With AAU season getting into full swing, we are starting to take a look at some of the teams in the area. Last night, I was out in Lombard to check out Breakaway’s older groups, who feature a good blend of positional length, shooting, and athleticism. This post will feature the 17U group and a later post will highlight the 16U team.

Aidan Bardic (6’3 PG, Stevenson)

Bardic was impressive operating in ball screen actions and making reads as a primary decision maker. The strong-bodied guard does a great job of shielding off defenders, creating angles, and maintaining advantages to force longer hedges or overly aggressive tags. He hit rollers on time and understood where the help was coming from to find shooters on skips or from the lift spot.

During drills, Bardic continued to show consistent mechanics on his pull-up and as a spot shooter. There is a lot to like about his speed, strength, and lateral quickness defensively as well. Bardic is a hard-nosed lead guard with terrific IQ and leadership qualities who I think will have suitors across multiple levels.

Alex Gossett (6’6 SF, OPRF)

Still springy and vertically forceful from the wing, it looks like the game is slowing down for Gossett. Coming off a nice junior year for OPRF, his one-to-two dribble shooting has progressed and he is more of a threat as a spacer. The athleticism stood out in transition drills, effortlessly finishing above the rim off one or two feet and covering ground quickly.

His activity and instincts on the glass and as a help side defender were noteworthy as well. Gossett lives in the passing lanes, can block shots, and sneaks in to get rebounds in traffic consistently. As a straight-line driver and early transition weapon, he looked good getting to the rim as well. There is plenty of upside to like.

Anton Strelnikov (6’8 C, Lake Zurich)

The true big man of the group, Strelnikov battled through some contact inside during live portions and displayed the touch and strength to be a load on the low block. Any time he got his back to the basket within 15 feet, it was either a quality look or potential free-throw opportunity. The range that he showed in flashes during the season was more evident during drills as well, particularly when he had his feet set.

It was also great to see the 6-foot-8 Lake Zurich product running hard rim to rim and playing two on ball screen coverage before getting back to his man. That will be crucial for the long-term outlook of one of the most natural, tactical, interior scorers in the state, regardless of class. Definite scholarship-level upside.

Athan Berchos (6’1 PG, Andrew)

Berchos shot the ball well throughout the day and looked comfortable playing on or off the ball. Another junior who was instrumental for his team during the high school season, Berchos has good ball control and pace getting to his spots. He does a nice job of setting his feet and squaring up off of different actions and shot it particularly well during live segments. Berchos is a savvy ball-handler who seems to understand when and where to get shots for himself and others. I’d expect a number of the higher-end D3 programs to be excited about his prospects.

Atticus Richmond (6’8 SF, Stevenson)

The potential as a 6-foot-8 wing with developing ball-handling skills, fluid run-and-jump athleticism, and a knockdown perimeter shot is clear with Richmond. Early on in practice, the clean form and rotation on his jump shot stood out. It looks like he is getting a bit more lift on his three-point shot and pull-up which should help against UAA competition. Richmond moved well off of the ball to find space for his catch-and-shoot threes, an area where he will impress coaches at his size.

To this point, he’s got that two-to-three dribble drive to complement the shooting, attacking closeouts on multiple occasions and finishing with euro steps, step throughs, and dunks. The tools are there to be a quality flex defender who can cover threes and fours when engaged. Plus, he has great hands as a rebounder. He’ll be hearing from D1s this spring.

Bradley Biedke (6’6 PF, Conant)

Another flat-out athlete in the frontcourt for the 17s, Biedke excels at doing a lot of little things with high energy and tenacity. It was great to see how well he shot it from the perimeter for the majority of practice, looking comfortable stepping into threes or taking a couple of hard dribbles and elevating into 15-footers.

That was a big development during the year at Conant and should be a nice bonus for a kid who is a high-flyer, relentless rebounder, and multiple-effort defender. He was able to defend on the block despite giving up a few inches or in space with how well he moves side to side. Switchable defenders are at a premium right now and Biedke looks the part.

