The Midwest Renegades and Team TVV hosted a one-day event yesterday out in Romeoville that featured four programs from the area. Here are some standouts from the last set of games that I was able to see.
GPA 17U
Anestis Hadjistamoulou (6’0 PG, Glenbrook South)
It was a consistent, steady performance from the productive GBS point guard. He lived in the mid-range and was using a variety of ball-handling moves to create separation for them. In one-on-one situations, there weren’t many defenders that could consistently keep him in front. Hadjistamoulou showed up in big moments as well, getting some key stops on the defensive end and stopping some runs from the opposing teams with his creation. At this point, you know the type of two-way performance to expect. Winning point guards that can score and pass it tend to be hot commodities from a recruiting standpoint.
Ben Schneider (6’0 PG, Prospect)
First off, it’s terrific to see Schneider back at full strength. A highly competitive kid who is one of the better guards in the area, it looks like he attacked his rehab and added significant strength to his frame. That showed up defensively, complementing his lateral quickness with the ability to absorb contact while sliding his feet. He played well with Hadjistamoulou, picking spots to space and connect on jumpers or setting up teammates himself with savvy decision making. Schneider is also going to be a point guard who college coaches will want to see in person this spring/summer. Glad he’s back.
Javerion Banks (6’1 SG, Warren)
Banks put constant pressure on the rim with his athleticism and explosiveness. Any time defenders took bad angles on closeouts, he was jetting to the basket, avoiding help side defenders, and making acrobatic finishes inside. His comfort contorting his body and still finding ways to complete plays stood out. He’s also got some shooting ability with time and space that he showed during the high school season as well. A traditional, instant-offense type of scoring guard.
Grind Family 17U
EJ Breland (6’0 PG, Saint Patrick)
Breland is an electric long-range shooter and it seemed like the defenders knew that. He was being guarded tightly but still found ways to get space for catch-and-shoots on kick outs or off of movement. What makes him tough to cover is how well he handles the ball to attack aggressive defenders. Even when Breland wasn’t scoring himself, he handled pressure and got the ball to the right guys where there were mismatches. Breland has a number of skills that translate well to the modern college game.
George Richardson (6’6 PF, DePaul Prep)
Richardson was a handful inside all game with his activity and tenacity. At 6-foot-6 with a physical, athletic frame, he played through bumps on multiple finishes, getting and-ones off of seals and while driving after facing up. Richardson uses his base well to carve out space and power up vertically to snatch rebounds in traffic. He had to be around double-digit boards with many other occasions where he was in great position to draw fouls. The DePaul Prep forward knocked down some 15-footers, turnarounds, and showed range to the three-point line as well. I like Richardson’s potential as an inside-out forward who thrives in that workhorse role. No-question college prospect in the frontcourt.
Midwest Renegades 17U
Cam Thomas (6’3 PG/SG, Mount Carmel)
Maybe the most impressive player in the gym during the day. Thomas went right at a 2-3 zone with hard drives, jump stops to make two-foot decisions, and an array of floaters and short jumpers. A physical force at 6-foot-3 with excellent strength, guards struggled to keep him and front or even hold their ground when they did. While knifing up the zone, Thomas found his bigs, made timely passes out to shooters, and drifted off the ball for some quality three-point looks. He shined in one-on-one defensive situations as well, where he will be a plus asset at the college level. Thomas still looks every bit like a Division 1 guard that can play either backcourt spot.
DJ Porter (6’3 SG, Romeoville)
Sometimes AAU games feature an absence of defense, but the 6-foot-3 Romeoville guard was a defensive stalwart as usual. With a huge wingspan and ideal fundamentals with his footwork, angles, and hand activity, Porter made life difficult on whoever he was matched up with during the night. He forced multiple turnovers as a result that led to easy looks. Porter didn’t have to shoot much against the zone with the looks they were getting, but he attacked gaps under control and made the right plays. Porter should be a 2025 guard to look at for coaches in need of shutdown defenders at the guard spot.
Jackson Hupp (6’7 PF, Hersey)
A large part of the Renegade’s success against the zone was Hupp’s comfort making plays out of the middle. He caught, faced the rim, and posed a threat as a shooter, driver, and facilitator. Hupp has a rock-solid build and created some space for driving lanes with effective bumps using his shoulders and hips. Using both hands to attack and finish, the skilled lefty played with force and energy against a tall front line. Hupp let plays develop and found cutters or made inside-out passes on target all game. Defensively, he moved his feet really well on the perimeter and cleaned the glass. Scholarship-level big who produces.
