2024 Florida Jam: Saturday Notebook
WESLEY CHAPEL, FL — Day two of the inaugural Florida Jam continued on Saturday with nearly 80 teams in action in the Sunshine state. As usual, we were on-hand to dissect all of the day’s action.
In this notebook you’ll quickly find out that Philadelphia isn’t the only city fond of the brotherly love, an intriguing youngster starts his story, and a couple of motor men make their respective case for the college coaches in attendance.
Here are the biggest storylines from Saturday’s action…
AUBURN RAPTORS LOVE THE BROTHERLY LOVE
The Auburn Raptors 15U and 17U age groups made the trip down to the Tampa area for Florida Jam and it feels like they’ve both been in tight contests each game thus far. During Saturday’s action, two sets of brothers came up big to help notch victories in the respective age groups.
Eli McNally has been a jack-of-all trades wing/forward for the 17U bunch this weekend. The Opelika (AL) standout does all the little things that equate to winning: he rebounds, he defends, and he’s an extension of a coach on the floor with his communication. He came up big in a 56-53 win over Marcus Barnes Academy.
Another person that came up clutch down the stretch for the Raptors was 2025 Charles Henderson (AL) guard Cody Cross. The strong, level-headed guard was able to put some games out of reach and ice things with free throws. Cross proved he’s a valuable asset to have on the floor when the game is on the line.
I’ve had the opportunity to watch the 15U team several times over the past two weeks, and, man, do they get after it. They’re down to six players this weekend, but that hasn’t stopped the scrappy bunch from competing on both ends of the floor.
2027 guard Brady McNally has been a key cog for his team. He’s a confident shot-taker and shot-maker, showing confidence with the ball in his hands at all times. Despite only being a rising sophomore, the younger McNally played a big role on Opelika’s varsity team last season. If the last few weeks are any indication, that role will continue to expand.
And last but certainly not least is 2027 point guard Tyler Cross, who may be my favorite player of the four listed. As a point guard, Cross excels at distributing and getting his teammates open shots. He’s always a play ahead and has no issues facing pressure from opposing defenses, a rare trait from an underclassmen. I’m excited to see how he progresses throughout the high school season.
HELLO, MY NAME IS …
It’s not often that you see a fluid 6-foot-10 big man patrolling the lane of a 15U game, but that’s been the talk of the event thus far. Enter 2027 big man Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje.
The skilled big man (pictured above) has been dominant during his first two days of action. Whether it’s scoring with his back to the basket or knocking down shots from the perimeter, Boumtje Boumtje has showcased his offensive talent — and he’s only scraping the surface. He’s fluid and mobile on the floor, more than capable of grabbing defensive rebounds and initiating fast-break opportunities.
All of this comes as no surprise as you peel back the layers and discover more about his bloodlines. The rising sophomore is the son of Ruben Boumtje Boumtje, who played for the Portland Trailblazers in the early 2000s. The elder Boumtje Boumtje also served as the assistant general manager of the Delaware Blue Coats, the Philadelphia 76er’s G-League affiliate. He now serves as the Head of League Operations for the Basketball Africa League.
Needless to say, there’s plenty of basketball history when it comes to Joaquim. It’s still very early in his high school career, but make no mistake about it, Boumtje Boumtje has high-major prospect written all over him.
MOTOR MEN IMPRESS
Kawhi Leonard’s classic “board man gets paid” is one of my favorite quotes in recent memory because it’s so relatable to youth basketball. Not every player is going to be a high-level scorer at the next level, so you have to do something else that sets you apart from the rest. Prospects that play hard help their case tremendously, as we saw on Saturday.
One of the most impressive performances of the day came from 2025 guard Joshua Skinner. The 6-foot-4 power guard dominated in all facets of the game simply by playing harder than the competition. He scored an impressive 30 points in the game I watched.
On offense, Skinner was efficient and didn’t over-dribble or get himself in trouble. He out-hustled others for rebounds and easy putbacks when he wasn’t benefiting from strong drives to the rim. He also pinned several shots on the backcourt on the defensive end of the floor.
We’ve seen Tor-El Robinson with Wellington Wolves Select Glenn several times this travel season. I have to say, he’s improved quite a bit with the ball in his hands since I first saw him back in March.
Nevertheless, the increased ball skills haven’t affected his motor. The lengthy, 6-foot-4 wing caused havoc on the defensive end of the floor with his ability to deflect passes and get steals. He’s showing more comfort with the ball in his hands and better decision making, too.
Robinson was productive in each game I saw on Saturday and could be a quality prospect for non-Division I programs to keep an eye on as we transition into the school year. As we say here at HoopSeen, the Wellington Wolves always have a guy!
