Many players in the 17U division caught our attention at the Travel Team Jamboree this past weekend at The Big House. Here are a few more standouts.
Ethan Latham, SOH Elite 17U: A 6’10 junior from Calvary Christian out of Fort Lauderdale, Latham is a long, athletic big that runs the floor, blocks shots and scores around the basket. He is also a respectable free throw shooter, grabs rebounds out of his area at both ends of the court and has the ability to switch out and defend smaller defenders on the perimeter. Latham’s ceiling is as high as any prospect in the building on either day and he has a lot of high majors already showering him with attention.
Adrian Shackleton, Florida Pro 17U: A 6’3 junior out of Pembroke Pines Charter, Shackleton has the strength, size, and ball skills to get to wherever he wants to go on the court. He finishes well in transition and on drives to the basket. Shackleton makes good shot vs pass decisions on the move, gets and keeps his teammates involved on offense and has range on his shot out to the arc. He uses his strong frame to keep opposing guards out of the lane on defense.
Wesley Roarke, Florida Pro Select 17U: A 6’2 junior at Gulf HS in Naples, Roarke showcased a reliable shot from deep this past weekend as well as an ability to put the ball on the floor a couple of dribbles and rise up over defenders to knock down long and mid-range twos. If overplayed for the shot, Roarke will drive to the basket and score in a crowd. A good athlete, he has active feet and hands on defense and is quick to break into the passing lanes for tips, deflections or steals.
Isaiah Brown, 1 Family 17U: A 6’5 junior from Orlando Christian Prep, Brown plays with great confidence at both ends of the court. He challenges the defense with drives to the basket and finishes with good body control and touch in a crowd. A streaky but dangerous perimeter shooter, Brown can go on runs where he makes several in a row. Defensively, he is active, alert, and versatile. Brown is very quick laterally, uses his length well when it comes to challenging shots or deterring passes, and is a grab and go rebounder on that end of the floor.
Terrell Baker, Game Speed Elite 17U: A 6’3 junior at Tallahassee FSU School, Baker is a guard that plays with a motor that always revs on the red line. He puts pressure on the defense by pushing the tempo and attacking the basket at every opportunity. Baker keeps the ball moving on offense, never letting it stick where the defense can adjust. He is a strong and physical defender both on and off the ball.
Nathan Obije, Florida Rebels 17U: A 6’5 junior at DME Academy in Daytona Beach, Obije is a high-level athlete that draws gasps from the crowd in transition. He is a grab and go rebounder that will start and finish the break on his own. When the tempo slows down, Obije does a good job of moving without the ball, finding seams in the defense and getting up a shot quickly before the opposition can react. He made plenty of open perimeter shots this weekend.
Naryan Thomas, Team Florida 17U: A 6’5 junior at Daytona Beach Mainland, Thomas may be a tad undersized but makes up for it with strength and physical play at both ends of the floor. He plays bigger than his size, controls his rebounding area, and scores well on short drives. A good athlete and improving perimeter shooter, Thomas also provides a lot of intangibles on the floor that lead to winning.
Ibrahima Traore, Showtime Ballers 17U: A 6’8 junior at West Oaks Academy in Orlando, Traore continues to improve as an interior scorer as he showed improved touch and footwork in the paint this past weekend. He is swift up and down the floor in transition and rises quickly to slam home offensive rebounds. Traore has the length and leap to send back shots and also the lateral quickness to defend on the perimeter.
Ed Wiggins, Tony Bradley Elite 17U: A 6’6 junior from Bartow, Wiggins is slender but bouncy. He gets up quickly for rebounds at both ends and his second and third leap are as quick and explosive as his first. Wiggins sprints the floor in transition, doesn’t mind the physicality that comes with rebounding or defending the paint and plays hard whenever he is on the court.
Taylor Thompson, Judah Nation 17U: A 6’3 junior from Impact Christian in Jacksonville, Thompson was very productive, doing a little bit of everything for the team. He scored at the rim on drives and in transition, hit a couple of shots from the mid-range, and was judicious and accurate with his three point attempts. Thompson is quite the athlete, which helps him when it comes to playing defense and rebounding the basketball.
Ransom Soles, South Florida Elite 17U: The 6’5 junior from West Palm Beach The King’s Academy, Soles has a beautiful shooting stroke with deep range. He gets his shot off quickly and makes them under duress. Soles has the ability to drive and score and runs the floor well in transition. He may be slender but he plays physically.