Hoop Group Mid Atlantic Elite Camp: Overall standouts

Hoop Group hosted an exposure event at its headquarters in Neptune on Friday night, bringing in several dozen prospects from across the Garden State with most projecting as likely small-college recruits at various levels. We'll start coverage with highlighting a few who caught the eye while standing out above the rest as clear scholarship-level talents.    Undoubtedly the revelation of the event, Farrell was consistently the most dynamic guard in the gym, competing from start to finish while showcasing a smooth late-blooming skillset. A bigger guard with natural on-ball talent, he routinely broke his man down off the bounce before knifing through the lane with polished footwork whether for crafty finishes or slick passes to cutting teammates. Despite the up-and-down camp setting, he looked to maintain his intensity on the defensive end, using his length to get in passing lanes and poke at opposing guards' handles. Having turned 17 relatively recently and lacking in varsity reps, Farrell could be an ideal prep school candidate with the potential to see his recruitment take off in the extra year, but also may warrant attention this winter at the D2 level as a late-bloomer with significant upside in the backcourt.     Despite being fresh off injury and being the only player in attendance with D1 offers, let alone a budding reputation regionally and nationally, Kretkowski did what he always does: be the hardest-playing dude on the floor. Kretkowski was a nonstop freight train heading downhill, ripping the ball off the glass for explosive coast-to-coast finishes while also making plays off the bounce in the halfcourt and consistently looking to fly above the rim as a cutter or offensive rebounder. He flashed a continuously-improving perimeter jumper as well, but mostly stuck to what was working as there was no one who could contend with the physical, high-flying wing forward on his way to the bucket.     One of just a handful of younger prospects in attendance, Carr was the best shooter we saw over the course of the night. Standing out quickly with positional size and natural fluidity, he was consistent in seeking out open space along the perimeter before showcasing a clean and repeatable flick-of-the-wrist stroke that seemed destined to find the bottom of the net each time. His shooting and athletic tools alone make him a prospect to watch for the scholarship level, but if he builds on the flashes he showed attacking the rim off the dribble, Carr could find himself garnering D1 attention in the years to come.     Continuing to make his name in the Garden State after moving up from Florida this fall, Deng was easily the best post prospect we saw on the night. With clear scholarship-level size, length, and athleticism, he impressed with his commitment to playing hard and emphasizing team basketball while remaining a vocal anchor on defense in a setting that could sometimes devolve into AllStar-style play. While he mostly stuck to his bread and butter as an athletic dumpoff threat and opportunistic post scorer, Deng did flash intriguing potential out to the 3-point line putting the ball on the deck past opposing bigs for smooth finishes. It would be no surprise for Deng to at least attract a few D1 eyes heading into the winter and spring as programs search late for high-motor depth pieces in the frontcourt.     Despite being one of the younger players in attendance, Opoku may have been the most natural scorer that we saw on the evening. He consistently kept defenders guessing with a herky-jerky attack while showcasing polished footwork and natural shotmaking touch across multiple levels. With a sturdy, physical frame, Opoku looks to be blossoming athletically which he displayed on multiple explosive finishes and helpside plays at the rim on defense. If he can continue growing as a playmaker and incorporating those athletic tools into his floor game, Opoku will have the positional size and scoring chops to earn attention up to the D1 level in the coming years.

Hoop Group hosted an exposure event at its headquarters in Neptune on Friday night, bringing in several dozen prospects from across the Garden State with most projecting as likely small-college recruits at various levels. We'll start coverage with highlighting a few who caught the eye while standing out above the rest as clear scholarship-level talents.