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Top Performers 17U: Big Shots Virginia Beach Tip-Off 2022

By Frank Bennett, 03/25/22, 12:15AM EDT

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Xavier Brown stars in scoring 41 points in title game

Virginia Beach, VA - The Big Shots Virginia Beach Tip-Off marked the official beginning to the AAU season in Virginia. The event not only featured many of the top AAU programs from Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and DC but was highlighted by the Donald Hand All Star Classic with a pair of talent laden rosters that included top players like Boston College commits Donald Hand, Jr and Chas Kelly.  Tennessee Tech bound Brandon Brown, Ihsan Duncan who will play his college basketball at Hampton University  and a host of high school player of the year honorees and all conference award winning unsigned seniors were also on hand hoping to take advantage of the Big Shots platform to land on the radar of college coaches.   Players whose teams were participating in the Big Shots Virginia Beach Tipoff were hoping to catch the eye of the many Big Shots scouts on hand with aspirations of also one day playing basketball at the college level.  Championship Sunday alone featured no less than a dozen games decided in the final minute, many of those in overtime or in the waning seconds so for a season opening event, teams and players appeared to be in mid season form!  Let’s take a look at some of the Big Shots Virginia Beach Tipoff’s top performers in the 17U division.

17U Division

 

Xavier Brown – Big Shots Elite (6’2 2023 Jamestown HS, VA)  Xavier exploded for 29 second half points enroute to a 41 point performance sparking Big Shots Elite to a come from behind 75-69 win over Showtime Elite in the 17U Championship Game further demonstrating why he is one of the top point guard prospects in Virginia. An elite level athlete he combines sound skills with a dogged determination making him a game changing presence on both ends of the floor.  In the second half of the championship game he seemed to score at will against a very good Showtime Elite team getting to the rim with regularity.  Xavier comes from a basketball family.  His Dad and Coach both for Jamestown High School and Big Shots Elite starred for four seasons for Norfolk State University and as a high school coach has won state championships coaching  both girls and boys teams.  Coach Brown’s daughter Keyana was on one of those state title teams and was a four time All State selection who went on to play her college basketball at Virginia State University after transferring from Old Dominion University where she played for three seasons.  Xavier’s brother Dominique played at Emory and Henry and another brother, Chris played at DII Huston Tillotson University in Texas.  He has a cousin, Tyriq Brown who is a senior guard at  Moravian Prep whose same scrappy and tough playing style on both ends of the floor has drawn the attention of some college coaches.  Xavier earned MVP honors in the 17U division after leading Big Shots Elite to the championship.                

Alfredo Abel – FABO Runnin Rebels (Colonial Forge HS, VA)  Alfredo is a physical guard who plays through contact nicely, protects the basketball in traffic and demonstrated a nice touch from various angles at the rim.  He has a smooth shooting stroke and shot the ball well throughout the weekend.  Alfredo provides defensive versatility using his powerful frame to move bodies inside and was active on the glass while also showing the ability to defend the dribble in space.  Makes good use of shot fakes and was able to bully many defenders enroute to the rim.  Alfredo earned 1st team All Commonwealth District and 2nd Team All Region honors while helping to lead Colonial Forge High School to a berth in the VHSL Region 6B tournament.     

 Ashon Andrews – Showtime Elite Black (6’3 2022 T Roosevelt HS, MD) Ashon made the biggest play of the weekend for Showtime Elite with a steal at half court with his team down by one in the closing seconds, he then fired up a 45 footer that banked gently off the backboard and through the net giving Showtime Elite a thrilling 52-51 win over TRU Hustle and reserved their spot into the 17U championship game.  But big plays on the offensive end and key stops defensively are common for the ball hawking defender whose quick hands and feet combine with a great motor to allow Ashon to be a game changing presence on either end of the floor.  A fantastic athlete he plays taller than 6’3 as he is a very good rebounder.  He has a nose for the ball, is quick off the floor and is an excellent repeat jumper.   Offensively he moves well without the ball and knocks down shots especially in the mid range at a good rate.  He attacks the basket with purpose and finishes through contact nicely.  Ashon was instrumental in helping lead Theodore Roosevelt High School (DC) to a 14th straight DCIAA Final four!     

