UA Rise & Adidas MDC: 2022 Review
Atlanta Allstars- I didn’t see a 15U player who had a better weekend than Allstars big man Jared Russo (pictured). He averaged 16.7 PPG, 11.7 PPG, and 6.7 BPG in the 3 games I saw, proving to be a legitimate…
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Continue ReadingAtlanta Allstars- I didn’t see a 15U player who had a better weekend than Allstars big man Jared Russo (pictured). He averaged 16.7 PPG, 11.7 PPG, and 6.7 BPG in the 3 games I saw, proving to be a legitimate block triple-double threat every game. Russo has good mobility and springs up to the rim quickly for dunks and blocks. He’s an active rebounder who plays through contact well despite his slender frame, and has solid skill inside. Not just a one-man show, the Allstars are a well-rounded group. Jordan Brown mans the PG position. He’s a bigger guard with a good body and crafty handles. He can create a lot off the dribble and is progressing as a passer. Chance Thacker had good moments throughout the weekend, providing scoring but also doing a little bit of everything as usual. I’ve always appreciated his willingness to do the little things given that he is a very capable shooter and scorer.
Jordan Brown Chance Thacker
JJ Hayes and Oscar Lynch provide the team with tall, versatile wings who have some toughness and good overall skill. They made good contributions in multiple areas last weekend. With Russo inside is Max Vinogradov, a physically mature forward who plays with a great motor and impacts the game on both ends. Ethan Underwood gives the Allstars another option at PG; he has good IQ, some savviness to him, and can score or facilitate.
Oscar LynchGrant Portera is a strong, active wing who does a variety of things. He’ll hurt you from deep, make plays in transition, and do the dirty work. Caleb Lesch and Carson Wolfel serve as outside specialists for this group. They come in ready to knock down perimeter shots and I was impressed with the rebounding effort from Lesch at the event. The Allstars have weapons at every position and should continue to make nice progressions before July.
PSB Elite- The 2022 PSB group had a great spring and ended with a 6-2 record in their UA Rise games. I was able to see them once in Spartanburg where they had a dominant win over AC Georgia. The most impressive player in this particular game was a 2023 prospect, Caleb Foster. He scored 20 of their 58 points, doing it in a variety of ways. He has an advanced set of skills and good size for a young guard. Foster connected on 3 3’s and plays with some quiet confidence. PG Jordan Marsh is paired up with Foster in the backcourt; he’s a sparkplug who scores, distributes, and plays great defense. He racked up steals, pushed the pace in transition, and helped to energize his team.
Caleb Foster Jordan Marsh
PSB has two bigger perimeter players in Graham Worland and Cade Tyson. Having heard a lot about Worland’s scoring ability, I came away impressed with his production in other areas. Worland doesn’t force things and moves very well without the ball. He made lots of nice passes and was also helpful on the defensive side and when rebounding. Tyson, the younger brother of Clemson player Hunter Tyson, was battling injury last weekend but had some good moments. He has a nice outside shot and size at 6’4”. Tyson plays with some scrappiness and had no issue throwing his body around and made physical, hustle plays.
Graham Worland Cade Tyson
Manning the paint for PSB are Jalon Walker and Jake Shore. They both have good bodies and strength for rising sophomores. Walker and Shore let their offensive opportunities come to them, playing off the ball well and not shying away from contact in traffic. They combined for a solid 12 points and 13 rebounds in the game, providing the team with viable weapons and taking some pressure off of their guards.
Game Elite JB– This Game Elite team took down the aforementioned Allstars group in the 15U Silver championship in an impressive, hard-fought battle. They had nice balance offensively with 3 guys scoring in double figures and another contributing 9 points. Game Elite was led by perimeter players TJ Clark and Andre Young in this matchup, combining for 29 points. They used a nice mix of inside and outside scoring throughout the game. Both have ball-handling ability and played with good energy. It seemed like they were out to prove a point in this showdown, and they did.
Also with productive outings for Game Elite were RJ Godfrey and Isaiah Nelson-Ododa. Godfrey impressed me with his versatility. He was basically a positionless player for Game Elite, playing physically inside against a big Allstars team but also showing some perimeter skills. He put up 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists that included big plays down the stretch. Nelson-Ododa is a raw post with scary potential and great tools to work with. He protected the rim, had a few nice finishes, and rebounded well. Nelson-Ododa moves well, has some touch, and displayed a respectable shot.
Standouts for @gameeliteatl JB 2022 vs. Atlanta Allstars (69-57 Championship W):
Andre Young-15P 4R 3STJ Clark-14P 5R 4A
RJ Godfrey-11P 6R 3A
Isaiah Nelson-Ododa-9P 7R 3B pic.twitter.com/wO7qNtFtS8
— Trent Markwith (@TMarkwith14) May 27, 2019
Game Elite Big 5- Playing up an age group, Big 5 more than held their own at the MDC, taking a good Team Knight group into overtime on Sunday. Scoota Henderson has looked really good whenever I’ve watched him this spring. He has such a mature, poised game with a well-rounded set of skills. Henderson rebounds out of the guard spot, has vision, is an effective scorer, and doesn’t make many mistakes. He put up 20 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in the game. Henderson’s backcourt mate is Juvon Gamory. He can share ball-handling duties with Henderson, but has also proven to be a consistent threat from deep. Gamory is a confident shooter with good range, he hit 3 3’s and finished with 15 points in this matchup. He plays with some peskiness and gets a good amount of steals too, allowing him to ignite the break and dish to teammates.
Scoota Henderson Juvon Gamory
Also with Big 5 were two post prospects who have exceptional physical traits- Joyful Hawkins and Gai Chol. When Hawkins’ motor is running, he is scary. He has long arms, good athleticism, and is a reliable finisher. Hawkins can impact the game on the defensive end and has a decent set of tools on offense. Chol is a 2023 prospect who will soon be a nationally known name. He is already a legitimate 6’11” and can move extremely well. A forceful shot blocker who plays hard, Chol causes issues in the paint on both ends. He already has some strength and although he’ll need refinement on offense, he showed promise multiple times with his moves on the block
Joyful Hawkins Gai Chol