Prep Hoops Circuit Team Preview: Alabama Celtics

With less than a week before the Prep Hoops Circuit kicks off, we’re dropping team previews. There are 68 teams in the passion region, but this article is all about the Alabama Celtics. I sat down with Founder and Coach Emmanuel Abercrombie to talk about the 17 year old program out of Birmingham.

Abercrombie has a background as a college athlete. He was a standout in basketball and football, choosing the pigskin over his love for basketball as more D1 offers rolled in. He played for three years at Youngstown State.

The summer after his junior year sparked it all. A college in Alabama was hosting a team camp during a live period and his little brother’s AAU didn’t attend. That moment launched him into researching coaching, the NCAA, and AAU programs. At that moment, his coaching career and the idea for the Alabama Celtics were born.

Abercrombie would graduate from UAB. In the ensuing decades, he’d build a program that stands on toughness and defense. They’ve produced high-level college and professional basketball players. Prince Malson of Grambling State, Devin Whitefield, an all conference guard from Lincoln University that now plays in Finland, and Alabama cornerback Kool-aid McKindrey are all recent alumna.

The way the Celtics cultivate their talent builds a bond between young men and their coaches. A staff gets their core 6 to 7 guys in the eighth grade following them until their final days of 17U.

That continuity is why parents describe the program as a fraternity. Despite being from all over Alabama, they still have active GroupMes that started in 2016. It’s the reason Celtics day is such a success in pulling an all-star class of program alumna that takes down their 17U year after year. It’s also why Abercrombie’s latest group of prospects will watch McKindrey, a player the 17 year program director, claims as one of the best players to come through the Celtics, compete in a dunk contest.

Now that you know the history, let’s meet the core prospects the Alabama Celtics will roll out on the Prep Hoops Circuit:

17U

Coach Abercrombie heralds his 17U as the most athletic group in program history. Their entire 12 player roster lives above, but their core four are set to turn heads. Most of the team is under the radar, but last year’s team was in the same situation and three players went onto Division 1 schools.

Dorien Carter may turn your head when the 6-‘5 guard walks into the gym. If that doesn’t impress you, the freak athleticism will. What he does in the warm-ups will keep you around the court.

Carter’s size and bounce have gone under the radar. An injury in the 9th grade kept him out of AAU and high school ball until the end of his sophomore year. The Celtics staff saw him playing with a small AAU team last year and offered him a chance to play with them.

Since his arrival, he’s garnered attention for his athleticism on the break. He’s confident in his ability to finish over people at the rim. Abercrombie says his highlight of the early travel ball season was a baseline rip through that resulted in a 360 two hand poster over a bigger player.

Carter excels as a help defender. His athleticism and size makes him a good off ball defender. He’ll play on the wing for a group that likes to get up and down.

Mark Tre Adolphus is a lefty shooter that can put it on the ground. The lean guard has range beyond the college three on catch and shoot attempts. He’s touted as one of the best shooters in the entire program. Adolphus has been with the Celtics for several years as a core player.

Abercrombie describes Mardrecus Moreland as a dynamic guard. He’s a flat out scorer with playmaking instincts. He had several 30 point games as a sophomore playing with Shades Valley in Birmingham, AL.

His tape is filled with quick, shifty movements. He can break down a defender and get to the paint for plays. Morleand played against some stiff competition with The Skills Factory in Atlanta.

According to Abercrombie, Devin Finley’s game is reminiscent of the 90s. He’s a throwback big that specializes in rebounding and physicality. We’re talking Detroit Pistons tough. Finley is an undersized four that just won a 6A state championship in football playing defensive tackle. He’s a powerful active body on the block.

16U

Abercrombie is very high on this group. The 2024 Celtics are part of a solid Alabama class and their coach believes they can attract national attention this summer. This team is filled with pieces that fit well together. Their coaching staff runs sets like a college team. They were the passion region’s #1 15U team last season.

