2023 Bama Jam 17U Standouts III
HOOVER, Al—We’ve been crunching away on our keyboards for a deep dive into Bama Jam. Our coverage brings us back to the 17U division for another look at some of the event’s standouts.
Related: 2023 Bama Jam Top Performers | 2023 Bama Jam 17U Standouts | 2023 Bama Jam 17U Standouts II
A mainstay on the HoopSeen platform for years, Maddux Routh has impressed in every age group, and he started his run in the 17U division off on the right foot. He was one of the leaders on a team that made plenty of noise this weekend. Routh just makes plays. It’s a simple assessment, but it’s true. He finds ways to impact games no matter what. Scoring? He does it. Rebounding? Does that. Defense? You know that’s a must in the Tigers’ program. - Josh Tec
It feels like we’ve been watching Givan at Bama Jam forever. Every year, he dominated the middle school ranks. Bigger, stronger, more skilled, more athletic, nobody had a chance against Givan in those days. Now, he’s even better than before and proved while playing up two divisions in 17U. He’s a big wing with plenty of skill. Givan uses his size and length to impact the game in just about every regard. He also initiated offense after pulling boards. His inclusion here wasn’t because of outstanding scoring statistics, but it’s based on overall impact and upside. Givan has leveled up year after year at Bama Jam, and I’m excited to see that trend continue. - Josh Tec.
Watkins is known as a bucket-getter after picking up some big numbers at Columbia High School during the high school season. While he had no issue scoring the basketball at Bama Jam — he averaged 18 points per game — the junior made impacts on the defensive end of the floor. Watkins’ length and strength give him some versatility when guarding other players. He’s a tough dude that checks off a lot of the “little things.” - Garrett Tucker
Guard play dominated the Bama Jam, but 2024 big man Caleb Harrison had no problem keeping up with the action. The 6-foot-9 big man was one of the top rebounders in the 17U division. He did a nice job altering shots and guarding in space, showing his ability to hedge and switch during pick-and-roll situations. Harrison was efficient around the basket and showed his ability to stretch the floor with a couple of perimeter makes from 15 feet and out. - Garrett Tucker
The Vanderbilt-committed guard from Georgia saved his best for last at Bama Jam. Known for his explosive scoring ability, Bilal helped lead the charge during a second-half comeback that would ultimately lead Fusion to championship gold. He was able to get to the free-throw line by pressuring the rim, and he hit timely jumpers. His timing couldn’t have been more perfect. - Josh Tec
AR Elite made it to the final four of the Orange Bracket in 17U. At the heart of their success was wing Jeremiah Bowman who averaged over 15 points per game. He also had an impact in areas outside of personal scoring. Bowman did a little bit of everything for this team on both sides of the ball.
