Run N Slam: Sunday 15/16 U Standouts

The Run N Slam is always one of the most competitive grassroots events in the midwest every spring and in this article I'll break down my 15 and 16 U standouts from Sunday.    Jakstys found success roaming around the perimeter and then cutting or driving to the rim to score using his length and body. Playing through contact and on balance, Jakstys was tough to move off his spot and was patient with the ball in his hands. There was nothing flashy about Jakstys game but he made the extra pass, could finish with either hand and made basic dribble moves to get past his defender. Jakstys older brother plays for Illinois and Joey looks well on his way to becoming a Division I player himself when the time comes.     [program_tooltip program_id='2076459' first='Breakaway' last=''] plays a fun style of basketball with lots of quick passing and shooters spaced across the court. Jankowski caught fire in the second half against the [program_tooltip program_id='2075761' first='Ohio' last='Buckets'] and shot his team to a comfortable victory. An elite shooter with his feet set, the [program_tooltip program_id='2075761' first='Ohio' last='Buckets'] went zone for a couple possessions and Jankowski knocked down back-to-back corner 3-pointers to get them right out of the zone defense. Later in the game Jankowski was ran off the line and showed the ability to curl off screens and hit floaters or make the simple pass to a teammate. Based on his production and skill level, I'd expect Jankowski to be added to the Indiana rankings sooner rather than later.     A wing with a lot of natural ability, Perry had a big game for the [program_tooltip program_id='2075761' first='Ohio' last='Buckets'] 16 U group thanks to his quick twitch athleticism and ability to get to his spots. Perry started the game with a fallaway off a reverse pivot and made some tough crossover moves to get to the paint. Despite finding success, I thought Perry left a few points at the rim with shots he usually makes not falling. With the nice actions that the [program_tooltip program_id='2075761' first='Ohio' last='Buckets'] run to get Perry in positions to use his athleticism and ball skills to find success. An obvious breakout candidate this spring and summer, I'd keep my eyes on Perry over the next three months.     It's always refreshing to see a young big make huge strides in their game after not watching them for a while. I hadn't seen Stromer in person in about a calendar year and his development is night and day from where he was 12 months ago. Stromer had a steal that led to a [program_tooltip program_id='2076459' first='Breakaway' last=''] dunk and had another dunk on a pick and roll play that was exactly what I've wanted to see him do. Stromer still needs a lot of work defensively but that should come in due time and his offensive skill improvement has him on track for a nice rankings boost come the next update.     A player who has been on our radar for a while, Sunday was the day where it all clicked for me with Muhlenkamp. A strong wing who physically can hold up against other wings and forwards at the shoe circuit level, Muhlenkamp had some strong rebounds for his group. Also capable of making shots when left open, Muhlenkamp had a time and space 3-pointer from the corner and another mid-range bucket as well. Dublin Coffman returns a lot of production from last season and projects as one of the top teams in central Ohio next year.     [program_tooltip program_id='2078667' first='TNBA' last=''] 15 U had a great weekend by knocking off multiple EYBL teams to make the platinum championship. Karls was clutch with the game-tying and game-winning bucket in the final minute of the semifinal battle with [program_tooltip program_id='2078449' first='Meanstreets' last='']. I was extremely impressed with Karls feel for the game and he passes the ball at a very high level to his shooters across the perimeter. The biggest key for Karls will be to improve his frame to handle physicality as he moves up the age groups, he is very skilled and a high-level competitor already with a high feel for the game.     Lozada caught fire for [program_tooltip program_id='2078667' first='TNBA' last=''] 15 U as the only reason they were able to knock off [program_tooltip program_id='2078449' first='Meanstreets' last=''] was the high volume of 3-point shooting they converted on. By my count Lozada had six 3-pointers in this game alone. The duo of Lozada and Karls seem like future building blocks for Saint Edward, a program that relies on upperclassmen who have been developed at the JV level in their program. When the time comes for Lozada and Karls to shine on varsity, they'll be ready thanks to the coaching and experience they are getting at both the high school and grassroots levels.

The Run N Slam is always one of the most competitive grassroots events in the midwest every spring and in this article I'll break down my 15 and 16 U standouts from Sunday.