The Grassroots Finale 16U Top Performers Part I
Virginia Beach, VA - Another travel season is in the books and we finished the season off with a bang at our Grassroots Finale in Virginia Beach. Let’s take a deep dive into our first set of top performers in the 16-and-under division.
Zae Cleveland, Team Resilience - Zae Cleveland’s uber-athleticism is next level. Cleveland is a no-brainer D-1 caliber player; he is a shot maker, carries himself with a different level of confidence on the court, and tries to tear the rim down on every drive. In the two games I watched, Cleveland had 26 and 30 points. Cleveland’s name will definitely be around for a while. - Mekhi McKinney
Owen Eaton, House We Built - In one game, Eaton hit a shot to send it to OT, and minutes later, he hit another to win in sudden death. Eaton showed he wasn’t scared of the big moment and was confident because he had been dominating all game, scoring 22 points in this specific outing. - Mekhi McKinney
Kareem Anderson, Grassroots NC - Another Grassroots Finale, another really good eastern North Carolina guard. Anderson was able to get baskets off the dribble all weekend long. Anderson helped lead Grassroots North Carolina to the semi-finals of the 16 and under division at the Grassroots Finale. He is one of those shifty guards that has a quick first step and an uncanny ability to finish at the rim. He is explosive off the dribble, gets to his spots and makes tough shots. - Justin Byerly
David Taft, Shockers - The 6 foot five big man was a key piece for the run that the Shockers went on to make it to the finals of the 16 and under bracket. He has length and really good footwork for his age. He was able to get a lot of baskets around the rim, block shots and was able to rebound at a high rate. If he continues to grow, I think he will be a guy that could end up getting a scholarship. - Justin Byerly
Shimere Garris, Warriors Life Elite - Big bodied guard that is hard to stop when he is attacking and he attacks nearly every possession. His footwork in transition and his ability to squeeze through spots with his physicality is impressive. Garris scored 21 points in the 16 and under championship game and he did it by overpowering and out muscling the opposing team. He wanted the ball and he knew what he was gonna do when he got it. Impressive performance. - Justin Byerly
