NCAA Academy/US Open Local Standouts

The NCAA and Team USA put together a joint camp at the end of the grassroots season to provide exposure for hundreds of prospects in the last live period for coaches of the summer season. The NCAA Academy had two tracks: An Individual Pathway track for individual HS athletes assigned to teams to play out a 6-game schedule in front of coaches. They also introduced a Junior College Pathway full of juco athletes assigned to teams to compete for the week in front of coaches. Team US held a US Open camp for some of the top 9th and 10th grade AAU teams to compete one last time with their group in cross-brand matchups that featured teams from across the country. It was an interesting evaluation setting, with the DMV well-represented, as usual. We'll break down some of our 2025 and 2026 standouts below!    Ellison's skillset as an explosive finisher was fully on display in our first game watching him with 2 poster dunks in transition. His handle has improved to make him more of a threat in the open floor as a play-finisher but also in the half-court as a shot-maker OTB. While I've always believed in the C+S and movement shooting ability, he's starting to take and make the right 3s OTB when defenders go under the screen or aren't able to get around it– his balance and consistency on the load-up make those shots a much more efficient look these days. Defensively, he has improved on the ball but I believe he has the potential to be elite on and off the ball at that end-- looking forward to seeing how he continues to develop heading into his senior year.       Fields' recruitment has exploded since the spring begin, winning a UAA Championship with [program_tooltip program_id='2077005' first='Team' last='Thrill'] while showing coaches an improved physique and skillset during the HS Live Periods after growing two inches over the course of his junior year. Fields is a long-term bet as a W/F tweener that can guard 3-5 at the HS level, rebound the ball, keep the defense honest on open jumpers, and finish above the rim. His ball skills have improved on his drives to the rim and the decisions he makes when he has to pick up his dribble have too, passing out before re-posting his man on the block to carve out better shot attempts at the rim.     Pendergrass did what he does, used his size and got into his move smoothly to knock down shots from the midrange and beyond the arc. He's doing a better job of mixing in putbacks, drives to the rim for FTs or layups, and is showing better feel by passing out of doubles in the paint. If he's able to add more weight to his frame while maintaining the shooting touch, he should be in great shape heading into junior year at Hargrave. Finished with 22p 4r 2a on 8/18 shooting.     -Wilson had a slower spring and summer with the occasional standout flash as he adjusts to an infusion of new talent to both his AAU team and HS team. He really got up for a matchup with Team Final's EYBL team, performing well against several highly-touted players in his class to finish with 11p 5r 3a 4s. Wilson got himself going by scoring off an acrobatic extension lay on a sharp downhill curl then got teammates involved OTB with kickout passes in the paint to his perimeter shooters. Hit two wing 3s off of ball reversals then got a nice lay through contact at the rim by attacking a hard closeout. Some of the traditional PG skills need sharpening: struggled with entry passes in traffic, picked up the ball when a double came, and in general is seeing passing windows a half beat too slow. Needs to use his athleticism to get on his opponent's hip defensively and steer them away from using ball screens, although he is collecting deflections and beginning to jump passing lanes at a much higher level.     -Didn't settle for jump shots and was the only standout for an injury-depleted Durant 16u squad in a loss to the Mountain Stars, finishing with 13p 5r 1a 1s. Shackleford had the full finishing arsenal on display with a spin n floater, hesi blow by to the rim (x2) and short jumper in the paint off the offensive rebound. He handles it well in space and is starting to piece together consistent double digit performances– zipping passes well OTB when his shot wasn't falling in the 2H.     -One of my favorite players to watch in the area because he does all of the little things that go un-appreciated by most but lead to wins for his team: closing out defensive possessions with rebounds, hitting C+S threes in the flow of the game without sets being run for him, getting back in transition to protect the rim, helping guards navigate ball screens, making well-timed backdoor cuts to finish with two hands above the rim, communicating on and off the floor. With a good skillbase and great perimeter size, I expect his recruitment to pick up junior year as college coaches see the value that he brings to the floor.     -Taylor always checks into the game with 2 things in mind: to be as disruptive as possible defensively on and off the ball, and to score in and around the paint. A physical defender that takes pride in forcing turnovers and dribble pick-ups, he's doing it more consistently and without fouling. In transition he is a locomotive that is really difficult to keep away from the paint and from the rim without fouling. Interested to see how he fits in with a reloaded group at Pallotti.

The NCAA and Team USA put together a joint camp at the end of the grassroots season to provide exposure for hundreds of prospects in the last live period for coaches of the summer season. The NCAA Academy had two tracks: An Individual Pathway track for individual HS athletes assigned to teams to play out a 6-game schedule in front of coaches. They also introduced a Junior College Pathway full of juco athletes assigned to teams to compete for the week in front of coaches. Team US held a US Open camp for some of the top 9th and 10th grade AAU teams to compete one last time with their group in cross-brand matchups that featured teams from across the country. It was an interesting evaluation setting, with the DMV well-represented, as usual. We'll break down some of our 2025 and 2026 standouts below!