Rumble Up North – 17u Top Prospect Performers

The Rumble Up North was full of big names from different parts of the country.  How did some of those top prospects play?  As you would expect!

Bryan Bennett Bryan Bennett 6'5" | SF Demopolis | 2021 State AL of Alabama Celtics (6’4 Wing of Demopolis AL; 2021).  This is not very complicated, but it something college coaches need to know.  If a defense does not have two lines of defense ready for when Bryan Bennett Bryan Bennett 6'5" | SF Demopolis | 2021 State AL gets a step to the rim, the possession is over.  Bryant Bennett bounces to the rim like he’s allowed to use a spring board and he finishes that way and was rebounding above the rim all weekend as well.  What really grabbed our attention was that Bryan looks to have improved his ability to get to that first step with an aggressive first dribble.  

Anthony Bittar of Team Speights (6’3 PG of East Lake FL; 2021). One of the elite set-up man at the Rumble Up North was Anthony Bittar.  What we saw the most was a player that attacked the edge beating player one and did a great job getting another dribble into the lane drawing one or two help defenders before delivering the right pass over and over.  Bittar is so good at drawing defenders he was like a fly trap opening space for his teammates to move freely.  Was likely the 17u leader in assists this weekend. 

Camden Heide Camden Heide 6'7" | SF Wasatch Academy | 2022 State #129 Nation UT of D1 Minnesota (6’6 SF of Wayzata MN; 2022). This was Camden’s first weekend back from injury and while his stints were a bit shorter as he gets back into full game condition, you could see Heide’s top 50 level national prospect potential shine through each contest.  We saw Heide get his feet set and be a floor extending three point shooter, Heide moved the ball to the rim and touched in shots after shaking his first defender with a ball fake, and he used his strength to take a hit around the basket and complete.  What really caught my eye is how Heide used that ball fake and then attacked the opposite direction, each way.  Used the attack right and the attack left to score, and then really humored us by scoring around the basket comfortably with both his right and left hand. 

Ahjany Lee Ahjany Lee 6'9" | C Byron | 2022 State #145 Nation MN of D1 Minnesota Prospects (6’9 PF of Byron; 2022). Game to game Ahjany finished attempts at an above 50 percent rate in three of the four contests, and had a rough shooting game to complete the event.  You can’t expect a developing player to be an amazing finisher away from the rim every game, but Lee went for double figures in a pair of games.  Lee showed his high prospect status as a high school version of Ben Wallace playing with passion, rebounding in bulk (three double figure board games including 15 in the final game), and blocking 13 shots in the four games.  

Kamari Mcgee Kamari Mcgee 6'0" | PG Racine St. Catherine's | 2021 State WI of Wisconsin Playground Warriors (6’0 PG of Racine St. Catherine’s; 2021). The division one options are starting to come the way of Kamari (5 D1 offers) and the Prep Hoops Circuit - coaches, players, writers, refs, directors, and all - everybody is standing up in applause because Kamari has earned it.  What did we like about McGee this weekend especially? He did a fantastic job limiting one of the best guards in the event to 2 of 11 shooting and in the same game was perfect from the foul line (9 for 9).  Shot the ball solid at the arc as well.  My favorite part of McGee offensively was the way he was able to physically separate from players and then in that space created finish the play, from whatever angle he was left with.

John Poulakidas John Poulakidas 6'6" | SF Nequa Valley | 2021 State #155 Nation IL of Young & Reckless (6’6 SF of Nequa Valley; 2021).  This was John’s first chance to get on the court this summer in the AAU/Summer setting and he did’t disappoint.  Considering he was the new guy (to the team this summer), in the first game John came off the bench.  But once he was on the floor the Rumble Up North got a look at that ultra high release that players simply can’t find a way to contest.  Poulakidas knocked out a quick pair of threes and the event was quickly aware that John’s stroke was on.  The next morning John went toe to toe with top 100 2022 Isaac Traudt Isaac Traudt 6'9" | SF Grand Island | 2022 State #45 Nation NE and produced 16 points in a two point win. Then in the title game, Young & Reckless got behind but the team started feeding John and his own 9-0 run put the game within one score.  His shooting stroke is a game changer and while it was only about a 6-7 shot per game weekend, the threat of John’s stroke was clear. 

Isaac Traudt Isaac Traudt 6'9" | SF Grand Island | 2022 State #45 Nation NE of Lincoln Supreme (6’9 Forward of Grand Island NE; 2022). Isaac led a group of young players playing up a level against some very good teams, and he was able to use that beautiful shooting stroke to have games of 12, 16, 19, and 21 points in the four games played this weekend.  Some ask what position Isaac as and I think it’s the versatile answer of "either forward spot".  Traudt at 6-foot-9 has a beautiful shooting stroke that can give his teams reliable arc makes every game.  That type of perimeter play allows him to be a three point threat (and has a good one dribble pull-up after clearing a player with a ball fake) but he’s also the guy that cuts to the rim and guards look for to finish around the rim and Isaac did that with either hand in the paint.  Has solid agility allowing him to get off the floor quickly to complete above the rim before the contesting defenders can try and meet him before he gets to the height of his jump.  Also a solid rim protector getting his length in front of the ball.