Gulf States Cup I Saturday Notebook
The Gulf States Cup continued Saturday in Huntsville. With bracket play beginning and spots in the championship available, several teams and players came out looking for successful performances to advance to the championship bracket.
Here are some storylines from Saturday’s play…
ISAIAH GREEN PUTS ON SHOOTING CLINIC
It’s not difficult to choose the most impressive individual performance of the weekend – just ask anyone that was in the gym when 2019 guard Isaiah Green (pictured above) scored 39 points in a win for Pro One Select Navy 16U.
Green made thirteen three-point attempts on 17 shots from the floor to score his 39 points. For those in attendance at Randolph, it was a performance that many will never see again. The dynamic scorer got in a rhythm early and found his shots.
By Saturday afternoon, Green was the talk of the tournament after his shooting clinic. The Columbia (AL) High School product is one of the Huntsville area’s most unique scorers and is a guy to keep an eye on going forward.
OTHERS BIG SCORING PERFORMANCES
From start to finish, no one had a more consistent scoring weekend than R.J. Harrington of the Alabama Elite Warriors 16U. The Ramsay (AL) guard posted a couple of big scoring games, including a 32-point performance in an early morning win over the Hawks Elite.
2019 Walker (AL) shooting guard Owen Long put together an impressive scoring performance for CP25 Alabama Saturday with what included 20 points in the first half. The lefty had things going from downtown, as he made five 3’s and put together an exciting game against the Atlanta All-Stars.
Tyme Andrews, a 2018 shooting guard from Fultondale High School, was productive for the Birmingham Panthers all weekend long. He scored 25 points in a variety of ways Saturday morning, as he kept the defense on its toes with some 3’s, mid-range shots, and finishes at the rim.
ALEX JONES IS THE MOTOR FOR ATLANTA ALL-STARS
Buford, GA
The Atlanta All-Stars made the trip over from Georgia to participate in the Gulf States Cup and had a successful weekend. With a team full of talented college prospects, it was 5-foot-9 point guard Alex Jones that started the engine for the All-Stars.
Despite his size, Jones was the most important player on the floor each game. He controlled the game for his team and displayed a high basketball IQ as he drew fouls on defenders. Jones’ quickness and speed made him hard to contain and his relentless attitude was undeniable in his drives to the basket. He consistently found crafty ways to finish at the rim with contact, too.
Jones holds scholarship offers from Presbyterian and Northwestern State, and, with the evaluation periods about to take place, that number could increase.
OTHER STANDOUTS
Trinity Epps did a magnificent job on the defensive end for CP25 Alabama 14U. The 2021 product was able to hold Kobe Griffin and Evan Delp to only 2 points in back-to-back games. His production on the defensive end of the floor is one of the main reasons why CP25 Alabama finished second in the 15U division.
Christian Brandt and Dylan Finch had a couple of solid games for the Hawks Elite on Saturday. They finished with 19 points and 18 points respectively in a loss to OB Kings Select.
Ahmad Ellington put together a solid day of work for JSI Elite. The Hoover point guard scored 21, 17, 15, and 18 points prior to the championship game. 2019 shooting guard A.J. McGinnis also had a productive day, posting 22, 18, and 15-point scoring games. The dynamic duo is one to watch for JSI Elite.
Jonathan Sullivan scored 24 points for BeElite Hoops in a narrow loss to the Georgia Magic.
2019 Gadsden City (AL) point guard Dee Pearson had a couple of solid performances for Pro One Select Navy as they captured the 16U championship. The 6-foot-1 guard displayed his mid-range pull-up game and his ability to score with ease.
One of the most impressive players all weekend was 2019 guard Dekylan Malone with the Caledonia Kings. The crafty lefty put up some impressive scoring numbers, as he averaged 19 points per game over the course of the tournament.
