More 17U Standouts from the 2023 Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions
SUWANEE, GA - Our staff was hard at work this weekend taking notes, and they remain hard at work catching up on teams via BallerTV. Before we dig into the film review portion of the coverage, we still have plenty more from our in-person viewings.
We saw his offensive maturation at some events this past season but my take on him over the weekend has come from a different direction. His offensive opportunities were not as plentiful as in the past but I saw some basketball maturation from this young man that was very impressive. His willingness to defend was on display this weekend, he got into passing lanes and he deflected many passes leading to scoring chances for others. He rebounded at a much higher level than before and his overall basketball IQ was clearly on the rise. We know he can score in the given situations but watching his overall game come to life was impressive to say the least. - Andre Whitehead
Good size and plays with some emotion. He does some things very well but must take that next step to refine some of these skills. His shot is adequate yet he doesn’t appear to shoot with much confidence and he is often not on balance when the ball is released. He is much better off the bounce and attacking the bucket. He uses his size to bounce off defenders and make tough finishes. He tends to dribble too exceedingly and is so much more effective when he makes up his mind and just attacks. Making his shooting fundamentals more of a weapon will be a huge boost to his evaluation. - Andre Whitehead
The 2023 prospect is the Red Bull for this 1 of 1 Rare team. He is the guy that is going to get the crowd and the team involved in a game after he throws down a monster dunk. The unsigned senior has elite-level athleticism and should be on a college roster in the fall. Talk about a guy that can get the crowd going and can change the flow of the game with one dunk. James is that kind of guy, He has an infectious personality and just loves to play basketball. - Justin Byerly
Versatile and athletic prospect who has the length and the size to play at that next level. He is a guy that can get baskets from all spots, he can get into the lane and he can attack the rim. Fresh off a state championship-run at Christ School, Briggs is next up at the private school and his recruitment should sss an uptick. - Justin Byerly
Buckets. Loads and loads of buckets. The points came easy for Ramadan at the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions. He was the scoring catalyst for his team’s championship run. The 6-foot-2 guard scored from deep and he scored quite a bit from the foul line. He’s a gritty ball-handler and wins seem to follow him at every level he plays out. - Justin Young
Stephen Jackson was an eye-catcher for Norcross Heat this past weekend. We’ve seen him plenty in the past and know how good he can be, and this felt like a momentum builder for him going into the summer. The 6-foot-4 guard is a smooth scorer. He can make athletic plays to get to, and finish at, the basket, and his jumper is pure. The NBA lineage in his family certainly doesn’t hurt when it comes to all of that. Don’t be surprised if he becomes a hot name in the gym during the June and July periods. - Josh Tec
Teams need a glue guy. The best teams have them. The kind of player who doesn’t need plays run for them, the kind of player that makes things happen via effort and willingness to do the dirty work. That’s Ernesto Almonte for the Atlanta Allstars. He’s their do-everything player, their glue guy. A low-maintenance guy, Almonte has been a HoopSeen favorite for years because he plays hard, he rebounds hard, he defends hard. Almonte is versatile. He can play inside and outside, and he can score in multiple ways. It’s his motor, his leadership, and his communication that college coaches will value the most when he gets on their team. - Josh Tec
Atlanta Gamechangers have had a heck of a spring. One of the guys that always seems to show up for them is Philip Ryan. He’s been a good source of offense for this team. He brings perimeter size and great shooting to the floor. He’s been consistent in his output as well. We can count on Ryan to knock down shots from all levels, and he’s shown good feel as a passer too. He’s built good momentum going into the summer. - Josh Tec
