Southern Jam Fest-Saturday Standouts
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It was day two of Southern Jam Fest which means a full slate of games. After 11+ hours in the gym, I’ll point out seven prospects who stood out among the rest in the games that I watched: Isaiah Coleman…
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Continue ReadingIt was day two of Southern Jam Fest which means a full slate of games. After 11+ hours in the gym, I’ll point out seven prospects who stood out among the rest in the games that I watched:
Isaiah Coleman Isaiah Coleman 6'5" | SF Word of God | 2023 State #59 Nation NC ’23 | Team Loaded NC 3SSB
It caught me off guard to see Coleman at the even playing with Team Loaded NC 3SSB after having a major month of April on the EYBL Circuit, but one thing with the 6-foot-5 combo guard always remains true: he’ll get a bucket no matter what jersey he wears. His ability to create for himself off the bounce and his three-level scoring prowess make him a threat every time the ball is in his hands. He also let his athleticism come to the forefront in transition where he would raise up for one-handed slam. In their final game Saturday, Coleman hit the game-winning three in transition to defeat Team Takeover National. Miami, LSU and Maryland are all players involved in his recruitment.
Xavier Booker Xavier Booker 6'11" | PF Cathedral | 2023 State #4 Nation IN ’23 | George Hill All Indy
It didn’t take long for Booker to show why he’ll end up a top 40 prospect nationally before his high school career concludes. At 6-foot-10, the lefty has ball skills not a lot of prospects his size or age do. He had the dunk of the weekend when he drove from the right elbow, took one dribble before rising up and baptizing his defender on the left side of the rim. In their second game of the day against NJ ShoreShots, Booker converted on his looks from the right corner off the catch from three. If he can become threat from deep with consistency, then the sky is truly the limit for this one. Michigan State is deeply entrenched in this recruitment. Louisville recently extended an offer as has Kansas, Miami and others.
Royce Parham Royce Parham 6'8" | PF Western Reserve Academy | 2024 State #53 Nation OH ’24 | Team Durant
Parham was one of my finds of the weekend and I expect his recruitment to blow up sooner rather than later. He has great size at 6-foot-8 and it wouldn’t surprise me if he grew to 6-foot-9 or 6-foot-10 considering he’s only 15. His ability to score from inside in a variety of ways while also step out to the three and knock down shots with time add to his intrigue as a long-term prospect. He runs the floor consistently with purpose, pursues rebounds at their peak and understands when to make the extra pass.
Aidan Harris Aidan Harris 6'6" | SF St. Marys | 2023 State #293 Nation MD ’23 | DMV Stags
It was good seeing Harris healthy after dealing with a year of lingering injuries. He has solid positional size at 6-foot-7, a strong frame and can put the ball in the basket in a variety of ways. He was offered by Pitt Johnstown after his early morning game and followed that performance with a 25-point outing in a win over Team Wilson to cap off his day. Harris makes face-up three’s confidently and comfortably, but also has the physical mindset on catches inside to bully his defender into an easy lay-up or draw a foul. He uses his burley frame to establish position in the paint where he is a good area rebounder.
DJ Wagner ’23 | NJ Scholars
Without major surprise, Wagner had to be included on this list because of his ability to score the basketball at an elite level. He got to any spot that he wanted whenever he wanted thanks to his quick first step off the dribble and finished creatively around the rim with either hand. His shot looked fluid off the catch and on a few occasions, he made his defender pay from three after going under the ball screen. His ability to create paint touches also opened up teammate Aaron Bradshaw along the dunker’s spot for dump-off passes where Bradshaw would step into the catch and slam the ball in with two hands for safety.
Tyler Tejada | NJ ShoreShots
Tejada continues to put forth a massive spring and establish himself as a true LM-MM prospect. At 6-foot-7 nearing 6-foot-8, he’s a versatile option defensively who can hold his own on switches out on the perimeter. He runs the floor and can finish over the rim while being a true pick-and-pop threat from three in the half court. He’s still developing his ball skills and while his overall game still needs polish, it’s clear that he is one of the sleeper prospects in the northeast. Robert Morris and LIU-Brooklyn have offered the New Jersey native, who lit it up in his first game of the day with a 30+ point performance.
Jamie Kaiser Jamie Kaiser 6'6" | SF IMG Academy | 2023 State #67 Nation FL | New World
The Kaiser train keeps rolling and after an uncharacteristic shooting slump Friday evening, the 6-foot-6 wing shot the leather off the ball on Saturday to help his squad to two victories. Games were running well behind schedule, so New World’s last game didn’t begin until around 10:30PM. The gym had somewhat emptied out, but for those who stuck around got to witness a 29-point outing that included 5 bombs. While his shooting ability is well documented, it’s Kasier’s willingness to do the little things that have contributed him to becoming a national prospect. He runs the floor hard and with purpose every possession and it pays off on the offensive end where at least a handful of times he would collect miss lay ups in transition and go back up strong through contact. He’s relentless in that sense and it’s extremely difficult not to leave a game loving what you just saw.