Ronald Bridges, Jr – Dream Big Elite (6’4 2023 Jordan HS, NC) “RJ” is an athletically gifted slasher type who can also knock down the jumper from all levels.  Hits the catch and shoot jumper at a good rate showing a sound stroke and a quick release.  Hits shots off the dribble at a good rate but is best attacking off the bounce where he plays off hesitations nicely and navigates through the lane in a slippery manner showing great touch at the rim.  RJ can explode to the rim for thunderous dunks or finish with creativity and touch.  He is a strong on ball defender, a lock down defender who is also very good off the ball showing great anticipation in passing lanes.  RJ is active on the glass on both ends of the floor and you really have to keep a body on him as he brings great effort on every possession and will come flying in for rebounds and stick backs if not accounted for.  Solid handle and highly unselfish, creates scoring opportunities for teammates.  RJ carries a 3.5 GPA and should be on the radar of college coaches!  

 Justin Burns –  Mixers (6’4 2023 Amherst County HS, VA) A very good three point shooter, Justin plays off  the threat of his jumper and deep range attacking  hard closeouts with rangy strides and punishing assertiveness.  Justin uses jabs effectively and his long first step is decisive.  Hits the pull up jumper with good consistency and has the ability to switch into another gear and blow by a defender.  Absorbs contact nicely.  Provides positional versatility on the defensive end, rebounds the basketball and is very good leading the break.  Justin earned All Seminole District honors for Amherst County High School.

Derrin Clark – TRU Hustle (5’10 2022 Nansemond River HS (VA)  Darrin is super quick and shifty, nearly impossible to stay in front of.  He has a quick handle, uses change of pace effectively and has an explosive first step.  He can bury the jumper from anywhere on the floor and is so effective attacking off the dribble not only because he can blow by most defenders but he sees the floor nicely and hits cutters with timely and pinpoint passes.  Darrin has the ability to stop on a dime and bury the pullup jumper and his floater to finish over length is textbook.  An intelligent floor general he is a leader on the court and off.   Manages the game nicely and is super competitive, highly confident.  He is a lockdown defender who can snatch the dribble from you at the blink of an eye.  A true catalyst not for his high school team but for TRU Hustle as well. Darrin earned All VHSL Region 5B Second Team honors, he carries a 3.4 GPA.             

Jermaine Coston – The U Elite (6’4 2022 Thomas Dale HS, VA) Jermaine brings a lot of versatility to the court on both ends.  He is long and active on the glass averaging over 8 rebounds per game for Thomas Dale High School yet has the quickness to defend either wing out on the perimeter.  Jermaine can step into the jumper off the dribble and knock it down from anywhere on the floor and he is a threat scoring off the bounce.  He has the ability to hang in the air, absorb contact and then score.  He can also throttle the rim with powerful slams showing very good leaping ability to go along with his long arms and legs.  Hits the catch and shoot jumper at a good clip and has a solid overall skill set.     

Donald Gatling – Big Shots Elite (6’1 2022 Phoebus HS, VA)  Donald really came up big in the second half in the championship game win for Big Shots Elite 17U both on the glass, making defensive plays in the open court and on the offensive end with stick backs and beating his man down the floor in transition for a easy baskets.  He is an elite level athlete, long and quick, tremendous leaping ability and quick elevation.  You can see he just loves to compete be it on the football field where he is a highly recruited linebacker and Virginia Class 3 Defensive Player of the Year for state champion Phoebus High School or on the basketball court where he also led Phoebus to the region semifinals.  Donald gives you scoring inside and out as he hits the spot up jumper with good consistency with range that extends out beyond the arc but can also make a play off the bounce where he likes to get downhill and fight off contact and score or use his impressive bounce to simply go right over the top of you.  Aggressive around the rim on both ends of the floor especially on the offensive end where he routinely got his hands on the basketball to keep possessions alive or get stick backs, playing much taller than  6’1. Back in January Donald declared his recruiting wide open for football and basketball and expects to commit “late in the summer”.       

