Fire. The young point guard finished with 19 points in Mac Irvin’s win over Mercury Elite.
Donald Ferguson – 2022 (Team Getshook 14u) - Ferguson continues to impress as he proved once again he isn't scared of taking on the role of leading his team to a come from behind win. The high IQ point guard was relentless for GetShook in their 15-point comeback win. Without thinking twice, he pulled up from deep multiple times and hit clutch three pointers down the stretch. He always gets his teammates involved and makes the right plays but when it came down to the wire he wanted the ball in his hands and trusted his self to take the big shots. Ferguson finished with 13 points in a win over Yanders Law.