With the plethora of talent taking part in the 17U Division of the Travel Team Jamboree held this past weekend at The Big House in Tavares, there was little time or opportunity to catch many teams in the younger (16U/15U) divisions. We took a quality over quantity approach and took in teams in those divisions that we knew had lots of talent.
Carson Crawford, FL Rebels: The 6’6 sophomore out of Fleming Island was quite impressive in his ability to run the floor, finish in transition and get to the basket off the dribble in half-court sets. Lean, long and bouncy, Crawford covers a lot of ground quickly on defense, has the ability to rebound and immediately start the transition game, as well as defend multiple positions. He didn’t attempt a perimeter shot in the game we watched but there wasn’t a need to. Crawford also proved to be a viable ball-handler and passer, getting the ball quickly to open teammates in transition or finding them for open shots when the pace slowed down.
Khanye Moss, Nightrydas Elite: The 6’0 sophomore from Hialeah Mater Lakes Academy is a blur with the ball in his hands. Moss has the ability to zoom by opponents and finish creatively at the cup. He also knows how to use that speed the create separation from his defender to launch a reliable jumper out to the three-point line. His overall ability to manufacture points in a variety of ways makes Moss a difficult cover. He does a good job of pushing the pace, makes good shot vs pass decisions in transition and looks to get the ball into the post when possible. Moss’ speed and quickness are great assets at the defensive end, where he does a good job of staying in front of the dribble and harassing him into mistakes.
Aaron Britt, Tre Mann Elite: The 6’0 sophomore out of The Villages Charter had a very productive Saturday session. Strong of frame and quick with the ball, Britt was seemingly able to get paint touches at will. He scored well in the lane with floaters, mid-range jump shots, and scoring at the rim through contact. Britt was also solid in shooting the basketball behind the arc as he proved he could make shots equally well off either the catch or the dribble. His plus court vision and ball skills allow him to be a solid distributor when the defense is too worried about his scoring skills. Defensively he is active in the passing lanes and works hard defending the ball.
Myheir Session, SCE UA: The 6’4 sophomore from Tampa Prep was tough to stop inside the arc. He scored well on mid-range jump shots, putbacks, cuts into the lane, and quick shots around the basket after drop-offs from teammates. Session has a good frame, is a rugged rebounder at both ends of the floor and has a nose for the ball on defense. He came up with several 50/50 balls in the game we took in. Session will no doubt extend the range on his perimeter shot to the arc in the near future, making him that much more impactful on offense.
O’Neal Delancy, FL Rebels: The 6’4 sophomore from St. Petersburg Gibbs plays with such great confidence and effort that it is hard not to notice him. He covers a lot of ground quickly on defense, especially in full-court defense, and comes up with a lot of tips, deflections, and steals. Delancy is quick to turn those into points. If he doesn’t come up with the ball, he is right in the opponent’s face looking to turn him over. On the offensive end, Delancy scores in a variety of ways. He has a quick first step to the basket and has the ability to hang and create shot openings while in the air. His jumper is reliable out to the arc and he is a much better passer than he is given credit for. It wouldn’t surprise if he comes out of this spring and summer with a higher national recruiting profile.
Jeremy Jenkins, Nightrydas Elite: The 6’8 sophomore out of Miami Riviera Prep continues to refine his game in order to be effective both in the post and on the perimeter. Jenkins has become very adept at grabbing the defensive rebound and pushing the ball up the floor, essentially daring defenders to try and stop him. Sometimes he’ll focus too much on barreling to the bucket but more times than not it proves successful. Jenkins has good footwork and a soft touch in the post, scoring well with drop steps and jump hooks. He has no problem taking guys his size or larger out on the perimeter where he prefers to put opponents in the spin cycle in making his way to the basket. Jenkins will connect on a perimeter jumper every now and then but that is still a work in progress. He rebounds out of his area at both ends of the floor and doesn’t mind playing physically on defense.
R.J. Williams, Tre Mann Elite: The 6’4 sophomore from St. Petersburg Gibbs is also a standout football prospect. He brings that gridiron grit to the court as he plays tough and physical around the basket. A high-level athlete, Williams plays bigger than his size as he is quick off the floor to beat taller opponents to rebounds as well as score over, around, or through them in the paint. He is fast in transition, is a lob threat, and continues to develop his perimeter shot. Defensively he works hard, has active feet and hands, can stay in front of smaller ball-handlers and physically defend bigger opponents inside.
Anquan Polynice, SCE UA: The 5’9 sophomore out of Braden River was one of the better revelations of the event. Forget his size as he is a very good scorer and distributor. Polynice proved to be a very accurate three-point shooter, especially when given too much space by defenders. He also did a good job of finding teammates for easy shot opportunities. He hit cutters, got the ball inside, found streaking teammates on the break and quickly got the ball to open shooters on the perimeter. Defensively Polynice was quite the ball-hawk, coming up with several steals and converting them into points.
Ahmad Mustapha, FL Rebels: It didn’t take long for the question to run rampant throughout the Big House: Who is that guy? The 6’6 Mustapha is a sophomore at Life Christian in Kissimmee, has only been in the state a few months, and shows great promise thanks to his energy, effort, and rapidly developing skill set. Mustapha was most impressive when it came to rebounding the basketball, running the floor, and looking to swat shots on defense. He is strong, quick off the floor and once he secures the ball it is not getting taken away. Mustapha beat the defense down the floor several times in transition, finishing with lob dunks that crushed the soul of the opponent as much as it did the rim. He covers a lot of ground quickly on defense and is quick to help on ball screens, recover to his man, and rotate over to challenge shots at the rim. Mustapha didn’t show much in the way of perimeter skills, but no doubt that will come sooner rather than later.
Antonio Baymon, FL Rebels: This was our first chance to see the 6’1 sophomore out of Southern Coast Academy. We liked not only what he is but what Baymon could potentially become. He has a solid frame, high-level speed and quickness with the basketball, and displays solid court vision and feel for the game. Baymon lovers to push the pace, attack the defense before it gets settled, and challenge defenders at the basket or quickly get the ball to teammates for easier shots. He seemingly shot the ball well from the perimeter but we definitely want to see a larger sample size. Baymon will dig in on defense and make starting the offense difficult for opponents.