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| USBA Winter Championship 2019 Winners |
USA National Select has somewhat quietly amassed a dominant
resume over the past 3 years. With multiple national titles and end tournament and
showcase championships. The nation’s top
Showcase program which many have tried to duplicate without success continues
to amass undisputed results on the court.
The programs current .944 win percentage (171 wins – 10 losses) is
legendary in comparison to any program at any level.
With the New Year upon us USA National Select has seamlessly
transitioned from the stellar 2014 season to the 2015. Opening the year in Gatlinburg, Tennessee
National Select arrived at the Rocky Mountain Sports Complex looking to make a
statement to start the year. Their target? The USBA Winter Championship.
The squad made up of players from seven different states
opened the tournament with a 71-42 victory against a in state group who boasted
a 38-game win streak coming into the game.
They followed the game one victory with another dominating performance
taking out one of the Georgia top programs 64-22. Day two was more of the same as the nation’s
top players strung together two more impressive performances winning 63-26 and
taking the championship by a 68-37 margin.
There have multiple tournaments in which the selected player
groupings have dominated the competition – the 34.75/per game margin of victory
actual fell into the Top 5 of National Select history. The traditional teamwork and comradery
highlighted the event for national select with all players contributing and making
an impact in each and every game.
What should be noted that makes National Select showing even
more impressive is that the team make-up, one 6th grader, four 7th
graders and three 8th graders defeated teams made up exclusively of
8th and 9th graders.
So who were these special players – allow us introduce them
to you:
Caleb Hodgson 6’8 (Michigan - 2019) – 12.25ppg, 7.5 rbpg,
3bpg: Any conversation regarding the
2019 class that doesn’t include Hodgson must be questioned. The impressive size and length that is
combined with elite level basketball IQ
is only the begging of what make Hodgson so special. A big who can face up and play away from the
basket effectively as a scorer or a passer – is even more effective working off
the block. Caleb has already learned the
value of receiving, kicking-out, and reposting and with the vision and patients
of a guard he is able to achieve the position he wants in order to finish with
great efficiency around the basket.
Shoots a high percentage, gets to the line where he is a solid shooter,
and defend the position both on the ball as well as off. Hodgson possess a quiet demeanor which will benefit
opponent for only a short time longer.
Core strength and Hodgson demanding the ball and touches will take this
player to the upper echelon of his class.
Very good across the board skill-set with many tangible on the cusp of
being great – his go to and double moves also impressed during game play.
Isaiah Kennedy 5’9 (Ohio - 2020) – 6.25ppg, 3.0rbpg, 4.5
apg, 3spg: The tradition of top point
guards coming out of the great state of Ohio continues with the versatile Kennedy. A physical presence and specimen the kid is
built ford tough. His movements are
fluid and he displays a second nature push and pull game that clearly has been through
rigorous repetition in the gym. The value
and the gift that Kennedy brings to the floor is that on even given night he
can morph into a difference maker.
During the course of the weekend Isaiah displayed a consistency and a
versatility that not many possess. Kennedy showed 3-point range and a consistent
stroke, solid decision making both in the half court and in transition highlighted
by an ability to find the open man in tight places. Also impactful on the defensive side of the
ball as a wing defender as well as on the ball – the consummate PG he
consistently allowed his defense to dictate his offense. With the ball he score it well from the
mid-range, finished well at the glass, and also impressed with an array of
floaters from the baseline and other areas of the court. If you need him to score Kennedy can, if you
need him to run your team Kennedy can, if you need him to be a stopper Kennedy
can, need help on the glass Kennedy can – the question becomes can anyone do
all that Kennedy does; well no they can’t.
Jeremy Roach 5’9 (Virginia - 2020) – 13.5ppg, 4.5 rbpg, 3apg,
4spg: Absent for a while Roach came back
with a vengeance showing that he may have been gone but cannot be forgotten –
the ultra-talented combo guard again took the stage displaying one of the most proficient
scoring packages in the country at the 2020 class. Roach who lead the team in scoring for the
event did it all over the court literally – tallying points every way
imaginable! We loved Roaches ability to stretch
the defense with the trey ball from the parking lot as well as a finish off
different feet with different hand combinations; a next level skill many don’t even
practice. The consistency between 5 and
15 feet proves that the lost art is still alive at an elite level – defensively
Roach looked stronger than before and is still laser quick. A very heady player who things the game as
well as he plays it; don’t truly believe the player himself knows how good he is
or can be at this point; unfortunately for his opponent they found out early and often as Roach did damage
from tip to buzzer. There may be some
that can play with Roach defensively; but stop him – we don’t think so.
