Jack’s 16U Southern Standouts (Part 2)
It is always one of the top events of the year for us guys in Virginia, as teams from all over the commonwealth and neighboring states ranging from the Carolinas to Pennsylvania and West Virginia. With the amount of write…
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Continue ReadingIt is always one of the top events of the year for us guys in Virginia, as teams from all over the commonwealth and neighboring states ranging from the Carolinas to Pennsylvania and West Virginia. With the amount of write ups so many of us are doing, I thought I would just give multiple standouts that I saw from each age group. Here’s a look at part two of my 16U standouts, focusing mostly on the DMV area and North Carolina.
Bez Mbeng | 6’2” G | DC Premier
The Good Counsel guard has been a standout all spring for a talented Premier team with his ability to make plays off the bounce. He’s a dynamic athlete who can blow by defenders, is a blur in transition where he can make plays for others or get to the rack where he’s an explosive leaper and finisher at the rim. He’s a streaky shooter but can make shots off the bounce from deep and the midrange and he’s a good defender both on and off the basketball.
Angelo Brizzi | 6’3” PG | Team BBC
This Highland (VA) shooter is as intriguing as they come, as he’s a point guard with good size, surprising athleticism and a good feel as both a scorer and a distributor. The lefty can handle pressure as he changes speeds well and is able to stop on a dime and get into his shot effortlessly. He has in the gym range off the bounce, supreme confidence in his shot and he’s a crafty finisher in the lane who can get to the line or finish through traffic. Like many young guards he sometimes struggles with the decision of when to score it and when to distribute but he has all of the tools of a new age point guard with good size to go along with it.
Julian Reese | 6’8” PF | Team Thrill
I came away after watching Reese believing that he has the necessary physical tools and skill set to be a high major prospect when it’s all said and done. At 6’8” he has a great wingspan that he uses on both ends of the floor, he runs the floor well and he’s a monster on the glass on both ends. He can score over either shoulder in the paint, showed a good midrange jump shot and was simply a load inside that was hard to handle. He’ll be one to watch grow and should see his offer list jump with time.
Malik Missouri | 6’5” W | Team Thrill
The other Thrill guy who came off as a possible high level recruit is Missouri, as he has the necessary size and athleticism to play on the wing at the next level. The Gilman School wing already holds offers from St. John’s and Loyola (MD), and with his ability to score in different ways and use his size and athleticism on both ends. He showed he can catch-and-shoot from deep, hit the midrange pull-up and finish above the rim in transition.
Redford Dunton | 6’5” WF | Garner Road
Dunton stood out to me in my first time watching him because of his smooth game and ability to impact it in a number of ways. He can score the ball efficiently from all three levels and got most of his shots from within the offense making him a big threat without stifling the flow of the game or icing out other guys. He competed on both ends as he was a good rebounder, and his size and above average athleticism bold well for him moving forward.
Jaden Cooper | 6’2” PG | Garner Road
Those who are looking for a freak athlete that the point guard spot need to take a look at Cooper, because the kid is a special kind of explosive. End-to-end he has blazing speed as he’s able to blow by people in the open court or track down guys who leak out defensively, and he can shoot the gap on the defensive end for steals when you thought he had no shot. He rebounds well for his position on both ends, and showed his incredible leaping ability with one of the biggest put-backs of the entire weekend on a big man’s head.
Rodney Rice Jr. | 6’2” PG | Team Durant
He was one of my standouts from the EYBL session in Atlanta, and he’s proving to be one of the top young guards in the DMV area. The Bulliss guard is a guy who can flat out score the basketball with it in his hands, whether it’s in transition, in half court isolation situations or when his number is called in pick-and-roll scenarios. He can also be moved off the basketball where he works tirelessly to get open and can make shots from deep at a high clip. He isn’t the best athlete but he has a toughness about him that makes him a good rebounder and a solid defender as well.
Jordan Hawkins | 6’4” W | Team Durant
On Championship Sunday, no name was thrown around by scouts watching 16U more than Hawkins who was phenomenal in so many different ways. The 6’4” wing out of Gaithersburg HS showed great versatility on both ends of the floor, making an impact with his energy and athleticism on the glass while also scoring it efficiently and making the right play consistently. He’s a good athlete who can finish at the rim, he stretches the floor well with his shooting ability and he was all over the floor making plays in every aspect of the game. He already holds early offers from Mount St. Mary’s, JMU and Norfolk State and should see even bigger schools come into the picture sooner rather than later.