2024 Bama Jam Post Event Notebook
HOOVER, AL - If you have never been to a HoopSeen event you don't know what you are missing. It is a non-stop wall-to-wall competition for the super hoops junkies like me.
For travel program coordinators and directors, you will get high-end competition and a very well-run event. For the student-athletes, this is a great platform for exposure and seeing where you need to grow your game. This weekend at the beautiful Hoover Finley Center will be remembered by many for years to come.
NOW INTRODUCING: CALIEB WILSON
Caileb Wilson helped push Elite Backcourt into the 14U Championship Game. He put his team on his back in the championship game to get the 66-57 win over Team Nike Select 2028. He scored 23 points in the win. Wilson was also the top single-game scorer on the weekend dropping 37 points.
The well-put-together guard plays with great pace. He is great at getting to the rim and drawing fouls. Wilson can also connect on the long ball when left open. One of his biggest assets is his ability to crash the boards. He is an offensive rebound machine that hunts for the board and put-back basket. It will be interesting to see how Wilson develops over the next few years as a college prospect.
DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK
The Auburn Raptors 2027 team went 1-2 in pool play losing to JSI Elite 9th Blue 54-45 and to the Warren County Bulls 46-44 on a buzzer beater putback. But they were able to get it together and make it to the 15U Championship Game.
In the big game, they got revenge over JSI Elite with a 50-33 victory. Fueling this comeback for the gold ball was Brady McNally. He scored 21 points in the final game connecting on 4 threes. He scored 16 of his 21 in the second half of the contest.
McNally also had a 20-piece in the quarterfinal game. It was a great battle with Tommy Morrison of OFW Galaxy. Both players ended the game scoring 20 points.
McNally is a clutch shooter who has a refuse-to-lose attitude. He plays with a killer instinct-scoring mentality. He showed that he could score on all levels. He was draining the three-ball in the finals. He moved well without the ball to help get open looks from mid-range and around the basket. He also plays with a maturity not seen on this level. He was wise beyond his years with his basketball and court IQ. In a very dramatic 51-49 semifinal win over the MS Heat he was seen trying to calm the Raptor fans down as they were not happy with some calls. McNally urged the fans to let it go and cheer them on which is a very wise move on any level.
PRO ONE IS PRO FOR A REASON
The Pro One basketball organization had nine teams represented at the Bama Jam. The overall record for the organization over the weekend was 22-9 in games they played in. They only had one team that chose to participate on Championship Sunday due to the Easter holiday.
The one team that played, Pro One Academic Select, walked away with the 17U Orange gold ball in a 52-46 win over 3D Elite. The reason I call them pro is because of how the organization prepares the teams for high-level events like the HoopSeen Bama Jam. When I watched any of the Pro One teams play it was a joy as well as a challenge. The joy is from watching great teams play high level basketball.
The challenge is trying to decide which players are better or trying to see which one stands out. All of the players on each of the teams are very evenly matched. The bench guys are very well-trained and bring the same level of basketball as the starters. They are a difficult team to beat because of the exceptional level of skill that they equally bring to the court.
HERE COMES THE BOOM
Welcome to the party to Boom City Elite.
The new Memphis-based team got my attention early and I had a chance to watch them often. BCE went 5-2 on the weekend losing the first game to Pro One UAA 80-65 and then losing in the 17U Black Championship Game to Rising Pros Training 17U National team 69-63. Coach Lamarcus Golden guided his team to a near victory on Championship Sunday.
What got my attention the first time I saw them was the play of JaDyn Lee. The big guard was playing really smart basketball. He knew when to get to the basket and when to pull the jumpers while still keeping his teammates involved. His passing ability was on point with great decision-making. He defended very tight on the defensive end. I also found that Lee was a clutch shooter over the weekend as he nailed several big-time shots down stretches of games. In the Championship Game he scored 25 points with 23 of them coming in the second half. I'm sure his college recruitment will take off this summer.
Brian Carter Jr. secretly paced the team in scoring over the weekend. He nearly hit the 20-point mark in every game over the weekend with high-level free-throw shooting. He shot 27-29 free throws in the four games that I watched them play. Carter is a big wing that can step out and shoot if he needs to. He is what I like to call a garbage man. He does all of the little scrappy work and he gets most of his basket off of hustle plays. He always seems to be in the right spot for the easy baskets.
Tarecous Stevens and Quin Smith are two athletic wings. Stevens brings length and size while Smith brings a high motor and energy. Stan Spearman also knocked down several clutch shots over the weekend. Spearman was the leading scorer in Mississippi this past season.
THEY CAN PLAY, TOO
Team Fuego was a fun team to watch and they can play too. Team Fuego rolled through the weekend going 4-0 getting to the 12U Championship Game. They were able to get the 60-57 win over Onxy/Goat Hoops 2030. Austin Gonzalez Berrios was the floor general that kept his team going. He has great handles as a true point guard. He can get into the lane with ease and get his shot or kick out for open looks. He scored 14 points in the Championship Game. Gonzalez Berrios will be a name that I write down to keep a check on in the future.
Eric Dobson scored 21 points in the gold ball game going 6 of 8 from the free throw line. He also dropped a three-ball in and scored several buckets around the paint.
Austin Bonilla is a knockdown shooter connecting on multiple threes early on in the tournament.