City of Basketball Love

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- The Love Ballin organization held its third annual late-summer showcase at Life Center Academy on Saturday, with five different games featuring a mix of talented boys and girls from grades 7-11.

Here are standouts from the two boys' high school games as well as the girls' high school game:

Boys Standouts

Khalif Battle (2019/Roselle Catholic)
The younger brother of Syracuse freshman Tyus Battle, a top-50 prospect in the 2016 class, Battle looks destined to join his brother in accepting a high-major scholarship offer a few years from now. A 6-4 guard, Khalif Battle is slightly shorter than his brother, a lanky 6-6 wing, but Battle has a stronger frame and a gorgeous jump shot, which he utilized to drop 21 points in the showcase game. Rutgers and Iona are his only two offers so far, but a move to Roselle -- he was with his brother at St. Joseph's - Metuchen (N.J.) last year -- could boost his visibility even more, and with his size and smooth all-around game, the sky's the limit for Battle. Again.

Cartier Bowman (2019/Notre Dame Prep)
Notre Dame coach Bob Turco has to be happy about the way the future looks for his program, with sophomores like Bowman and Isaiah Wong in the mix. Bowman, a 6-3 guard, had the most effortless athleticism we saw on Saturday, throwing down some big-time slams with his head close to or above the rim. But more than just a pure athlete, he's got a smooth handle and offensive game, which he showcased with a 25-point outing that included a beautiful spin-and-finish in the lane. No offers yet, but schools like Cinci, Rhode Island and Seton Hall have made contact.

Akil Domino (2020/St. Mary's, N.J.)
One of the smaller players in the opening game, Dominio didn't let his 5-6 frame affect his ability to have a big impact on the proceedings. Jet-quick and super-crafty with the ball, Dominio slashed and burned his way to a game-high 22 points, leading his team to a big win and earning game MVP honors. If he keeps up that level of play as he enters his freshman year in high school, he'll work his way onto a varsity rotation sooner rather than later, and soon enough he'll make people stop doubting him because of his size.

Barry Evans (2019/Dwight School, N.Y.)
A solid-bodied combo guard, Evans took advantage of being more physically developed than most of his competition in the opening game, bullying his way around the rim to a 16-point outing. Around 6-2 with a thick, muscular frame, Evans is a smooth athlete who can handle the ball well in the open court, getting around defenders and finishing at the rim with both hands. He did a great job of crashing the glass on his teammates' shots, coming up with several offensive boards and getting a few buckets on put-backs.

Richard Jones (2018/Nottingham HS, N.J.)
Jones won MVP honors in the main all-star game for his team with a 23-point outing, and he was super-impressive all game long. Though he was, as one would expect for a guard who stands about 5-10 in his setting, a speedster who could get to the rim at will, Jones also showed off a nice jump shot from beyond the arc, draining several 3-pointers to boost his scoring total. He also was a terrific passer with great court vision, making a behind-the-back feed on the break on one occasion, dumping off to the big men when available and in general finding his teammates when he wasn't open.

Rodrique Massenat (2019/Life Center Academy, N.J.)
Massenat looked right at home in dropping 23 points in the final game of the day --  which makes perfect sense, considering he was playing on his typical court at Life Center. Massenat made the move to the Burlington prep school last year, reclassifying from 2018 to 2019, and he's certainly taken advantage of the extra year to further develop his game and his body. At 6-5 and with a much stronger frame than he displayed a year ago, when he was rail-thin, Massenat has great size for the off-guard position. Not yet a knockdown shooter, he still displayed the ability to drop a few from the 3-point arc, but also had several nice finishes through traffic with his off (left) hand and is an effective defender with his length.

Peter Sorber (2019/Notre Dame Prep, N.J.)
The only true post player in the first boys' game, Sorber was a force to be reckoned with around the rim. A 6-7, 215-pound forward, Sorber has a great frame, with long arms and a solid build that isn't quite lanky but certainly is nowhere near overweight. He's a relentless rebounder and finisher with both hands, doing a good job of bringing the ball down when he had to secure a rebound but otherwise keeping it active on the glass. Even when he found himself double or triple-teamed in the post, Sorber was able to get his body into position and find the room to score.

Justin Winston (2018/Immaculate Conception)
A 6-8 combo forward, Winston played with quite a bit of ferocity in scoring 22 points in the main showcase game. Though he was at his best around the rim, where he slammed everything with authority, he also showed he could step out and knock down a mid-range jump shot, though his shot is a little on the flat side; adding more arc to his shot would do wonders for his ability to stretch the floor. But with his high motor, long stride and nose for the bucket, Winston is a tremendous frontcourt talent even without that shooting ability; Penn State offered last month, joining a list that also includes Saint Joseph's, Rutgers and more.

Craig Wrenn (2019/Princeton Day School, N.J.)
Wrenn stood out in the opening game of the afternoon for his ability to shoot the ball, something which became clear early on, when he knocked down two 3-pointers in the span of a minute. The 5-foot-11 shooting guard hit four from distance for 14 points, showing that he can hit off the catch or pulling up in transition. A slender guard, he'll likely squeeze a few more inches out of his frame, and his form should continue to improve as he gets stronger; how much he grows and how much he can round out his game will ultimately determine his level.

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Girls' Standouts

Kaiya Barnett (2018/Life Center Academy, N.J.)
Barnett, playing on her home court, was the rare beacon of light for her team in a tough loss, scoring 10 points to lead the way. A braided 5-8 guard, Barnett did most of her damage in transition, getting to the rim and finishing, though she also knocked in a jumper or two.

Mya Grimes (2018/Ewing HS, N.J.)
Grimes' smile matched her energy all game long, as the 6-0 wing was a constant menace on both ends of the floor -- and seemed to be enjoying herself tremendously while doing so. Finishing with 14 points, Grimes was tremendous in post-up situations, where she utilized stellar footwork to get around opponents and finish with either hand. And every time the ball went in, she immediately set defensive traps, pestering opposing ball-handlers up and down the court, forcing several turnovers and wearing out her opponents in a runaway win.

Kiyla Peterson (2018/Ewing HS, N.J.)
It was a strong showing for the Blue Devils indeed, as Peterson backed up her Ewing teammate with an 18-point effort, scoring a number of buckets to help her team close out the 40-point win. A strong 5-6 guard, Peterson had the ball on a string and had the speed to get around defenders and into the lane, where she could finish tough layups with ease. A terrific shooter, she also buried a 3-pointer whenever a defender gave her a step of room, with a smooth motion and a high-arcing shot. It's no wonder Ewing made it three rounds deep in the NJ state playoffs last year.