2024 HoopSeen Tip-Off: 16U Top Performers, Part I
SUWANEE, GA - The 2024 HoopSeen Tip-Off is in the books and we have a lot to sift through. The event proved to be the starting point for trending topics in travel basketball. Let's dive into the top overall performers from the 16 and under division.
I have seen it in person being from the same state as Smith but this weekend was a little different. He showed what he is all about with his Georgia Stars 16-and-under squad against elite competition. Hailing from the same high school as Dominique Wilkins, in tiny Washington, North Carolina, Smith is going to be a national-level recruit. His flashy passes and handle coupled with his raw athleticism and ability to score translate to high-major level basketball. He is what is fun about basketball, you can tell that he loves the game and his competitiveness shines bright with his play. - Justin Byerly
Harvey is the kind of player that immediately catches your attention when watching one of his teams’ games. His athleticism jumps off the page as he caught a major poster early Saturday morning that had the gym buzzing. The next play down he came down and hit a transition three that forced the other team to call a timeout. The combination of athleticism and shotmaking he possesses is something college teams will crave for. He can get to the paint at will with a quick burst at the point of attack and showcases his quickness on defense as well where he is a complete pest. Definitely one to keep an eye on in the future. - Nick Nelson
The HoopAtlanta teams were consistent performers up and down the age groups and had talent on every roster. Jake Mihalick is one of many names that had a great weekend in their program and was a two-way threat whenever he was on the court. Standing at 6’8’’, Mihalick was able to use his size effectively on both ends with huge blocks on defense. The thing that especially piqued my interest in him was his shooting ability as in one of his games he nailed six three-pointers. He is able to stretch the floor while also making sound decisions with the ball on the perimeter which allows his team to run a fluid 5-out offense. Mihalick is just starting to tap into his potential and I’ll be excited to see where he goes from here. - Nick Nelson
Mahon is small in stature but that did not stop him from being a ruthless scorer versus each and every team he faced. He showcased three-level scoring and in particular was a great finisher around the rim utilizing floaters and had great touch on layups around larger defenders. His quickness combined with his pure jumper from deep proved to be a challenge for opposing players to stop and he was able to balance his game out with an inside-out scoring attack. Mahon was also a hound on defense and got after it on that end for every possession, coming away with many steals and deflections. - Nick Nelson
