May UAA/UA Rise Notebook: Glue Guys That Matter

Last weekend we had the opportunity to make the trip to Hamilton, Ohio during the live period to watch a significant amount of talent under one roof between UA Rise and UAA. We're going to be looking at different groups of talent with a focus on glue guys that do all of the little work for their respective teams.    Long is a name we just added to the watchlist and it's very easy to see his impact on this [program_tooltip program_id='2375668' first='SW15H' last='Elite'] 16u UA Rise team. This past weekend he averaged 11.0 Points, 4.8 Rebounds, 1.8 Assists, and 2.3 Steals per game while shooting 59% from the floor and 60% from three (9/15 on the weekend). Long plays with a real combination of edge and skill with excellent anticipation defensively. Long has a strong frame that allows him to bully defenders with his dribble and a good decision maker with the ball in his hands. He made timely shots all weekend and produced at a very high level for this group that went 3-1 in their first session of the year. Long will undoubtedly be amongst the ranked when the next update happens at the end of the summer.     In what was a tough weekend in the W/L column for TLBA, Jones brought a consistent effort and scoring presence throughout that earned him a spot on this list. Jones can play either guard spot and is proving to show a lot more on the ball than we've seen recently. He can attack the basket with proper spacing, hit outside shots off the catch or bounce, and provide a ton of pressure on the ball to opposing ball handlers. Jones is very comfortable playing on big stages and excels at making the other talent around him better. As this team looks to regroup heading into July, Jones will still find himself as a key piece as they try and right the ship and get some wins.     This Top Shot UAA 16u group has been really strong in session play and the supplemental production of [player_tooltip player_id='2560550' first='Hunter' last='Gerould'] is a huge reason behind that success. Gerould blends his outside touch with insane vertical pop that he loves to showcase in transition. As Gerould continues to gain strength I fully expect him to become more capable of imposing himself on a game. The blend of outside touch and athleticism is a great foundation to have, combine that with the effort and feel Gerould brings to the game and you have a high quality prospect. He'll be attending Providence Day next season as well, joining their talented core where he'll almost assuredly fit like a glove.     Coon is a skilled guard in NC's 2028 class that finds himself as a key piece on this No Guts No Glory 16u UA Rise group with his ability to make shots, be a secondary playmaker, and provide a pest like presence on the defensive end of the floor. Coon was a key player that helped engineer a massive turnaround at Fuquay-Varina HS this past season. He averaged 7.3 Points, 2.3 Assists, and 1.3 Steals per game while only averaging 0.5 turnovers. Coon is a guy that will have big numbers as a primary piece in this high school season but is proving to be a very impactful complimentary piece in the travel ball season. Coon is a guy to keep track of with this group as he leads into what should be a big junior season at Fuquay-Varina.     Pressley is such a solid floor general with A Wigg Elite UAA 17u and has provided them with a real contribution on the floor as a two way presence in the backcourt. Pressley is more than comfortable initiating offense for this team where he's often utilizing his size at the PG spot to expose smaller guards when attacking. He can hit outside shots to keep the defense honest and is always looking to embrace his matchup defensively. Pressley had a really strong season in a similar type role at West Charlotte, making the translation to major circuit ball seamless for the PG. Look for Pressley to help lead A Wigg to plenty of wins in July and to really establish himself as a bonafide next level player.     Coleman had a really solid weekend with [program_tooltip program_id='2375668' first='SW15H' last='Elite'] UA Rise 17u where he had his overall game on full display where he's a true two way connector for this group. Coleman does a great job helping this team at both ends of the floor with his unselfish approach and willingness to do the dirty work that most others aren't. He's got the ability to make shots from deep and attack closeouts to make plays for himself or others. Coleman is also a vocal leader and organizer amongst this group, bridging the gap with the coaching staff and rest of the roster. Coleman is a no brainer next level talent and he should see himself rise in the next 2027 rankings update we have before the July live periods.     Winters is a quality name to monitor in this 2029 class and calling him a glue guy might not be fair but for being such a talented player he is very willing to do a lot of the dirty work to help a team. Winters brings undeniable effort to this Top Shot UAA 15u team and had a strong session averaging 11.8 Points, 5.8 Rebounds, and 3.8 Assists per game while shooting 45.2 EFG%. He provided consistent and efficient production for this team. He's an elite rebounder for a guard and can be a primary scorer without needing to take a ton of shots or have the ball in his hands. He makes the right play in both transition or the half court and should be a well rounded combo guard to monitor closely for this group. I fully expect him to be amongst the ranked when the 2029 rankings make their debut here in the next couple of weeks.

Last weekend we had the opportunity to make the trip to Hamilton, Ohio during the live period to watch a significant amount of talent under one roof between UA Rise and UAA. We're going to be looking at different groups of talent with a focus on glue guys that do all of the little work for their respective teams.