8th Grade Top Performers

Andy Barbra (#202)
If you're familiar with basketball in NE Ohio then the name Barbra should ring a bell. Andy, the younger brother of Columbia University freshman Peter Barbra, is well on his way to continuing the family success train. Andy is a crafty lefty who is capable of playing several positions on the floor. His length allows him to finish around the bucket, and he has proved to be an above-average shooter.

Montorie Foster (#243)
Before any amount of time ticked off of the scoreboard and while some late arrivals were still trickling in, there was a kid attempting to throw himself an alley-oop off the backboard and dunk it. That kid was Montorie Foster. Foster, who stands under 6 feet tall, is athletic as they come in the 8th grade class. When you combine elite athleticism with the skillset and confidence that Foster has, the result is a point guard who cab kill you in a lot of different ways.

Darion Henry (#217)
Henry was the most physically opposing player at Garfield Heights High School on Saturday as he bullied his way to second and third chance opportunities around the bucket. The 6'4 forward has a physique and maturity to his body that rivals that of some upperclassmen in high school. Due to his unique combination of strength and quickness, Henry made it virtually impossible for the opposition to stay in front of. 

Grant Huffman (#372)
Perhaps the best player in attendance this past weekend, Huffman brought a little bit of everything to the table. Huffman is a 6'2 guard who has an incredible feel for the game that is rare for a player of his age. Regardless of the pace or tempo of the game, Huffman never looks rushed. With less than 10 seconds remaining in a tight game against a squad led by Andy Barbra, Huffman went around his defender and made the game-winning assist, one of his many on the day. 

John Hughley (#253)
With sophomore Tyler Williams and freshmen standouts D.J. Dial and Andre Harris blossoming into their own, the class of 2020 brings some hope to a young Brush Arcs group that is in the process of rebuilding from the ground up with head coach Chet Mason. John Hughley, a 6'6 forward, may have the most immediate impact out of next year's freshmen class. During Sunday'ssecond round of games, it was Hughley who squared off with Cincinnati native Darion Henry in what turned out to be one the most intriguing individual matchups of this past weekend. Even though he didn't show much of a skill set offensively with his back to the basket, Hughley proved to be a willing passer from the post.

Jesse Laster (#254)
Every time he stepped foot on to the court at Garfield Heights High School, Jesse Laster demanded the attention of everyone in attendance, and it won't be the last time. Laster, a guard in Coach Sonny Johnson's upcoming freshmen class, put on a show in transition. The wiry 6'1 athlete put down the only dunk that I saw this weekend when he crushed a one-hand throw down after a sweep through drive to the basket. 

Other Notable Performers:
Nehemiah Benson (#325)
Brent Darby Jr. (#307)
Quentin Richardson (#122)
Tevin Jackson (#121)
Jalen Dial (#218)

Recap Written By:
T.J. Peatross
NEO Youth Elite Blogger
Twitter - @tjpeatross

Follow us here at NEO Youth Elite to learn more about upcoming events!
Twitter - @neoyouthelite
Instagram - @neoyouthelite

Garfield Heights High School played host this past weekend to what is quickly becoming one of the top youth basketball events in the country. The 2016 NEO Youth Elite Showcase did more than lived up to the hype as over 280 student-athletes from across the state and midwest poured into Cleveland, Ohio to put on a show. Here's who stood out among the middle school performers!

Omar Abuhamden (#239)
During the drill session Saturday morning, Abuhamden was virtually impossible to stay in front of. He used a deadly left to right crossover to create enough to space to attack and create easy opportunities for teammates. 

Ramelle Arnold Jr. (#303)
Over the last two years, Arnold has developed a reputation across NE Ohio as being one of the top up-and-coming athletes at the youth level. After his performance this weekend, the 5'8 guard from Warrensville may have solidified himself at the top of his class. Arnold has the tight handle and passing ability that you like to see in a lead guard, but he also possesses an explosive first step with the strength to finish at the rim. At times, he settles for jumpshots or makes one too many moves, but at the end of the day, he proved that he can play with anyone in the state.

Luke Chicone (#65)
The 5'5 guard from Mentor became a fan favorite at the 2016 NEO Youth Elite Showcase. The flashy lead guard provided excitement to every game that he was in; his performance in the 7th Grade Top 20 game was one of the signature highlights of the event. 

Jaden Hameed (#320)
Hameed possesses a rare combination of strength and quickness at the guard position. This was evident in his performance during the Top 20 All-Star Game when he seemed to get by anyone who stood in his path. Hameed was also amongst the best finishers through contact that I saw this weekend among the guards in attendance.

William Jeffres (#281)

You will be hard pressed to find a 12 year-old who has more upside than 6'2 William Jeffres from out of Erie, Pennsylvania. Even though the 7th Grade division featured more than 80 athletes, it wasn't too difficult to spot Jeffres among the crowd. Not only does he pass the eye test, Jeffres can play. The forward out of PA possesses a skill set that could be out done by only a few athletes in attendance. More often than not, whenever Jeffres would secure a rebound, he would handle the rock and go coast to coast for a scooping score. 

