Jack's Southern 17U Standouts (Part 1)

The Hoop Group Southern JamFest came back to Hampton this past weekend, with a lot of the top teams from the DMV and VA in attendance. Here's a look at part one of the many standouts I saw at the event.   Dreylan Creasey | 6'8” WF | [program_tooltip program_id='2226248' first='Boo' last='Williams']   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/dreylan.creasy.26.nc_.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/dreylan.creasy.26.nc_.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2848751" /></a></figure>   Creasey is coming off a breakout season at Blue Ridge, and he's one of the most talented and underrated prospects in the '26 class in VA. He looks the part as much as anyone, standing 6'8” with a good frame and good athleticism, which means his transition to college should be relatively easy from that stand point. He's a versatile wing who used his size to make shots from all three levels over smaller defenders, he showed his athleticism with some highlight reel finishes and his ability to play and guard multiple positions is very intriguing moving forward.   Styles Clemmons | 6'3” PG | [program_tooltip program_id='2226248' first='Boo' last='Williams']   The 757 native left the area this year to attend OTE, but he's back with his hometown AAU team and is ready to make a huge splash as their primary ball handler and go-to guy on the EYBL this year. The 6'3” guard is wired to go, as he has the ability to get wherever he wants to with the ball in his hands with his blazing speed and ability to change speeds and direction. He worked very well in the pick-and-roll turning the corner to get to the rim and making plays for others, he scored it well from multiple levels and he was dynamic in transition pushing the pace and making plays.   [player_tooltip player_id='1767550' first='Andrew' last='Maria'] | 6'5” WG | Washington Warriors   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/tempImagevar5tG.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/tempImagevar5tG.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2448639" /></a></figure>   Maria is a guy I loved watching last season playing up with the Warriors 17U HGSL group, and his development has been extremely impressive as he's improved in a lot of areas he needed to and is looking every bit like a division one prospect for coaches to watch this summer. At 6'5” he's always had good size, but now that he's grown into his body and gotten very athletic over the past few years, which he showed with a thunderous poster and multiple other big finishes. He made open shots from deep at a good clip, he showed his craftiness when he got to spots using fakes and good footwork and he made good decisions with the ball in his hands too.   [player_tooltip player_id='2252287' first='Darius' last='Bivins'] | 6'0” PG | Washington Warriors   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/eZy-Watermark_13-07-2023_10-32-29-7080PM.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/eZy-Watermark_13-07-2023_10-32-29-7080PM.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2083600" /></a></figure>   Bivins is in his second year playing 17U with the Warriors, and he's considered by many as one of the top guards in all of the 3SSB Circuit. While the 6'0” guard isn't the biggest guy on the floor, he's a true floor general who commands the team and makes everyone on the floor better as well. He showed great pace to his game controlling the tempo and changing speeds to get by defenders, he made great decisions with the ball in his hands and he picked his spots and scored it when he needed to for them.   [player_tooltip player_id='1767553' first='Trey' last='Fitch'] | 6'4” WG | Washington Warriors   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tempImageyxtfp7.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tempImageyxtfp7.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2801386" /></a></figure>   Fitch is coming off a great junior season helping lead Fairfax Christian to a state championship, and he showed he's ready to play with the best of them on the 3SSB Circuit with a good showing for the Warriors. The 6'4” wing does so many things to help a team win, and his ability to impact the game without the ball in his hands very much was on full display this past weekend. He guarded on the perimeter with energy and used his length to challenge shots, he made shots from deep off the catch and his ability to read the defense and move off the ball was extremely impressive.   [player_tooltip player_id='2451940' first='John' last='Uzochukwu'] | 6'3” WG | VA Havoc (2025)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/tempImageepUgSD.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/tempImageepUgSD.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2566625" /></a></figure>   Uzochukwu is playing this spring as an available senior after being an All State selection at LC Bird last year, and he showed why he's one of the top available players in the state. The 6'3” wing showed the whole package, filling it up in bunches and putting up big numbers against top competition throughout the event. He showed his ability to get downhill and out in transition and finish at the rim, he showed he can knock down shots from deep off the catch and he jumped passing lanes for easy buckets too.   [player_tooltip player_id='2459361' first='Caleb' last='Straughter'] | 6'7” WF | VA Havoc   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/tempImagemf5wJR.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/tempImagemf5wJR.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2566649" /></a></figure>   Straughter is coming off a big junior season at Varina and is looking like one of the best prospects in the Richmond area heading into the summer, and is a player coaches should get familiar with. At 6'7” he has great size on the perimeter and showed his ability to create mismatches on the offensive end and guard multiple positions on the defensive end. He's improved in his ability to create shots for himself and others, he shoots it well off the catch from deep on kick-outs and he's a big time athlete who thrives in an uptempo system too.   [player_tooltip player_id='1489544' first='Alex' last='Blanchard'] | 6'0” PG | Team Richmond   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/tempImageH8Kis1.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/tempImageH8Kis1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2548635" /></a></figure>   Blanchard is the type of player that any true basketball head will love to watch, as he is an old school floor general who leads on both ends and can brings great toughness to his team. He's a gritty guard who isn't afraid to sacrifice his body and stick his nose in on the defensive end, and offensively he plays the game the right way and doesn't make mistakes. He changed speeds well and was excellent in pick-and-rolls to touch the paint and make plays for himself and others, he scored it efficiently from all three levels and he brought great energy on both ends.

The Hoop Group Southern JamFest came back to Hampton this past weekend, with a lot of the top teams from the DMV and VA in attendance. Here's a look at part one of the many standouts I saw at the event.