EYBL/Peach Jam Notebook: NC's Top Performers (Part One)

It was a great month of basketball we had in July as we had a couple of incredible live periods with prospects doing their thing all over the country. The Nike EYBL had their first July stop in Las Vegas alongside NBA Summer League and then shifted to their annual stop in North Augusta, South Carolina. Let's take a look at some of the North Carolina guys who brought their game on the EYBL in the month of July.    It's not even hyperbolic to say at this point that [player_tooltip player_id='2896673' first='Jayon' last='Connor'] is the hottest prospect in America. I can't think of any other kid hauling in these high level offers like he's been of late. Michigan State, UConn, Houston, etc, they just keep rolling in for Connor whose effort, motor, and physical presence make him the prospect he is today. During Peach Jam where CP3 17u was able to go 4-2, Connor averaged 15.2 Points, 8.2 Rebounds, 1.3 Assists, and 1.3 Steals per game while shooting 61.4% from the floor. Connor does an incredible job outworking the opposition on the glass and getting rewarded for easy baskets. Connor isn't going to get a ton of baskets from the perimeter but his willingness to battle on the inside and compete where other guys won't is driving his surge in the recruiting world and is a key element to this [program_tooltip program_id='2226228' first='Team' last='CP3'] success we've seen in the month of July.     [program_tooltip program_id='2226228' first='Team' last='CP3']s 16u group was able to go 7-1 with a championship game appearance and NC newcomer [player_tooltip player_id='2470128' first='Jermier' last='Nelson'] was playing at a very high level for this group. Nelson is such a well rounded guard and it showed at Peach Jam. He averaged 11.0 Points, 2.6 Rebounds, 3.1 Assists, and 0.6 Steals. He had a 3:1 A:TO and shot it with high efficiency from all levels throughout the week. Nelson's athleticism, ability to control a game, and approach to his own scoring make him such a reliable option in this backcourt and a guy that will only get more and more attention from college coaches as his career continues.     [player_tooltip player_id='2194796' first='Jaleel' last='Smith'] recently announced his transfer to Oak Hill so we'll be moving him to our friends up in Virginia soon but for now he was very impactful for [program_tooltip program_id='2220892' first='Team' last='United'] on their Peach Jam run where they finished 2-3. On the week, Smith averaged 14.4 Points, 4.0 Rebounds, 3.8 Assists, and 1.6 Steals while shooting 50% from the floor and 36% from deep. Smith's toughness, ability to make plays, and pride he plays with on the defensive end of the floor make him the kind of guard that can fit in with any lineup. He's become a more consistent outside shooter every time we see him which only makes life easier for him on the offensive end of the floor. It'll be fun to see what Smith does next season at Oak Hill and we'll certainly miss him in the HoopState.     Cannon continues to show his value for this [program_tooltip program_id='2226228' first='Team' last='CP3'] 15u group as a guy that can really make plays at both ends of the floor as he possesses the ability to hit outside shots along with providing consistent production in other areas at his size. Cannon averaged 12.0 Points, 5.8 Rebounds, 0.8 Steals, and 0.6 Blocks per game while shooting 44% from deep for Peach Jam. Cannon possesses an incredibly strong foundation in terms of skill and physical tools. As he continues to gain valuable experience and develop his ability to make plays for others, there's no doubt he'll turn into a very special prospect.     Juergens saw his production really pop at the right time for this Boo Williams 16u team as they made a really strong run in Peach Jam. His ability to make shots and attack closeouts where he finishes at the rim with athleticism provided a vital scoring option for this team. In six games at Peach Jam, Juergens averaged 12.7 Points, 3.5 Rebounds, and 0.5 Assists while shooting 44% from the floor and 35% from deep. Juergens ability to help a team out in so many ways at his size has always been notable, now that he's adding in consistent production on the biggest stages, his stock should only continue to rise. Juergens should be a key piece on Greensboro Day's stacked roster this upcoming season and will remain a notable prospect in this North Carolina 2028 class.     Smith has done such a great job for this [program_tooltip program_id='2220892' first='Team' last='United'] team and despite not winning quite the way they hoped at Peach Jam, it was another opportunity for Smith to showcase his value to this group. Smith's ability to operate as a mismatch in the front-court along with being able to contribute on the glass make him important in this groups success. For Peach Jam, he averaged 13.2 Points, 5.4 Rebounds, 1.0 Assists, 1.4 Steals, and 1.0 Blocks per game all while shooting 54% from the floor and 38% from beyond the arc. He'll continue to find himself in these big spots and feels like a safe bet to jump into the top ten very soon.

It was a great month of basketball we had in July as we had a couple of incredible live periods with prospects doing their thing all over the country. The Nike EYBL had their first July stop in Las Vegas alongside NBA Summer League and then shifted to their annual stop in North Augusta, South Carolina. Let's take a look at some of the North Carolina guys who brought their game on the EYBL in the month of July.