Hoop Mountain coaches and World School Basketball Championship technical directors Julian King and Ryan Yates pinpointed some of the most influential performers at the December tournament. See what made the players stand out below:
#1 Filip Popivoda (Most Valuable Player)
School: Dubai College
Grade: 9
Jersey: #11
Position: SG/SF
Height: 186cm
Strengths: -Long/athletic wing
-Strong ball handler and passer who makes good decisions
-Good outside shooter
-Relentless attacking the basket
-Solid perimeter defender and plays passing lanes well
-Good rebounder
-Tough/gritty/plays extremely hard on both ends
Favourite basketball player: Nikola Jokic
#2 Joshua Aguinaldo
School: GEMS Winchester
Grade: N/A
Jersey: #11
Position: PG
Strengths: -Strong, athletic guard
-Good shooting off the dribble and pick and roll
-Gets to the basket at will
-Great playmaking ability
-Great scorer in transition
#3 Nathaniel Williams
School: Dwight school
Jersey: #13
Position: PF/C
Height: 187cm
Strengths: -Long/Athletic Big/High motor
-Excellent rebounder
-Sprints the floor well
-Strong defensive presence and shot blocker
-Finishes strong around the rim
Favourite basketball player: Lebron James
Hobbies: Basketball and playing video games
#4 Amal Dhanesh
School: Dubai College
Grade: 9
Jersey: #24
Position: SG/PG
Height: 178CM
Strengths: -Big guard
-Always plays under control
-Good shooter
-Rebounds well from guard position
-Very good on ball defender
Favourite basketball player: Kyrie Irving
Hobbies: Football and playing the saxophone
#5 Amin Mansour
School: Dwight School
Grade: 9
Jersey: #10
Position: SF
Height: 180cm
Strengths: -Very athletic
-Finishes well around the basket
-Decent midrange shooter
-Runs the floor well
-Good rebounder
Favourite basketball player: Michael Jordan
Hobbies: Basketball
#6 Oskar Granberg (RAHA International School)
School: RAHA International School
Jersey: #20
Position: PF/C
Strengths: -Excellent offensive rebounder
-Finishes strong around the rim
-Strong post defender and shot blocker