Jywon Boyd Jywon Boyd 5'11" | PG Charles Henderson | 2024 State AL is described as a dynamic guard hailing from Charles Henderson in Troy, Alabama. He has a muscular 6’1 football-like frame. Boyd is a shifty lefty that played in last year’s Prep Hoops Circuit. He’s too strong for guards, too fast for forwards, and has the bounce to get above the rim.

Cedric Summerhill Cedric Summerhill 6'4" | PF Muscle Shoals | 2024 State AL is a big out of Florence High School in Florence, Alabama. He has a strong, wide frame with long arms. Summerhill hauls in rebounds as a below the rim, big with good footwork. The 2023 prospect uses his body to box out bigger defenders.

Jonas Wilkin Jonas Wilkin 6'3" | CG Northridge | 2024 State AL is the sharp shooter out of Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa. He’s under the radar now but has the size, stroke, and range to make a big splash this summer. Wilkin can put the ball on the floor to get to the basket and hit pull ups.

DJ Hamlett DJ Hamlett 6'3" | SG Hillcrest Highschool | 2024 State AL is a shifty wing from Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He has ideal size for the off guard, even playing the four in some lineups. Look for Hamlet to create mismatches and take advantage of them.

CJ Moore adds to the depth of shifty guards. The six foot lefty plays all over the perimeter. Moore’s quickness will make plays on both ends of the floor.

15U

Abercrombie is so high on the 2025 class he moved down to join the coaching staff a year early. He’s been recruiting these kids since the summer of their 7th grade class. Phrases like “Blockbuster” and “Best to ever come through the program” were used in talking about this team. They’ve pushed their 17U squad in a scrimmage they lost by 6. Though they’re still young, they’ve posted impressive wins against national circuit teams, even fielding an offer for the team from a Nike team.

Javon Alexander is a true point guard out of Grissom High School in Huntsville, Alabama. He thrives off getting his teammates involved but knows when to take the offense into his own hands. He understands pace, and that’s made him one of the hardest guys to press in Alabama’s 2025 class. Alexander is listed as one of the best guard in the state. That label has drawn attention from Nike teams in Georgia and Tennessee. Abercrombie tells me his elite skill right now is his speed with the ball in his hands. The long 6’1 guard can move just as fast as others while dribbling. He’s a stout defender and part of a group that can all get above the rim.

Shooting doesn’t fall far from the tree for the Wilkin family. Anderson Wilkin is the younger brother of Jonas and has similar size at 6’3. He has a strong work ethic that won’t allow him to leave the gym until he hits 100 threes, even after a long practice. He can get hot from distance but is unselfish to a fault. Abercrombie recalls Wilkin ending his own 15-0 run to find an open teammate. He’s a lock for a top two finish at Celtics Day.

Ikponmwosa Alahan may have the highest ceiling of his highly regarded teammates. He has great genes with both parents taller than 6 feet and standing at 6’3 himself. Alahan has an alpha dog mentality. Last year, it was his handle and shooting that made him productive. This season, you can couple those skills with “Don’t jump with me” levels of athleticism. He has all the tools to be a next level athlete and he’s just scratching the surface of what he can be.

Joseph King provides a versatility to this 2025 squad. He plays the four for his high school as a 6-7 wing. He shoots the ball well from deep and pushes the ball in transition. King will represent the 2025 class during Celtics day.

Marcus Tappscott is a big body that can space the floor. He’s listed as a center thanks to his 6’8 frame but will play more of the four thanks to his shooting. Despite having frontcourt size, he can start the break for a talented team.

Paul PJ Jones is a big body guard that knows how to use his body. He has a tight handle and a nasty disposition on the defensive end.

Nassir Chatman is a high flying 6-5 guard. This is just his second year with the program, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know his role. Expect energy and someone who isn’t afraid to catch a body.

Jordan Miles is a combo guard that will split time between on and off ball duties. Expect two way production from the 6’1 guard out of Grissom high school.