Diary Of A Baller: Ben Roy (Spring Lakes Heights, NJ) Entry #1

Ben Roy At Elevate Hoops

What’s up Basketball Spotlight World? 

Welcome to week one, “Diary of a Baller,” for Ben Roy. First and foremost, I would like to give a special thanks to Mike Melton and bballspotlight for giving me the opportunity to share my weekly grind and what I do on a daily basis. My name is Ben Roy, and I’m from Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey. I am a 14 year old, 6’0 PG for Team Rio National (class of 2022). Ever since I could remember I have been playing basketball, and ever since I could remember… I fell in love with it. 

Basketball Spotlight AC Showcase 8th Grade Best Of The Best & All-Tournament Team

The 8th Grade Division Of The AC Showcase was loaded with talent. Here’s a look at the Best Of The Best and All-Tournament Team. 

Basketball Spotlight AC Showcase 8th Grade Best Of The Best 

Best Performer: Corey Floyd (NJ Bulldogs)- Floyd was outstanding in the AC Showcase. He was undeniably the MVP of this event. 

Best Prospect: Jaquan Harris (NJ Bulldogs)- The big point guard passes the look test and also delivers on the floor. He’s going to make a high school coach very happy next season. 

Best Playmaker: Darrell Victory (Riverside Hawks)- Victory play making ability once again helped Riverside reach the finals. Not many guards impact the game as much as this kid. 

Best Shooter: Ben Roy (Team Rio National)- Roy be knocking shots down from anywhere on the floor. Once he gets going it’s usually lights out. 

Best Floor General: William Richardson (NJ Playaz)- This kid is definitely worth the price of admissions. He has a unique flair to the game and runs the show like a quarterback. 

Best Scorer: Corey Floyd (NJ Bulldogs)- The MVP scored the competition in the scoring column. He averaged over 20 points a game. 

Best Fresh Face: Jadin Collins (Team IZOD)- Collins made a great impression to our staff running the point. I’m anxious to see him rock again. 

Best Defender: Chad Anglin (Philly Triple Threat)- Anglin was a problem on defense by blocking and altering shots. He seems to have a huge upside. 

AC Showcase 8th Grade All-Tournament Team 
Corey Floyd (NJ Bulldogs) 
Jaquan Harris (NJ Bulldogs) 
William Norman (NJ Bulldogs) 
Hassan Jackson (NJ Bulldogs) 
Darrell Victory (Riverside Hawks) 
Jaquan Sanders (Riverside Hawks) 
Francisco Mattei (Riverside Hawks) 
Joe Medlin (Riverside Hawks) 
Ben Roy (Team Rio National) 
Justin Soranno (Team Rio National) 
Elijah Perkins (Team Rio National) 
Everton Browne (Team Rio National) 
Marcus Gaffney (Team Rio National) 
William Richardson (NJ Playaz) 
Desean Lecque (NJ Playaz)

AC Showcase Highlights: Baby Baller Kaleb Propotte!

Propotte Shows Promise

The Westside Warriors won the 5th Grade Blue Championship and Kaleb Propotte was driving force. The point guard displayed a top-notch game and serious swagger on the floor. Check out his highlights and stay tuned as we bring you more coverage from the AC Showcase.

Basketball Spotlight Grand Finale Point Totals

The Basketball Spotlight Grand Finale is back. This exclusive event will bring together to Top 4 point recipients in each grade division. Teams receive points by their placement in the Basketball Spotlight events. Below is the point total list after the Atlantic City Showcase. The Grand Finale will take place June 23rd and 24th and he winner of each division will win Custom Uniforms Courtesy of AGame Team Apparel. 

