Our final look at the Miami Summer Hoops Festival highlights the rising stars in the 2029 and 2030 Classes.
Alexy Figueroa, MBJ Elite: A 6’4 rising sophomore from the Academy of Central Florida in Orlando, Figueroa is silky smooth and has an extremely high basketball IQ. He scores well from the perimeter and short drives, handles and passes the ball well, is a good decision maker and is deceptively athletic. Figueroa produces at a high level at both ends of the court. He is fun to watch but no doubt a b**ch to play against.
Ryan Conner, BBD: A 6’8 rising sophomore at St. Andrew’s in Boca Raton, Conner is a well-rounded and versatile “big”. He will drain a three-ball at one end and then block a shot to start the transition game at the other. Conner is a rugged rebounder and plays hard at both ends of the court. His perimeter skills are acceptable for now and will only improve with time. Conner has a soft touch and basic scoring tools when receiving the ball inside.
Cannon Washington, Rydas: A 6’9 rising freshman out of Georgia, Washington may not “wow” you with bouncy athleticism but he plays hard and is highly skilled for a player his size and age. He can rebound and push the ball up the court, has good footwork and touch around the basket and plays aggressively at both ends of the floor. Washington has a very high ceiling but his current floor is pretty darn good too!
Zach Brown, MBJ Elite: It has yet to be determined where the 6’0 rising freshman will attend high school. Brown is a shade taller than his brother, Mikel Jr, a recent first round pick of the Brooklyn Nets, was at the same age. Should his height and athleticism bloom like his brother’s did, watch out! Brown is a good decision maker with the ball, shoots it well from the perimeter and quickly gets the ball to open teammates. Defensively he reads the passing lanes well and is solid when guarding the basketball.
Mateus Tesch, Rydas: A 6’6 rising freshman heading to Wellington Sports Academy, Tesch has excellent size and skills. He is multi-positional as he handles, passes, and shoots the ball well from the perimeter, has good footwork inside, can rebound and push the ball and has good length and foot speed when guarding on the perimeter. Tesch is quick to outlet the ball after securing a rebound, steal, or loose ball on the defensive end. He has a “European” feel to his game.
Isaiah Bridges, Rydas: A 6’3 incoming freshman at Highlands Christian in Pompano Beach, Bridges can play either guard spot. He sees the floor well, makes good decisions on the move, and does a good job of creating separation from his defender. Bridges gets to and scores at the basket through contact and his perimeter shot is solid from mid-range. Defensively he is alert, covers a lot of ground quickly, and helps out on the glass.
Deion James, Team Breakdown: A 6’6 rising freshman heading to Miramar, James didn’t get a ton of playing time playing up on the 17U level but he showed flashes of both immense potential for the future and solid production for the present. He has good size and athleticism that will only improve as he physically matures. James is a competent perimeter shooter with range to the arc. He rebounds his area well at both ends. It will be interesting to watch his development over the next four years.
Sam Merzius, Ryadas: The 6’0 Merzius is only a rising eighth grader but his game is certainly advanced. He has excellent speed and quickness with the ball, keeps his head up in search of teammates capable of making a play, and is quick to get the ball to them on the perimeter or after driving to the basket, collapsing the defense, and getting the ball to an open teammate inside. He is very quick at the defensive end, disrupts ball-handlers with active hands and feet, and is quick to shut down passing lanes.