Hoop Group New England Academic Elite Camp Third-Team

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This weekend, I attended the Hoop Group New England Academic Elite Camp. Over 120 players competed in games across two days.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As always, it's difficult to see everyone play all the time. With that being said, I watched everybody play at least once and tried to see everybody play twice.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Read: H<a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/08/hoop-group-new-england-academic-elite-camp-first-team/">oop Group New England Academic Elite Camp First-Team</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/08/hoop-group-new-england-academic-elite-camp-second-team/" data-type="link" data-id="https://prephoops.com/2026/08/hoop-group-new-england-academic-elite-camp-second-team/">Hoop Group New England Academic Elite Camp Second-Team</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below is my third-team from the event.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2569349"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","fullHeight":true,"anchor":"acf-block-6a7360ab34a07"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I only saw Bayer play one game this weekend, but he was excellent. The 6-foot guard has a strong upper-body build, so he's able to defend many positions and is quite effective as a rebounder on both ends. What surprised me the most, though, was the rising senior's ability to knock down threes both on and off the dribble, something he has clearly improved on as of late. His size allows him to drive closeouts, too, because he keeps a good line to the rim and can finish well through contact. Bayer does all the little stuff and will probably be a nice glue guy for Kimball Union Academy this season—he'll find a solid D3 fit after that if I had to guess.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2568394"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a7360ab34adf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Yalamanchili gets better literally every time I see him. The 6-foot-6 forward continues to get stronger, more coordinated, and better at finishing around the rim. He has always shown an intriguing ability to handle the rock on the perimeter and use his footwork and craft in the paint, but it's all finally starting to come together for him. His athleticism also continues to improve—he had a handful of dunks in one game I watched on Saturday and looks like he's getting up more easily than before. Yalamanchili is certainly on the radar of high academic coaches around the country, and a good season with Worcester Academy's top team would probably cement him as a target for those high-academic programs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":3715436,"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a7360ab34b98"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Cineus is a super skilled point guard who scores, facilitates, defends, and always plays hard. The 5-foot-10 floor general has a tight handle and great strength, so he's difficult to pressure and has solid command of the floor. Once he gets into the half court, he can run pick and roll but also scores well in isolation and has a knack for step-through moves in the paint. On the other side of the floor, he has phenomenal instincts and was one of the better on-ball defenders I saw this weekend, consistently making like difficult for opposing ball-handlers and being active in the passing lanes. Cineus might have a hard time starting on Belmont Hill this coming season, but he should definitely get time and has exactly the skillset you look for in a backup PG.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":3715439,"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a7360ab34c55"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Herndon came from Virginia for the Academic Elite Camp, and he made a good choice. The 5-foot-9 guard showcased really solid scoring ability from all three levels and the ability to play with or without the ball. With the rock, the rising senior has a quick and shifty handle, explosive dribble moves and really solid finishing touch at the rim. Without the ball, he can space the floor as a shooter, is good in transition because of his speed and jumping ability, and can make the simple pass when the defense collapses on him. Despite Herndon's lack of size, he's a definite D3 player and certainly helped himself this weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":3715448,"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a7360ab34d04"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Adams was one of the better athletes in attendance at Hoop Group's camp. The 6-foot-2 wing is EVERYWHERE defensively, constantly hounding ball-handlers and getting pick-6 steals in the passing lanes. Offensively, he has a lethal spin move in the paint, phenomenal end-to-end speed, and is a very improved shooter since the last time I saw him—in one of his Saturday games, he hit about five threes and looked quite confident from long range. Adams should find his way onto the court for Malden Catholic this season and will have a lot more opportunity offensively with some of the guys who have graduated or left for prep school.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->