Thursday, December 22, 2011

MICKEY MITCHELL: The Freshman "Mayor" of the City of Palms!!!

MICKEY MITCHELL: Class of 2015


Written By: Prospect-Central

I haven't been this excited over the initials "M & M"...since...well...I guess..."Eminem".  After helping lead Prestonwood Christian (Plano, TX) to a championship victory over highly ranked Grace Prep (Arlington, TX) at the City of Palms Classic on Wednesday night, Mickey Mitchell is officially..."The REAL Slim Shady!!!"

This is the second time Prestonwood Christian has faced Grace Prep in a week.  The first meeting was televised on Espn U and was a decisive fifteen point win for Grace Prep, despite a solid showing from Mickey with 16 pts, 6 rebs, and 4 asts.  In the City of Palms championship game however, the tides turned.

Mickey Mitchell helped Prestonwood Christian to a twenty point blow out victory over Grace Prep, 62-42.  He led all scorers with 19 points and battled on the glass as well for a solid 8 rebounds.

"I never seen a freshman like Mickey.  He can really play." Prestonwood Christian coach Chris Mayberry said.  "He's so intelligent, his basketball IQ is outrageous.  He just understands the game so well."

Mickey's solid performance is even more impressive considering the steep competition he faced. Grace Prep is one of the better teams in the country and are led by 7 foot senior sensation Isaiah Austin and top ten player in the class of 2014 Emanuel Mudiay.

Mickey Mitchell is obviously not a one man team.  Prestonwood Christian is led by Julius Randle, the junior superstar who just might be the second coming of Chris Webber. Randle actually earned MVP honors of the tournament, despite a quiet night with 7 points and 7 rebounds in the final.  Mitchell was selected to the All-Tournament Team.

What sets Mickey apart from other freshman baller's, at least at the moment, is his combination of size, strength, athletic ability and skill level. Perhaps the "Coup de Grace" of Mitchell's game though is his play making and passing abilities.  He kinda reminds me of Miami Heat's Mike Miller (another "M & M"), when he was younger because of his ability to play a "point forward" type of roll.

Mitchell's terrific play so early in his freshman season should be of little surprise for those that follow youth hoops.  He's been a well established name in grass roots basketball since he was twelve and this past July he helped lead his AAU team Texas Titans to a 14U national championship.

Back in August, Mickey Mitchell was one of the ten freshman featured in Prospect-Central's "Ten Fresh Faces" and before the season started I selected him as pre-season Freshman of the Year.  So far he's living up to the hype, but the season is far from over.

Like any young baller, Mickey Mitchell is far from a finished product. He needs to continue to stay motivated despite his early success and work on his overall game.  He's also a solid QB prospect in football and may need to decide if he really wants to be a dual sport athlete.

Like I said before, the initials "M & M" have taken on a new meaning for me. There is a new "Eminem" on the block.  Let's just hope Mickey Mitchell can cross this 8 mile road now.


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