We held our annual Spring Showcase Camp this past weekend out in Schaumburg with around 20 players in each group. The camp featured drills, half court 5-on-5 out of specific actions, and scrimmages where each team had a couple of actions and sets to run along with some defensive coverages. Here are the evaluations from the underclassmen group.

Adam Anwar (6’7 PF, McHenry 2026)

Anwar’s outside shooting ability is a true gift at his size. During drill work and throughout the 5-on-5 portions, he was on point from the perimeter with pick-and-pops and kick outs from all over the floor. Measuring in with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, Anwar provides ideal positional length to be an effective helpside defender as he showed on numerous rotations where he forced extra passes or challenged shots. He mixed in post-ups well, hitting turnarounds and jump hooks when he had mismatches. There were some passing flashes as well when help came. Anwar is a sure-fire scholarship-level forward at this point with good physical upside.

Alijah Little (6’2 SG, 2026)

Athletically, Little was one of the more appealing guard prospects at the camp. He’s lanky, gets off of the ground well, and runs the floor well. Little was dunking with ease during the drills and showed off some shooting range during the scrimmages. There is good balance to his one dribble pull-up with nice pop around the rim on straight-line drives. Little was an impact player on varsity as a sophomore and has the tools to take a big jump as a junior.

Austin Carlsen (6’3 SF, Wauconda 2027)

It’s easy to see the projectable length and shooting stroke from Carlsen. When he got clean looks, the compact, repeatable release from the three-point line led to great outcomes for the rising sophomore, particularly from the corners. He caught it with his feet ready and let it fly throughout the camp. Carlsen affected some jump shots with his length on closeouts as well and was a quality mover off of the ball. He will have significant responsibilities for Wauconda in the winter.

Bennett Kammes (6’2 PG/SG, Glenbard West 2027)

Kammes was shooting the lights out for his team during the scrimmages. His shooting ability has continued to refine and improve since his freshman year, now taking and making shots with a ton of confidence. Kammes didn’t need much space to get looks off and was the ultimate catch-and-shoot threat off of the ball for his team. Even during drills, the three-point looks and pull-ups came off nice. The 6-foot-2 guard also had a few nice takes to the rim and made some nice passes off of the dribble to set guys up. It seems like the arrow continues to point up for a guard with plenty of upside at this stage.

Brady Johnson (6’3 SF, Glenbard West 2027)

Johnson is a workhorse on both ends. Most of his damage came on hard basket cuts and aggressive direct drives to the rim where his sheer strength, athleticism, and slick footwork aided him. During the shooting station, he showed that he can knock down some threes with time and space. But his strength at this point is attacking the basket and being a presence on the glass and defensively. Johnson was using his body to cut off ball-handlers and blocked a few shots on the ball after sliding his feet. Another Glenbard West sophomore to keep an eye on.

Bryce Wegrzyn (6’8 PF, Libertyville 2026)

There is a lot to be intrigued with when looking at Wegrzyn’s game. Of all the players at the camp, he had the most dunks and putbacks during the live sessions. Wegrzyn ran the floor incredibly well and had some tough catches on the run before finishing around the rim. In the 5-out actions, he made solid reads and was able to show his ability to get downhill and score with spins on multiple occasions. He also knocked down a three and showed some workable mechanics during the drills. The agility, physicality, and activity combined with his budding skill make him a strong long-term forward prospect. He’s a rising junior for some Division 1 programs to add to their lists.

Charlie Pomis (6’2 SG, Hersey 2026)

Overall, Pomis was one of the most impressive players and stood out to all of the camp coaches with his energy and skill. Pomis is an athletically gifted guard who plays with an edge. His pace and sense of urgency off of the dribble led to multiple strong takes to the rim and pull-ups that were created from his ability to get defenders to backpedal before lifting up into his shot. The Hersey junior who had a huge second half of the season in the MSL was very active in the passing lanes with deflections and quick stunts. He’s got the three-point range and pull-up game to score from the perimeter but also measured in with a 6-foot-5 wingspan to play bigger than his size inside. He’s going to be a good one.

