Grit Region Finals: Teddy’s Illinois and California Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a look at some of my top performers from the Grit Region Finals in Indianapolis last weekend. This list features Illinois and California Prospects</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1285522' first='CJ' last='Savage'] - M14 Adidas Gold</strong> <strong>2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1285522' first='CJ' last='Savage'] put together a really impressive weekend down in Indy. His offensive potential is through the roof and displayed so much skill with the ball. When I watched him Sunday morning, he displayed so much confidence attacking the rim and scored a few difficult buckets over taller defenders. But he also was very impactful as a playmaker and shooter. He can really get going once he makes deep looks and buried multiple threes per contest. Savage finds so many sweet spots on the floor and was super consistent all weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1295470' first='Colin' last='Gerrity'] - [program_tooltip program_id='2078376' first='Illinois' last='Attack'] 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1295470' first='Colin' last='Gerrity'] is a highly underrated prospect in his class. The 6'3" combo guard is a pure three-level scorer who makes an impact on both ends. As a shooter, he's super confident knocking down contested shots and buried a handful of tough 3's against DistinXion. But he's just as impactful as a defender and playmaker. He picked up a few blocks defensively and showed tremendous speed up the floor to block a shot in transition in that game. As a playmaker, he has no problem taking control of the offense when needed. He got guys consistently involved and displayed excellent courage awareness and vision in the process. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1766507' first='Mitchel' last='Edwards'] - Indiana Ambition 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This 6'7” wing from Southeast Illinois is a name to keep on your radar. He's super lengthy and made a huge impact in their semifinal game against MAC (OH). Edwards has a really tough jumper to block, which paid off immensely as he knocked down several challenging shots in a close contest. He showed he can score in a variety of ways too. Wether it was off the dribble, driving the lane, or finding an open space on the floor, you can count on him to get the job done. He ended this game in style with an athletic one-handed slam in transition. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1564889' first='Aidan' last='Bardic'] - [program_tooltip program_id='2078374' first='Full' last='Package'] Gold 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bardic made a string of big time plays in [program_tooltip program_id='2078374' first='Full' last='Package']'s opening round game Friday afternoon. He's a prospect who shows plenty of confidence while he was out there with or without the ball in his hands. He made great cuts off the ball to get to the hoop and also showed excellent speed up and down the floor. Bardic also displayed a smooth lefty jumper to his game and got it done from both the midrange and deep. I also love the playmaking potential, as he threaded the needle for some big time assists in this game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2105204' first='Aidan' last='Anderson'] - [program_tooltip program_id='2075532' first='Illinois' last='Bears'] Barrington 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I absolutely love the size and athleticism from [player_tooltip player_id='2105204' first='Aidan' last='Anderson']. He's got really nice build at 6'9" and has the potential to be an outstanding stretch-four at the collegiate level. He hit shots both near the baseline and by the elbow against Team Teague in a really exciting matchup on Saturday, while also displaying excellent footwork to get the job done down low. Of course, his size allows him to make an impact in the rebound category, as he averaged about double-digit boards this weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ely Elegado - IE Fire (CA)</strong> <strong>2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coming all the way from California this weekend, the IE Fire have a pair of talented guards who made a big impact this weekend. The first player to stand out its Ely Elegado. In their first game Saturday, he displayed so much confidence as a shooter. Burying two quick 3-pointers to jumpstart the offense. He also has a big time burst and can blow by you in a blink. If there wasn't a good space to score inside, he flashed quick no-look passes to teammates open in the corner. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Julius Bower - IE Fyre (CA)</strong> <strong>2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The other California prospect that stood out was Julius Bower. He shot the ball really well against Team Teague&nbsp;en route to a 21-point performance. He hit shots from all three levels, including three triples in a row to make the matchup vs Teague a really good game. He also showed off such a high motor and brought a lot of energy to the game. Not only can he score consistently, but he did a great job of getting the guys around him involved. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->