Film Room: 17U Anchor Basketball at Midwest Mania
Anchor Basketball made their way from Indiana to Ohio in order to compete at the Midwest Mania event. This team definitely made some noise at the event by going 2-1 while facing off against multiple talented programs. There was a collection of new prospects that stood out over the weekend and caught my eye from this group.
Anchor Basketball started things off on the right note by earning a win in their first game at Midwest Mania.
Cedric Huntely was a shifty and speedy floor general who caught my eye from the jump in Anchor Basketball’s first outing in Ohio. He utilized quick bursts of speed to attack and beat closeouts, plus he was a flexible finisher at the rim. He made some strong reads by finding open teammates, however it was his scoring that initially caught my eye. Huntley put constant pressure on the rim with his speed, handle, and aggression.
Amauri Moore was an athletic and physical wing who was a prominent weak-side slasher for this group. He’s a hard-nosed rim finisher who had the strength to absorb & finish through contact when he was met by rim protectors in the lane. He also flashed his bouncy verticality considering he was able to throw down some emphatic slam dunks over the weekend as well. Moore was a physical and athletic wing who certainly made some noise in Ohio.
Tyson Frey and Matthew King also made some helpful contributions on the offensive end for Anchor Basketball.
Game #2: Another win over the Cincinnati Royals
Anchor Basketball was able to fight out another win, this time it was against the Cincinnati Royals.
Cedric Huntley led the offensive attack once again in this game and he put tons of pressure on the rim with his downhill playmaking. His acceleration bursts proved to be too much for opposing guards, plus he converted some tough finishes. He also showed some strong decision-making in this game by delivering an array of passes to open teammates. Defensively, Huntley’s a laterally quick defender who could disrupt the flow of opposing ball handlers rhythm.
Amauri Moore was also a standout performer once again in this performance, however he also popped on the defensive end. He was a switchable defender who was comfortable guarding in space, plus his physical tools allowed him to hold his own against opposing forwards. Per usual, he was a downhill and forceful slasher that had his way getting to the rim. Moore brought a ton of energy on the defensive end which proved to be contagious for his teammates.
Game #3: Tight loss to Ohio Buckets
Anchor Basketball wasn’t able to come out on top in this game, however they played extremely hard and only lost by 5 points. They played at 100% the entire weekend and held their own against some talented programs.
Cedric Huntley led the offensive attack per usual with his paint pressure and shifty ball handling. He broke down defenders off the bounce, plus he showed his ability to score when needed. He had the touch to finish around the rim, particularly when finishing through traffic. He flashed some pull-up shooting touch throughout the weekend in Ohio as well. Defensively, ___ was a scrappy on-ball defender who was highly difficult to beat off the bounce.
Isaac Smith brought some shotmaking into this game for Anchor Basketball despite the tough loss. He was a reliable spot-up shooter who played with a high-feel when operating off the ball. His shooting consistency gave him the ability to be utilized in a variety of offensive sets. Smith had his fair share of impressive shots, however it wasn’t enough for Anchor Basketball to come out on top.
Drew Pliett and Davione Doty also made some meaningful contributions for Anchor Basketball in this one.
