UAA S1 Film Room (16U): Riverside Hawks (NY) 70, WeR1 (DE) 64

With AAU now fully off and running across the country, the first of the major national grassroots circuits kicked off this past weekend with the Under Armour Association hosting its opening session in Kansas City. We took in an array of action on film and will begin coverage by breaking down several standout performances from a thrilling 16U overtime matchup that saw New York's Riverside Hawks take down Delaware-based WeR1.    Coming off the bench to lead a platoon of five subs, Charlot changed the tenor of the game while getting Riverside out to a halftime lead. A throwback-style floor general with his finger steadily on the pulse of the game, he sets an aggressive tone with his bothersome on-ball defense and dynamic dribble-drive play. While he's always ready to get the ball out of his hands at a moment's notice, Charlot also showed proficiency creating his own offense as a downhill scorer. A necessary trait for any guard hoping to translate to D1 at his size, the defensive intensity and instincts really jump off the page at times as well. Charlot locks himself into being a D1 prospect (and gives himself a chance to rise even further) with continued work on incorporating a consistent outside shot to keep defenses honest.     It still comes more in flashes than on a possession-by-possession basis at this stage, but the talent jumps off the page with Brown as he displays his natural scoring ability and defensive upside. For better or worse, he makes things look effortless while slithering to his spots with the ball, even initiating offense in spurts when called for. While still clearly adjusting to a thin and growing frame, he shows increasing consistency as a perimeter shooter with flashes in the pullup game when he's able to get his feet squarely underneath him. His 4th-quarter spurt was highlighted by a quintet of smooth 3s, connecting on two more for good measure early in overtime to cap what was somehow a relatively quiet 30+ point outing. We'd like to see Brown work on contributing outside of scoring, which he did in this one by way of some impactful plays using his length + twitchiness on D, along with slowly beginning to add some strength to his slender frame. A young rising junior, he should be on D1 radars in years to come with the chance to really take off in a prep or post-grad situation.     In his first full season in the U.S., Zelic made waves throughout the CHSAA as the Serbian entered high school as the tallest player in the league with an alluring skillset to match. Not just relying on his skill level, Zelic presented a steady deterrent at the rim defensively while creating extra possessions with his length and energy on the offensive glass. He stepped out to the perimeter for a handful of clean catch-and-shoot jumpers but never felt the need to overdo it by showing off his full bag on every possession. Nonetheless, Zelic checked all the boxes of a modern big over the course of the game in a performance that was a sign of what could be to come as he gets more accustomed to the American game.     In a world where pure point guards are fewer and further between, Jackson's performance represented an embodiment of the type of balance between scoring and passing that a floor general is supposed to strike. Jackson got his team started by pushing the pace in transition primarily as a facilitator, keeping his head up and getting the ball out of his hands in a timely fashion to hit streaking teammates for layups or 3s. Facing a third quarter deficit, however, he closed the gaps by coming out aggressive and successfully getting all the way to the rim a handful of times for tough finishes. We'd still like to see him become a bit more dynamic as a perimeter shooter for the next level given his lack of size, but Jackson looks like a near scholarship-lock at this point with a chance to play his way onto D1 radars sooner than later.     While it would come in losing fashion and wasn't necessarily the gaudiest statistical performance, Savior's outing managed to show a wealth of upside as he comes into his own on the wing. He stands out immediately with his lean frame, high shoulders, and dripping length before going on to show a smooth shooting stroke, defensive activity, and ability as an opportunistic attacker off the bounce. Still in the early stages of coming together, we'll certainly check back in on Savior consistently over time as he has all the requisite tools for a D1 wing down the line without much a limit to be placed on his upside.     Matching up with Zelic in the middle coming off a high school season getting his feet wet in the Philly Catholic League, Van Norden didn't quite match his counterpart tit-for-tat but had a handful of occasions where he got the better of the taller defender and showed the upside he possesses in his own right. A bruising presence on the interior, the football standout has continued transitioning bulk into muscle while playing much swifter and lighter on his feet as a result. He operates comfortably around the rim even amid congestion, using his wide frame and soft touch to maneuver through the lane and finish out of the post. He's still shaking some rust off after limited minutes this winter in a guard-oriented system, but D1 coaches should be checking in on Van Norden before too long if his play to start the spring is any indication.     While not quite as emphatic or resounding an outing as that of his brother, the elder Zelic's performance still managed to display the type of versatile, high-IQ skillset that's become customary of many modern European prospects. Operating across forward spots, Zelic plays with a smoothness and poise that embody his overseas roots, comfortable making quick decisions from anywhere on the floor. Though not the swiftest laterally, he also impressed with his aggressiveness and deceptive quickness while stepping out to defend the ball on an island on several occasions. The upside may not be the highest, but the D1 translation looks pretty clean for the Serbian wing forward.     Entering the game off the bench alongside Charlot, Magna was successful in helping shift the momentum with his aggressiveness attacking the paint. He thrived playing in a utility guard role alongside a true point, placing less of an emphasis on his facilitating and allowing him to attack gaps consistently before making plays from middle of the lane for himself or teammates. He'll have to open up the floor more as a shooter in this role at the next level, but it's a nice skillset to have in his back pocket as more teams continue to value size and versatility from the backcourt in place of a traditional lead guard.     Similar to his counterpart in the backcourt in Charlot, Owusu put on a textbook display of managing the game from the lead guard spot. Previously more of an on-ball scorer, he showed tremendous growth in his maturity as a decisionmaker both in transition and within a halfcourt set. Perhaps most notable is the jump Owusu looks to have taken physically since last spring, having added a couple inches and begun to fill out across his frame. He added some key buckets in the second half by way of his bread-and-butter midrange game, but we'd like to see him extend his range further out to the perimeter to open up upside at the mid-major level or beyond as he continues to blossom physically.

With AAU now fully off and running across the country, the first of the major national grassroots circuits kicked off this past weekend with the Under Armour Association hosting its opening session in Kansas City. We took in an array of action on film and will begin coverage by breaking down several standout performances from a thrilling 16U overtime matchup that saw New York's Riverside Hawks take down Delaware-based WeR1.