The annual Generation Next Basketball Association hit the hardwood this past spring and summer and the middle school providing grounds did not disappoint as quality teams took to the court chasing championship hardware at the 5th-8th grade levels.  The final horn sounded at the 6th grade division with the Chi-Town Bulldogs out of Illinois hoisting the team trophy, but a number of solid prospects from other teams and programs made their presence felt in the process.  Here’s a quick look at our All-GNBA teams for the 6th grade division where Cash Meyers of the Kentucky Bombers secured 6th grade MVP honors…

FIRST TEAM ALL GNBA
Kyle Hunter – Guard – The Family – Hunter was very aggressive offensively the entire association. He looked to attack each and every time he got the ball. He was very efficient from inside the paint and mid-range. While he has to improve his shot from range, he has all the potential to be the next really good combo guard from The Family moving forward.

Nick Grice – Forward – RAS Bucks – Grice has been an extremely vital piece to the success of his team. He scores, rebounds, and defends at a high level. He has really good size for his age but doesn’t just stick to the paint touches. He can attack from the wing and use his size and skill to score through contact.

Kayden Turner – Guard – Mid Pro Academy – Turner really impressed me with his shooting ability all season. He has a smooth stroke and nice form on his shot for his age. He has a quick release and really good footwork coming off of ball screens. He used ball screens very well to get his shots off and to find open teammates when the defense attempted to trap him.

Cash Meyers – Forward – Kentucky Bombers – Meyers has been one of the top players in the 12U division during the entire GNBA season. Cash has nice size for his age but is more than just a force inside. He has a nice first step and solid handle and uses that to attack bigger defenders from the perimeter. He led his team to a runner up finish in the Platinum Division scoring 16 in the championship game. Meyers is my 12U MVP of the GNBA.

Roosevelt Thomas – Forward – Chi-Town Bulldogs – Thomas is a skilled and instinctive big body that can score in the post and from the perimeter. He is a really good rebounder and can lead the break for his team. Thomas was truly dominate in the Bulldogs run to the 12U Platinum Championship. 

SECOND TEAM ALL GNBA
Nate Henry – Wing – All-In Athletics – Henry is a lefty with a smooth game. He very rarely gets rattled and is very composed amongst pressure. I watched probably 5 of his games during the association where he scored between 15 and 25 points. What impressed me most was his ability to block shots from his wing position.

Will Minessale – Guard – Milwaukee Trailblazers – Will was arguably the best shooter in the 12u division of the GNBA. In the games I watched he always hit multiple three-point shots. He has a quick release and really good footwork coming off of ball screens. Once defenders started to close out hard to prevent his shots, he used shot fakes to get his defenders in the air and get into the mid-range shot positions.

Jared Vandonselaar – Forward – Kessel Heat – A long lanky prospect, Jared uses his length on both end of the floor to impact games. Very few kids in his age group can match his size (6-0), and length. He is more advanced on the defensive end at the moment, but showed flashes of being a dominate offensive big, which will be coveted in the future.

Nas Triggs – Guard – HKBT – Triggs comes from a family of tough hardnosed guards, and he is a chip off the block. A tenacious defender, he can cause havoc for opposing guards trying to get the ball up the floor. Offensively he made clutch plays scoring on put backs and straight-line drives. Triggs showed a improve shot over the spring and will evolve more as point guard once the ball is in his hands more.

Cole Kelly – Wing – Flight Athletics – Kelly is a nice size wing for his age. He has a nice stroke from deep and can fill it up in a hurry. He can rebound and initiate the transition for his Flight team. He showed good ability to get to the basket and a soft touch around the rim to finish through contact. He plays with a great motor and was very active throughout the GNBA season.