Tommy Anderson 5’9 (Las Vegas - 2020) – 8.75ppg, 7.0 rbpg,
4spg: The heat seeking missile from the
west coast set his eye on the paint and allowed nothing to deter him from his
mission. Anderson relentlessly attacks
the paint looking to finish up, around, and through contact. An old-school tough combo forward uses skill
and will to dominate for long stretches.
Able to get the ball off both glasses and finish and push the rock in
transition – probes the teeth of the defense and throws darts on the kick outs. Loves the floater but is built to do damage around
the tin. A space eater and space taker
he rebounds like a much bigger player, at this juncture Anderson is a
4-position player and multi-category contributor. One of the best players we have seen at
getting to the line on a per minute basis; a threat to garner a double- double
each time out, Anderson is production personified, one of the west coast best
kept secrets out west is now officially a national name.
Garrett Ott-Large 6’1 (Indiana - 2020) – 8.75ppg, 4.5 rbpg,
2 3-pointers pg: Garrett’s niche is his ability to shoot the ball from
long range and stretch opposing defenses from the forward position, but he's more
versatile than he appears at first glance with deceptive bounce and surprising effectiveness
on the glass. His strength and conditioning has come a long way since we have
last seen him and his ability to finish in the paint through contact has
improved vastly. Ott-Large has long arms
and big hands and has an uncanny way of affecting the game in multiple ways. We
were very impressed with his ability to find ways to score at all three levels -
played with great energy and with purpose in mind another high IQ player. The quick release, text book shooting stroke
is next level ready – high release point, high arching, and required little
time and space. Ott-Large is
unquestionably a player who will always have a spot on a team as his
consistency with his stoke is something every club coverts and needs. One of the best we have seen at reading and
relocating to find his shot.
Jordan Hairston 5’9 (Virginia - 2019) – 12.5ppg, 5.5 aspg, 4rpg: The combo guard out of Virginia continues to
impress with his growth and development.
The assist-to-turnover relationship for Hairston is beginning to become restaurant
quality; proving a summer of hard work in the gym and circuit is paying big dividends. The less is more premise is apparent with
Hairston and his substance over style approach gave big returns during the
weekend. Yet Jordan calling card was
still his bucket getting ability; one of the better scoring guards in an
extremely deep class especially when it comes to working off the catch and
bounce. Active without the ball as he
knows where he is headed on the floor whether it is to run away from his
defender or to utilize screen and roll situations. Now on the smaller side he plays the game as
if he is 6’10 with a heart as big as the ocean.
The kid is his biggest critic and takes the game seriously from tip to
buzzer – typically when you see a player continuously you become critical; with
Hairston you are seeing positive changes in development – this is usually a
result of quality training and/or coaching – one can only assume this is what
Jordan is being exposed to. The changing
of speeds, pace, and control is making Hairston a fast riser in one of the
toughest classes top to bottom on the county.
Zion Harmon 5’5 (Washington DC- 2021) - 13.5ppg, 7.0 aspg,
4spg, 10 3-pointers: The Baby Faced Assassins
and Pound for Pound Champ is used to the National Select stage – no moment is too
big and no class is too tough for the “Lion” out of the District of Columbia. So much has been said about Harmon but the at
the end of the day numbers don’t lie and his statistical contribution shows a well-rounded,
team oriented presentation – while turning many heads as a 6th
grader putting in work against players two to three years his elder. Harmon whose solid frame is built for contact
– at the 2021 level he is an Adonis. Many have heard but seeing again live the impressive ball skills it’s clear that Harmon
projects well to the point guard position even with the scoring gift he has
been blessed with. He handles the ball well in the open court and can locate open
teammates due to his vision; pressing him is futile and as proficient as he is
scoring the ball, with the talent the national select group puts around him he
become even more lethal as a passer both in the half-court and off penetration.
Caleb Bowers 5’8 (Maryland - 2020) - 9.75ppg, 2.0 aspg, 3spg: Bowers is another tough, competitive combo
guard that is more athletic and stronger than he appears – the extra year he
will receive after announcing his reclass to 2020 will allow him to develop at
a comfortable pace to the PG spot as well as allow his core to strengthen. He has
no fear and finishes well on the break for his size, honing the dual hand
finish will only enhance the great job attacking through contact he does – he is
a great FT shooter and his ability to draws fouls is impressive and is another
solid aspect to a blossoming game. Bower is a knock down shooter off the catch
or dribble and does it from distance with great consistency. A natural scorer whose coaches will find
challenging in taking off the wing as he does it well. Being able to do it from the lead will have
scouts mouths watering. Must guard the
position as well and the effort was next level the improvement since last
viewing him apparent. A UTR (Under The Radar) player in 2019, at 2020 he
potential star written on him; continue to watch Bowers develop the book has a phenomenal
beginning but we expect the middle and end to be even better! 
January 31st & February 1st - 2015
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