Spring Jam Fest Preview

<p>AAU season ramps up this weekend, as several teams from DC, Maryland, and Virginia will be traveling to Spooky Nook Sports where Hoop Group's Spring Jam Fest is set to take place. Below is a preview of the tournament, including a rundown of some teams and players to watch from the top 17U, 16U, and 15U divisions respectively.</p> <h2>17U ELITE</h2> <p><strong>6th Man Warriors HGSL </strong>features Bishop Walsh wing <strong>Wilson Ramabu</strong>, who is one of the most athletic forwards in the state of MD. Look for them to defend, get out in transition and score it. </p> <p><strong>District Basketball Club HGSL </strong>picked up a sleeper in <strong>Garfield Turner</strong>. Expect the 6'8 big man to protect the rim and run the floor while his team gets out on the break.</p> <p><strong>MD3D Red </strong>is anchored by 6'8 forward <strong>Logan Vican</strong>. Expect this team to compete hard and possibly upset one or two teams in the process.</p> <p><strong>Mid Atlantic Select </strong>has deep roster loaded with talent. <strong>Cam Tweedy</strong> is a name that coaches should become familiar with. The 6-foot-6 forward will likely be an impact player on both ends of the floor.</p> <p><strong>Pure Game Elite </strong>has one of Northern Virginia's most exciting guards in <strong>Jared Clawson</strong>. Look for this team to go as far as Clawson takes them.</p> <p><strong>Team Loaded 434-Hawes </strong>has assembled an intriguing roster which should be able to compete. 6-foot-4 wing <strong>Landon Hawes</strong> is an crafty, versatile scorer who can rebound and defend. He will be a player to watch closely this weekend.</p> <p><strong>Team Richmond-Garner Road HGSL </strong>features 6-foot-11 big man <strong>Burke Smith</strong>, who is one of the more recruitable bigs in the state of Virginia. Expect Smith to continue his breakout this spring.</p> <p><strong>VA Premier </strong>has a skilled 6'5 forward in <strong>Isaiah Rhodes</strong>. Look for Rhodes to stretch the floor, rebound, and score in the post with his arsenal of moves.</p> <p><strong>Virginia Elite </strong>is anchored 6'10 big man <strong>Churchill Bounds</strong>. Bounds is a space eater who is armed with a 7 foot wingspan. He should block several shots, rebound, rim run, and showcase intriguing skill offensively.</p> <h2>16U ELITE</h2> <p><strong>District Basketball Club </strong>is loaded with talent, especially in this age group. Look for sharpshooting combo guard <strong>Ryan Cornish</strong> to possibly emerge as the team's leading scorer.</p> <p><strong>Mid Atlantic Select </strong>always has under-the-radar talent. We believe that this spring will be massive for <strong>Afamdi Achufusi</strong>. The tough 6'3 guard is extremely versatile on both ends of the court. Look for Achufusi to make plays for others and take advantage of mismatches while playing high level defense.</p> <p><strong>Team Durant EYBL </strong>is one of the favorites to win this division despite not having a first round bye. <strong>David Brown</strong> is one of the best scorers in the state of MD. Expect the 6'4 shooting guard out of McDonogh to showcase this ability both in transition and half court offense.</p> <p><strong>Team Thrill UAA </strong>features an intriguing long term prospect in <strong>Julian Reese</strong>. The 6-foot-8 lefty will be one to watch, and could propel his team to a solid run in the tournament.</p> <p><strong>Team Pro Look-Robinson </strong>has a 6-foot-3 combo guard named <strong>Andre Speight</strong> who should turn some heads if he can lead his team to a few wins. The long-limbed lefty is tough to contain off the bounce, can shoot it from deep, and has incredible touch when finishing in traffic.</p> <p><strong>WAWG District UAA </strong>will have <strong>Jordan Rayford</strong> at the point running the show. The talented 6-foot-5 guard will be given a great opportunity to showcase his skills and show coaches what he can do. If Rayford can consistently assert himself, WAWG should benefit from this and win several games.</p> <h2>15U ELITE</h2> <p><strong>Team Melo EYBL </strong>features <strong>Tyson Commander</strong>, who was arguably the most productive freshman in the state. The 6-foot-2 guard should emerge as a standout this weekend if he can duplicate what he did this past season for John Carroll. </p> <p><strong>Team Thrill UAA </strong>is expected to have MSJ guard <strong>Antonio Hamlin</strong> in the back court. Hamlin is experienced. He should be able to defend while scoring and facilitating throughout the tournament.</p> <p><strong>WAWG District UAA </strong>picked up GDS guard <strong>Jayden Rainey</strong>, who can really shoot it and plays with a ton of confidence. Expect Rainey to be aggressive from start to finish and potentially catch fire in the process.</p>