Hoop Group New Jersey Warm Up: Additional NJ 16U Standouts

AAU season is officially in full swing, with teams now zeroed in on the tournaments ahead. Several programs have already taken part in early tune up events as they prepare for the gauntlet of tournaments to come. This past weekend, Hoop Group held its New Jersey Warm Up in Manalapan, NJ— highlighting a strong mix of talented programs here in the state of New Jersey and some of the state's more intriguing prospects. With that in mind, here's another look at a handful of 16U players who stood out during Saturday and Sunday's action.    Widely regarded as one of the most physically and athletically gifted prospects in his class here in the state of New Jersey, [player_tooltip player_id='2436976' first='Marque' last='Johnson'] once again reaffirmed that notion, using his blend of strength and glaring athleticism to open so much offense for himself— turning defensive stops into explosive finishes in transition, above the rim putbacks on the offensive glass, using his burst to aggressively attack the basket and get downhill, while also leveraging his strength to capitalize off deep seals against weaker defenders in the low post area and convert on easy layups.     An extremely skilled guard who possesses dangerous and dynamic shot making ability and approaches the game with glaring confidence, [player_tooltip player_id='2504780' first='Infinite' last='Sincere-AmenRa'] had an impressive showing that highlighted his ability to provide exceptionally reliable scoring. Truly wired to score with noticeable efficiency, Sincere-AmenRa''s performance highlighted much of his scoring attack— super smooth perimeter spot up shooting off the ball with deep range accuracy as well, moving well without the ball and cutting to open space when others attacked the paint while showing strong flashes of creating his own offense off the bounce, breaking defenders down with a variety of dribble combo moves and pace, finishing with creativity from different angles at the basket.     Proving to be an excellent complimentary guard in the backcourt, [player_tooltip player_id='2194627' first='Tyree' last='Thorp'] played very well within himself and delivered a strong showing that highlighted his ability to be a confident and efficient perimeter shot maker. Thorp impressed the most as a spot up shooter during Sunday's action for this We R1 16U group— taking advantage of late closeouts and weak defensive rotations knocking down outside shots off the catch, with deep range accuracy as well.     Operating in a slightly different role than he's accustomed to at Roselle Catholic, particularly seeing increased reps as a primary ball handler, [player_tooltip player_id='2504745' first='Chase' last='Bray'] impressed with how well he handled shouldering the PG responsibilities and running the offense for this 16U Rens group. Necessary to his long term development, Bray demonstrated a more polished floor game— not getting too sped up against opposing ball pressure, creating for others both in PnR action and creating drive and kick opportunities for perimeter shooters, controlling the pace and tempo all while also providing scoring when necessary, taking advantage of open driving angles and capitalizing on open looks as a spot up shooter.     A compelling combination of elite length and glaring athleticism paired with a tremendously high motor, [player_tooltip player_id='2628235' first='King' last='Josiah Hamilton'] has always had the physical tools to provide an instant impact however if this past weekend's showing is a sign of things to come, Hamilton might actually be starting to put it all together. With a clear increased growth and confidence in his overall guard skills, Hamilton looked more comfortable attacking closeouts and certain driving angles paired with using strong footwork to get to the basket, knocking down outside shots off the catch, and handling the ball in the open floor to push the break in transition and finish on the other end in traffic.

AAU season is officially in full swing, with teams now zeroed in on the tournaments ahead. Several programs have already taken part in early tune up events as they prepare for the gauntlet of tournaments to come. This past weekend, Hoop Group held its New Jersey Warm Up in Manalapan, NJ— highlighting a strong mix of talented programs here in the state of New Jersey and some of the state's more intriguing prospects. With that in mind, here's another look at a handful of 16U players who stood out during Saturday and Sunday's action.