Xan Classic Upperclassmen Phenoms: All-Tournament Team

<p>Location: Archbishop Spalding in Severn, MD</p> <p>Several weeks ago, a young photographer from the DMV, Xan Korman, was the victim of gun violence in PG County. Well-loved and well-respected among the players and coaches in the DMV basketball community, this showcase was organized to raise money for the Xan Korman Memorial Fund while also providing a much-needed platform for young men to compete in front of college coaches and talent evaluators to boost their recruitment heading into the 2021-2022 season. The showcase contained three age groupings, the oldest of which was the ’22 and ’23 class competing in the Upperclassmen Phenoms game- we’ll delve into the All-Tournament teams for this group below.</p> <p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM4CQqhc4yQ&amp;t=579s</p> <p><strong>First Team</strong></p> <p>’23 5’10 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="957107" first="Jaden" last="Winston"]- </strong>DeMatha </p> <p>Shifty point guard turned in an MVP performance in the headliner game, continuing a streak of good play at Peach Jam this summer with Team Takeover. Winston thrived in the open court, blowing past his matchup to draw multiple defenders before finding an open teammate. Loved a behind the back bounce pass on the break that hit his teammate perfectly in the hands for an easy finish at the rim. The change of speed, seeing the passing window before it’s there- Winston was the maestro for his team even in a showcase setting</p> <p>’23 6’3 G<strong> [player_tooltip player_id="1277444" first="Tre" last="Green"]- </strong>Glenelg Country Day</p> <p>A close second for MVP, Green showed the versatile production that will make him a fixture in the BCL this season. The physical lefty hit a wing 3, converted put-backs at the rim after grabbing rebounds, showed an improved handle getting to the basket, had a volleyball spike defensively on the fast break- definitely expect his recruitment to pick up following a transfer from a Boys Latin team that opted out of competition last season due to CoVid</p> <p>’23 6’3 G <strong>Khalik (KJ) Gardner- </strong>Springdale Prep</p> <p>Lightning-quick lefty guard is dynamic in transition, always a threat to dime to a teammate or finish with a crafty move at the basket. Hits shots from the perimeter when open, great handle allows him to get to any spot on the floor. As he continues to add to his frame, I expect his developmental trajectory to continue to take off this season with Springdale Prep</p> <p>’22 6’6 F<strong> Jordan Kwende</strong>- Springbrook</p> <p>A powerful athlete, Kwende exhibited great body control and finishing craft around the basket. Spin move up-fakes, baskets on the block with either hand, a lefty bounce pass on a drive to a rolling teammate- the footwork, patience, and athleticism shone brightly throughout the game</p> <p>’22 6’9 F<strong> [player_tooltip player_id="1107840" first="Reis" last="Jones"]- </strong>Flint Hill </p> <p>Jones gets it done around the basket, using a strong frame to bully his opponent in the paint. He rebounds the ball at a high level and gets into his move quickly. The perimeter game continues to show promise, as he splashed an open 3 from the wing after facing up with his opponent and hit a fader from the short corner that touched nothing but net</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Second Team</strong></p> <p>’23 5’9 PG <strong>Jackson Pugh</strong>- Glenelg Country Day</p> <p>Explosion through gaps, ball pressure, great strength and agility for his position, physical on both ends</p> <p>’23 6’3 G <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="957024" first="Zane" last="Adnan"]- </strong>Bullis</p> <p>Finished well in traffic, found teammates on drives but also scored a few buckets of his own, used his length well in passing lanes, hit shots from the perimeter, and has definitely grown an inch or so since the summer</p> <p>’22 6’5 F <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1049824" first="Malachi" last="Briscoe"]- </strong>St. Mary’s Ryken</p> <p>Great jumbo playmaker, always looked ahead on the break to find corner shooters, athletic frame, bullies smaller guards in the paint to get to his spots, very underrated name in the ’22 class</p> <p>’22 6’8 F <strong>Gideon Sahlén- </strong>Bullis</p> <p>Did a little bit of everything in this game, finishing with both hands after a patient finesse move in the paint. Blocked shots, finished on the short roll, hit several shots from the perimeter, moved the ball well, great feel for the game </p> <p>’22 6’5 F <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1229764" first="Chase" last="Tayman"]- </strong>Walt Whitman</p> <p>Athletic wing, in the right spot at the right time, crashes the glass hard each position, plays with a great motor, can handle the ball or run the wing in transition, good shooter when set</p>