Brian Flinn:
Future150 National Recruiting Analyst. Covering high school basketball nationally.
Pittsburgh, PA (Future150) -- The HoopGroup Pitt Jamfest has turned into one of the major events to truly kick off the AAU circuit. Last year, Mitch McGary had a breakout performance and rode that all the way through the summer; becoming a top 5 prospect to some before finishing in the top 25. While there’s no promise that a player will have a breakout weekend this year, there will be a lot of great players and big names on the floor throughout the tournament. Here’s a look at some of the players that you will undoubtedly hear about:
Aquille Carr, 2013 PG, UA Baltimore’s Finest: Quite possibly the most entertaining player in the field, Carr will cause nightmares for his opponents in the open floor with his ball handling and quickness.
Andrew Harrison, 2013 PG, Houston Defenders: He is one half of the most impressive set of twins in the country. Harrison uses his size to see over smaller defenders as well as post them up, Kentucky is hard after both him and his brother and it is rumored that John Calipari will be in to watch them this weekend.
Aaron Harrison, 2013 SG, Houston Defenders: The other Harrison is no slouch himself as he is a fantastic scorer and a decent defender. The Defenders will be serious contenders to win the whole tournament with the Harrisons as their backcourt.
Ben Bentil, 2014 PF, ECE/NJABC: Thought to be a bit of an under the radar guy, Bentil is seemingly poised to make the jump into national relevance this spring. This weekend could be the start of something special for the forward. Syracuse has started to show interest and an offer could be soon to come with a strong performance at the Jamfest.
Horace Spencer, 2015 C, NJ GymRats: He is considered to be one of the top prospects in the 2015 class, Spencer is a mobile center who has shown a knack for blocking shots at an early age. The hype around this kid is great, and it will be interesting to see if he can live up to it this weekend.
Tyler Roberson, 2013 SF, NJ Roadrunners: Roberson is a long and athletic forward who is active on both ends of the floor. He is a fantastic athlete that plays way above the rim and is a highlight reel waiting to happen. Don’t be surprised to hear that he had a few monster slams after attacking the rim.
Nate Britt, 2013 PG, D.C. Assault: Britt is a fantastic distributor and can get to the rim as well. Teaming up with his high school teammate Kris Jenkins this spring and summer will make the Assault all the more dangerous, especially with the future Tar Heel running the show.
Kris Jenkins, 2013 SF/PF, D.C. Assault: This past winter was a bit of a coming out party for Jenkins already as he has improved dramatically. While he is a bit of a combo forward there is no denying Jenkins’ motor and the intensity he plays with. His ability to hit perimeter jumpers makes him a nightmare in the pick-and-roll with Nate Britt.
Rysheed Jordan, 2013 PG, Philly Pride: Jordan has really taken a step forward in his development as a point guard lately and seems primed to prove he is one of the elite guards in his class. This weekend could be just the place to make his point, as a potential matchup with Nate Britt is looming if both teams advance.
Jared Armstrong, 2015 PG, New Rens: The Rens are one of the more talented teams in this field and Armstrong might be the best player on his team. While he will be forced to sit a bit due to missing practice it will be interesting to see this young lead guard play.
Kamar McKnight, 2015 SF, Grassroots Canada: Another talented freshman on Grassroots Canada, McKnight will team up with Ergas to provide one of the best 1-2 punches in the tournament. McKnight will be one to watch throughout the weekend and could burst onto the scene nationally.
Karl Towns Jr., 2015 C, Sports U: One of the more highly touted big men in this tournament, Towns is considered to be a top 5 prospect in the class of 2015. He stands at 6’10 already but is more than just a post player. Towns has shown a nice touch from the perimeter and will be one of the top players in the building this weekend.
Bradley Hayes, 2012, C, D12 Warriors: He is arguably the hottest name in the late signing period outside of Tony Parker and Anthony Bennett. A post player who can run the floor extremely well and shows good touch around the basket, Hayes has received interest from the likes of UConn and Georgetown among others. Hayes might be the hidden gem in the class of 2012 and if he plays well this weekend, other schools could get involved.
There will be a lot of other talented players there as well. On top of that there are bound to put on solid performances and potentially make a name for themselves among the coaches and fellow scouts who will be on hand for the live period. All in all it should be a solid three day tournament with plenty of quality matchups.
Comments:
Be the first to post. Just use the form below.