Basketball Spotlight Grand Finale Point Totals 

8th Grade Points 
Riverside Hawks (11 Points) 
NJ Bulldogs (10 Points) 
NJ Playaz (8 Points) 
Team Loaded (7 Points) 
Team Rio National (6 Points) 
Team Thrill (5 Points) 

7th Grade Points 
Riverside Hawks (12 Points) 
Team Different (9 Points) 
Team IZOD (7 Points) 
East Coast Elite (7 Points) 
NJ Playaz (6 Points)
Philly Triple Threat (5 Points) 
Team Thrill (5 Points) 
Team Durant (5 Points) 

6th Grade Points 
NY Gauchos Orange (13 Points) 
Fidonce Basketball (12 Points) 
Jersey City Boys Club (7 Points) 
Riverside Hawks (5 Points) 
New Heights (4 Points) 
Playtime Panthers (4 Points) 
Rising Stars Elite (4 Points) 

5th Grade Points 
Silverback Nationals (12 Points) 
NY Gauchos Croft (11 Points) 
NY Gauchos Mitchell (10 Points) 
Philly Triple Threat (6 Points) 
Team Durant (5 Points) 
King Street Kings (5 Points) 

4th Grade Points 
Riverside Hawks (12 Points) 
Riverside Hawks 3rd (8 Points) 
New World (5 Points) 
NY Rens (4 Points) 
Philly Triple Threat (4 Points) 
DC Blue Devils (4 Points) 
NY Gauchos (3 Points)

Spotlight Alum: Cole Anthony Destroys EYBL!

Cole Anthony dropped 35 POINTS tonight in his EYBL Dallas debut! 🔥 @The_ColeAnthony @D1Circuit
🎥: @SLAM_Ashton pic.twitter.com/wQZKcEqaG1

— SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) April 21, 2018

Spotlight Alums: Scottie Lewis and Bryan Antoine Flying High On UAA Circuit!

Highlights of #EmpireInvite alum @BryanAntoine_ & Scottie Lewis (@Scott_lewis_23)

📽: @SLAM_HS pic.twitter.com/FkzYlvy4M7

— Empire Invitational (@EmpireInvite) April 24, 2018

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 5th Grade Top Performers

John Jackson

The 5th Grade Division of the AC Showcase gave a us a look at the Baby Ballers Of The Future. Here’s a look at some of the top performers. 

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 5th Grade Top Performers 

John Jackson Guard (Silverback Nationals)- Jackson has a stellar weekend during the AC Showcase. When he wasn’t knocking down the trey ball he was driving the lane scoring floaters and getting to the charity stripe. He scored 13 points (3 treys) in the semi-finals and 21 markers (2 treys) in the championship including sealing the game with clutch free throws. 

AC Showcase Highlights: Roy Roasting The Comp!

Class Of 2022 PG Ben Roy Of Team RIO @ The 2018 Atlantic City Showcase 💫 #BBSFUTUREPHENOMS @benroy_ @team_rio_national 🎥: @hntvmagazine

A post shared by Basketball Spotlight 🏀 (@bballspotlight) on Apr 21, 2018 at 7:43pm PDT

Basketball Spotlight AC Showcase 6th Grade Top Performers Part 3

Jayden Ramirez

The 6th Grade Division of the AC Showcase featured some of the top teams in the region. Here’s our final look at our top performers. 

Basketball Spotlight AC Showcase 6th Grade Top Performers Part 3 

Jayden Ramirez Guard (Riverside Hawks) – Jayden is a long scoring guard that looks like he has a high ceiling and will be a prospect down the road. He finished through contact and has a nice floater off the bounce. He can knock down the 3ball and also has some nice passing skills. With his size he rebounds his position well and can be a lock down defender. Ramirez finished with 13 points in the game we saw.

AC Showcase Highlights: MacKenzie MgBako Showing His Skills!

Class Of 2023 F Mackenzie Mgbako Of The Riverside Hawks @ The 2018 Atlantic City Showcase 🏆💫 #BBSFUTUREPHENOMS 🏀 @riversidehawksnyc @hntvmagazine

A post shared by Basketball Spotlight 🏀 (@bballspotlight) on Apr 20, 2018 at 12:19pm PDT

AC Showcase Highlights: "Slick: Nick At It Again!

"Slick" Nick Padilla

“Slick” Nick Padilla used the AC Showcase as his personal playground. He dazzled the crowd with his with handle, court vision and scoring ability. Check out his highlights and stay tuned as we bring you more coverage from the AC Showcase.