Parker Hodgeson – Dream Big Elite (6’3 2023 North Raleigh Christian Academy, NC) Parker was the North Raleigh Christian Academy MVP and an All Conference selection while carrying a 4.0 GPA. He can flat out shoot it! He shot 46% from the floor while averaging 16 points per game for NRCA in a breakout junior season!  Parker can score from anywhere on the floor taking advantage of a pretty crafty handle, length and sneaky quickness.  He hit a couple of three pointers and scored off the bounce and he really attacks the basket with a vengeance, not hesitating one bit to dunk on you!  Parker also showed his overall playmaking skills getting into the lane and creating not only for himself but for teammates.  Solid decision maker with the ability to play either guard position productively.  He’s definitely one to watch going forward and shows next level potential.       

Charles Holley – TRU Prime (6’2 2023 Heritage HS, VA)  Charles is a high flying guard who is known for his highlight reel dunk finishes.  An explosive leaper who attacks the rim fearlessly and won’t hesitate to go right over the top of you for a dunk.  He can hit the jumper and his range extends beyond the three point arc.  Charles has a quick release and uses the shot fake well followed by quick, creative drives to the rim.  Has a nasty quick crossover and slashes through the lane in an elusive manner.  Charles earned 2nd team All Peninsula District honors this past season not only for his dazzling offensive heroics but for his solid defense as well.  Charles uses his long wingspan and is a solid on ball defender.  Does a great job showing his instincts in passing lanes as well.       

Devin Johnson – FABO Runnin Rebels (6’6 2022 Massaponax HS, VA) Devin is a high academic and athletically gifted student/athlete who combines great length with good quickness and versatility.  He can create his own shot off the bounce or hit the catch and shoot jumper.  Runs the floor with good quickness and graceful strides and is a threat in transition not only as a finisher but he demonstrates the ability to start the break as well.  Very active rebounder with good timing and doesn’t take long to gather for a second jump.  Nice touch around the rim.  Devin was named the Player of the Year in the Commonwealth District after leading Massaponax to an undefeated season in the Commonwealth District.  He also earned 1st team All Region honors.     

Braden Justice – Eastern Shore Playaz (6’6 2023 Northampton , VA)  Braden is a solid inside presence for ESP, big and strong and especially mobile given his size.  He defends the paint nicely but has sound defensive technique and enough lateral mobility that allows him to defend his position out away from the basket.  What impresses most is his ability to stretch the floor with the spot up jumper and to flash out to the high post, front pivot and knock down the jumper with very good consistency showing a fluid and sound stroke.  Very good passer both from the high post and the low post.  Sealed his man nicely inside and made himself available for entry passes and demonstrates good skills.  Braden has been very consistent in the two years I have watched him giving ESP a reliable paint presence on both ends of the floor. Braden was the second leading scorer for his Broadwater Academy High School team averaging 14.9 ppg while grabbing over five rebounds per contest.  He earned All Metro Conference honors for his efforts.   

Dallas Kendall – TRU Prime (6’10 2023 Menchville HS, VA)  Dallas really made great strides during last summer and fall adding consistency on his jumper and range and playing with more assertiveness as a result.  Ridiculously long, yet thin he rebounds the ball nicely and really works the paint defensively and offensively making himself a productive presence inside on both ends of the floor.  He is a good passer from the post showing vision and the ability to make the right pass.  Very good in pick and roll and pick and pop action.  Dallas has a fundamentally pleasing and smooth stroke on his jumper and can hit the three pointer.  He is the son of former Boo Williams star Carlos Heard who went on to play his college basketball at Cal Poly for guess who?  None other than Big Shots CEO Jeff Schneider! 

