Southern Jam Fest-17U Guard Notebook

Over the weekend, one of the best events annually took place in Hampton, Virginia at the Boo Williams Sportsplex. Southern Jam Fest is always a can’t miss event and it lived up to that reputation once again. For this series of articles, I’ll break down prospects by position with notes on their performances throughout the weekend. Knasir ’Dug’ McDaniel | 5’11 | Team Takeover ’22 No guard made a statement stronger than McDaniel as he led Team Takeover to a runner-up finish in the 17U Platinum bracket. The 5-foot-11 guard made it evident that not only should he be considered as a top 60 prospect nationally, but also should be in the conversation as a top five point guard for the 2022 class. McDaniel thrived in every way possible from his position whether it was managing the offense in the half court, pushing tempo, scoring from all three levels or play making for others. His ability to control the pace of a game came was magnified in their win over Scholars Elite when McDaniel (22 points) executed flawlessly in the final minutes to help Takeover seal the victory. In the championship versus Final, the Paul IV product embraced the challenge and didn’t shy away from the twin towers in Jalen Duren and Dereck Lively. McDaniel constantly attacked the paint finishing with high-arching floaters, on the dime pull ups from mid-range or dissecting the defense in pick-and-rolls. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Corey-Floyd.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1177603" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Corey-Floyd-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="787669" first="Corey" last="Floyd Jr"]. | 6’4 | Team Final ’22 I’ve been a fan of Floyd’s ever since I saw him in action for the first time back in April. The 6-foot-4 bruiser has the dog mentality that is rare in today’s game. He struggled to his standards to find his mark consistently from three, but didn’t allow that to impact his aggression. Instead, he attacked the basket with reckless abandon and had intentions of finishing through or over any defender in his way. His size and strength allows him to absorb maximum contact on his drives and still maintain the body control to finish. He’s going to fit right in at UConn next season with head coach Danny Hurley. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Epps-Jayden-Loaded.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1172943" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Epps-Jayden-Loaded-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="787667" first="Jayden" last="Epps"] | 6’2 | Team Loaded ’22 Epps is as natural of a scorer as they come. The 6-foot-2 guard recently decommitted from Providence and reclassed into 2022 where he has since been offered by the likes of Illinois, Kansas, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech and UConn. Epps is a guy who scores from all over the floor and can fill it up in a hurry. The primary ball-handler for this Loaded team, Epps operates off the bounce and is dynamic in the way that he creates space to get his shot off. His team was overwhelmed in their matchup against Team Final, but Epps refused to go down quietly as he nailed three triples and finished with 19 points. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/DJ-Wagner.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1201316" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/DJ-Wagner-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Dajaun Wagner Jr. | 6’3 | Scholars Elite ’23 Continuing on to another dynamic scoring guard, Wagner checks just about every box when it comes to that part of the game. The 6-foot-3 quick-twitch guard is extremely shifty and thrived in isolation situations where he makes his defender pay for any slight error in movement. He gets to his spots swiftly, but maintains body control once on pull ups. Wagner is a crafty finisher around the rim that makes opposing shot blocker’s jobs difficult. He isn’t afraid of contact and in fact, he’s effective at seeking physicality in the air to draw fouls and earn trips to the line. His tenacious approach to both ends is a big reason why he’ll live up to and be able to carry the title of being the No. 1 player in the 2023 class. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Elmarko-Jackson.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1194819" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Elmarko-Jackson-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1119147" first="Elmarko" last="Jackson"] | 6’3 | WeR1 Jackson is a recent reclass into 2023 and although his name still flies criminally under the radar, I fully expect him to become a top 50 prospect within the next calendar year. At 6-foot-3 with a tremendous blend of size, strength and athleticism, I have yet to see an opposing guard keep Jackson at bay. He and Wagner matched up in a game that was an absolute dog fight until the final buzzer. Jackson finished with 15 points and caught eyes with his explosiveness on finishes around the rim and his innate feel at a shot blocker at the lead guard position. He’s the ultimate competitor that doesn’t back down from any challenge. His WeR1 team isn’t the most talented, but led by Jackson, they always seem to be in the thick of things no matter the caliber of team they go up against. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Justice-Williams.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1177609" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Justice-Williams-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="991189" first="Justice" last="Williams"] | 6’3 | Team Final ’22 For as stacked as this Final team is, what they’re missing is a true point guard who can set the table and facilitate at a high level. As a result, Williams has had to adjust his game and approach to try and fill that void. I’ve had the chance to catch Williams at multiple events this spring and he seems to be getting more comfortable as the lead guard, but still is at his best when he’s in attack mode breaking defenders down off the dribble and finishing creatively around the rim with either hand. The 6-foot-3 guard was extremely effective as a slasher this weekend and played off the defense’s demanded attention towards others such as Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren. Defensively Williams was active as an off-ball defender who caused a handful of deflections that resulted in easy transition opportunities for his team.