Dawson Charles (6’1 SG, St. Viator 2027)

Charles can jump out of the gym and that was evident early in the camp. But his continued development as a jump shooter is what stood out. He was drilling threes, some from past the college line, during live play without any hesitation. It allowed for easier dribble drive lanes after he hit his first few from long range, ultimately allowing him to show his force downhill. Charles just finds ways to make the simple plays, despite also having the talent to give you some “wow” moments. Expect a significant role increase in his second varsity season.

Donovan Williams (6’0 PG/SG, Stevenson 2026)

Among the more consistent volume shooters during the day, Williams had it going from deep. The quick-twitch guard was ready to pull the trigger when coming off of ball screens and handoffs, showing a high-arching shot that has good rotation. It didn’t matter if Williams was playing on or off of the ball, he was making things happen with his scoring and movement. Williams can sneak up on you with his athletic ability, particularly with how well he elevates at his height. The rangy Stevenson guard has carried momentum from a strong AAU season.

Ethan Vahl (6’2 PG, West Aurora 2028)

One of only two rising freshmen at the camp, Vahl was impressive with his creativity and shot-making. His vision is a differentiator already, using ball and eye manipulation to get the defense to lose track of their assignments before whipping passes to teammates. Particularly in the open floor, Vahl had multiple next-level deliveries to cutters and rollers. When he looked to score, it was his outside shooting off of the bounce that stood out. Vahl has good shake as a ball-handler and varies his rhythm while controlling the ball well. Even when defenders pushed up on him, he hit tough stepbacks and snatch jumpers. As a spot-up guy, he has great form that will translate well as he enters his high school career. There were some nice moments defensively as an on-ball stopper and help side guy as well. Vahl has a chance to be the top point guard prospect in the 2028 class.

Freddy Battaglia (6’3 SF, Lake Park 2026)

Battaglia has terrific energy and plays with a constant motor that was notable to everyone at the camp. He hung his hat on the defensive end with comfort battling with bigs and also sliding his feet with guards and wings in isolation situations. Battaglia is very athletic and explosive around the rim, winning 50/50 balls and outjumping guys for rebounds inside. The well-rounded forward made a couple of great dump off passes when he attacked and finished with some spin moves and two-foot layups of his own. I really like the way Battaglia plays.

George Gray (6’3 SG/SF, Lindblom 2026)

Another high-end athlete at the event, Gray was flying high during drills while taking off from outside of the paint for a number of showtime finishes. That effortless springiness to his game was showing up when he went up in traffic during live segments, including a few two-hand flushes on the break. What I liked most was how Gray got up and applied ball pressure for long stretches of 5-on-5 play. Guys had to work to get the ball to spots against him, using a good reach and lateral movement to harass other guards. Gray’s catch-and-shoot mechanics looked solid during drill-work as well. He’s next up for Lindblom.

Grant Smith (6’4 SG, Lyons 2028)

The camp coaches didn’t believe that Smith was only a freshman, which is understandable. Smith had a business-like approach with tough, physical defense and sound decisions with the ball. He did a great job staying connected and fighting through ball screens and rarely got beat or missed an assignment defensively. The 6-foot-4 guard played all over the court offensively. He handled it in transition, made strong advance passes up court, and exploded to the rim in transition when there were openings. Smith’s compact shooting mechanics are going to be a serious advantage going forward. He shot it at a high clip in kick outs and seemed to understand where to space to in order to force the longest closeouts. The athletic guard also dribbled into post ups and used his size to score on the block. The basketball IQ, physical traits, and existing skill all hint towards Smith being a big-time player.

James Johnson (6’3 SG/SF, Washington 2026)

Johnson was a player who the camp coaches spoke highly of for how solid he was in multiple aspects of the game. He thrived as a playmaker and secondary decision maker for his team during scrimmages, particularly while moving at high speeds off of the bounce. Johnson measured in with a huge 6-foot-7 wingspan and had multiple blocks and tips that put those long arms to good use. He also displayed a fluid and efficient outside shot during drills and games with the body control inside to finish when he drove closeouts. An overall strong showing from the Washington standout.

