Ballerz 17s advance to Final 4 in both Augusta and Atlanta

[gomab2]

The Ballerz 17s continue their outstanding July even without the services of top player Scotty Hopson, who has been in Major Camps for the last month (USA Olympic Fesivals, Nike Vince Carter SF Camp, Nike Lebron James Skills Academy), by shocking the competition and reaching the Final 4 of two straight major events!! The Ballerz won their pool at the Adidas Atlanta Kickoff by beating Arkansas Hawks, Inner Strength, and Atlanta Select, before bowing out in the tourney semifinals. Then the Ballerz advanced to the Final 4 of the Peach State Summer Showcase with wins over Carolina Raptors, SC Ravens, Vic Simms All Stars, and GA Lakers, before falling to the Raptors in a semifinal rematch in the 18 team tourney.

 

PG John Primm (Dickson Co), PG Tyrone Caldwell (Clarksville) and 2G/WF Rayshawn Walker (Clarksville NE) led the way for the Ballerz. Primm established himself as one of the top PG's in the State and has now picked up a few D-1 offers along the way. Meanwhile Walker has brought his game to another level and is now a bonafide Mid Major prospect with his athleticism, long arms, and all around play, in addition to his nice outside shot and ability to get to the rim off the bounce...

[cobrafan90]

And speaking of Hopson, Seth Davis loves him! Here are two articles he has written on Hopson.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writ...thoughts/1.html

 

Two guys I had seen before who made good impressions: Demarcus Cousins, a 6-9 forward from Birmingham, and Scotty Hopson, a 6-5 wing from Hopkinsville, Ky., who has committed to Mississippi State. Cousins is really big, but he looked in much better control of his body than when I saw him two weeks ago at USA Basketball's Youth Development Festival. Hopson was one of the best players at the festival, and he again looked terrific in Akron. Besides being a great leaper with a nice shooting touch, Hopson really appears to enjoy playing defense, and I swear I have never seen him play a bad game.

 

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writ....preview/2.html

 

Scotty Hopson, 6-6, F, Hopkinsville, Ky.

Summer team: Mid-State Ballers (no sponsor)

Schedule: LeBron Academy, AAU 19-and-unders

Skinny: Hopson may have been the player who raised his stock the most at the USA Basketball Festival. He's a dynamic swingman who jumps out of the gym and has both long-range and mid-range touch. (That mid-range game is a dying art, but Hopson is an artist at it.) Hopson has committed to Mississippi State, and I'm guessing that by the end of the summer he will have positioned himself to be a McDonald's All-American. He's that good.