The 2025/2026 group for our showcase camp featured a lot of size and perimeter shooting. Here are the evaluations of all 20 players who were in attendance.
Adam Anwar (6’7 PF, McHenry 2026)
Anwar’s shooting ability at 6-foot-7 could really be a differentiator. In both drills and games, the high release point and range were on display on kickouts. It looks like he’s still got plenty of growing to do, but he always does a great job of keeping the ball high when inside of 10 feet.
He crashed the glass for putbacks and shot right over the top of defenders without bringing it down where guards could rip him. I like his defensive profile as well, timing up blocked shots effectively. A breakout year is coming for Anwar.
Aidan Bardic (6’3 PG, Stevenson 2025)
Probably the steadiest guard at the showcase, Bardic makes the right decisions more often than not. He handles the ball with that herky-jerky change of pace that is tough to time up as a defender. Match that with the quick first step that he showed, and it makes sense why Bardic was living off of dribble penetration where he is a high-level finisher and passer.
The look-offs and timing with some of his deliveries were just what was needed to throw off the help defense. Bardic also shot the ball pretty well from three, an area where he will now require more attention in ball screens where he is so effective. Bardic continues to trend towards being a D2 prospect.
AJ Demirov (6’0 PG, Crystal Lake South 2025)
Speed and burst have never been a bad thing, particularly for a point guard with the ball-handling and off-dribble shooting game of Demirov. During scrimmages, he was the primary decision-maker in pick-and-roll actions where he made multiple tough pull-ups.
There were also good signs of his passing prowess throwing bullet advance passes up the floor and letting a few plays develop to hit shooters. Demirov constantly puts pressure on the rim and has added strength to take the hits. He might be a 20-point scorer for CLS this season.
Anton Strelnikov (6’8 C, Lake Zurich 2025)
In an event with a ton of size and big bodies on the inside, Strelnikov still managed to lead the way as a rebounder without having to get above the rim to do so. The Lake Zurich big has an uncanny understanding of angles as a rebounder and post scorer, reading misses off the rim and using his strength to get position.
That IQ and quick footwork were impressive on his takes from the high-post and low-post touches, Strelnikov stayed on his pivot and used spins and bumps to get enough separation to hit hooks and turnarounds. During drills, he showed his improved spot-up shot off of pick-and-pops. In terms of effectiveness inside, Strelnikov will be among the best post-scorers in Illinois.
Atticus Richmond (6’7 SF/PF, Stevenson 2025)
Usually, it’s the spot-up shooting that separates Richmond. The stroke looked crisp during drills, but he was in attack mode during the scrimmages. With some slick ball-handling on the perimeter, he made moves against solid defense to get to straight-line drives where he was explosive and crafty inside of 10 feet.
Richmond used his inside hand well, had some dunks, and used his length to extend out for finishes. It’s always great to see him get downhill with the frame and athleticism that is built for that type of action. There were some nice flashes on defense as a help-side defender as well. Richmond has the three-point shooting, direct-line athleticism, and body to appeal to Division 1 programs.
Bobby Grganto (6’6 PF, Downers Grove North 2025)
Every time I see Grganto play, I leave impressed with how solid and efficient he is on both ends. Occasionally guarding on the perimeter during scrimmages, he was competing and contesting shots well inside. The combination of low-post proficiency and shooting made him a reliable threat offensively. Grganto had his hands and feet ready and kickouts and had a natural release from three.
He was making high-level reads out of the slot in get actions and other 5-out motions to either get inside and use his post footwork or spray out passes to shooters or slips. The 6-foot-6 forward is also a plus athlete who looked good running the floor. Already looks like a high-priority Division 3 recruit.
Bryson Mossman (6’3 SG, Routt Catholic 2026)
The only player from outside of the Chicago area, Mossman is going to be a problem in Southern Illinois for years to come. Once he got comfortable, we saw the shooting prowess and jet-quick release that would translate to the next level. There is no wasted movement in his shot and he was letting it fly.
As a secondary ball-handler, he made some good reads off the dribble. Mossman already has good height at his position, but he also has the athleticism and projectable build you look for in a two-guard. He showed great body control on a couple of finishes in traffic, defended in isolations, and got above the rim for dunks during drills. Mossman can go.
