EBA Summer League: Week 2 Tuesday Takeaways

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The EBA Summer League continued this week at Loyola Blakefield with a slate of eight games that provided plenty of highlights and exciting moments. For this article, we'll hit on some takeaways from the evening.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CJ Jackson coming into form</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One prospect that has been steadily improving since the end of the high school season is 2024 Boys' Latin guard/wing CJ Jackson. His size at 6'4-6'4 1/2 combined with his skill set has always been intriguing, but he has made it apparent since opening night that he's bringing more assertiveness and aggression to the table. He recorded a monster double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds and has the Lakers off to a 2-0 start. Jackson's stock is on the rise and as a result, college coaches should take note.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mt. Carmel's backcourt lifts them in buzzer beating fashion</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It took Mt. Carmel and SEED sudden death overtime to decide a winner, but ultimately it was 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1494081' first='Rodney' last='Scott'] who made a contested layup through contact to lift the Cougars to a win. The backcourt of Scott, 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1127307' first='Andrew' last='Dixon'], 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1370512' first='Mario' last='Tatum'] and 2027 Samartine Hill together provide plenty of flare as passers and balance as scorers. Tatum found his groove from three early en route to 16 points while Hill mixed it up and ended with 13. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the SEED side of things, 2026 Manny Iheanacho was massive inside on both ends. The 6'6-6'7 center is built like an offensive tackle and Mt. Carmel simply had no answer for him inside. He led SEED with 14 points in the loss.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1494073' first='Rob' last='Fields'] leads the Eagles</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fields is a 2025 prospect that I expect to take another step this season and become one of the better frontcourt players in the MIAA A Conference. At 6'7, he's a mobile big that moves with fluidity and has touch on his jumper from 15-to-17 feet. He still has to get a little more aggressive with his touches on the block, but he was impactful as a cutter and in the open floor last night. He also did his due diligence on the glass as shown by his 13 points and 12 rebounds in a commanding win over a young, talented St. Paul's group. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Caleb Franze with another big scoring night</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's clear that Gerstell goes as Franze goes and luckily for them, he can hang a strong number in the scoring column. After putting up 24 points opening night, the 6'0 lefty scored 27 of his team's 34 points in a loss to Atholton. Franze used his quick first step and burst out of his crossover to slip into driving lanes and finish once he got around the basket. He knocked down a few mid-range jumpers off the bounce that showed balance to blend with his quickness. Gerstell will face stiff competition on Thursday against McDonogh, so it'll be interesting to see how Franze responds to the number of guards that will be thrown his way in efforts to cool off his scoring ways.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>City reloads</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Just months after completing a perfect season that included the city and Class 3A state title, head coach [player_tooltip player_id='1371863' first='Omarr' last='Smith'] has a reloaded roster an is set to make another impressive run. Headlined by the transfer of his son, 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1371863' first='Omarr' last='Smith'], 2025 Marquell Paschall, 2025 Paul Frazer, 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2639985' first='Amonte' last='Johnson'], 2025 Khalil Chambers and 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1782603' first='Gage' last='Howard'], the Knights defeated a scrappy Overlea team by 20 last night. They present good size, a primary playmaker in Smith, a floor spacer in Paschall, a slasher/scorer in Johnson and when Howard returns from injury, a skilled forward. Chambers, who returned last night but is also coming off of injury, brings the length and versatility at the four with a motor that elevates his presence on the glass. The preparation to repeat as champions begins with building a foundation in the summer. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->