Team FVV 17U
Amir Danforth (6’2 PG/SG, Rockford Auburn [2026])
Danforth was the focal point for FVV as the primary scorer and playmaker for the group. He showed off a nice shot from the perimeter with a ton of range and quickness to get it off. Danforth is more of a scoring combo guard, but should benefit from continuing to develop at the point guard spot where he’s a threat to score in bulk or attract extra help before finding teammates. A slick, strategic dribble penetrator, Danforth was able to get paint touches and hit runners inside. He will continue to trend up as a potential Division 1 prospect.
Isaiah Martinez (6’10 C, Plano)
While still raw, there are a lot of intriguing traits with Martinez, who missed most of his sophomore year with injury. He’s a true 6-foot-10 with long arms and a growing understanding for how to wall up and keep the ball high. Martinez pulled in a number of rebounds during the day in his area and made good outlets to start the break. Probably his most unique skill is his shooting ability and soft touch. He’s got a smooth jump shot and consistent mechanics as a pick-and-pop big. If he can continue to get stronger and refine his game, he’s got a ton of potential.
Xavi Granville (6’5 SG/SF, Grayslake Central)
Granville was working that baseline area all game. Whether it was a hard cut or a straight line drive off of a rip through, Granville was finding openings to make plays getting downhill. Coming off of a breakout junior year, Granville is a bit of a diamond in the rough for those outside of the north suburban area. He has a projectable, lanky frame to work with and can impact games with his defense, driving ability, rebounding, or secondary playmaking.
GPA 16U
Dominic Mordini (6’3 PG, Lake Forest)
Despite missing some key pieces due to spring break, GPA was able to compete in large part because of the impact of Mordini. The game just seems to be moving slow for him, making on-time deliveries as a passer and quick decisions in dribble drive situations. Mordini was in attack mode all game and leaned on his understanding of angles and his ranginess to get around defenders. The 6-foot-3 guard has natural touch from multiple spots, looking great as a three-point threat but also hitting those off-rhythm push shots and pull-ups from 10-to-15 feet. I also liked how he stuck his nose in there to grab rebounds. If Mordini can continue to get stronger like he has and maintains his assertiveness, he could be really good.
Grind 16U
AJ Chambers (5’10 PG, DePaul Prep)
Chambers is another guard who you can tell has significant varsity experience. Even when they got down early, he stayed the course and sparked them with tenacious on-ball defense and strong dribble penetration to break down the defense. Chambers is so unselfish and intelligent as a playmaker, switching between multiple gears all while having the ability to throw passes on the money. Particularly in transition, Chambers was pushing the pace and going into the body of defenders before scoring. Most coaches would love to have a point guard like Chambers on their team.
Midwest Renegade 16U
Jaali Love (6’7 SF/PF, Manley)
Love was a big-time presence on the inside as a shot blocker and rebounder throughout the game. The length helps, but he’s also got a nose for the ball that is allowed him to pinpoint and track down misses. Love thrived off of dump off passes and putbacks on the offensive end, finishing at or above the rim on multiple occasions. He’s got a lot of promising tools to work with at this point and has already had two excellent seasons at Manley.
Jordan Williams (6’6 SF, Fremd)
Williams was one of the more talented wings I saw all day. Big, strong, athletic, and versatile at 6-foot-6, Williams is a player who poses a mismatch for most players at the 16U level. A lot of his damage came off of face-ups where he was able to take a few hard dribbles and elevate for layups or pull-ups. He pushed off of misses in transition like a guard and rebounded outside of his area with a sense of urgency. There is a lot to like about his defensive profile as well, moving well side to side and having the length and recovery speed to really affect actions. Williams is a budding Division 1 prospect in the class.
Karson Thomas (6’4 SG, Lincoln-Way East)
After emerging as one of the best players in the area this high school season, Thomas looks primed to be one of the breakout players of the spring and summer. He’s an electric athlete that gets off of the ground in a hurry and with force. Any straight-line drive or cut ended in impressive fashion for him, sometimes doing so in traffic. Outside of the ideal physical traits, Thomas was making sound reads as a primary playmaker to identify mismatches, find open shooters, and make drop off passes when he got inside. Thomas has great lift and balance as a jump shooter that allows him to stop on a dime and get into his shots from tough angles. He’s got a chance to be a special player in the 2026 class.
Team FVV 16U
Champ Parker (6’0 PG, Rockford Auburn)
Parker was showing quick-twitch athleticism and speed all game. Even solid defenders had issues keeping him off of his spots due to how low and aggressive he was with the ball. The Auburn point guard sees the floor well and didn’t seem sped up or overly affected by the length of defenders. He had moments when he went on scoring runs when help was too slow on his drives.
Mikwan Marshall (6’1 PG/SG, Rockford Auburn)
Another talented Auburn guard, Marshall was an energetic attacker who showed some range on his jump shot. Marshall got up and applied pressure defensively, showing good activity in space when defending in isolation situations. He got into his one-to-two dribble pull-up a few times, but was mainly weaving into the lane for layups. Marshall’s athleticism stood out.