UAA Session II: Friday’s 16U Standouts
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Under Armour’s Session II tipped off today in Rock Hill, SC. As usual, we focused on the MD/DC/VA prospects throughout the event and throughout our viewing, we compiled this list of standouts for the 16U bracket. Emmanuel Kanga | DC…
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Continue ReadingUnder Armour’s Session II tipped off today in Rock Hill, SC. As usual, we focused on the MD/DC/VA prospects throughout the event and throughout our viewing, we compiled this list of standouts for the 16U bracket.
Emmanuel Kanga | DC Premier
This was my first viewing of Kanga since he arrived in the United States and he was nothing short of impressive. He stands around 6’8-6’9 and is one of the most active bigs that I’ve watched so far this spring. You make think I’m exaggerating, but if the ball is anywhere close to Kanga’s vicinity, he gets his hand on it. Kanga was a phenomenal rebounding presence, made a habit of swatting away shots at the rim with violence and proved to be a dependable finisher in traffic around the basket. He’s one that coaches sitting baseline will monitor.
JJ Kelly | Global Squad
Kelly is another 2025 prospect that stood out due to his sure will to play hard. It helps that he has the 6’5 frame with powerful athleticism behind him to pair with the endless motor that results in consistent production. Kelly is constantly moving without the ball and finding windows within the defense for his teammates to find him for clean looks. He’ll willingly crash the offensive glass and had multiple scenarios where those efforts resulted in second chance points.
Adrien Stevens Adrien Stevens 6'4" | SG Bullis | 2025 State #113 Nation MD | WeR1
Stevens is finding a lot of success with WeR1 so far this spring. The power guard uses his bullish frame at 6’4 to mull his way to the rim on drives where he also has the athletic pop for thunderous finishes. You usually don’t see these style of players have soft touch from three to go with it, but Stevens does and showcased that on a few occasions yesterday when fading off of pin downs. I expect his stock to rise steadily.
Tyler Jackson Tyler Jackson 6'2" | CG St. Frances | 2025 #40 Nation MD | Team Thrill
Jackson’s skills are well-documented since his national breakout in the winter. The shifty, skilled combo guard helped lead Thrill to two wins on the day and led them in scoring in both contests. In one-on-one scenarios, Jackson makes blowing by his defender, getting into the heart of the paint and either finishing with floaters or crafty layups look extremely easy. He also mixed it up with a few step-back jumpers from 15-to-17 and also found his mark from three in transition.
The Premier 16U team is loaded with talent, but I think Touomou could have one of the higher ceilings on the roster. Standing about 6’6, the wing is extremely fluid as an athlete for his size. He’s got a pretty jumper that he can get into quickly off the catch, understands how to be a ball mover within the flow of the offense and can supply the videographers with content in the open floor. Touomou also brings great value on the defensive end with his size and length.
Jeremiah Gorham Jeremiah Gorham 6'0" | PG Highland | 2025 State VA | Global Squad
There were multiple prospects on this Global Squad team that caught my eye, but the progressions that I’ve seen in Gorham was near the top of the list. I haven’t seen him in a little over a year and while he’s still small, he’s putting on size while maintaining his quickness. What’s even more impressive is his ability to shoot from distance in a variety of manners. He connected on seven three’s throughout the two games.
Jackson’s name has started to gain steam within college coaches and rightfully so. The 6’9 lefty forward put together another solid day of work in yesterday’s two wins showcasing his bouncy athleticism, ability to man the glass and the soft touch on his jumper. Sky’s the limit for Jackson moving forward as he continues to try and add polish with the experience he gets playing alongside other talented prospects.