SEPA Summer Grassroots Report - Week III

[caption id="attachment_1240880" align="alignleft" width="276"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Reading-KTB-2023-AAU-WC.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1240880" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Reading-KTB-2023-AAU-WC-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="276" height="208" /></a> Reading KTB won the 16U/10th grade division at the AAU DII World Championships.[/caption] The July circuit continues to roll along with another week of Wednesday through Sunday basketball action. The top grassroots teams from southeastern Pennsylvania participated in events like the Spooky Nook Jam Fest (PA); the AAU World Championships (FL); and of the course the mother of all Nike EYBL events – the Peach Jam (SC). Below is a review of prospects from southeastern Pennsylvania who played well on the summer grassroots circuit from Wednesday through Sunday of last week.   17U (2022) [player_tooltip player_id="1116036" first="Daniel" last="Alcantara"] – 6’6” / Senior / Reading / Team Final Red / Wing: After crushing it at June’s Philly HS Live event, Alcantara continues to find success scoring the ball here in July. At the Spooky Nook Jam Fest Alcantara scored at all three levels. Despite being a elite scoring machine, Alcantara plays an unselfish and patient style, taking what that defense gives him. This long, super athlete with a ridiculous vertical really showed that he can finish through contact, block shots and crash the glass. Recently received an offer from Kutztown University. [player_tooltip player_id="991185" first="Dereck" last="Lively II"] – 6’10” / Westtown School / Team Final EYBL / Center: At the Peach Jam the long and bouncy Lively continued to show a more polished offensive arsenal. In addition to the usual put back slams and alley-oops, Lively showed an ability to use two or three dribbles to create space and scoring ops for himself. He also hit a few mid-range Js. At the offensive end he posted a stat line of 8.8 points and 7 rebounds per game, but it was his defensive performance that had scouts and coaches buzzing. Lively proved one more time that he is an elite rim protector by leading the event in blocks at 5 per contest. Thanks to Lively as well as Jalen Duren, [player_tooltip player_id="991189" first="Justice" last="Williams"] and [player_tooltip player_id="991188" first="Jameel" last="Brown"], Team Final finished 5-1 at the Peach Jam (SC). Marcus Branker, Jr. – 6’5” / West Catholic / BW Elite / Wing: Branker is a key player on one of the most talked about 17U teams in the region. He is a very active super athlete who is actually a 2023 “playing up” with BW Elite’s 17U squad. Branker excels in the transition game and can play above the rim. In the half court he is a slasher style wing who moves well without the ball well and is very smooth when scoring off the dribble. This past weekend this young gun helped BW Elite win the 17U platinum division of the Spooky Nook Jam Fest. After the July 2021 live period offers should come rolling in for this high level wing prospect. [caption id="attachment_1208063" align="alignleft" width="265"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Edwards-Justin-crop-3226x2118-1622819996.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1208063" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Edwards-Justin-crop-3226x2118-1622819996-300x197.jpg" alt="[player_tooltip player_id=" width="265" height="174" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="991341" first="Justin" last="Edwards"] (C/O 2023) of Team Final EYBL.[/caption] 16U (2023) [player_tooltip player_id="991341" first="Justin" last="Edwards"] – 6’7” / Imhotep Charter / Team Final EYBL / Wing: Edwards had arguably the best spring circuit of any 2023 prospect in Pennsylvania. Then he looked very good again in June playing with Imhotep. He tipped off July with and outstanding day at the Battle for the Bell event and last week he was outstanding at the Peach Jam. In short, it’s been a tremendous stretch for this elite, lefty wing player who with his attacking style applies constant pressure on the opponents. Last week, the result of that attacking style was numerous highlight reel dunks at the Peach Jam. Down in South Carolina he also knocked down threes off the dribble and of the spot up variety. Edwards has excellent court vision and passing instincts so distributing the ball to an open teammate comes naturally to him. He recorded 18 points & 6 rebounds in a win over NJ Scholars as well as 17 & 8 in a W over UPlay Canada. He recently picked up an offer from Syracuse to add to his long list of DI options. Shawn Simmons – 6’6” / Life Center Academy (NJ) / Team Durant / Wing: The Philly native and former Friends Central star was tearing up the Peach Jam (SC) before an injury sidelined him for the final two games. Simmons scored from all three levels, but his ability to play above the rim is amazing. He finished everything at the cup by dunks or lay-ins through contact. Additionally he showed 3-point range on his jumper. Because of his athleticism, incredible length and vertical leap, Simmons remains an elite defender and a force on the glass. Simmons is a very unselfish player as well. Across four games at the Peach Jam he averaged 12.2 points and 3.2 boards per game. He holds numerous DI offers. Aris Rodriguez – 6’3” / Reading / Reading KTB / Shooting Guard: A knock down shooter who can drain threes and pull up mid-range jumpers all day, Rodriguez was a nightmare to defend at the AAU DII World Championships in Orlando, FL. A natural scoring / shooting guard, Rodriguez plays with pace and thus puts consistent pressure on defenses. In one game during the trip to Florida, Rodriguez posted 25 points on 5 made threes. The attention he draws creates space for his teammates and Rodriguez will not hesitate to move the ball to an open shooter. Rodriguez is also a solid defender who if he continues to develop on that end could be a lockdown guy. Rodriguez helped Reading KTB win the 16U/10th grade division at the AAU DII World Championships. 15U (2024) Isaac Dye – 6’3” / State College / Team Final Red / Shooting Guard: Dye recently relocated from Houston, Texas and hooked on with Team Final Red for their July period tournaments. He is an excellent 3-point shooter (4.4 made threes per game over last 12 games) who at the Spooky Nook Jam Fest did a great job of stretching the floor for [player_tooltip player_id="1130840" first="David" last="Fridia"] and the rest of the TFR’s interior players. When TFR got out in transition, Dye filled the lanes and finished through traffic. Over the team’s recent 8-4 stretch last week, Dye averaged 14 ppg. This was a great July pick up for Team Final Red. [player_tooltip player_id="991400" first="Ahmad" last="Nowell"] – 6’0” / Houston (TN) / NJ Scholars / Combo Guard: He may attend high school in Tennessee, but Nowell is a local kid who works out in Philly during the summer with former St. Joe’s star Tasheed Carr (Born Leader Family). This past weekend Nowell was one of the most talked about 15U prospects at the Peach Jam. Nowell scored at all 3-levels, but his ability to get buckets off the dribble was especially impressive. He has a deep bag of ball handling tricks and attacks defenses with his downhill style of play. His 3-point shot needed was respectable too. Nowell’s Peach Jam stat line reads 15.7 / 7 / 3.5 and his week was highlighted by a 21 points and 5 rebs effort vs Team Why Not. [player_tooltip player_id="991425" first="Moses" last="Hipps"] – 6’1’’ / Archbishop Carroll / Team Final / Combo Guard: Everyone in southeastern Pennsylvania knows that Hipps is one of the simply automatic 3-point shooters in the region. Now everyone who was at the Peach Jam last week knows it as well. Hipps averaged 15 points per run on the strength of 57.5% shooting from deep. In one game he scored 20 points by draining 6-out-of-7 three points attempts. In addition to his lethal shooting, Hipps had his crafty ball handling skills on full display down in South Carolina. Hipps and his TF 15U teammates were 6-2 at the Peach Jam and are now 10-2 in their last 12 games.