Hoop Group Spring Showdown: Intriguing wings and forwards

As the calendar turned to April, the grassroots season kicked off in the Garden State this weekend with a strong local event at Hoop Group Headquarters in Neptune, NJ, featuring a handful of premier programs across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. After taking in several sets of action on the opening afternoon of the event, we'll continue coverage with a look at several frontcourt prospects who intrigued across the 17U division on Saturday afternoon.    It can be easy to look at Burnam, with his standout size on the perimeter and prototypical wing frame, and expect the world from him whenever he takes the court. The beauty in his game, however, lies in its simplicity, as the swingman continues to excel in a complementary role without needing to do anything flashy. Burnam was steady across two games on Saturday displaying his feathery jump shot off the catch, also incorporating a smooth one-dribble pullup when run off the line. It was nice to see him mix it up as well by using his size and length to contribute on the margins across the floor game. He may never been the most dynamic of ballhandlers or shot-creators, but there's inherent value at the next level in Burnam's combination of size, shotmaking, and two-way court sense.     Debuting with a new program, Darden wasted no time showing why he's already asserted himself at this early stage as one of the top young prospects in New England. Coming off a standout freshman season for state power Wilbur Cross, the young wing catches the eye immediately with his sinewy frame and advanced athleticism. Over the course of two commanding wins, he would show he has the game to match, putting together some tantalizing sequences as a ballhandler and slasher both in the halfcourt and transition. We didn't see much from him as a jump shooter, an area we'll look to hone in on in future viewings, but it's clear Darden possesses the tools to be a high-level prospect who could find his way onto college radars before much longer.     Returning to for year two with his Shoreshots group, Pierce isn't expected to be looked to for explosive scoring performances, but he played the type of heady complementary game that should attract a swath of college attention in the coming months nonetheless. While he does a fair bit of ballhandling for his high school, Pierce makes his living at the circuit level primarily as a jump shooter, displaying a pure stroke and a soft ball off any number of actions to get him free off the catch. His on-ball experience carries its way over into being a high-IQ connecting passer along the perimeter and quickstrike driver when taking advantage of overzealous closeouts. He'll need work to fill out his frame at the next level, but Pierce's low-maintenance and versatile complementary game with his length in the backcourt gives him a chance to make an impact at the D1 level in time.     Making his high school AAU debut after a standout season as the most productive freshman in the CHSAA, Wilson acclimated nicely to a reduced role while showcasing the versatility and persistent activity that have him so highly regarded as a prospect early on. Playing both inside and out as a quintessential modern forward, Wilson already boasts a prototypical frame with the natural movement skills to match. He already looks comfortable stepping away from the basket to make decisions with the ball, as well as flashing an ability to initiate the break off the defensive glass. There's still a lot of directions his game can go, but the production, physical tools, and intense approach make Wilson a pretty surefire D1 prospect in due time with the chance to rise high up the ranks in the years to come.     It was a key year of progress this winter for Jones, getting acclimated both to a new school and his first extended experience at the varsity level, but it looks to have paid dividends if Jones' opening AAU outing is any indication. A mobile and athletic hybrid forward, he makes his living on the defensive end where he deploys his elite physical gifts along with a steadily-revving motor to wreak havoc as an event-creator and 1-on-1 stopper across multiple positions. While his offensive game in the winter was limited largely to interior finishes or quick catch-and-shoots, he showed progress back with his age group when it came to putting the ball on the floor to make a play. Jones still requires patience as he finetunes the harder elements of his game, but his rare athletic tools and requisite energy level makes him one to monitor for the higher levels of the D1 ranks as he continues putting the pieces together.

As the calendar turned to April, the grassroots season kicked off in the Garden State this weekend with a strong local event at Hoop Group Headquarters in Neptune, NJ, featuring a handful of premier programs across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. After taking in several sets of action on the opening afternoon of the event, we'll continue coverage with a look at several frontcourt prospects who intrigued across the 17U division on Saturday afternoon.