7A NE Regional: Players To Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Many people have considered this the final four for 7A as it has the two teams that have been favored all year to hoist the blue map. The grassroots community was really upset with the potential match-up of Huntsville and Hoover being in the regionals. Though it seems likely that the match-up of the two is inevitable, Albertville and Vestavia cannot be overlooked. Here are a few players to keep an eye on in this region…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2714861,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/PH-Jackson-Sheffield-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/PH-Jackson-Sheffield-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2714861" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Hoover Basketball Program Hoover Basketball Program</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2224458' first='Jackson' last='Sheffield']</strong> (6'9/C/'26/Hoover)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: jackson_sheffield32</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @jsheffield2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">I know everyone knows that the Bucs squad is anchored by the #1-ranked player in the state, DeWayne Brown, but one player to keep an eye on is [player_tooltip player_id='2224458' first='Jackson' last='Sheffield'], who, as I have said before, would be starting on every other team in the state. He has come into his own every year and has become one of the most dominant players in the state. He makes Hoover such a difficult team to contend with because of his aggressive interior play, whether when he subs in for DeWayne or when the twin towers are on the court at the same time. Watch his immense activity and interior playmaking ability on both ends of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2692363,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/PH-Salim-London-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/PH-Salim-London-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2692363" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1398516' first='Salim' last='London']</strong> (6'6/CG/'25/Hoover)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: leemlondon</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @IAmSalimLondon</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Salim has probably played the best basketball in the entire state during the entire season. He has been a steady presence and force to deal with off-the-bounce, and no one has found a solution to his downhill attacking play. Salim is Mr. Relentless going to the cup and continues to show steady improvement with his shooting percentage from behind the arc. He is scary in the open court, and if he cannot be slowed down, whoever they face in the regionals will have an uphill battle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2492384,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/PH-Adam-Barksdale-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/PH-Adam-Barksdale-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2492384" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1398778' first='Adam' last='Barksdale']</strong> (6'5/PG/'25/Vestavia Hills HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Adam.barksdale_13</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @barksdale_adam</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Adam is Mr. Do-It-All for the Rebels, and if they are going to have any chance to pull off the upset against Huntsville, he will have to have his Superman cape on. He has to put up a lot of shots, which he has no problem doing, and hopefully, he will be firing on all cylinders for the Rebels fanbase. Adam is the Rebels #1-scoring option and has the positional size, length, perimeter skills, and multi-level scoring ability that has helped the Rebels have a chance to play for a birth to Birmingham.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2613864,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/PH-John-Robert-Towry-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/PH-John-Robert-Towry-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2613864" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>John Robert Towry</strong> (6'6/PF/'27/Vestavia Hills HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Johnnytowry</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @JohnnyTowr9236</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">The two favorites to play in the Elite 8 have size across the frontcourt. If the Rebels are going to throw a monkey wrench in the predicted finals, John is going to have to put on his superhero cape and, be Adam's sidekick and be a dominating interior presence. He has length and positional size but will have to play his usual finesse game on the low block and will need to show some power moves in the paint against the opposing frontcourt players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2766190,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/PH-JD-Gossett-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/PH-JD-Gossett-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2766190" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Huntsville HS Huntsville High School Basketball Program</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>J.D. Gossett</strong> (6'5/PG/'25/Huntsville HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: jd_gossett5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @JD_Gossett5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">There are so many players you can say are players to watch for Huntsville, but as I have watched Hunstville over the past two years as they have been one of the favorites to win the blue map, the Panthers are really at another level when JD is at the top of his game. He is an intelligent player within the Panthers concept and has an excellent feel for when to create his own or create for teammates. He plays both ends of the floor as he keeps the ball moving, knows how to relocate to get open, can initiate the offense, makes purposeful cuts, can defend multiple positions, and even initiates the offense as a secondary ballhandler. His importance on the court cannot be measured, and he will be a key factor if Huntsville makes it out of Jacksonville.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2775869,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/PH-Josh-Bowman-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/PH-Josh-Bowman-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2775869" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1600007' first='Josh' last='Bowman']&nbsp;</strong>(6'8/C/'25/Huntsville)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: josh_bow_</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @_Josh_Bowman</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Post-play is going to be crucial for every team in this region, and the team that makes it to Birmingham out of this region will be the team that gets production from their interior players on both ends of the floor. That said, Josh will have to continue the solid interior play he has provided throughout the year. He is not a physically imposing big, but his length, finesse, and ability to cover a lot of ground in the paint make him a formidable opponent for the other team's post players. His ability to score on the low block and pass out of the post makes him a dangerous player, which Huntsville utilizes to get open shots for their shooters around the arc.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2639619,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/PH-Keandre-Yancey-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/PH-Keandre-Yancey-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2639619" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2639350' first='Keandre' last='Yancey']</strong> (6'6/C/'26/Albertville)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: keandre.13</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @KeandreYancey</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Keandre is the key to Albertville having any success in the region. Albertville has a battle in front of them, and Keandre must be sensational. He has a good physical profile, plays with a motor, is an inside-out offensive weapon, and defends multiple positions. His athleticism, along with his physical body, makes him tough on his drives and tough when playing on the low block. He is listed as a center, but we will see his versatility come Monday against Hoover.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2775870,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/PH-Wesley-Knight-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/PH-Wesley-Knight-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2775870" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Wesley Knight </strong>(6'6/C/'25/Albertville)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: wesleyknight05</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">As I have said numerous times throughout this article, post-play will be key for whatever teams find success in this region. Compared to what Huntsville and Hoover will bring to the floor, Wesley will look undersized. Despite having to play against DeWayne Brown and [player_tooltip player_id='2224458' first='Jackson' last='Sheffield'] in the Sweet 16, look for Wesley to stay within his role of being highly active on the glass and being an active presence in the paint on defense. He will need to be a shot challenger against Hoover slashers and have double-digit rebounds to give his squad a chance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->