Last weekend in Richmond, Virginia Junior Phenom Top 100 had their annual MLK Holiday Invitational. The tournament invited over 200 teams to compete head to head for bragging rights on the road to AAU Nationals. We will take a look at the most impressive teams and standout talent that was present at the event.
Impressive Showings
Sherrod McCormick: The speedy sniper had an impressive showing in the Championship game Sunday, scoring 20 points and leading Team CP3 to victory over Team Thrill 43-34.
Darrell Davis: A fourth grader that played up this weekend with fifth grade’s Team Thrill and Hell “Rell” Davis did not disappoint. Poised with the basketball, he had just two total turnovers on Saturday. While playing up, he shot the ball well, played solid defense, and helped hold onto the lead.
Jah Dawkins: Extremely speedy guard that is a gifted athlete in FIFTH grade! A very intense player with a nice shop to top off with his game.
Tristian Comer: A 6’2 ten year old who has a world of potential! His soft hands and solid feet shows the amount of upside he has. With his size for his age, as his mind catches up with his body, Tristian can become an intriguing prospect on the middle school circuit.
Peyton Kemp: A fifth grade brand ambassador with the quickest crossover from the weekend. The kid is acrobatic and crafty and a pesky defender with a smooth release. He has the opportunity with his youth to become a very special player.
Zion Walker: A very aggressive player, who had a knack for getting in the passing lane and attacking the basket. He has an individual motor about him, that will separate him from the pack as he progresses into high school on the circuit.
Colt Langdon: A player that has exceptional length and salivating potential! Has the opportunity to become an elite ‘3&D’ player for years to come, definitely one of the most impressive players from the weekend.
Christian Hunter: A big man with solid size and amazing upside. Will be a very interesting prospect to watch grow and develop this season on the circuit.
Jayden Scott: A silky guard with a good feel for the game; a solid scorer that plays with maximum effort on the floor.
Donavan Freeman: A lengthy kid with an impressive motor and the confidence to become a dominant player on the circuit this upcoming season. At 6’4 he has already given himself the name of “2 way Killa.” After watching him this weekend, I totally understand.
Teams To See
Team Loaded(2023): This was a very dominant performance over the weekend over lackluster talent the first day, but Team Loaded backed up their first day by taking down nationally ranked Team Thrill in a nail-biter in the Junior Phenom Gold Championship game. They are a team that has set a high standard for every tournament they participate in this year. It’ll be very interesting to see how they continue to progress up to Nationals.
New World(2026): Lead by point guard Peyton Kemp, New World had the most impressive game with another out of state team Team United. With the help of big man Tristian Comer and shooter Kasen Daeger, Kemp and company found a way to pull it out. Jamal McKnight and Peyton Kemp proved to be too much at Junior Phenom this weekend!
Bou Williams(2025): A talented team that had a solid weekend even in their defeats. They faced CP3 after a thrilling two point victory over CBF Lighting and did not fair well losing 57-32. They fought Sunday to get a rematch with CP3 in the Gold Championship bracket. They were able to get four victories before falling by two to CP3 38-36. An exciting match-up to look out for on the circuit this year.
Much Greater Elite(2026): A well coached team with a sizable 6 footer and an elite point guard in Kasen Daeger. They’ve got solid dribbling ability and impressive shooting as a team. An enticing team that will be exciting to watch on the circuit.
Team Thrill(2023): When you watch this team, you notice that they’re still finding their identity. Amazing talent, very scrappy and intense late in games. They are well conditioned and a very well balanced team that will be heard from again.
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