TTYS Spring Showcase-2024’s Playing Up
This past weekend in Inwood, WV, Team Thrill and The Circuit Hoops hosted a spring showcase with a loaded field of teams from states such as Maryland, D.C., Virginia, Tennessee, Houston and New York. I was in attendance for Saturday’s…
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Continue ReadingThis past weekend in Inwood, WV, Team Thrill and The Circuit Hoops hosted a spring showcase with a loaded field of teams from states such as Maryland, D.C., Virginia, Tennessee, Houston and New York. I was in attendance for Saturday’s slate of games where I caught plenty of talent from various classes. This week I’ll be breaking down the different prospects that stood out among the rest as we take a look at the 2024 prospects who played up in age level throughout the weekend.
For the 2024 15U guards, click here.
For the 2024 15U wings and bigs, click here.
Derik Queen Derik Queen 6'9" | PF Montverde Academy | 2024 State #18 Nation FL | 6’8 | Team Thrill
I’d find it very hard to believe that there are 3-to-5 freshmen in the country who are better than Queen. In fact, I think his production from this high school season and they way that he played this weekend has a strong argument for him being the top freshman nationally. Queen was just awarded the national freshman of the year by MaxPreps and everyone in attendance at the spring showcase saw why. His blend of size and versatility are like no other. He can score from all three levels, has elite vision and feel while also being able to grab a rebound and lead the break himself. Even on Thrill’s 16U team, Queen is the juggernaut and was the big reason they had such a successful opening weekend to the AAU season.
Darren Harris | 6’5 | Team Takeover
Harris was another freshman who was spectacular throughout this weekend. He boasts great size as an off-ball guard at 6-foot-5 and was easily one of the top shooters in the entire event. Despite his team coming up short against both BMaze Elite and Thrill, Harris held his individual target practice behind the three-point line. In the game against BMaze, he had a one-handed dunk in transition over a defender that caught many by surprise and make the gym erupt. This was my first time catching Harris live and he certainly left a lasting impression as one of the top freshman in a loaded 2024 class within the DMV.
Malachi Palmer | 6’5 | Team Thrill
You won’t find many people higher on Palmer than myself. His size and build for his age is the first thing that catches your eye, but once the ball is tipped, his smooth style of play and mature approach to the game is what wins you over. Palmer has one of the more fluid jumpers I’ve seen in a freshman and he’s extremely efficient in his attempts from three. He’s not a guy who will sit around the perimeter and hunt for triples though, he can also operate off the bounce and get to his spot before rising up for mid-range pull ups. He’s an above the rim threat in transition, but can also finish with either hand in a creative way to avoid contesting defenders. Palmer is valuable on the defensive end thanks to his size and athleticism, which allows him to defend multiple positions on the floor.
Jahseem Felton Jahseem Felton 6'5" | CG Combine Academy (NC) | 2024 State #189 Nation NC | 6’5 | BMaze Elite
Felton had a strong performance in his team’s win over Team Takeover. The 6-foot-5 combo guard handled the ball for much of the game and was aggressive when any isolation scenarios were presented. Felton has quick first step, a tight handle and good instincts as a driver to get all the way to the rim and allows his athleticism to help him finish around the cup. There were a few late possessions where he forced shots that weren’t necessarily needed, but as he grows and matures as a lead guard, I see those situations becoming limited. Felton is a fiery competitor, which helped give his team a toughness and edge it needed defensively to seal the win.
Donavan Freeman Donavan Freeman 6'9" | PF IMG Academy | 2024 #34 Nation FL | 6’8 | Team Takeover
Freeman had a showdown that won’t soon be forgotten with Queen when Takeover took on Thrill. It was the kind of one-on-one matchup you see when two players go back and forth and every time each one catches the ball, the tension and energy in the gym builds. Freeman ignited this battle by hitting a jumper in Queen’s grill after one or two dribbles in the mid-range. That was the style in which Freeman was scoring throughout this battle and when you consider his size and age at 6-foot-8, there’s plenty of reason to believe the sky is the limit in terms of potential. He also made an impact in the paint scoring with soft touch on over the shoulder hooks, defended with a purpose and rebounded out of his area.