King James Building for NYBL

King James Shooting Stars 2020

King James Head Coach Malcolm Walters is currently in the lab trying to assemble a 2020 team that can compete in the upcoming season of the NYBL.  With a solid core of elite players including Isaiah Kennedy (5’8 PG Beavercreek), Grant Huffman (5’9 SG Aurora), Devaonte Blanton (6’2 WF Nordonia) and Darion Henry (6’3 C Cincinnati), Walters feels real good about his team’s ability to compete against the best in the country.  Both Kennedy and Huffman pack national reputations, while Blanton is top 10 in Ohio and poised for national recognition and Henry is well respected statewide. In addition to their core, Kings James will return Montori Foster (5’8 SG Warrensville) Marvin Davies (6’0 PF Orange) and Nicholas Walters (5’7 PG Orange), all of whom have been with the team since the 3^rd grade.

King James will be one of five 2020 Ohio based teams participating in the ultra competitive NYBL this season.  The other teams include: Mid Ohio Pumas, Ohio Basketball Club (OBC), Mansfield Cavs and SWO Elite. In terms of the pecking order in the Buckeye state, King James is widely considered the 2^nd best team in northeast Ohio behind OBC and ahead of the Mansfield Cavs.  Statewide, King James may be top 5 good.  In terms of his team’s style of play, Walters emphasizes defense. “We are very aggressive; our defensive is our offense. We are in your face defensively,” said Walters.  

Isaiah Kennedy, DeVonte Blanton, Montoria Foster & Grant Huffman

Although statewide recognition is ok, Coach Walters feels that with the addition of the above mentioned key players, his squad can be elite nationally. “With adding [Isaiah] Kennedy and [Darion] Henry, we are top 10 in the nation,” said Walters.  Walters is equally confident about how is team will fare in the NYBL this season. “Exciting, we get to play against other top teams in the country and to see where we stand,” continued Walters.  “I hope they [NYBL teams] are getting ready because we are getting ready for them,” Walter said.There are only a few more weeks before the 2015 season tips off and the excitement is really starting to build.