Basketball Spotlight AC Showcase 6th Grade Top Performers Part 2

Khalid Sanders

The 6th Grade Division of the AC Showcase featured some of the top teams in the region. Here’s our second look at our top performers. 

Basketball Spotlight AC Showcase 6th Grade Top Performers Part 2 

Khalid Sanders Forward (Hilltoppers) – Sanders is a long wing that is growing into his body. He rebounds the ball well and has a soft touch around the rim. He is active on both ends and he has the ability to be a versatile defender. We also like the energy he plays with and are excited to track his development down the road. He tallied 14 points in the game we watched.

AC Showcase Highlights: Jo Jo Cooking In America's Playground!

Jo Jo Wright

Jomani “Jo Jo” Wright was on fire at the AC Showcase. The southpaw caught fire quickly and often as he led Riverside Hawks to the title. Check out his highlights and stay tuned as we bring you more coverage from this event.

Basketball Spotlight AC Showcase 6th Grade Top Performers Part 1

Ahmad Nowell (Fidonce)

The 6th Grade Division of the AC Showcase featured some of the top teams in the region. Here’s our first look at our top performers. 

Basketball Spotlight AC Showcase 6th Grade Top Performers Part 1 

 Ahmad Nowell Forward (Fidonce) – Nowell was like Lebron James in the 6th Grade division. He could dribble, pass, score, and defend and was dominating at times that we watched. We saw him make a no look pass that resulted in an And 1 and we also liked the fact that he moved without the ball when one time we saw him make a great cut to the basket and his teammate found him for an easy bucket. He was very hard to contain and he was at his best attacking the rim. He finished with 10 points in the championship and 17 points in their semifinal win against the Gauchos where he lived at the FT line.

Basketball Spotlight Memorial Day Classic Registration Ready To Go!

The Basketball Spotlight Memorial Day Classic registration is ready to go. This is Basketball Spotlight’s oldest event and again should be a dandy. Make sure you register early because we have limited space. Below is the registration for single team and multi-team registration. 

Event: Memorial Day Classic 

Date: May 26th and 27th 

Place: Neptune, NJ 

Ages: 4th Grade (10U) Thru 8th Grade (14U) 

Cost: $375.00 (Multi-Team $325.00) 

SINGLE TEAM REGISTRATION 

MULTI-TEAM REGISTRATION

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 7th Grade Top Performers Part 3

DJ Wagner

The 7th Grade Division at the Atlantic City Showcase was the toughest by far. Here’s a look at Part 3 Top Performers from the event. 

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 7th Grade Top Performers Part 3 

Dajuan Wagner Guard (Team Final)- The prolific scorer was at it again in Atlantic City. First, he hit East Coast Elite for 18 markers in a loss. Then he led his team with 20 markers in their win versus Courtmasters Elite. In the playoffs he dropped 22 points in their quarterfinal loss to eventual champion Riverside Hawks. Scoring is in his blood and it showed at the AC Showcase.

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 7th Grade Top Performers Part 2

William Norman

The 7th Grade Division at the Atlantic City Showcase was the toughest by far. Here’s a look at Part 2 Top Performers from the event. 

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 7th Grade Top Performers Part 2 

William Norman Forward (NJ Bulldogs)- The walking double-double lived up to his name as he dominated the paint while leading NJ Bulldogs to the final four. He can literally carry defenders to the cup for buckets or usually ends up at the charity stripe. He’s not a player that needs to motivated because he enters the game with a mean streak. He averaged nearly 20 points a contest and over 10 boards. He’s a fierce competitor.

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 7th Grade Top Performers Part 1

Nick Padilla

The 7th Grade Division at the Atlantic City Showcase was the toughest by far. Here’s a look at our Top Performers from the event. 

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 7th Grade Top Performers Part 1 

Nick Padilla Guard (Riverside Hawks)- Padilla is having a POY type season and he didn’t slack up in Atlantic City. He did his usual damage running the show and controlling the tempo but also got buckets when he team needed it most. He tallied 18 points against Fidonce, 20 against Team IZOD in the semifinals and another 16 markers versus East Coast Elite in the finals. “Slick” Nick is literally munching on the competition this year.

