I was in Schaumburg at Greater Purpose Athletics to watch some of GPA’s 16U and 17U groups ahead of another busy week of tournaments. Here are some of the players who stood out.

2026 (16U)

AJ Berndt (6’0 PG/SG, Cary Grove)

Berndt can really shoot it from the three-point line. During drills, his form was consistent and his pre-shot preparation was good to help get his shots off quickly. He has a clean follow through as well that leads to a high percentage on kick outs. The floor spacing combo guard got to the rim in straight lines when defenders tried to run him off of the line and he showed some flashes of finishing off those drives against length.

Ali Tharwani (5’11 PG, Marmion)

One of the shiftier ball-handlers of the night, Tharwani has the ball on a string. The ability to hit the brakes, get defenders off balance, and separate in space was notable. It was evident by his footwork and consistency during drills that he’s a capable and experienced pull-up shooter from both the mid-range and three-point line. Tharwani should have a big junior year at Marmion.

Colin Tucker (5’10 PG, Prospect)

Tucker plays with good pace and makes sound decisions with the ball. He controlled the ball well during drills and scrimmages, creating advantages off of ball screens and regularly finding the open man. Tucker has solid shot mechanics as well that allow him to be a threat from the perimeter with time and space as well. Solid guard overall.

Freddy Battaglia (6’4 SF/PF, Lake Park)

I hadn’t seen a ton of Battaglia from the high school season, but he has the traits of a good frontcourt piece. Very athletic and rangy as a forward, Battaglia ran the floor well and finished with explosiveness in and around the paint. Battaglia has solid interior footwork and uses his pivots to find scoring opportunities inside. He affected shots defensively and was excellent in the gaps all day to deter dribble penetration and use his active hands when players dribbled too deep or telegraphed passes.

Luca Stella (6’2 SG, Lake Park)

The lanky Lake Park guard was impressive throughout the practice on both ends. He’s got a good feel for the game with a smooth jump shot and the understanding for how to facilitate and move off of the ball. When playing off of the ball, he knocked down open threes or drove closeouts hard to get to the rim. Stella has a great positional frame with long arms and solid strength to take contact. He showed well as a disruptor on defense using that length to get into passing lanes, contest shots, and slow down ball-handlers. He’s got a bright future on both ends.

Mustaf Rexhepi (6’4 PF, Niles North)

Among the physically stronger players between both age groups, Rexhepi uses his size well to attack rebounds and score inside. He’s a constant threat on the offensive glass or as a roll man with his ability to catch in traffic and finish plays in crowds. After seeing valuable time as a sophomore for a very good Niles North team, he should continue to expand his game.

Torey Baskin (6’0 PG, Hoffman Estates)

Baskin is going to be really good over the next two years and beyond. He made a number of nice passes on the move, showing good vision and anticipation as a playmaker. When he looked to break down the defense, he didn’t waste dribbles but managed to use hesitations and quick set up moves to efficiently get to the paint. The skill is there in all facets on the offensive end, with his comfort shooting the three off of the bounce standing out. There’s also a like to like about his defensive impact, combining plus length, speed, and competitiveness to keep the ball in front. Baskin just keeps getting better.

2025 (17U)

Ben Schneider (6’0 PG, Prospect)

Schneider only played a few games, but the quick-twitch point guard made some good things happen in that time. The Prospect junior is able to blow by defenders with one move or use a number of combo moves to lull defenders to sleep. Mentally, he seemed to be a step ahead with his reads when operating in ball screens, leading the break in transition, or delivering passes on his drives. Also a high motor player on the defensive end, Schneider will be a coveted point guard prospect.

Brent Collar (6’5 SF/PF, Wheeling)

There were many strong moments from the Wheeling junior. Collar is a powerful forward who excels at rebounding, cutting, and playing harder than his opposition. He was snatching missed shots and sprinting the floor for easy looks after making outlet passes. Collar has an athletic build and is quick off of the ground off of two feet. With how well he puts it on the ground from the wing and the mobility he showed defensively, he should have no issue playing either forward spot at the next level.

Elijah Daugherty (6’0 PG, Rockford Christian)

Daugherty is a natural scorer and creator with the ball in his hands. He weaved in and out of the lane, showing good handle in tight windows and finding ways to complete plays as a finisher or with timely passes. It seemed like he was attacking the rim every time he touched it, putting pressure on the help side defense to open things up. Daugherty can shoot it with range if the defense backs off, but he looked best when he was using his speed, strength, and creativity to penetrate. Defensively, he stays low and has the quickness to pick up in the full court and recover when needed.

Jayden Rodriguez (6’4 SG/SF, Evanston)

Rodriguez stood out early on with how physical and assertive he was guarding the basketball. He fought through screens and regained his positioning on a regular basis, keeping a wide base and getting his chest in front of the ball-handlers. Rodriguez stepped into a couple of threes on the offensive end and ran out in transition for looks at the rim. It’s always great to see players affecting the flow with their defensive presence.

Jesean Frye (6’5 SG/SF, Rockford Guilford)

A high-activity wing, Frye was slashing to the basket early and often during the scrimmages. With his long strides, he almost glides to the rim before ultimately rising up at or above the rim to finish. Those physical traits translate seamlessly to the defensive end where Frye rotated over from the weakside and altered shots. His cutting and general motion on offensively will give the team life and some easy points.

Ryan Lifton (6’0 SG, Prospect)

Lifton was solid in multiple areas in the live settings. A quality shooter off of the catch, he drilled a couple of looks with his feet set. He also pushed the pace well in transition, leading to open looks at the rim for he and his teammates. Lifton changes speeds well and stays low to the ground as a driver to maintain his leverage. He has a decent first step that aided him as well. Lifton made things happen.

Ryder Raya (6’2 SG, Notre Dame College Prep)

Raya was a vocal standout and shined on the defensive end with how well he used his hands and cut off scorers with his feet. Defensively, he was in constant communication to eliminate any holes in the rotations. Raya spaces the floor and stays in motion for cuts and relocations off of the ball. During the scrimmaging, he made multiple in-rhythm threes off of kick outs. He has chance to be a college defensive back but is a well-rounded two-guard on the court.