Southern Jamfest 17U Standouts (Part 1)

It’s that time of year that we all wait for in the state of VA, as the top independent AAU tournament on the east coast came back to Hampton. The Hoop Group Southern Jamfest features some of the top shoe company and independent teams in the country, and is loaded with talent throughout the field. Here’s a look at part one of just some of the VA standouts in the 17U division. Davin Cosby | 6’4” WG | Team Loaded VA 2023 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/05/Cosby-Davin-Loaded.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1456898" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/05/Cosby-Davin-Loaded-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Cosby has had a good summer so far with Loaded, but this weekend at Southern may have been his best weekend so far as he was crucial in helping them to be named 17U co-champions. The 6’4” two guard showed his elite shooting with range and the ability to catch on the move and knock down shots, he finished with authority on the break and finished well in traffic and he stepped up big when his team needed him to. They had quite a few players who had good showings, but he may have had my vote for MVP for them. [player_tooltip player_id="999617" first="Carter" last="Lang"] | 6’9” C | Team Loaded VA 2023 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Lang-Carter-Loaded.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1438604" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Lang-Carter-Loaded-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Lang is possibly the most consistent big you’ll find in the area, and he’s the x-factor for a Loaded team that is stacked at the wing position and he provides the inside presence and some versatility to go along with it. He gets his hands on every missed shot on both ends of the floor and consistently pulls in double digit rebounds, he can finish in the paint and create second chance opportunities and he can step out and stretch the floor where he’s becoming more comfortable on the perimeter. He’s a walking double-double and was huge for them in their semifinal win over Team Loaded NC. [player_tooltip player_id="992528" first="Dennis" last="Parker"] Jr. | 6’5” WF | Team Loaded VA 2023 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Parker-Dennis-Loaded.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1438615" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Parker-Dennis-Loaded-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Parker really stepped up when his team needed him to in the semifinal win, making plays on both ends of the floor and staying aggressive throughout the game. He’s a terror in the open floor and when he gets downhill as he can explode and finish at the rim or get to the free throw line, he can make plays for others when he gets in the lane and he flew all over the place defensively and on the glass as well. He was a big shot in the arm for them and a big reason they made it as far as they did. [player_tooltip player_id="992530" first="Trevor" last="Smith"] | 5’11” PG | Team Loaded VA 2023 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Smith-Trevor-Loaded.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1438616" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Smith-Trevor-Loaded-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> The recent Richmond commit was very good for Loaded playing both guard positions at times and picking his spots to make shots and make plays for others as well. Despite his size Smith is very good at creating space and making tough shots from both the midrange and from deep, he has good speed and can push the tempo and make plays for others and he’s able to touch the paint and put pressure on the defense. He was no slouch defensively either, both on the ball and in help side taking charges too. Conner Dubsky | 6’3” WG | Prospect U 2023 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Dubsky-Connor.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1423615" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Dubsky-Connor-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Dubsky was turning heads all weekend as he continues to have a breakout summer and show that he’s a division one prospect with his total scoring package. He’s a crafty two guard who knows how to create space and make tough shots both in the midrange and from deep, he’s a sneaky athlete who can play at and above the rim and is a strong finisher in traffic and he can score it in bunches when he gets it going. He’s a really impressive scorer that has improved a lot over the past few years and should get more and more college attention as the summer goes on. [player_tooltip player_id="815606" first="Ty" last="Mason"] | 6’7” PF | Prospect U 2023 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Mason-Ty.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1316258" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Mason-Ty-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Mason is arguably one of the most underrated bigs in the state, as he was very impressive throughout the weekend but particularly in their close loss to Team Loaded in the quarterfinals. He’s extremely versatile on the offensive end with an inside-out game and he put that on display as he scored it from all three levels, he has improved in his ability to create shots for himself and he competed on both ends of the floor. His ability to score it in different ways is what makes him a very intriguing prospect moving forward.