2023 Best of the South: 17U Standouts II
ATLANTA, Ga.—College coaches from all levels spent as much time inside of the Georgia World Congress Center as our staff did. Why was that the case? Because there was a great depth of talent gathered for Best of the South.
We’re continuing with our coverage of the weekend with more standouts from the 17U division.
Related: 2023 Best of the South Content Hub
Weiss has put on some impressive performances with Ball4Lyfe this year. Best of the South was a continuation of what we’ve seen of him throughout the year. Weiss is a big-time shotmaker. One of the things that makes him so dangerous is his prowess for moving without the ball while being able to hit shots off movement. He’s the kind of player that can change a game with his ability to put points on the board, but he can also make plays for others and himself with the ball. He’s more than a one-dimensional shooter. He showed off a lot of what we like in his game during Ball4Lyfe’s undefeated weekend. - Josh Tec
When the lights were at their brightest at Best of the South, Tennessee Tigers guard Zundra Jackson seemed to be at his best. He was a consistent producer in the backcourt. He can play either guard spot well with his ability to be a primary scorer or an on-ball decision maker. He stole the show in a lot of the games he played in. Jackson’s track record is proven at this point. He can help a program at the next level. The offers will come sooner than later because the chatter keeps growing louder from the coaches section. - Josh Tec
It was a year ago when Elijah Coleman first hit my radar with South Georgia Elite. This team won because of the sum of its parts rather than because of an individual star, but Elijah Coleman was a consistently good player for them throughout the weekend. His impact can be felt as a distributor, a scorer and as a defender. He’s one of Georgia’s better point guard prospects in the 2024 class. - Josh Tec
Odom was a new Alabama name for me this weekend and, man, there’s a ton of intrigue. The lengthy, 6-foot-8 forward is a nightmare on defense with his activity and shot-altering ability. Scoring in the paint was a challenge for opposing teams and the Panhandle Prospects took advantage of it, as they excelled in transition off of blocked shots and turnovers. Odom has some ball skills and fluidity that fuel the intrigue. He put the ball on the floor several times and made some shots from 15-feet and out. Odom also stood out with his motor. If he keeps that up consistently, he’s going to be a steal in the 2024 recruiting cycle. - Garrett Tucker
Game Elite Blue has had some big-time performances from guys dating all the way back to March. This team has some under-the-radar prospects that can absolutely play at the next level. One of those guys is AJ Horton. He had one of his strongest weekends of the year—which has seen no shortage of good weekends from Horton—and his highlight performance came with a 33-point game. Horton is capable of getting hot from deep with his jumper, and he can create well for himself and others. He has plus positional size and should be on watchlists for college coaches. He's certainly been a riser in Georgia's 2024 class.
I don’t know what position to correctly classify Sekasi as, but I do know this — the guy is a ball player and a winner. The 6-foot-5 guard is coming off winning MVP honors from the Capitol Hoops Summer League, one of the most competitive leagues in the DMV. A confident and slithery ball-handler, Sekasi did a good job of creating opportunities for others and impacting the game on both ends. He’s obviously comfortable with the ball in his hands and more than capable of creating scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. Sekasi is drawing plenty of interest from Division I programs and it’s easy to see why. - Garrett Tucker
Howe isn’t the biggest guard, but he was among the best shooters in the Georgia World Congress Center for Best of the South. On an undefeated South Florida Sonics team, Howe caught attention with his ability to catch fire from the 3-point line. His range extends well beyond the line. When he’s hitting at his best, he can turn a close game into a blowout fast.