AC Showcase Highlights: Jaquan Harris Represents Again!

Class Of 2022 PG Jaquan Harris Of The NJ Bulldogs @ The 2018 Atlantic City Showcase 🏆💫 @jaquanharriss__ @njbulldogs VC: @hntvmagazine

A post shared by Basketball Spotlight 🏀 (@bballspotlight) on Apr 10, 2018 at 2:28pm PDT

AC Showcase Highlights: Corey Floyd Jr. Steps Up!

Corey Floyd Jr.

Corey Floyd Jr. used the Atlantic City Showcase to shine bright. The wing guard put the team on back several occasions while showing his full arsenal. Check out his highlights and remember we are just getting started. More footage and recaps are on the way.

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 8th Grade Top Performers Part 3

Darren Tuck

The 8th Grade Division at the Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase featured some of the top talent in the region. Here’s Part 2 of our Top Performers. 

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 8th Grade Top Performers Part 3 

Darren Tuck Forward (Team IZOD) – When I saw Tuck I immediately said to myself this kid has to be good. He looks like a prototypical wing with nice length and he has the ability to be effective on both ends of the floor. When speaking to his coach he said that Darren just came back to the team and he is working himself back in the rotation. He also mentioned that he has a nice jump shot.

AC Showcase Highlights: DJ Wagner Shines Again!

DJ Wagner

DJ Wagner once again showed why he considered one of the top guards in the country. He displayed top level skill and scoring prowess at the AC Showcase. Check out his highlights and remember where you saw it first. Stay tuned as we bring you more highlights.

Baby Baller Dominic Jimenez Balling At The AC Showcase

@BBallspotlight dominic Jimenez wasballing all weekend choz 2026 pic.twitter.com/hcumAe8IOR

— KingMinute (@237exspress) April 3, 2018

Dominic Jimenez was a supreme bucket getter for the NY Gauchos. I loved his size for his position and the body control he displayed when finishing off plays. He constantly made the defense pay.

Baby Baller Peyton "Havoc" Howell Getting Busy At The AC Showcase

Giving some love to my big man @BullyDaBaller1 We hooked up several times during our Chip Chasing Sunday @BBallspotlight @Ballislife @RiversideHawks #PeytonHowell #bully #riverside10u #bballspotlight #aau #nike #9yearsold #3rdgrader #Nike #Victory #ballislife #TeamHavoc pic.twitter.com/uQP8NuCmf5

— Peyton Havoc Howell (@Peyton_Havoc) April 6, 2018

Peyton "Havoc" Howell was showing off all weekend for Riverside Hawks. The polished point guard displays excellent court vision and the ability to get a bucket when needed. He's definitely worth the price of admissions. This Baby Baller has game.

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 8th Grade Top Performers Part 2

Ben Roy

The 8th Grade Division at the Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase featured some of the top talent in the region. Here’s Part 2 of our Top Performers. 

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 8th Grade Top Performers Part 2 

Ben Roy Guard (Team Rio) – In today’s era of basketball floor spacing and stretching the floor with the 3ball seems like the way the game has evolved to. Roy is Rio’s floor spacer with a sweet stroke behind the line. Ben also can be a secondary ball handler and as he continues to gain confidence with his ball handling we see him moving over to the PG position long term. He has a high IQ and can score from all three levels. He finished with 16 points in the semifinal.

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 8th Grade Top Performers Part 1

Corey Floyd

The 8th Grade Division at the Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase featured some of the top talent in the region. Here’s Part 1 of our Top Performers. 

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 8th Grade Top Performers Part 1 

Corey Floyd, Jr. Guard (NJ Bulldogs) – Floyd came up huge in the championship scoring 22 points helping his team comeback in the second half to beat the Riverside Hawks. Corey has the size, athleticism, and skill to be an elite two way player at the next level in high school. He has a nice looking jump shot and when his long ball is falling he is tough to stop. He has the ability also to be a lock down defender guarding multiple positions. He tallied 18 points against the Playaz in their semifinal win.

