David Beatty (PYO)
The 8th Grade Division also had some talent on the teams that didn’t make the finals. Here’s a breakdown of some of the talented Class of 2017 players that were in the building.
MLK Classic 8th Grade Top Performers
David Beatty Guard (PYO)- The physical guard was in attack mode all weekend. He punished the Black Mambas for 27 points in their one point victory. There are not many players in this class that is as relentless as Beatty. He’s one of the Top 3 prospects in Pennsylvania’s Class of 2017. He might be #1.
Jordan Armstrong Forward (Black Mambas)- Armstrong had a huge weekend in the scoring column including a 28 point outing against Playtime. The versatile forward lived at the charity stripe while knocking down 14 free throws. He definitely made a splash.
Travis Cox Guard (Black Mambas)- After a slow start (first game), Cox woke up to score 21 points against PYO and 26 markers against Playtime. He’s a slashing energy player and a nose for the ball. He must continue to work hard on his outside shot and ball handling.
Deondre Bournes Guard (Black Mambas)-Bournes averaged close to 19 points a game and had his moments. I think he settled for the jump shot a little too much which reduces his chances to getting to the line. But overall he showed some signs of a good prospect down the road.
Devin Hill Guard (Team Flight)- This was my first personal look at Hill and he showed me some tools. I like the explosiveness he showed in the open floor and his ability to finish in the lane. His long arms allows him to make some plays that others can’t get done.
Quadir Burgess Guard (Team Flight)- His team went 0-3 but he showed some flashes of being a finisher. He put together few scoring barrages to help them get back into a couple of games.