ZGXL "The Launch": Intriguing backcourt prospects

Zero Gravity's "The Launch" event brought a selection of teams from the Zero Gravity XL circuit to Atlantic City along with some additional flavor sprinkled in, headlined by BABC of the 3SSB circuit, which swept the championships of all three age groups. After taking in a day's worth of action on championship Sunday, we came away impressed with a handful of guards prospects highlighted below.    While BABC's 17U was gearing up for its 3SSB title run, Odugbela was busy staking his claim as "next up" in the program's storied lineage while leading the 15s to a runaway championship win. Coming off a winter in which he saw productive rotation minutes as a 14-year-old in the NEPSAC, he made things look easy at times against his age group. There's a poise and grace to the way he operates off the bounce, as both a scorer and playmaker, that collectively points to upside for the highest levels. A true two-way player, he also applied menacing length and slithery quickness while picking up at the point of attack at the head of BABC's pressure defense. The future is evidently bright for Odugbela, who should already be on college radars with the potential to be recruited at the high-major level before too long.     Leading the charge for a cohesive, high-powered BABC lineup with eyes on a 3SSB title, Jenkins set the tone for a dominant championship run with his intensity and unselfishness on either end of the floor. He showed his leadership by never allowing his team to coast despite some lopsided scores, strapping up defensively and applying consistent pressure on the rim without taking his foot off the gas. Jenkins was frequently in search of open teammates, showcasing his creativity and vision as a passer once he collapses the defense with his paint pressure. The context never required him to shoot from the perimeter, but if Jenkins shows he can add that element consistently along with everything else he brings to the table, a national breakout could be on the way soon once he hits the 3SSB circuit.     With PA Flight looking like one of the ZGXL's top contenders, Keating could be the early favorite for the circuit's scoring title. Having already generated buzz with some prolific performances this spring, he stayed hot on Sunday while showcasing a polished and translatable skillset. Keating's first name proves fitting, as he's a dynamic sniper from 3pt range with as quick a release as you'll ever see. He never stops moving off the ball, with pristine footwork to square up on the catch from a variety of actions and a sense for using his shooting gravity to open up backdoor opportunities or shift the floor for teammates. It may take some more off-the-dribble game at his size in order to thrive at the scholarship level, but it's easy to see why higher-level D3 programs have begun prioritizing Keating with D2's starting to poke around.     Helping BABC to a runaway championship game victory in the 15U division, Maxson impressed while putting the game away in the second half with an explosive scoring run. The productive guard, already with 1,000 varsity points to his name, displayed a textbook shooting stroke with balanced footwork and a pure release off the catch from deep. He's a heady offensive player who consistently finds his way to open space in order to score efficiently within the flow. Maxson provided the exclamation with a surprising poster dunk to showcase his evolving athleticism. We'll certainly be evaluating him further in years to come with the opportunity to emerge onto the D1 radar at some point in the future.     Size and shooting is a reliable way to put yourself on the radar, and Plalum did just that with his smoothly translatable skillset on Sunday. With solid positional size and a sturdy frame, he shines as a dynamic floor-spacing option from the perimeter with a feathery release from 3. He mixes it up by using his size and instincts to sneak near the basket for easy points and is willing to throw his heft around defensively with the physical profile to offer switchability across several positions. We have to see more from his auxiliary game in higher-level settings before stamping him as a scholarship-level prospect, but the potential is certainly there with Plalum's low-maintenance approach and skillset.

Zero Gravity's "The Launch" event brought a selection of teams from the Zero Gravity XL circuit to Atlantic City along with some additional flavor sprinkled in, headlined by BABC of the 3SSB circuit, which swept the championships of all three age groups. After taking in a day's worth of action on championship Sunday, we came away impressed with a handful of guards prospects highlighted below.