Domas Narcevicius (6’6 SF, Stagg)

I would say that Narcevicius was on fire from three, but for an elite shooter, it was probably just a regular practice. The Stagg wing was automatic on catch-and-shoots during live segments, even with defenders in his face, rising up and knocking down deep threes on multiple occasions. That’s where he operates best, either drifting away from penetration or sprinting off pindowns or flares to get space. With a really physical frame at 6-foot-6, Narcevicius should have no issue playing the four spot and battling inside with taller players. He will be instant offense this spring.

Grant Best (6’3 PG/SG, Mount Carmel)

Best is a dog on both ends of the floor and projects as a plus contributor in a number of areas. His footwork and efficiency getting to his spots, even during drills, left a good impression. There was a level of discipline and attention to detail with his reps that you don’t often see from high school kids. It also contributes to his ability to be a lethal shooter. He’s got a strong base, range out to the volleyball line, and a release that doesn’t waste any motion.

Off the dribble, Best has a burst and aggression that allowed him to get a step on primary defenders to either score for himself or drive and kick to teammates. I like how well he snaps the ball up the floor and puts zip on his passes to find the open guy. Best is a solid athlete with long arms and a strong upper body to take and deliver contact in crowds. He may be listed at 6-foot-3, but he plays closer to 6-foot-5 defensively with his length, recovery time, and extra effort plays. A really gritty kid with a winning pedigree who will be a breakout player this spring.

Jack Weigus (6’2 PG, Hinsdale South)

Another deadeye shooter for Breakaway. Weigus is probably the best motion shooter of the group, able to sprint off of screens, catch with defenders in his space, and hit contested leaners going around either shoulder. Now around 6-foot-2, he continues to elevate well on spot-ups to get over any outstretched hands.

Weigus moved with urgency as a ball-handler and cutter off of the ball, something he had to do all season while being face-guarded most games. Now in a group with a number of other weapons, he should be able to feast on open kick outs. High-academic programs will be keeping tabs on the dynamic perimeter scorer.

Kyle Waltz (6’7 SG/SF, York [SPIRE – 2025])

Waltz continues to trend up and all signs point to a monster showing on the UAA this spring and summer. The versatile, 6-foot-7 wing showcased a lot of those guard skills that make him unique. He covers ground with each dribble but has the body control and athleticism to quickly change direction or spring up into a jump shot on command. He’s got a college-ready pull-up game with range and reliability as a three-point shooter as well.

Waltz has a wiry build, highly projectable frame, and quick-twitch leaping ability inside, throwing down forceful dunks throughout the night. Also a very good wing defender, Waltz cut off ball-handlers by sliding his feet and anticipated dribble penetration on the help side to contest shots. Waltz handled it in ball screen actions, made timely passes off the bounce, and showed an innate understanding of rebound positioning. I still think Waltz is a top-25 prospect in Illinois who will be a coveted Division 1 recruit as a 2025.

Luca Carbonaro (6’1 PG, Wheaton Warrenville South)

Among the breakout juniors in the state this year, Carbonaro has a composure and toughness about him that works well at the lead guard spot. Looking to be in good condition, Carbonaro was going through drills and live segments with speed. Able to score or facilitate for teammates, he was attacking the paint well and whipping passes across the court to shooters for long stretches.

Carbonaro has some shake and shiftiness with the ball to make things happen when plays break down, which should be helpful moving forward. He seemingly had easy range out past the three-point line during the drills with a good feel for his stop-and-pop shots. Also a talented quarterback, Carbonaro should bring a competitive edge and high-level playmaking to the current group.

Tyler Smith (6’3 SG, Wheaton Academy)

Smith looks like one of the energizers of the group. Very athletic and active at 6-foot-3, Smith gets above the rim better than most bigs and has a natural ability to time up cuts and knife to the basket off of the catch. His defensive prowess during the live portions of practice led to tips, contested shots, or in some cases no shot attempts being available to take at all. The Wheaton Academy guard sprints the floor hard in transition while having the ability to go up against size inside and finish strong off of two feet. He’s going to be an above-average athlete, even in the UAA, with the ability to impact games without scoring.