AAU Roster Spotlight: NJ Bulldogs

Fully in the swing of things on Puma's NXTPRO Circuit, the [program_tooltip program_id='2078574' first='NJ' last='Bulldogs'] have competed in a handful of sessions battling against other programs all over the Northeast. Now a few sessions into the NXTPRO Circuit, let's dive into some prospects in the [program_tooltip program_id='2078574' first='NJ' last='Bulldogs']' program that have stood out over the last month or so and that everybody should keep tabs on going forward.    Providing a strong scoring punch for this 17U [program_tooltip program_id='2078574' first='NJ' last='Bulldogs'] group, [player_tooltip player_id='1788774' first='Mickell' last='Taylor Jr']. is a reliable and consistent shot maker from the perimeter that is also capable of breaking his defender down and creating offense off the bounce. A dangerous and versatile shooter from deep, Taylor Jr. has a compact and quick release and is capable of shooting it both off the catch and off the dribble. Taylor Jr. is quick with the ball in his hands— using his quickness in combination with his creativity off the dribble to get by his defender and finish with craftiness around the basket. Coming off a strong last couple sessions that saw him put up big scoring performances, look for Taylor Jr. to continue to showcase his scoring prowess as a lead guard for this 17U [program_tooltip program_id='2078574' first='NJ' last='Bulldogs'] group.     [player_tooltip player_id='1595671' first='Jebron' last='Harris'] is a strong and big bodied guard that uses his strength and physicality to bruise defenders and make a living attacking the basket. Over the course of NXTPRO's first few sessions, Harris has been able to provide a consistent ability to get in the paint and finish through contact around the basket both in transition and in halfcourt sets, all while also showcasing his ability to knock down open shoots from three point range. Already possessing a frame that translates to the next level, look for Harris to continue to get downhill with forcefulness and display his shotmaking ability from the perimeter.     Despite being undersized, [player_tooltip player_id='2504901' first='Donovan' last='Spross'] brings reliability from a ball handling vanish point while also being able to knock down open shots from the perimeter. Capable of shouldering the ball handling responsibilities in any offense he's in, Spross is a decisive and confident ball handler that displays effective court vision— always looking to advance the ball up the floor and find open teammates. Spross is also a viable shooter from deep— showcasing his ability to also be effective without the ball. Look for Spross to have a big spring and summer displaying his versatile offensive skillset.     Providing a strong presence on the interior to the [program_tooltip program_id='2078574' first='NJ' last='Bulldogs'] 17U group, [player_tooltip player_id='2342687' first='Jerelz' last='Ortiz'] brings activity on the glass and around the basket. Possessing a strong combination of size and length in combination with a very high motor, Ortiz impacts the game on both sides of the floor. Ortiz relentlessly crashes the glass, consistently coming down with rebounds whether that be on the defensive end or generating second chance opportunities on the offensive end. Look for Ortiz to showcase his ability to finish around the basket and anchor this 17U group's defense as the spring and summer goes along.     A dynamic point guard, [player_tooltip player_id='2339146' first='Jamir' last='Westry'] brings a unique combination of playmaking and athleticism to this [program_tooltip program_id='2078574' first='NJ' last='Bulldogs'] 17U backcourt. Quick with the ball in his hands, Westry displays a good feel for the game, often times making the right reads in the halfcourt and generating open looks for his teammates. Westry is also capable of creating his own offense off the bounce. As a guy that's capable of creating offense for both his teammates and himself, look for Westry to consistently put pressure on the defense with the ball in his hands over the next few sessions for this [program_tooltip program_id='2078574' first='NJ' last='Bulldogs'] 17U group.     A new addition addition to the [program_tooltip program_id='2078574' first='NJ' last='Bulldogs'] program, [player_tooltip player_id='2347936' first='Devin' last='Williams'] brings lethal perimeter shot making ability to this year's 16U group. A versatile shooter that is capable of knocking down open shots off the catch while also being able to hit shots from three point range off the dribble, Williams brings a spark of offense, particularly elite three point shooting to this 16U backcourt. Over the next few sessions, look for Williams to be a dangerous threat from three point range and be a guy that defenses are forced to always close out on.     Possessing a strong combination of size and length, [player_tooltip player_id='2342601' first='Eddie' last='Lopez'] has brought a strong presence on the defensive end of the floor. Lopez has been seen making highlight plays all over the defensive end of the floor— blocking and contesting shot attempts at the rim, fighting on the glass and coming down with rebounds, and playing the passing lanes effectively, leading to a ton of deflections and steals. Offensively, Lopez provides good floor spacing as a perimeter shot maker. Look for Lopez to continue to be an effective two way player for this year's 17U Bulldogs group.

Fully in the swing of things on Puma's NXTPRO Circuit, the NJ Bulldogs have competed in a handful of sessions battling against other programs all over the Northeast. Now a few sessions into the NXTPRO Circuit, let's dive into some prospects in the NJ Bulldogs ' program that have stood out over the last month or so and that everybody should keep tabs on going forward.