Cam Vine (6’4 SG, St. Charles North 2025)
Vine’s energy made an impression with his hustle and transition play during scrimmages. While he didn’t have a ton of looks, he stayed active off of the ball and was able to make an impact on the defensive end getting into passing lanes, crashing the glass, and using his length to affect shots. Vine is a good athlete with great positional size that should be of service going forward. His jump shot has also taken great strides in the last six months, shooting it well during drills.
Danny Houlihan (6’3 SG, New Trier 2026)
Once his scrimmage team started feeding him, Houlihan was on a heater from the perimeter. A quick release with seemingly perfect balance even when sprinting with defenders on his hip, Houlihan can be used in a wide variety of ways. As a spot-up shooter, he was highly proficient out to NBA range, sometimes with defenders right in his face.
But what was also on display was his increasing confidence in probing and finding space to get his shot off with a live dribble. Houlihan was able to make pivot shots and tough mid-range looks when threes weren’t available. Also noticeable is how much stronger Houlihan has gotten since last year to maintain his line on drives and cuts when coming off screens. The New Trier sophomore is going to be a weapon.
Derek Bishop (6’1 PG/SG, Mundelein 2025)
Bishop made things happen with and without the ball. We saw his skillset during the drills with how well he covered ground and handled the ball before rising into his jumpers. For portions of the live play, he worked as an off-guard running his lanes and driving closeouts in different ways. He knows how to freeze defenders with jab steps and setup moves before ultimately using a quick, powerful first step to get to the lane. There aren’t many players in the class with better touch and control inside as a finisher, able to go high off the glass or go through help side defenders.
He was just as dangerous with his outside scoring, burying multiple stepbacks and threes behind screens. When the defense sent two at the ball as he came off ball screens, Bishop made some deliveries in tight windows to hit the roller. Among all things, Bishop was tenacious defensively with constant ball pressure and physicality on the ball. No question scholarship-level guard.
Dom Seaney (6’5 SF, Glenbard West 2025)
There weren’t a ton of offensive opportunities on his team, but Seaney was on point as far as defense, rebounding, and keeping the ball and his body in motion to open things up. A plus athlete with length, he was a solid interior defender when coming over from the help side, showing good positioning and IQ off of the ball.
He will be a reliable college defender with the build to be able to guard two through four. Where he was most effective on offense was in catch-and-rip situations where he could pick and angle to make a strong move to his right hand. Seaney is in for a breakout year for GBW.
Gavin Mueller (6’6 PF, St. Francis 2026)
It’s pretty hard to believe that the physical, athletic 235-pound forward is only a sophomore. Mueller has a great frame but also moves well and has serious vertical athleticism. He was doing some damage on the rims with an array of dunks during the drills, also adding a powerful one-hander off a slip during the scrimmages. He was terrific with his post-defense, using his body as well as active feet to maintain an advantage before contesting shots or forcing kick-outs.
Mueller was really good on the offensive glass to clean up misses and generate second chances for his team. He didn’t force anything on offense but was determined to get to the rim off of faceups, with defenders typically making business decisions on the help side. He also added a three off a flare and showed some feel for his outside shot. Mueller is just scratching the surface of how good he can be.
Hudson Scroggins (6’7 SF/PF, Lake Forest 2025)
Scroggins is a promising long-term combo forward when you consider his length, perimeter skill, and versatility. He’s got a consistent set shot from three with some range on it that he showed during drills. That pick-and-pop shot looked natural for him, also showing some lift on his 15-foot jumpers. It was all attack mode during the scrimmages, which was great to see. Scroggins controlled the ball well in tight spaces and kept the ball low to avoid it being picked in traffic before getting to his pivots inside.
A unique combination of athleticism and craftiness as a finisher, he used shot fakes and step-throughs very well when cut off. The lefty also made some acrobatic layups inside to avoid help defenders who tried to split the distance and had a dunk on the break. I remain intrigued by his defensive capabilities to protect the rim and deter movement like he did at the camp. As he continues to add strength, Scroggins is going to be a monster.
Hunter Gawron (6’6 PF, Niles North 2025)
There were some high-flyers at the camp, but Gawron was the best dunker of the group. With easy, agile movement all over the floor, he seemed to be playing above the rim all day. The drills looked like a personal dunk contest for him off of roll actions and dribble handoffs. During the live portions, what stood out most was his comfort in switching onto guards and challenging every shot in his area.
