OTR Battleground Session II 2026 Standouts

We’ve talked about the Immediate Takeaways now; let’s dive into classification breakdowns. Here are a few standouts from the 2026 division.

Jayden Scott (5’10/PG/2026)

Team: Atlanta Celtics

Instagram: Jayden_theanswer

Twitter: N/A

I just saw Jayden a week ago at The Battle of Magic City. At Battleground, he picked up where he left off. He was one of the most prolific and gifted scorers in the 2026 division. There was not much that J left those in attendance wondering about what he could do with the ball in his hands. He got it done at all levels, was explosive off the bounce, finished in the paint and at the rim. He has next-level handles and knows how to do more with less dribbles. Make no mistake about it; my thoughts on J’s game are high as he was efficient and consistent at Battle of Magic City. In one of the games that I watched J at Battleground, he was not the efficient, consistent, and prolific scorer as he struggled from the field. I was glad to see this happen because it gave me a chance to see how J impacts winning without being able to scorer in the manner he is used to.

First, let me say he remained coachable and did not allow his off night to affect other things he could do or his teammates.

He pressed it a little bit when he saw it wasn’t his night in the scoring column; he worked to create for others and, late in the game, hit a big trey ball. He handled adversity very maturely, which elevated him even more in my book. Be on the lookout for J to have a potent spring and summer this year.

Opportunities For Growth: I am not sure if Jayden has made the jump to varsity basketball as an eighth-grader, but if he has not, pending on the type of program he is in, it won’t be long before he is displaying his talents on that level. The next level is always stronger and faster, which is understood across the game. With that understanding, I encourage J to commit to the weight room, focusing on getting stronger and working on his speed and quickness.

La Lewis (6’1/PG/2026)

Team: Atlanta Celtics

Instagram: thtkiddla22

Twitter: @LaLewis918

I took notes on La at the Battle of The Magic City, but he showed the massive amount of tools in his toolbox at Battleground. He is a high IQ player with a lot of confidence in his offensive game.

He was a challenge for any defender to stay in front of the entire weekend.

La got to the cup pretty much whenever he wanted to throughout the weekend. Coming out of the Battle of Magic City, his teammate Jayden Scott was who I viewed as the alpha male when it comes to scoring on the team, but at Battleground, La made an argument that he was perhaps the best bucket getter on the squad. A quick heads up for opponents the rest of the spring and summer, J and La is a dynamic duo that gives opponents fits. La gets it done at all levels and is a playmaker that gets the team going. He had several eye-catching performances at the Battleground.

Opportunities For Growth: La does a lot well on the court and has a game ready for the next level. He has to continue working on his body, getting it ready for the faster and stronger play that he will face night in and night out.

Colben Landrew (6’2/CG/2026)

Team: SMB (Self-Made Ballers)

Instagram: iamcolbenlandrew

Twitter: N/A

Colben was one of the bigger, more physical guards I saw in the 2026 class. His size is suited for the modern game that encompasses the desire for big guards in the lineup. On the SMB squad, Colben has found a balance between being a facilitator and a scorer and a balance between being the first option or the second option.

Whichever option is needed at the moment, Colben makes the adjustment for the sake of his squad.

He has many tools in his toolbox and is a three-level scorer. He has good handles that he uses to help get him to his spots on the court, where he then goes to work. When he gets to the paint, he attacks the rim and is very efficient and consistent when finishing at the rim. In the low-scoring match-up against Harris Athletics, Colben finished with 19pts.

Opportunities For Growth: Colben is on a good trajectory when it comes to his development regarding facilitating and scoring. What I would encourage Colben to do is begin improving his leadership skills. He is a young man who exhibits confidence, and his teammates look to him. I encourage him to study some leadership books. Jon Gordon and John Maxwell are two leadership gurus from which he could start learning leadership principles.

Collin Paul (6’3/CG/2026)

Team: Harris Athletics

Instagram: Big_Game_Collin

Twitter: N/A

I have put ink on Collin before, and it was good to see him again at Battleground. I definitely see improvement in his game, and he is still on a trajectory of becoming an excellent versatile player. He is already playing inside out and was highly productive in both aspects of his game throughout the weekend. He scored in various ways and showed that he has been working on his footwork, as he is a lot more agile and maneuvers a lot better than he did last spring and summer. In the match-up, I saw in its entirety was when his team played SMB; he finished with 14pts in a low-scoring contest. The word versatile keeps coming up as I continue to look over my notes and picture Collin’s game in my mind.

He allows his squad and will ultimately do the same on varsity, as his game matures, the freedom to play big or small.

Collin’s game covers up a lot of perceived deficiencies in the lineup because he can do so many things offensively and defensively. As he continues to learn the different intricacies of how he is learning to play, it will only elevate his game.

Opportunities For Growth: Collin has good size right now, and as he commits to the weight room to get stronger and faster as he prepares for the next level, he can transform his body into one that can take the physicality of varsity basketball.

Gavin Lightning (6’5/SF/2026)

Team: Big MSE

Instagram: gavin_l35

Twitter: N/A

Gavin is a versatile 6’5 wing that you could find playing the 1-5 on both ends of the court. When he is in the paint, he is a highly physical player on the glass and when attacking the rim. He is an all-level scorer and has a nice mid-range J that he often goes to when attacking off the bounce. He literally showed the ability to get a bucket from the outside, the midrange, and by making his way to the rim for a finish or foul. He has good court vision, and it was notable as he often led the break and found teammates running in transition.

Gavin defends the one through the five and plays the top of the zone and the press.

He isn’t a lockdown defender, but he does not cheat his team on that end of the floor. In the match-up against B-Maze Elite, he finished with 12pts.

Opportunities For Growth: This is an off-season for Gavin to tinker with his game, add more tools in his toolbox and get more agile and faster with his feet as he prepares for life at the next level. I would definitely encourage G to continue working on his post catalog and his ability to create space with his handles on the perimeter.

Stay close as more is coming from OTR’s Battleground Session II.