Big Shots Loaded 17U Standouts (Part 1)
Every year I get the pleasure of enjoying some local AAU basketball on my birthday, as one of the premier grassroots even companies Big Shots teams up with one of the premier programs in the country Team Loaded for the…
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Continue ReadingEvery year I get the pleasure of enjoying some local AAU basketball on my birthday, as one of the premier grassroots even companies Big Shots teams up with one of the premier programs in the country Team Loaded for the Big Shots Loaded event in Richmond. Not only is it special because it’s on my birthday, it was also the first local AAU event I ever covered about five years ago with Vantage Hoops.
Now that the sentimental aspect is done, I got an opportunity to watch high level talent from Maryland, DC, Virginia, West Virginia and the Carolinas. With all of the talent I saw, I have broken up my standouts by age group. Here’s a look at part one of the 17U standouts.
Henry Coleman | 6’8” F | Team Loaded VA
I swear, Coleman needs to stop dominating so much because I feel like I write about him almost every time I see him. The high motor hybrid forward has found a new front court mate in versatile 6’9” JT Thor, which frees him up to do more of his blue collar work and run the floor and attack the glass. With his physicality it’s hard to put a smaller guy on him, and his too quick for big men off the bounce. He showed aggression and intensity on both ends, he’s a much better passer than he’s given credit for and he’s simply a beast of a child who’s not even 17 yet.
Brayon Freeman | 6’1” PG | Team Loaded VA
Running the show for a group that started four 2021s playing up, Freeman is the one who will make this talented Loaded group go. He has shooters on the wing in AJ Williams and Elvin Edmonds (see below), he has bigs that can run the floor in Coleman and Thor and with those pieces it should allow Freeman to thrive in transition where he can both get to the rim and score it as well as find his other stars for easy opportunities. He controls the pace well, sees the game a play or two ahead and he sets the tone on the defensive end as well.
AJ Williams | 6’1” G | Team Loaded VA
Another one of those 2021s playing up, Williams is in a great spot to show what he does best which is shoot the basketball at a high clip. In their first game of the tournament, Williams went for 21 points scoring all of them on 7 makes from behind the arc. He’s able to shoot it on the run in transition, relocates well when the ball is entered in the post and he has the ability to get good looks with very little space since he has a quick release and his footwork is excellent. He’s going to get a lot of open looks, along with the guy below him.
Elvin Edmonds | 6’2” G | Team Loaded VA
It would be very interesting to see a three-point shootout between Edmonds and Williams, because they both shoot so differently but both are as good as they come from behind the arc. Edmonds has more of a set shot, but that doesn’t effect his range as he can shoot it from way out past NBA range, and while he doesn’t get great lift and shoots it somewhat low he has no wasted motion and he gets it off pretty quickly. A quiet assassin, Edmonds will kill you from deep but he also is strong with the ball and he can get in the lane and finish through contact as well.
JT Thor | 6’9” F | Team Loaded VA
Rounding out Loaded’s starting five is a new addition, and a big one at that. The 6’9” Thor is a five star 2021 prospect ranked nationally in the top 20, and he gives Loaded another big, which they usually play with two bigs in the past, and probably one of the most versatile four men in the country. With a wingspan that’s well past 7 feet, Thor is an elite level rim protector who will only get better when he fills out, but he also has good footwork and can use his length to bother and guard wings and guards as well. Offensively he can shoot from deep, put it on the deck in isolation situations and finish way above the rim in transition. He’ll be a guy who not only brings star power but will be a matchup nightmare as well.
Jimma Gatwetch | 6’3” G | Team Loaded VA
I usually wouldn’t mention more than four or five kids from a team, but Gatwetch, another new addition, gives Loaded an energy guy off the bench who may be better than I thought. The first time I saw Gatwetch was with Huntington Prep at the Chance Harmon Classic, and after one of the best dunk contest performances I ever saw, he then surpassed that by doing the only behind the back in game dunk I’ve ever seen. In other words, his hops are out of this world unbelievable. However, he also showed that he’s a solid defender, he hit some shots from deep and brought energy with is big plays above the rim.
Kaden Matheny | 5’10” G | Big Shots Elite WV
As far as pure scorers go, Matheny was one of the best in the entire tournament and will make some college program very happy in a few years. Forget about his height for a second and realize that Matheny has in the gym range off the catch or off the bounce, he has a tight handle and he doesn’t turn it over and he’s able to create shots and make contested shots from all three levels in isolation situations. He has a go-getter mentality and he gets better as the game goes along, and he’s the type of kid who comes to play in big games as he had his best performances in the semifinals against Loaded DC and in the finals against Loaded VA. He’s a walking bucket with a high IQ and some toughness to him.
KJ McClurg | 6’1” G | Big Shots Elite WV
The second part of a three headed and talented backcourt, McClurg is a natural combo guard who can score and distribute with the ball in his hands. He has decent size as a point guard and more springs than you’d expect looking at him, and he has a quick first step with good wiggle off the bounce which allows him to live in the paint where he can make plays for others. Defensively he’s very smart both on the ball and in help side, and he’s the type of guy that will go all out and sacrifice his body if it helps his team get an extra possession. He has a smooth stroke and shoots it at a high clip from deep and is another guy coaches should be all over.
Tim Montgomery | 5’11” PG | Big Shots Elite WV
We’ve been watching the Virginia Beach native for years now and if there’s one thing for certain I know it’s that he’s going to come to play every day and he’s going to make everyone on his team better. He handles pressure extremely well as he doesn’t get sped up much and when he breaks the press he sees the floor well and is able to make decisions on the fly. He can score in the midrange with an array of floaters and pull-ups, and he sets the tone defensively with his hard nosed on ball defense as well. The Portsmouth Christian PG is a guy coaches should stop sleeping on moving forward.
Jamal Madison | 5’9” PG | Team Loaded 757
A smaller guard who is a great distributor, Madison is best surrounded by talent and he makes other guys better with his ability to find them in situations that suit their skill set. He’s a drive-and-kick guy who finds his shooters, he’s able to break guys down off the bounce in isolation situations and he has a good middle game where he can keep defenders on their toes and stop them from playing him for the pass. His toughness is something you can’t measure and he went all out the whole time he was on the floor.