Logan Luxem (6’2 PG, Hersey 2026)

Scoring is great, but it’s not everything. Luxem, a high-skill point guard, made an impression with tenacious on-ball defense and passing. With some good size at 6-foot-2, Luxem was a factor in the passing lanes while turning opposing ball-handlers in the half and full court. When he did force turnovers or grab defensive rebounds, he looked long to short and had an array of open court assists. The same was true in the halfcourt where Luxem broke down defenders, drew help, and made the right play for his teammates. As a scorer, he had some acrobatic finishes inside against taller players. Luxem is set to be a key piece for Hersey this year.

Luca Stella (6’2 PG/SG, Lake Park 2026)

Stella was another player who was a force as a perimeter defender. With a physical play style and good balance and discipline, Stella was able to guard across multiple spots well. A competitive kid, Stella had more blocked shots than any guards in attendance and was fighting for rebounds on both ends. He also shined on the other end as a shot creator and facilitator with a reliable pull-up game and confidence spacing the floor as a three-point shooter. Stella hit step backs, got the ball to the backboard quickly on finishes, and was excellent making reads out of ball screens. Still a bit under the radar, Stella is going to be a prospect to watch in the area the next two years.

Noah Emmanuel (6’9 PF, Whitney Young 2027)

Finding 6-foot-9 players who can both protect the rim and space the floor is a dream for many college coaches. Emmanuel provides both despite only being a sophomore. As soon as drills began, Emmanuel’s smooth movement and soft touch jumped out. His release point is high and he has natural mechanics that extend out to the college three-point line. Emmanuel was a pick-and-pop threat during the live portions but also made good passes out of short roll situations to find shooters and cutters on time. The defensive upside is serious with how well he times shots and emphatically meets challengers at the rim.

Rory Haas (6’6 SF/PF, Lake Forest 2027)

Haas shot the laces off of the ball during the camp. One thing that stood out was how hard Haas was going during the drills, moving quickly out of actions in a game-like manner and showing attention to detail with his footwork and angles. He has a great-looking shot from three with a ton of range that led to numerous spot-up threes during 5-on-5. Haas is already 6-foot-6 but seems to have a lot of physical upside with a solid base, developing frame and improving mobility and athleticism. When he was in space off of the ball, Haas excelled at finding the soft spots in the defense to find opportunities to shoot or sneak in for layups. I really like what Haas brings to the table long-term.

TJ Williams (6’2 SG, Glenbard West 2026)

Williams was the most explosive player in the gym for the underclassmen group and put those traits to good use once live play started. During drills, Williams showed improved form on his jump shot spotting up and on dribble pull-ups. In the 5-on-5 play, his ability to change games defensively was key. Williams made extra efforts to force turnovers, grab rebounds, and make hustle plays for loose balls. He covers ground incredibly well to recover, cut off dribble penetration, and still contest shots with his 6-foot-5 wingspan. Williams was getting downhill in transition and off of ball screens with regularity, either finishing at or above the rim or leading teammates when help overcommitted. The game seems to be slowing down for him, seeming comfortable getting his feet set for his jumpers and making two-foot decisions in traffic. Williams has serious Division 1 upside.

Torey Baskin (6’0 PG, Hoffman Estates 2026)

Baskin was best when he was in attack mode coming off of ball screens. During both the half court and full court 5-on-5 sessions, Baskin was relentless attacking the paint, taking contact, and finding creative ways to finish shots inside. His change of pace and top-gear speed created issues for defenders who tried to stay in front of him in space or when hedging ball screens. A slick shot-maker inside, Baskin used his touch and skill to get up shots over contested hands. His quickness helped him defensively and was an asset to create advantages that opened up passing angles. Baskin should be an all-conference player for Hoffman this year.