UAA Session 2: Saturday DMV Notebook

The action continues in Rock Hill, SC as day two of UAA's Session II takes place. Once again, I focused on the DMV teams from the 16s and 17s as the action unfolded throughout the day. Here are some thoughts on the contests:   Global Squad 17s win over WeR1   After struggled in Session I, Global Squad earned their second win of the weekend by a final score of 61-57 over WeR1. It was a balanced scoring attack from Global Squad, but 2024 guard [player_tooltip player_id='1489063' first='Brandon' last='Jennings'] was a standout once again. The 6'4 lefty guard had a productive day yesterday scoring from all three levels and showcased that ability in a smaller sample this morning by finishing with 11 points. What stood out more was his ability to get into the paint with the intentions of creating open shots for others. He anticipated weakside rotations perfectly and delivered quick, crisp passes to shooters who took advantage of the act.   2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1115504' first='Jayden' last='Harris'] caught some attention with his efforts in the scoring column as well as his rebounding. Standing around 6'7, the southpaw registered 11 points as well in the win while having a couple of opportunities to showcase his athletic pop in transition. Harris plans to to a post-grad prep year and with that, could project as a LM-MM prospect.   [program_tooltip program_id='2078456' first='DC' last='Premier'] 17s drop a tough one to KC Run GMC   Premier came into this one winning both of their contests on Friday including a respectable win over Team Curry. They'd come up short against KC Run GMC 61-53 as 2024 prospect Andrew Crawford shined for the program out of Kansas. On the Premier side, 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1405408' first='Teyvien' last='Barbour']'s shooting stood out. He hit multiple three's of the catch-and-shoot variety specifically from the left corner or wing. He has been a staple for this Premier team early this spring and looks to continue to prove himself as one of their top prospects along with 2024 guard Martin Somerville.   [program_tooltip program_id='2077005' first='Team' last='Thrill'] 17s in a heavyweight bout against Middlesex Magic   Two of the premier programs on the UA Circuit faced off as Thrill put their undefeated record on the line against a 6-1 Middlesex Magic team. The common theme so far this spring has been the scoring leadership from 2024 Derik Queen and 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1259624' first='Chance' last='Mallory']. It was the same tune Saturday afternoon as the duo finished with 21 and 19 points respectively. Queen continued to assert his dominance inside with advanced footwork and ambidextrous finishing ability. Mallory flexed his long range shooting prowess, but also used his gravity to his advantage in drawing contact on wild close outs. Texas A&M commit [player_tooltip player_id='1127310' first='Rob' last='Dockery'] was a threat off the bounce where he frequently found himself at the bucket for point blank layups.   [program_tooltip program_id='2077005' first='Team' last='Thrill'] 16s earn a quality victory   At the same time as the 17s, the 16s were on the court directly next to them where they escaped with a win over a talented Wisconsin Playground Club group. 2025 guard [player_tooltip player_id='1371863' first='Omarr' last='Smith'] found his groove early and never looked back. The 6'3 southpaw guard scored a game-high 23 points while converting on three shots from deep. 2025 five-star guard [player_tooltip player_id='1370503' first='Tyler' last='Jackson'] followed Smith with 16 points and made a living as he usually does by breaking down his man off the bounce for advanced pull ups or crafty scoop finishes off the glass. 2025 forward [player_tooltip player_id='1955968' first='Marcus' last='Jackson'] left his imprint on the game with his rebounding and physicality that forced the ref's whistle and trips to the line. 11 of his 14 points occurred at the charity stripe.   Global Squad 16s starting to hit their stride   Something clicked for Global Squad's 16U group yesterday as they won both of their games in convincing fashion over Team Charlotte and Gateway Knights. They executed in the half court, ensured quality looks by making the extra pass and allowed their defensive efforts to fuel run out opportunities. This team has a mixture of guys who can lead in scoring on any given night, but 2025 Quron Elliot answered the call in the second game against Gateway as he recorded a game-high 17 points. The 5'11 southpaw guard has knocked down his share of contested three's this week and when getting downhill to his left hand, has converted on some tough finishes off the glass. JJ Kelly continued to be the engine with his competitive edge, explosive athleticism as a lob-catcher and an all around stat stuffer.   Thrill 16s and 17s advance to Sunday's championship game   Thrill 16s found themselves in a bit of a battle last night against Philly Pride to secure their spot in the championship game. In the end, it was the dynamic scoring of the backcourt in 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1370503' first='Tyler' last='Jackson'] (30 points) and 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1371863' first='Omarr' last='Smith'] (23 points) combined with the dominant paint presence defensively of 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1955968' first='Marcus' last='Jackson'] that would give them an edge. Thrill will take on a tough and scrappy WeR1 team in the championship Sunday at 11:45am.   2024 Derik Queen and 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1259624' first='Chance' last='Mallory'] are becoming the routine leaders for the 17s group. Queen's ability to dissect the defense from the block and virtually do whatever he wants forces the defense to form a completely different game plan. Parlay that with the heady point guard play of Mallory who can cook teams from three, but is also showcasing his high IQ off the bounce and you have a team that boasts an 8-0 record heading into championship Sunday where they'll face West Coast Elite.   VA Elite 16s ends the evening with a win   I stuck around for the 8:30pm games to check out a prospect who has really caught momentum late this winter and early spring. 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1410534' first='Jordan' last='Scott'] of South Lakes and VA Elite is garnering high major attention. It's not everyday that prospects on a non-showcase team warrant the likes of Illinois and Virginia to one of the back courts, but Scott's skill and upside are good enough reasons. He's fluid, fundamental and brings tremendous impact on both sides of the ball. He's still young and has the natural maturity process to go through as his body fills out, but all of the signs are there to him becoming a coveted prospect out of Virginia. Despite dealing with foul trouble, Scott's fingerprints were all over the lopsided win over a much bigger Crab5 group.

The action continues in Rock Hill, SC as day two of UAA's Session II takes place. Once again, I focused on the DMV teams from the 16s and 17s as the action unfolded throughout the day. Here are some thoughts on the contests: