Southern Jam Fest 17U Standouts (Part 2)
Every year Hoop Group puts on one of the best events in the country at the Boo Williams Sportsplex called the Southern Jam Fest, but this year it was a little bit different. Some of the best shoe company and…
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Continue ReadingEvery year Hoop Group puts on one of the best events in the country at the Boo Williams Sportsplex called the Southern Jam Fest, but this year it was a little bit different. Some of the best shoe company and independent programs from up and down the east coast came to Southern, including the number one team in the country Team Final featuring the top two players in the country.
There were double digit shoe company teams from all three major circuits, and plenty of other talented teams making it one of the most talented events I’ve ever been to. We will have tons of content from it, starting with part two of the many 17 U standouts, focusing on the DMV area.
Dariq Whitehead | 6’5” WF | Team Durant
While Team Final boasted the #1 and #2 prospects in the country, Whitehead is another guy with pro potential that is one of the top prospects in the country as well. The wing who stars at Montverde, the top high school in the country, has great positional size and good athleticism, and he has a lot in his bag as a scoring threat and all-around wing on both ends. He can put it on the deck and get to the rim, he can create shots on the perimeter and he has the instincts and frame to be a very good on ball defender as well.
Rodney Rice Rodney Rice 6'4" | CG DeMatha | 2022 State #89 Nation MD | 6’3” CG | Team Durant
Rice is another elite scoring guard for Durant, and the DeMatha guard showed elite scoring ability and is so tough to guard because he’s a guy who can create and make shots from all three levels. He’s smooth with the ball in his hands and able to get in the lane or create space with step backs, he has excellent balance and gets his feet set and he’s also able to move off the basketball where he shoots it at a high clip from deep. He’s there true definition of a combo guard as he can handle it well enough to be a point but is wired to score it and can do so in bunches.
Chaz Kelley | 6’3” PG | Team Durant
Kelley was one of the few guys on this Durant team I hadn’t seen before as he just moved to PA from Texas last year, and he was very impressive on a team that’s one of the most talented in the country. The 6’3” guard is a quick twitch guy with a lightning quick first step and good shift off the bounce, he can get in the lane and make plays and he showed the ability to make shots from deep as well. He showed a good competitive streak and should see his stock rise when coaches can get out and see him again.
Darren Buchanan | 6’5” WF | Team Durant
Buchanan is one of my favorite players on the east coast, and he fits this Durant team like a glove with his versatility and ability to be an elite glue guy with other alpha guys on the team. He’s a high IQ point forward who doesn’t do any one thing particularly well, but he does a little bit of everything to help his team win. He’s a mismatch guy who can get downhill and use his strength and athleticism at the rim, he’s improved his shooting from deep and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to help his team win.
Javon Adams Javon Adams 6'6" | SF Capital Christian | 2022 MD | 6’8” F | Team Durant
Adams is another PA guy I got to check out for the first time at Southern, and when it comes to tools both physically and within his skill set he has a lot of them that makes him very intriguing. He’s not only 6’8”, he’s a long 6’8” with natural mobility and athleticism, and while he’s a little frail he has in game strength and has a lot of perimeter skills as he can make shots from deep and put it on the deck and create his own shot. He plays above the rim and uses his length to make disruptions defensively, and he played with a good motor whenever I watched them as well.
Justin Taylor Justin Taylor 6'5" | SG IMG Academy | 2022 State #156 Nation FL | 6’5” WG | Team Takeover
It was my first time getting to see Taylor in a Takeover uniform, and he was one of the main reasons they were able to make the championship game before falling to Team Final. The 6’5” guard is a knock down shooter from deep and is excellent on the move and coming off of screens, he’s able to put it on the deck and create shots for himself and others and he’s a very underrated defender as he can guard the best player on the other team as well. His transformation from just a shooter to an overall wing that can do a little bit of everything has been fun to watch over the years.
Dug McDaniel | 5’9” PG | Team Takeover
McDaniel showed why he’s considered one of the top guards on the east coast and he showed why, as he was electric throughout the entire event and showed that he’s a natural leader that makes everyone around him better. He’s an absolute blur in transition and possesses a very quick first step, he has fantastic vision and playmaking ability and he’s one of the best on ball defenders I’ve seen in the class. He sets the tone on both ends every time he’s on the floor and he’s really improved in his ability to score the basketball as well.
Masai Troutman Masai Troutman 6'5" | SF St. Andrew's | 2022 State MD | 6’4” WG | Team Takeover
It was my first time seeing Troutman, and he has all the qualities of a traditional two guard with his ability to score it efficiently and at a high rate. He really benefitted from the fact that McDaniel could make plays and Taylor drew the eyes of the defense, as he got a lot of open looks from deep and knocked them down with consistency. He moved well off the ball and attacked closeouts, he was great in help side defense and took advantage of his opportunities throughout the event.
Jordan Pennick Jordan Pennick 6'1" | CG Archbishop Spalding | 2022 State MD | 6’1” G | Team Choo
Pennick is one of the more underrated guys in the Baltimore area, and when matched up against Team Melo one of the best in the Baltimore area he went straight at them and had a good amount of success. He’s a tough minded guy who can get to spots and make shots from all over the floor, he can knock down shots from deep and score it in bunches. He’s a fun player to watch and will go at whoever is put in front of him.