16U Fantastic Fifteen at the Southern Jam Fest in Virginia
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An extremely talented group of sixteen-year-old AAU basketball players set the Boo Williams Jam Fest tournament on fire all weekend. The ability of some of these high-performing athletes was noticeable on the courts from morning until evening. Our Prep Hoops…
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Continue ReadingAn extremely talented group of sixteen-year-old AAU basketball players set the Boo Williams Jam Fest tournament on fire all weekend. The ability of some of these high-performing athletes was noticeable on the courts from morning until evening. Our Prep Hoops Pennsylvania information from many competitive games leads us to focus on a good amount of standouts in the class of 2023…
16U (Class 2023) – FANTASTIC “15”
Philly Pride UAA:
Horace Simmons Horace Simmons 6'6" | SF LaSalle CHS | 2022 State PA (6’6, wing forward) – LaSalle College High School
Horace is an extremely athletic wing that can score in a variety of ways during a game. He has the ability to protect the rim on defense and run the floor in transition on offense to finish strong at the basket. Also, due to his performance division1 colleges are taking notice of this young player.
Qudire Bennett Qudire Bennett 6'4" | SF Plymouth Whitemash | 2023 State PA (6’4, forward) – Plymouth Whitemarsh High School
Qudire looks to develop his game on both ends of the court with his strong work ethic. He continues to be a leader on defense with his talented jumping qualities and shot-blocking. Once he gets in the flow of a game he is difficult to stop throughout a contest with his high energy level.
Team Durant:
Rodney Gallagher Rodney Gallagher 6'0" | CG Laurel Highlands | 2023 State #176 Nation PA (6’0, combo guard) – Laurel Highlands High School
Rodney has the overall skill set to take over a game whenever necessary for his team. He is a proven leader while creating opportunities for his teammates, not only himself. His division 1 recruitment continues to grow during this AAU season and the sky is the limit for this talented performer.
Team Final EYBL:
Rahmir Barno Rahmir Barno 5'10" | CG Imhotep Charter | 2023 State #223 Nation PA (6’0, guard) – Imhotep Charter High School
Rahmir is a shifty, quick guard that can penetrate the lane for creative finished at the basket. When he pushes the ball up the floor in transition Rahmir puts the defense on their heels trying to contain him throughout the game. He has the ability to play at the next level, especially with his stock continuing to rise this spring/summer.
Justin Edwards Justin Edwards 6'6" | PF Imhotep Charter | 2023 State #3 Nation PA (6’7, power forward) – Imhotep Charter High School
Justin is a high flyer and a very exciting player to watch during a contest. He can put on a show running the break, with slam dunks on offensive rebounds, and amazing blocked shots. As this young man continues to mature and develop his game, he will be an asset to any program at the college level.
Sharon Knights:
Nasir Washington (6’2, shooting guard) – West Philadelphia High School
Nasir has a consistent jumper from mid-range, as well as the three-point line. His quickness on defense causes problems for the opponent and can set up transition offense for his team. He is a proven leader and always looks to make his teammates better during a game.
Elijah Hester Elijah Hester 5'11" | PG West Philadelphia | 2023 State PA (5’11, point guard) – Paul Roberson High School
Elijah pushes the ball any chance he gets on the break and his slick, creative passing is a nightmare for the defense. During the half-court set, he commands his team with leadership and is like another coach on the floor. Elijah has the quick hands to cause bad passes from the other team and has the high motor to “fly around” on defense.
Naquil Betrand (6’6, power forward) – West Catholic High School
Naquil is a strong, skilled forward that rebounds well on defense and outlets the ball to run the break while finishing with above-the-rim plays. His athleticism makes him a nightmare to guard in the post, on the perimeter, and most definitely during transition. Naquil is a great kid who is extremely coachable.
Team Final Red HGSL:
Raymond Jackson Raymond Jackson 5'10" | SG Whitehall | 2023 State PA (6’2, shooting guard) – Whitehall High School
Raymond has a tremendously fast first step off the dribble and can get in the lane with no problem. A definite matchup problem for defenses makes him a consistently tough player to guard throughout the duration of a contest. His stock has risen due to his top-level performance at AAU tournaments.
Jamal Lebedev Jamal Lebedev 6'7" | C La Academia Charter | 2023 State PA (6’7, power forward) – LaAcademia High School
Jamal is an above-average shot blocker and is a force on the boards. When he has the ball in his hands on the offensive end of the floor he can score from many spots on the court, but he does pass well for a big kid. Jamal has great basketball knowledge and looks to help his team in any way possible during a game.
Mason Elite:
Dante DePante Dante DePante 6'3" | PG Central Catholic | 2023 State PA (6’1, combo guard) – Central Catholic High School
Dante is extremely skilled at coming off screens to knock down mid-range and three-point shots. If the long-range jumper is taken away, he looks to penetrate the lane and finish with floaters. He has the passing skill to find his teammates in transition, or during the half-court set.
Adam Bilinsky Adam Bilinsky 6'3" | SF Norwin | 2023 State PA (6’3, wing forward) – Norwin High School
Adam is a strong player that can score from a variety of spots on the floor. He can drive the lane and finish with soft shots in the paint, his baseline penetration with dunks gets the team motivated, and Adam can step out on the perimeter and stroke it from three as well. Also, he is not afraid to get physical and plays quality defense.
Team Wildcat:
Travarese Rowe Travarese Rowe 6'3" | PF McKeesport | 2023 State PA (6’4, wing forward) – McKeesport High School
Travarese, or “Dunny” as he is called, is a talented young player that benefits from playing with teammates who get him involved in the flow of the game. At times he will work his tail off on both ends of the floor but does not get rewarded the ball on offense. He can score in a variety of ways, but on defense, he protects the rim with his shot-blocking ability and quick hands for steals as well.
Wildcat Select 3SSB:
Khalil Horton (6’7, wing forward) – Cathedral Prep High School
Khalil has developed into a division 1 recruit by establishing himself as a complete player. He is basically unguardable during a game with all of his different ways to score the basketball. Then as for the defensive end, Khalil can block shots, snatch rebounds, push the ball in transition, and finish at the rim with amazing slam dunks.
Franklin Force:
Nik Nordberg Nik Nordberg 6'1" | SG Scotland Campus | 2023 State PA (6’1, shooting guard) – Fairfield High School
Nik is a quality kid that has worked extremely well to become a complete basketball player. He has an above-average jumper on the perimeter and looks to drive the lane when given the opportunity. Nik shoots free throws at an extremely high rate of success and is a leader on the floor.
The coverage of these players showed tremendous promise for each one of them, but you definitely need to attend a tournament to see their true ability in live-action. I guarantee you will not be disappointed with these young guys.