UAA Session II Standouts (Part 2)

<p>I spent this past weekend in the Dallas area for session two of the Under Armour Association with some of the best travel teams from across the country. We will take a look at some of the standouts from across the country, starting with part one taking a look at the top prospects from the Tennessee, Georgia and Minnesota teams.</p> <p><strong>BJ Edwards | 6’3” PG | B-Maze Elite ’22</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/BJ-Edwards.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1203651" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/BJ-Edwards-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Edwards is committed to Tennessee next season, and when I saw that my exact thoughts were “that makes sense” because he was a flat out killer when I watched them. He’s shifty and strong off the bounce, he’s able to play through contact on drives and finishes and he’s dead eye both off the catch and off the bounce. He fills it up in bunches and consistently, he has a killer mindset and the “it” factor about him and he is a dynamic playmaker off the bounce.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1025276" first="Jakobi" last="Gillespie"] | 6’1” PG | B-Maze Elite ’22</strong></p> <p>Gillespie gets overshadowed at times with this B-Maze group due to the fact that they have two guards that are committed to high major programs, but he showed he’s a very talented player as well. He’s extremely shifty off the bounce with a good handle and is slippery in the paint, he can make plays for others with ease and he can make shots from multiple levels. He’s a competitor that sets the tone on both ends and he is productive across the board.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1179411" first="Handje" last="Tamba"] | 6’11” C | B-Maze Elite ’22</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/DA0159AE-2A44-4FEF-9578-ACE6DBEF0561-rotated.jpeg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1196577" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/DA0159AE-2A44-4FEF-9578-ACE6DBEF0561-225x300.jpeg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a></p> <p>Tamba is a very good big man prospect that is still somewhat of a project but has a handful of high majors on him due to his high ceiling moving forward. He’s a big body that is active on both ends, he’s a natural rim protector and he’s mobile enough to run the floor and provide good pick-and-roll coverage. He has good hands and is always around the basketball, and if he continues to develop he could be a major problem in a few years.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="820274" first="Stephon" last="Castle"] | 6’5” CG | Atlanta Xpress ’23</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Castle-Stephon.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1240306" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Castle-Stephon-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Castle had one of the more impressive performances I saw all weekend, as the 6’5” guard showed his ability to score from all over the court in a dominant 33 point game on Sunday. With great size and a strong frame, Castle has natural ability off the bounce to get to wherever he wants on the court and he can score it from all over the floor as well. He had some rim rocking dunks when he got downhill, he showed he can finish through traffic and he shot the ball well from deep as well, making him one of the best all-around scorers I saw on the weekend.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1059026" first="Marquavious" last="Brown"] | 6’4” CG | Atlanta Xpress ’23</strong></p> <p>Castle’s backcourt mate both with Xpress and at Newtown HS, Brown is another tough minded player that is athletic, quick and can score it in bunches. A lefty with a lightning quick first step, Brown can get in the lane at will and he’s capable of finishing at the rim and with the pull-up, and he can make plays for others to get easy shots too. He’s a good on ball defender that brings it every time he’s in the game, he can knock down shots from deep and he plays with a chip you have to love.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="850707" first="Chase" last="Carter"] | 6’7” F | Grassroots Sizzle ’22</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1028168" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/nhr-61.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1028168" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/nhr-61-300x188.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="188" /></a> Photo: Alex Conover Prep Hoops MN[/caption] <p>Carter is next up at Minnehaha with the departure of [player_tooltip player_id="532574" first="Chet" last="Holmgren"] to Gonzaga, and he looks ready to fill those big shoes with his play this past weekend. Carter doesn’t really have a position but he’s very versatile on the offensive end and that makes him a mismatch as he can post and has good moves 15 and in, but he can also step out where he can shoot it and take guys off the bounce. He’s strong and plays physical, he plays with a good motor and he’s highly productive across the board.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1116459" first="Donovan" last="Smith"] | 5’9” CG | Grassroots Sizzle ’22</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/Donovan-Smith-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1224567" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/Donovan-Smith-2-300x188.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="188" /></a></p> <p>Smith jumped on the scene last winter when his Minnehaha team played as “Sizzle” on ESPN against YPSI Prep and Emoni Bates and the smallest guy on the floor was lighting it up from deep. He did much of the same this past weekend, showing his deep range and consistency from deep while also handling the basketball against pressure. He’s a highly confident guy who always knows where he needs to be and what he needs to do and makes his team better when he’s on the floor.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="962199" first="CJ" last="O’Hara"] | 6’5” WG | Grassroots Sizzle ’23</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Ohara-CJ.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1240309" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Ohara-CJ-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>O’hara was the star on the Sizzle 16U team when I watched them against DC Premier, and he’s a part of a very talented Totino Grace team in Minnesota that should compete for a state championship this year. He’s physically impressive at his age with a strong frame and good length at his position, he doesn’t settle and works to get the best shot possible and he’s a very good finisher in traffic when he gets downhill. He’s a slasher that can make plays for himself and others, he has good versatility defensively and he should continue to get better moving forward.</p>