Hoop Group Jam Fest: underclassmen who impressed

This Saturday, I spent my entire afternoon and night at Dana Barros Basketball Club in Stoughton, MA, taking in the talent from the Hoop Group Jam Fest. There was tons of talent present, and as always it was impossible to watch every kid from every high school division.   That being said, here are some underclassmen who stood out.    Finlayson, a freshman at St. George's School, was playing up in the varsity division but dominated with his combination of size and skill. The 6-foot-6 forward was the strongest player on the court in his squad's first game Saturday, which allowed him to bully opposing bigs and wings with his strength and power on the glass and in the paint. He also has ridiculous hops at the rim. On one play, he got by his initial defender and then jumped from close to the free throw line to dunk on multiple players. He glides through the air but also has control and patience in the lane. Special prospect.     Like Finlayson, Hill is a freshman who looks more than comfortable playing up in the varsity division. The 6-foot-4 big man is most effective as a rebounder and defensive presence. He has a very strong and balanced base, and he does a good job finding bodies on the defensive end when the shot goes up. He's certainly still getting comfortable shooting and handling the basketball, but he shows flashes of both and will probably vastly improve both of these skills as he continues to get older and more experienced. He'll get significant minutes for New Bedford this year and will be one of the better freshmen in the MIAA.     White was back with Middlesex Magic for the weekend and impressed with his floor general capabilities. The 6-foot point guard has a really good handle and good patience and control in the pick and roll; he uses his body well, has good change of speed, and makes good decisions for himself and others in the lane. I like his pull up jumper, too, which he goes to consistently when the defense is in drop coverage. Some added size will be huge for him as he gets older, but the sophomore guard has a bright future ahead and should really improve at Wilbraham and Monson.     Herren is the son of Fall River legend Chris Herren, and you can tell. The 5-foot-9 guard has incredible hops and was throwing down dunks in layup lines, but he also handles the rock quite effectively and shoots it very well from three. He has verve and rhythm to his offensive game, and he's super fun to watch. He should be the star of Wheeler's team this season and I could definitely see him continuing to run the show for BABC for the coming years.     Perri was playing up this weekend and looked the part. The 6-foot-1 guard is super quick with the ball in his hands and is one of the better shooters in the region. He's starting to get more lift on his shot, which makes him very difficult to contest, even despite his lack of size. He's going to be the star of the Roxbury Latin School team this season, and he's probably ready to play at the higher levels of the NEPSAC right now. I'll be curious to see how he plays this year and whether his strength/body continues to grow.

This Saturday, I spent my entire afternoon and night at Dana Barros Basketball Club in Stoughton, MA, taking in the talent from the Hoop Group Jam Fest. There was tons of talent present, and as always it was impossible to watch every kid from every high school division.