Tyler Lodge – Beach Xplosion (5’10 2022 Tallwood HS, VA) Tyler really shot the ball well throughout the weekend,  He did a great job getting to his spots be it moving without the ball or using the dribble and he proved he can score it around the rim as well.  Strong frame and uses his body to initiate contact to score.  He hits it from deep both in catch and shoot scenarios and off the dribble, hits the pull up jumper at a high rate, knocked down fadeaways over length, created separation with contact and just knows how to get his shot and can convert at a good percentage.  Hits contested shots. Tyler did a nice job pushing the ball in transition and finding teammates, he was around the basketball defensively and demonstrated solid instincts off the ball as he jumped into passing lanes time and again for steals.  He got position inside for timely rebounds and isn’t afraid to step in and take a charge.  Brian Durbin, the highly successful and longtime coach and director of Beach XPlosion says college coaches will not only get a high IQ playmaker but Tyler is a high character young man and straight A student at Tallwood High School and is a player coaches should have on their radar.      

Dakota Sellers – FABO Runnin Rebels (6’3 2024 Fredericksburg Christian, VA) Dakota is a sophomore playing up with the 17U team and he proved he was more than ready to compete with anybody.  He has next level athleticism and uses his length and sound skills to get to the rim.  He has a textbook stroke and can hit the jumper from all levels.  Very good off the bounce slashing through defenses with creativity and slipperiness.  A strong finisher with a nice touch, plays through contract.  Has the look of a potential scholarship player!     

Milyan Smith Walker – Big Shots Elite (6’4 2023 York High School, VA)  Milyan has dominated play in VHSL Region 3A for the last two seasons twice earning first team all region honors and is coming off a season much like his sophomore campaign averaging over 19 points and over 8 rebounds per game while also dishing out over four assists per contest with three steals per game so he is routinely impacting all phases.  That’s exactly what the bruising 6’4 219 pound guard showcased in another brilliant weekend of play for Big Shots Elite 17U.  Milyan handles the ball nicely and is amazingly nimble given his powerfully built frame.  Has good quickness and I have always referred to him as a bruising slasher type because likes to initiate contact and power his way to the rim but he can also break you down with a surprisingly quick crossover combination and enough quickness to sneak up on you.  Milyan can stick the jumper from all levels, a very good shooter off the bounce and a crafty finisher displaying a soft touch around the rim, great body control.  He not only uses his physicality to move opponents to gain rebounding position he also gets off the floor quickly and with good bounce both on his initial and subsequent jumps which makes him such a force inside.  He is a player to watch in 2023 in Virginia and perhaps one of the state’s most underrated talents at this point.          

Bradyn Washington – Eastern Shore Playaz (6’2 2023 Broadwater Academy, VA)  Bradyn is a scorer!  He hits the jumper at all levels at a solid percentage and he scores on the move combining a strong frame with quickness and creativity.  He attacks space emphatically!  Uses a solid burst and powerful strides, he shrugs off contact and gets to the rim at a good rate but knows when to stop the drive and pull up where he buries the jumper with good regularity.  Strong legs and upper body once he gets an angle which he does very well you’re at his mercy.  Bradyn uses pivots in traffic and finds the slightest opening to exploit.  Can finish with authority or contort his body and score off the glass showing a great touch.  Great motor, can impact either end of the floor and his physical attributes makes for a versatile defender who can guard the dribble or go inside and battle for rebounds.  A lot of his success is his physical and fundamental skills but he’s a warrior and you won’t have to question his effort.  Bradyn gets after you on both ends of the floor every second of the game.  When you play him, you know you’re in for a long day!  He caught the attention of opposing coaches in the Metro Conference who selected him to the All Metro first team after averaging 16 points per game for Broadwater Academy.     

Micah Webb – Showtime Elite (5’6 2024 CMIT North HS, MD) Micah does a nice job handling ball pressure, getting where he wants with the dribble and making solid decisions.  He showed good vision and passing skills, used penetrate and kick and got his teammates good scoring opportunities.  Did a solid job distributing the basketball throughout the weekend but can also score it in big numbers when needed as we saw with an 18 point game against the Mixers which included a buzzer beater from the top of the key in an eventual 58-56 overtime win.  Micah changes speeds nicely and has a strong burst, plays off  hesitations effectively and can hit the jumper off the dribble at any time showing a quick stop and pop move and nice elevation.  Uses his offhand nicely.  Hits the runner and showed he can score over length when attacking the rim.  Quick hands and feet defensively and can guard you baseline to baseline and not get beat.  

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