Names to Know from the Team Jones Elite Camp
Players from every corner of the country journeyed to New Haven, Connecticut this week for the final two sessions of the Team Jones Elite Camp hosted by the Yale Men’s basketball program. With plenty of competition to test themselves against,…
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Continue ReadingPlayers from every corner of the country journeyed to New Haven, Connecticut this week for the final two sessions of the Team Jones Elite Camp hosted by the Yale Men’s basketball program. With plenty of competition to test themselves against, the camp also drew some of the top academic Division III programs in New England such as Middlebury, Clark, WPI, and Bowdin to name a few. Today, we’ll take a dive into the note book to take a closer look at some of the New Englanders that stood during the final session of the camp.
Nick Sganga
Nick Sganga
Sganga immediately stood out due to his true 6’7″ frame. Often times it can be difficult to tell if a teenager at his size has figured out their body mechanics, but one look at the 2024 big in the open floor showed fluidity and understanding as to how to utilize his frame. He operated well when acting as the ball screen defender, often times dropping back into drop coverage to help as insurance for the on-ball defender and communicated well as to where the screen was coming from. Offensively Sganga showed awareness as to when and where his teammates would make a dump pass, and was always ready to secure the ball and finish strong with a soft touch. He is certainly a name to know as he enters his Senior season.
James Honekamp
James Honekamp
Iconic rap duo, Outkast, once made a song called “Humble Mumble” and this was the phrase that came to mind when watching Honekamp go to work. Very poised, very calm, Honekamp seemed to be locked in on every play when the ball was in his hands and watching him, it felt like a certainty that he would not make any silly mistakes. From allowing his defender to make a long closeout on him which allowed him to put the ball on the floor and attack downhill, to drawing in backline defenders and making the proper read to find his open teammate, to his disciplined defensive decision making, Honekamp seemed to make the right player almost every time he touched the ball. It will be fun to watch where this upcoming season takes him at Xaverian Brothers.
Austin Black
Austin Black
What made Austin Black stand out was his ability and willingness to play a bit of a throwback big man role. The 6’6″ Westminster big man was able to force switches and mismatches which in turn allowed him to seal his defender and get an advantageous position on the block. Black showed ability to finish with his left hand, kept the ball high and away from any pesky weakside help, and ability to finish through contact. Black showed good offensive IQ as well, and knew that once he got his post game going that the defense would react accordingly, and countered this by showcasing his ability to make good, on-point passes out of the low-and-mid post.
McConnell currently sits at 16th in our New England ’25 rankings and it is easy to see why. The 6’10” big moves exceptionally well out of the ball screen by establishing a good base making it difficult for the ballhandler defender to navigate, and then rolls strongly into the paint allowing for good looks at the rim. He kept the ball high at the rim and out of reach from defenders, and defensively he showed glimpses of a growing ability to play the passing lane away from the basket, which for a true 6’10” prospect is something that stands out.