2023 HoopSeen Tip-Off: 16U Standouts
SUWANEE, Ga—It's going to be a big summer for the class of 2025. They'll start to step into the recruiting spotlight as the days get warmer. They'll start to establish themselves as prospects in a real way this AAU season.
That said, we'll start to hone in on this class as they enter the 16U division. At Tip-Off, the 16U field left an impression on us, and this group of five were among the standouts in it.
Ritger’s upside is clear as day. It’s one of the things that stuck with me from the weekend. He opened on a high note with an 18-point game on Friday that saw him show a versatile skill set that’ll continue to refine this spring. He knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and finished around the basket. While he didn’t reach the same heights he did on Friday throughout the weekend, he showed flashes of how good he can be down the line. He looks the part already and should keep advancing physically over the next couple of years. - Josh Tec
Ragland was one of the players that people brought up the most over the weekend. His size gets people to stop and watch, and he has the touch, the footwork, and the overall skill to leave a lasting impression on onlookers. After moving from New Jersey, Ragland immediately became one of the more intriguing prospects in Georgia’s 2025 class. He’ll continue to establish himself as such as the spring progresses. - Josh Tec
Gillespie is building out his story quickly. The Clarke Central guard has opened his travel season on a tear. At Tip-Off, he was undoubtedly one of the best players in the 16U division. He can pop off for 30 any time he steps on the floor with his ability to score on all levels. The buzz around Gillespie’s name is intensifying, and he’s rapidly becoming one of the known commodities in the state’s 2025 class. - Josh Tec
From start to finish, I don’t think there was a more dominant player this weekend in the 16U division than Kent. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound big man commanded the paint and was nearly unstoppable scoring in the post. What’s even scarier is that he’s a freshman playing up. Kent also packs a punch with his explosiveness — in one viewing, he emphatically blocked a shot on the backboard just off the opening tip — and he participated in the jump-ball. - Garrett Tucker
Young was the best player on the team throughout the weekend. He has good size, an understanding of the game, and he can make shots from the outside. He is just a prospect that goes about his business and just makes winning basketball plays. He can get to the room with a quick first step, he could knock down mid-range shots, he rebounds, he runs the floor, got a good handle and looks the part of a division one basketball recruit. - Justin Byerly
