Pitt Jamfest Standouts (Part 1)

One of the oldest live period events in the country took place this past weekend, as Hoop Group put on their annual Pitt Jamfest. As always, the event was loaded with teams and prospects from all over the country, and the baselines were packed with college coaches from all over the country as well.   We'll be breaking down some of the standouts from all over the Prep Hoops Networks, looking here at part one of the prospects from teams in the DMV area.   [player_tooltip player_id='1259838' first='Paul' last='Jones'] | 6'3” WG | Team Loaded 757 17U   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Jones-Paul-CBG.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Jones-Paul-CBG.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1905515" /></a></figure>   Jones was the talk of the event, as he put on an absolute show while helping lead Loaded 757 to the 17U Championship game. The 6'3” off guard showed off his elite shot making from deep by consistently hitting contested shots with a hand in his face, and he showed off his athletic finishing ability with a number of highlight worthy finishes in transition. He also showed his ability to handle and create, and was one of the top scorers in the event including a 35 point outburst in the second round.   [player_tooltip player_id='1259548' first='Brayden' last='Thorne'] | 6'1” PG | Team Loaded 757 17U   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/05/Thorne-Brayden.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/05/Thorne-Brayden.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1195674" /></a></figure>   Thorne was the floor general and calming presence for this 757 group, as his ability to handle pressure and make plays off the bounce was huge for them throughout their run. The 6'1” lead guard handled pressure well and showed good vision, and he picked his spots and scored it efficiently from multiple levels. He defended on the ball well and showed a knack for making winning plays on both ends of the floor.   [player_tooltip player_id='1948410' first='Brennan' last='Chatman'] | 6'2” CG | Team Loaded 757 17U   Every team needs a player like Chatman, as he's the type of player who brings a little bit of everything and is willing to do the dirty work. Chatman played both on and off the ball and showed the ability to make shots from multiple levels while also setting up his teammates. He pushed the ball in transition, he won 50-50 balls and he was excellent on the defensive end as well.   [player_tooltip player_id='1117676' first='Josiah' last='Rickards'] | 6'3” CG | Team Loaded 757 17U   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Rickards-Josiah-17.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Rickards-Josiah-17.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1918808" /></a></figure>   Rickards was the rock for this 757 team, as his leadership and all-around impact is something that can't be overstated. He played with great energy as he defended and rebounded well, he made good decisions with the ball in his hands and he made shots at a good clip as well. He showed his ability to impact the game as a scorer and across the board.   [player_tooltip player_id='1956063' first='Adrean' last='Newton'] | 6'0” PG | Team Loaded 757 16U   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Newton-Adrean.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/Newton-Adrean.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1933412" /></a></figure>   Newton had a great sophomore season at Maury, and this weekend he solidified that he's emerging as one of the top point guards in the class in VA. When it comes to looking for talented lead guards, you want someone with the “it” factor that impacts winning, and that's exactly what Newton does. He's lightning quick off the bounce and lives in the paint where he can make plays, he makes shots from deep consistently and he has the competitive edge to him as a tough lead guard.   [player_tooltip player_id='1494114' first='David' last='Miller'] | 6'6” PF | Team Loaded 757 16U   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/Miller-David-CBG-scaled.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/Miller-David-CBG-scaled.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1605058" /></a></figure>   Miller is another of the 757 players who has had a lot of success early in his high school career, and he manned the middle and showed his versatile skillset on their run to the 16U championship game before they lost to East Coast Power. Miller is a physical big who clears out space offensively and moves bigs out of the paint defensively, he rebounds on both ends of the floor and he has good ball skills and is a triple threat on the perimeter too.   [player_tooltip player_id='2242491' first='AJ' last='Swinney'] | 5'9” PG | Team Loaded 757 16U   Swinney is a new name to keep an eye on in the 757, as the Cape Henry lead guard showed a great skillset and was one of the best shooters there. While he isn't the biggest guy, he's super shifty off the bounce and can create space and knock down shots from deep off the bounce. He gets hot quickly and can knock down shots in succession, and he's a good ball handler and playmaker as well.

One of the oldest live period events in the country took place this past weekend, as Hoop Group put on their annual Pitt Jamfest. As always, the event was loaded with teams and prospects from all over the country, and the baselines were packed with college coaches from all over the country as well.