Diary Of A Baller: Jaquan Harris (North Brunswick, NJ) Final Entry

Jaquan And Teammates Win AC Showcase

Wussup everyone, this will be my last diary entry I want to say thanks to all of the people who tuned into my diary every week. I hope you enjoyed these past weeks of this great opportunity I had. I want to say than you to Mike Melton and Bballspotlight for allowing me to do this. 

Monday: I didn’t go to school my parents let me stay home because I had a long weekend at spooky nook for a tournament. I was still sore from all the games we had, I had 3 Saturday and 4 Sunday. So today was my rest day. I iced my knees most of the day so my they could recover quicker. 

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 8th Grade Orange Division Championship Recap: NJ Bulldogs Bark Loud!

NJ Bulldogs

NJ Bulldogs used a second half comeback to defeat Riverside Hawks 58-51 to win the Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 8th Grade Orange Division Championship. Congrats to both teams for making it to the finals. Stay tuned as we bring you more coverage from this event.

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 8th Grade Blue Division Championship Recap: We R 1 Future Comes Through!

We R 1 (Future)

We R 1 (Future) defeated Wall 2 Wall 39-30 to win the Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 8th Grade Blue Division Championship. Congrats to both teams for making it to the finals. Stay tuned as we bring you more coverage from this event.

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 7th Grade Blue Division Championship.Recap: "The Bank Cashes In!

Milbank Flyers 

Milbank Flyers held off a rough Albany City Rocks 44-41 to win the Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 7th Grade Blue Division Championship. Congrats to both teams for making it to the finals. Stay tuned as we bring you more coverage from this event.

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 7th Grade Orange Division Championship Recap: Riverside Hawks Wins Thriller!

Riverside Hawks

Riverside scored a bucket in the final seconds to defeat East Coast Elite 46-45 to win the Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 7th Grade Orange Division Championship. Congrats to both teams for making it to the finals. Stay tuned as we bring you more coverage from this event.

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 6th Grade Blue Division Championship Recap: CT Express Wins Crown

CT Express

CT Express defeated Wall 2 Wall 29-21 to win the Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 6th Grade Blue Division Championship. Congrats to both teams for making it to the finals. Stay tuned as we bring you more coverage from this event.

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 6th Grade Orange Division Championship Recap: Fidonce Crashes The Party!

Fidonce Basketball

Fidonce were the party crashers as they defeated New Heights 46-41 to win the Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 6th Grade Orange Division Championship. Congrats to both teams for making it to the finals. Stay tuned as we bring you more coverage from this event.

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 5th Grade Blue Division Championship Recap: Westside Warriors Hold On!

Westside Warriors

Westside Warriors capped off a great weekend with a 55-49 victory over The Truth to win the Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 5th Grade Blue Division Championship. Congrats to both teams for making it to the finals. Stay tuned as we bring you more coverage from this event.

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 5th Grade Orange Division Championship Recap: Silverback Nationals Grabs The Banner!

Silverbacks National

Silverbacks National continued its winning ways by defeating the NY Gauchos (Mitchell) 58-43 to win the Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 5th Grade Orange Division Championship. Congrats to both teams for making it to the finals. Stay tuned as we bring you more coverage from this event.

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 4th Grade Blue Division Championship Recap: ASA Select Gets It Done!

ASA Select

ASA Select made their Spotlight debut in impressive fashion as they defeated Riverside Hawks (3rd) 40-24 to win the Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 4th Grade Blue Division Championship. Congrats to both teams for making it to the finals. Stay tuned as we bring you more coverage from this event.

Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 4th Grade Orange Division Championship Recap: Riverside Rolls!

Riverside Hawks

Riverside Hawks used a huge second half to run past DC Blue Devils 34-15 to win the Basketball Spotlight Atlantic City Showcase 4th Grade Orange Division Championship. Congrats to both teams for making it to the finals. Stay tuned as we bring you more coverage from this event.