Elite 75 Frosh/Soph Showcase South Edition Standouts Part 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This weekend, New England Recruiting Report and its staff hosted their annual Freshman and Sophomore showcase for basketball players in the New England area. The North Edition was hosted on Friday at the Mansfield Fieldhouse in Mansfield, Massachusetts, while the South Edition was hosted today at Hamden Hall in Hamden, CT. Hundreds of players from across the region competed in drills and live games to show off their skills in front of many prep and college personnel and coaches. The prestigious event has been around for over a decade, as many current NBA players have participated in this event over the years. I attended today's South Edition and here is part 2 of my standouts from the showcase!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2470889' first='Ji' last='Gary'] (Windsor, 2027)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gary was all over the place while playing on and off the ball. While on the ball, he was getting to the basket and finishing through contact seemingly every time he tried, highlighted by a clean high-glass attempt that sunk through the net. He was also hitting side-step threes with confidence and fluidity. Off the ball, he was cutting in the half-court for easy looks at the rim and running the break as a constant option for his teammates. He also contributed defensively with interception turnovers as one of the most productive players of the showcase.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2341434' first='DJ' last='Hawkins'] (St. Thomas More, 2027)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There aren't many big guards in the 2027 New England class that are as good as Hawkins. As the lead self-creator, he was getting anywhere he wanted and was just dominating the field with hard contact finishes, off-the-dribble scoring from the mid-range, and in-rhythm pull-up shooting from deep. Additionally, he was rebounding his position and leading the transition offense while using his length on defense on the perimeter and providing weak-side rim protection. A complete basketball performance and was clearly a main standout.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2571928' first='Sekou' last='Toure'] (Notre Dame-West Haven, 2028)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Toure has a well-known name as Abdou (2026 New England Top 10) is his cousin. But today, Sekou was the one to watch from the Toure family. His athleticism was extremely impactful, as he was getting wherever he wanted on the floor and constantly attacked the basket. It didn't matter if he was being double-teamed or not, he was getting inside and finishing for easy points. He also displayed a pull-up three today which looked solid, and will be fun to monitor his shooting as he continues his high school career.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2470937' first='Milos' last='Vasic'] (Hotchkiss, 2027)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Vasic is the definition of what teams are looking for in this day in age as a big wing, and his offensive creation was very enticing in this setting. His handle was very smooth and comfortable and moved well for his size. He was scoring off the bounce in the mid-range area while also stretching the floor from the three-point line. The rebounding he also provided made for a very good outing on the floor in conclusion.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2470979' first='Kadrian' last='Reeves'] (Notre Dame-West Haven, 2027)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Reeves' game stems from his passing and his speed, and that was on display for everyone to appreciate. He is the ideal floor general, driving and kicking and finding wide-open three-point shooters breaking down the defense every time down the floor, and displaying his high basketball IQ. With an open lane, he was getting to the cup and finishing softly in the half-court or transition. The defensive intensity on-ball he provided also made life miserable for the opposing ball handler. A very impressive overall showing from the pure point guard.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2569679' first='Jasi' last='Abel'] (Notre Dame-West Haven, 2028)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While shorter and clearly very young, Abel looked comfortable and unfazed against bigger and more talented players, which should bode well for his future and his development curve. With a combination of rim finishing and smart dump-off passes in transition, catch-and-shoot three-pointers, and tough rebounding in crucial points, it made for a very eye-opening appearance and has my intrigue for what is next to come.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->