The 2022 Baltimore based Team Melo squad has been running rampant
all season long collecting banners, titles, and trophies – and now national recognition. Boasting a stellar line-up of versatile and
talented players their relentless pressure, unselfish play, and disciplined coaching
has many taking note. Extremely fun to
watch they have the requisite pieces in the right places to translate up
multiple levels meaning that this group will be a problem for years to come!
GREAT SCOTT!
Starting with the head of the snake; the straw that stirs
the Melo drink is PG Sammy Scott. Sammy is
one of the elite point guards in his class nationally. With a strong, powerful,
compact frame he is able to absorb contact all over the court especially in the
paint, where he has a multitude of unique finishes. He has a nice burst off the
dribble to get separation from his defender and he'll drop off the nifty assist
or convert the floater in the paint area.
In the open court he
is exceptional at utilizing the look ahead pass and his vision overall is NEXT
LEVEL. The ball never dies in his hands and his passing prowess is high-level.
He knows how to put the ball into the pocket of the shooter. Love his astuteness
in the high screen and roll, and he has almost eliminated the excessive
dribbling when he's running the half court set. Not to mention he is showing
natural PG leadership ability as he guides his team on both ends of the floor. Labeled
the “Grim Reaper” Scott is putting fear
into the hearts of opponents each time the ball is in his hands.
BATMAN & ROBIN
The wing and front court of the Melo squad is manned by CJ
Scott and Andrew Rhuebottom, giving them amongst others on the team, the necessary
pieces at each level to impact games at the championship level.
CJ Scott’s combination of size and developing skill on the
wing make him a very intriguing long-term prospect in the class of 2022. He's
equally dangerous shooting behind the three-point line or with tough mid-range
pull-ups. He handles the ball fluidly and also has an advanced offensive
repertoire for a player of his age and size.
He'll use a jab step
or shake his man off the dribble to get to his pull-up and can also create
space in the mid-range area with a step-back. He uses his size and length to
score over defenders in the mid-range area and also has a special ability to
make tough shots. We also are impressed
with vison and passing ability – all of the aforementioned skill set is done
with flair and we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg for this young man.
Andrew Rhuebottom is the man in the middle and has turned
the corner as an elite level big man, not simply a player with size. He is now impacting the game on both ends on
every possession. We completely focused
and engaged he has been unstoppable for stretches.
Another one of the top post prospects in the national class
of 2022 Andrew is still just scratching the surface of his ability. He's
broadly built with wide shoulders, a naturally strong frame and good agility
and athleticism for his size. He runs the floor well, has good use of both
hands and plays with a ton of sheer force around the rim. He's a powerful
finisher who can finish through contact and loves to get on the offensive
glass.
His impact is on the defensive end of the floor allow the
Melo squad to extend their defense and he acts as an eraser for any mistakes
out fronts – a luxury that Team Melo uses to its full advantage . He's an
excellent rim protector who both blocks shots and challenges just about everything
in the paint. Offensively, he has tools to develop and is consistently showing flashes
of agile footwork, a soft touch that extends out to 12-15 feet and a good
passer's instinct for his size. He is
playing the game both back to the basket and face-up and can be certified as a
problem for anyone one or team trying to contain him.
The scary part is that this is just the surface of the
talented Melo bunch they are deep at every position and as they continue their individual
growth as players so will the growth of the team. Baltimore’s Melo group has a
pipeline for continued success in the future and the ground floor is Team Melo
2022.