Gawron’s comfort putting the ball on the ground off of those blocks and rebounds was solid. He was able to grab and go a few times and make good decisions. Gawron has improved as a shooter and hit a couple of triples during the scrimmage. His energy going after putbacks led to ample opportunities as well. He should be one of the better bigs in the CSL this year.
Jake Pollack (6’7 PF, Deerfield 2026)
I think we’re seeing Pollack start to realize how good he can be over the last few months. He was on point all camp with his reads, kicking out when he got doubled and being patient on his touches to assess the coverages. The face-up shooting forward was hitting all net on high post-face-ups, pick-and-pops, and while spacing off the ball while ball screens occurred.
Pollack is a strong kid who has broad shoulders that help him create separation inside as a post player. He sealed inside and drove out of the slot into post-ups before using bumps and pivots to get to his left hand. Also, a quickly developing athlete, Pollack stayed around the lane to swat or disrupt shots without giving up dump-offs behind him. I’m looking forward to seeing Pollack’s continued development because it seems like the tools are starting to come together.
Kain Kretschmar (6’3 SG, Lake Zurich 2026)
Part of showcases should be evaluating coachability on top of the basketball piece. Kretschmar missed one defensive assignment early and immediately corrected it and was a standout on the defensive end for the remainder of the camp. He’s got good height and has added a lot of strength since last season to not only defend guards but also bigger wings.
The 6-foot-3 guard is a very good shooter with deep range which he displayed in drills and on the catch-and-shoot looks that he got during the scrimmages. When he got into the lane, he made some difficult shots in traffic and wasn’t afraid to seek contact on drives. Kretschmar continues to trend in the right direction.
OJ Powell (6’2 SG, Willowbrook 2026)
Powell may only be 6-foot-2, but he was on the rim for a good part of the drills that involved paint touches. Jumping best off of two feet, he has the speed to get around defenders and the springs to play bigger than his listed height.
That also played a factor defensively with some blocked shots and good recoveries. Powell played a portion of the scrimmages at the point guard spot for his team and got them into their actions well. While he is still developing as a perimeter shooter, he has the confidence to get to his spots and take the shots. Powell is a returning varsity player who could be a focal point this year.
Oliver Gray (6’5 SG, Barrington 2026)
The scouting report suggested picking Gray up around half court, but it didn’t seem to matter for much of the camp. Once he got going, he was making deep transition threes, relocating to get lost off the ball in the half-court, and showing a ton of shake off the dribble to create his own shot. There may not be a quicker release in the state, even after breaking down a defender and only having a small window to get looks off against good defenders. Gray just knows how to score the ball, which is further amplified by his growth spurt, now at 6-foot-5.
In the five-out motion that his team was running, he came off of step-up screens and handoffs ready to shoot and used a few escape dribbles as needed to get to mid-range shots that came off with great rotation. Gray is a highly skilled shot-creator, but also an unselfish playmaker who makes the necessary decisions when he receives more attention. As he continues to grow and his athleticism continues to progress like it has been, his defense will continue to be an asset. Gray maintains a wide base and has the side-to-side quickness to guard the backcourt spots. He’s still young, but Gray already looks like a Division 1 prospect.
Ryan Brown (6’4 SG, Fremd 2025)
Brown has a calmness and competitiveness about him that you like to see. He’s also a knockdown three-point shooter who was among the more impressive catch-and-shoot guys during drills from a mechanics standpoint. Brown is a good movement shooter who can make tough shots off of screens or attack the rim in direct lines as he did during live portions of the camp.
Brown is a legitimate 6-foot-4 with long arms and some burst when putting it on the ground. Brown is a player who Division 3 programs should already be keeping tabs on with his size and floor spacing. He should be a productive piece to what should be a really good Fremd team.
Whitman Charboneau (6’3 SG, Neuqua Valley 2025)
Another one of the instinctual scorers at the camp, Charboneau was locked in during drills and made game-like moves for the shooting portions. Unsurprisingly, that translated well to the 5-on-5 parts of the camp where Charboneau got his rhythm initially as a cutter and passer. On his team, he was often playing off of the ball and running his lanes to get layups or make the extra pass off of early penetration.
Charboneau possesses good court vision, particularly in drive-and-kicks where he was always looking for shooters. As the scrimmages progressed, that scoring ability kicked in and he was connecting on elbow pull-ups and threes from the wing with regularity. In his first varsity season, Charboneau is going to be another backcourt scoring threat for the Wildcats.