Mechie Johnson (#1)
Little Meechie Johnson is capable of getting a shot that he wants however and whenever he wants. Johnson has a yo-yo like handle to pair up with his picture-perfect jumper. Even though he struggled at times to get his shot to fall, the guard from Garfield Heights made up for it with his elite vision and showmanship.

Enavell Lighty (#212)
Evavell, nephew of former Ohio State Buckeye David Lighty, is a long wiry big man who makes his living running the floor and cleaning up 50/50 rebounds.

Noah Peoples (#359)
Peoples, one of the top middle school athletes in the country, stands at 6'0 and looks like he should be playing defensive end at the high school. Peoples , along with Jeffres, was in the discussion for the top forward in the loaded 7th Grade division. Whether he was flying towards the hoop and finishing with an acrobatic putback, or bullying defenders with his back to the basket, Peoples was dominant all weekend long.  

Tae Perie (#300)
Tae Perie, an Akron-native, was one of the more explosive scorers in the middle school division who was in attendance throughout the course of the weekend. On Saturday, Perie connected on 6 of his 7 triples en route to a 28-point effort. The 5'5 guard is shifty with the rock and he doesn't need a ton of space to get off his jumper. 

MarSaun Robinson (#244)
Robinson is an exciting guard who has confidence that is unmatched. His speed and craftiness with the ball allows him to lead the break effectively.

Other Notable Standouts:

Collin Albert (#313)
Damaryea Gadson (#329)
Jimmy Salamone (#102)
Jamere Sheron (#86)
Cameron Ray (#374) 
Darryl Peterson (#368)
Joe Labas (#246) 
Sam Siegel (#211)
Josiah Mobley (#191)
EJ Farmer (#4)
Trent Jakacki (#233)


Recap Written By:
T.J. Peatross
NEO Youth Elite Blogger
Twitter - @tjpeatross

Follow us here at NEO Youth Elite to learn more about upcoming events!
Twitter - @neoyouthelite
Instagram - @neoyouthelite

Jaden Hameed
Grade: 7th 
School: Nordonia Middle School
Height 5’10 Position: Point and Shooting Guard 
Season Average: I prefer to focus on the team stats and not my individual stats. I have put up some 
really good numbers this season, but the one that matters the most to me is 12-0, our record. 
Accomplishments: I am an Honor Roll Student; Played on King James Tru Game team that finished 7th 
nationally at DI AAU Nationals last summer. 
AAU Team: NEO Shooting Stars/Tru Game
What’s Jaden looking forward to most for NEO Youth Elite? The opportunity to play against good 
competition , and to get better every time I step on the court.

Tae Perie
Grade: 7th 
School: Barberton Middle School
Height 5’5 Position: Point and Shooting Guard 
Season Average: 23ppg 5 assists 5 steals
Accomplishments: City Series Tournament Team, Buckeye Prep Top 60, Buckeye Prep Rising Stock and 
Honor Roll
AAU Team: Ohio Basketball Club
What’s Tae looking forward to most for NEO Youth Elite? I am looking to be ranked in the top 10 and to 
complete against all the top players around. I want to show that I am one of the elite. It’s always fun to 
get together with all the guys and hang for the weekend.

 Roderick Coffee
Grade: 6th 
School: Our Shepard Lutheran 
Height 5’7 Position: Guard 
Season Average: 13 points
Accomplishments: Finished 5th at DII Nationals, Past NEO All Star, All Tournament for Solon Cage Classic 
and Bearcat Classic
AAU Team: Fourth Quarter Basketball
What’s Roderick looking forward to most for NEO Youth Elite? To get exposure and to compete!

Quentin Richardson
Grade: 8th 
School: Milkovich Middle School
Height 5’7 Position: Point Guard 
Season Average: 15PPG and 7 Assists
Accomplishments: Went to the championship game with his middle school and placed #2
AAU Team: SMAC
What’s Quentin looking forward to most for NEO Youth Elite? Playing against the top competition!

​Tevin Jackson
Grade: 8th
School: Milkovich Middle School
Height 5’7 Position: Point Guard 
Season Average: 15PPG and 7 Assists
Accomplishments: Played in the championship game with his middle school team and placed #2
AAU Team: Ohio Basketball Club
What’s Tevin looking forward to most for NEO Youth Elite? Being on the court competing against top 
competition!

Josiah Harris
Grade: 6th 
School: Glenwood Intermediate School
Height 5’10 Position: Shooting Forward
Season Average: 20 points and 10 rebounds
Accomplishments: 4.0 GPA
AAU Team: AM PRO
What’s Josiah looking forward to most for NEO Youth Elite? I am looking forward to playing against good 
competition from Northeast Ohio, and the recognition that you receive from playing in the camp.