17U Preview-Team Thrill

We learned a couple of weeks ago that Nike had cancelled all events in its EYBL Circuit. There’s a chance all of the major shoe circuits take the same approach, but that’s not reason for us not to shed light on the AAU teams that were constructed with their rosters awaiting clearance from COVID-19. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be highlighting some of the local programs, as many of their players would’ve been beneficiaries of a spring/summer travel stage. For this article, we’ll look at Team Thrill’s 17U roster set to play on the UAA Circuit. [player_tooltip player_id="546189" first="Jarace" last="Walker"] | 6’7 | IMG Academy ’22 Walker is a 6-foot-7 man child whose frame is already college ready. Along with brute strength, Walker has plus athleticism that allows him for impressive above the rim finishes in traffic or in transition. Walker’s strength and quickness make him a versatile option defensively as he can match up against guards or stretch fours. The next step in his development is becoming more dynamic off the bounce, which should come sooner rather than later. Offers: Florida, Howard. LSU, Kansas State, Virginia Tech [player_tooltip player_id="904620" first="Noah" last="Batchelor"] | 6’7 | Glenelg Country ’22 Batchelor is a 6-foot-7 wing who can stretch the defense with his outside shooting. He’ll also finish athletically above the rim in the open floor and is a lob threat in the half court. His blend of size and shooting are aspects in today’s game that are valued, which is a big reason his stock exploded last summer. Becoming a better defender on the ball and more dynamic off the dribble are areas for improvement that will solidify him among the high major ranks. Offers: Clemson, Florida, Georgetown, George Washington, Maryland, Memphis. Virginia Tech [player_tooltip player_id="775326" first="Jared" last="Billups"] | 6’6 | McDonogh ’21 Billups is a versatile wing at 6-foot-6 who can fill the stat sheet. Billups can score efficiently from the mid-range and paint by creating shots of his own or moving without the ball. He’s an athletic finisher in transition and is improving as a decision maker. Billups is a plus rebounder and shot blocker for his position. If Billups can channel that dominant mindset for a full 32-minute game, he’ll see plenty more college come his way. Offers: Brown, Bryant, Bucknell, Lafayette, Loyola (MD), Mt. St. Mary’s, UMass-Lowell [player_tooltip player_id="717033" first="Jalen" last="Miller"] | 6’2 | Bishop Walsh ’21 Miller is a 6-foot-2 lead guard who can be a facilitator in the half court while putting pressure on the defense as a scorer from all three levels. Miller has good instincts and IQ on both ends. He takes pride in guarding the ball and is always hunting for 5-second calls. Over the past high school season Miller’s stock has been on the rise and I expect that trend to continue. Offers: Bryant, Central Arkansas, Elon, Lehigh, Loyola (MD), Towson, Stony Brook [player_tooltip player_id="775332" first="Nick" last="Marshall"] | 6’3 | River Hill ’21 Marshall is a 6-foot-3 combo guard who is known for his scoring. He can shoot it from beyond the arc and mixes it up well off the dribble. He rebounds well for a guard and can guard either guard position competently. Marshall was one of the players on this Thrill team that had a chance to gain steam with his recruitment if there had been a spring live period. Offers: Dartmouth, Fairfield, Howard, Loyola (MD), Rice [player_tooltip player_id="748763" first="Christian" last="Moore"] | 6’2 | Cape Henry ’21 Moore is a 6-foot-2 guard who scores the ball in a variety of ways. He can fill it up quickly once he sees one shot drop and can create separation with quick twitch moves. On his drives, Moore knows he draws the defense’s attention and uses his instincts to locate open teammates for open opportunities. He’s an active off-ball defender with a knack of generating deflections. [player_tooltip player_id="902015" first="Ahmad" last="Harrison"] | 6’1 | City ’21 Harrison is a 6-foot-1 guard who plays bigger than his listed height. I’ve seen Harrison guard the 1-3 positions effectively and even forwards where he uses his quick feet and active hands to defend in the post. A crafty finisher around the rim, Harrison has a deadly pull-up jumper off the dribble from 15 feet and in. He brings toughness and versatility to the backcourt. Offers: Bryant [player_tooltip player_id="902017" first="Clarence" last="Obiajulu"] | 6’7 | City ’21 Obiajulu may be one of the best prospects that doesn’t get the buzz he deserves. At 6-foot-7, he’s built like a linebacker but with the athleticism and footwork you need in a forward. He rebounds when the ball is at its peak, runs the floor consistently and finishes with power around the rim. For programs looking for a tough four-man, I advise looking into Obiajulu. [player_tooltip player_id="902009" first="Jedy" last="Cordilia"] | 6’9 | West Nottingham Academy ’21 Cordilia is a 6-foot-9 forward with great length. He uses that length to disrupt shots in the paint, secure rebounds and catch high passes for quick finishes. Cordilia has soft hands and good awareness on his rolls to the basket following a ball screen. He’s a prospect with much potential still left to be tapped into. Offers: Howard, Mount St. Mary’s, Stony Brook [player_tooltip player_id="902036" first="Malik" last="Missouri"] | 6’5 | Gilman ’21 Missouri is a 6-foot-5 wing/forward who was bit by the injury bug this season. He elected to sit out a bulk of the season to prepare for the spring stage. Obviously that chance was taken away from him, but it doesn’t take away his potential as a versatile wing player with length. It’ll be good to see how he bounces back if there’s a summer live period or when his senior year kicks off. Offers: Bryant, Loyola (MD) Dende Cedar | 6’9 | Bishop Walsh ’21 Cedar is a 6-foot-9 big who could’ve used the spring stage to establish his name. His mix of size, length and timing on blocking shots would attract college coaches. He’s still a work in progress offensively, but shows soft touch on his over the shoulder hooks and knows how to finish strong above the rim when opportunities arise.