I was out at Des Plaines all of yesterday to watch the Full Package showcase. It was a great combination of talent, competitiveness, and coaching, with groups for 2025/2026, 2027, and 2028 players taking part in the event. Here are some of the standouts from the event.

Amari Goss (5’11 PG, Conant 2027)

Goss was quick off of the bounce. During the latter part of the scrimmages, he got a step on defenders and connected on mid-range jumpers and push shots inside. He found his way to the lane on multiple occasions where he needed to complete plays with taller defenders around. Goss didn’t shy away and was fearless inside. He also hit a three and showed some feel for his outside shot.

Boti Szabo-Zsamaba (6’8 C, Lake Forest Academy 2027)

It was my first time seeing the LFA sophomore and there were a lot of bright signs while he was playing up with the older group. At a legit 6-foot-8, he was the best rebounder I saw all day. There was a combination of instincts, physicality, and magnetic hands that led to the significant number of offensive rebounds, even in traffic at times. As the day progressed, he was using the rim well for protection on drop offs and showed well as a roller in ball screen actions. Szabo-Zsamaba is a big man to track.

Caden Anderson (6’2 PG, Marmion 2025)

A rock-solid senior guard, Anderson picked his spots well during the live portions of the event. When the defense was set, he got the ball moving around without hesitation. But when defenders were sleeping or the help was late, the Marmion guard was aggressive to the rim and regularly made the right read when going downhill. I also liked how he guarded the ball and showed some physicality and lateral quickness to stay in front of the ball. Anderson should be the focal point for the Cadets this year.

Charlie Blair (6’3 SF, New Trier 2027)

You’ve probably heard this before, but another New Trier kid that can shoot it. Blair shot it well all day from three. He lit it up for multiple stretches during the scrimmage with long-range shots from different spots on the floor. Blair had an advantage with his 6-foot-3 frame and the length to shoot over the top of contesting defenders. As he continues to fill out physically, Blair should be able to add additional parts to his game.

Charlie Pomis (6’3 SG, Hersey 2026)

Pomis was one of the more impressive guards at the showcase. A very dynamic athlete with serious run-and-jump explosiveness, he was quickly blowing by defenders and got up near the rim on finishes during live play. During drills and live segments, his jumper was smooth with high arc and consistent results. What stood out most was how well he shot it off of the bounce, maintaining his balance while stopping on a dime to lift up into shots. Pomis has made huge strides with his handle, regularly creating separation for jumpers, including a few snatch moves where he lost defenders. I still believe his defensive upside on the wing is near the top of the class with the length, athleticism, and anticipation to be an elite stopper. Pomis will be one of the breakout players in the area.

Colin Stack (7’1 C, Benet 2026)

You don’t see many 7-footers with the type of perimeter game that Stack possesses. Throughout the day, his comfort taking and making jumpers from the mid post and beyond the arc stood out. He has excellent mechanics with a consistent finish to his shot that he showed with turnarounds and threes. Stack is very good between the slots with his vision and feel as a passer. He was assessing the floor to find cutters regularly and also showed vastly improved mobility on a few drives to the rim where he had some acrobatic finishes. The added strength showed with his body control and improved ability to hold his ground on vertical contests inside. Stack blocked shots at a high rate as he is prone to doing as well. The 7-foot-1 center has the upside to become one of the best bigs in the Midwest and has the right coaches at both Benet and Full Package to continue the exponential growth.

Ethan Matz (6’3 SG, Carmel 2026)

Matz showed a bit of craftiness inside and knocked down some open threes on kick outs. He looked comfortable shooting off of the catch and had a shoot-first approach on the catch. That ultimately led to some opportunities to drive closeouts where he was making aggressive straight-line drives to finish or find his teammates. Matz is a returner for Carmel who should have an elevated role this year.

Evan Salvador (5’11 PG/SG, Mundelein 2025)

Good things just seemed to happen when Salvador had the ball. There were numerous pinpoint passes that he made off of the move that led directly to wide open looks at the rim. He utilized eye fakes well and has a general sense for where the help defense was coming from to make his reads. Salvador made pull-ups from 15-to-18 feet and made the most of his open catch-and-shoot opportunities from three with his lefty stroke. Defensively, Salvador guarded the ball well and was taking pride in staying in front of the ball. He should have a great senior year for Mundelein.

Gavin Escobedo (6’2 SG, Rolling Meadows 2025)

Escobedo is a microwave type of scorer who had some good moments during the showcase. He looked best when trying to get paint touches in straight-line drive situations where his first step was an asset. Throughout the day, he found different ways to weave into the paint. Off of those drives, he made a couple of slick passes when the help overcommitted. He also stepped outside as a spot-up shooter and made some outside jumpers during 5-on-5 play. Another key returning piece for Meadows.

Gerald Murphey (6’1 SG/SF, NDCP 2027)

The 6-foot-1 Notre Dame sophomore has a good build at his age and was confident playing off of two feet in traffic. On a couple drives, he absorbed hits and still managed to finish plays. He’s got a decent handle to maneuver in the open court as well, which helped him split some gaps at times. Murphey also rebounded the ball well, which is always a promising trait for a wing.

Ian Miletic (6’7 SG, Rolling Meadows 2025)

Miletic had the most dominant performance of the day. Most of note was how he tried coaching up his teammates and communicated throughout the event. You could always hear his voice and he did a great job of orchestrating things for his team during live play. He hit multiple threes from well beyond the arc, quickly setting his feet and making defenders pay for going under on ball screens. The Marquette commit also had a number of thunderous dunks in transition and on drives to the lane. As a primary ball-handler, he was constantly generating quality shots with throw ahead and dump offs on drives. He looked like the most complete player in the state.

Ian Smucker (6’0 PG/SG, Maine South 2027)

I was very impressed with the defense and intangibles of Smucker in the 2027 group. He rarely got beat off of the bounce and was in constant pursuit of the ball, recovering for multiple blocked shots and disrupting the flow of other guards. Smucker is listed at 6-foot but has long arms, plus athleticism, and a nose for the ball. His ability to quickly elevate off of the ground showed up with his pull-up jumper. When Smucker controlled his balance, he shot it well from three as well, with ideal lift on his shot. There wasn’t a player in the group who could consistently keep him out of the paint due to a quick first step and willingness to finish drives through bumps. Smucker was one of the standout sophomores there.

Isaiah Hall (5’10 PG, CHSAS 2027)

As the scrimmages progressed, Hall started to take over with his dribble penetration and tough shot making. A quicker guard in the backcourt, Hall was pushing the pace in transition and using body control to finishing in a variety of ways inside. Even during drills, Hall was drilling threes when he had his feet set. That continued into scrimmages where and he got hot for a stretch where he was mixing in jumpers with his steady pressure applied to the rim.

Jasir Rogers (6’0 PG, Ben Davis [IN] 2028)

You don’t often see freshmen fit in so well with a group of experienced juniors and seniors. Rogers was one of the better decision makers of the day. Any time he was involved in ball screen actions, he let plays develop. He either found the open man, kept his dribble alive to get to the rim, or hit mid-range looks and stepbacks. Rogers was also incredibly effective off of the ball with timely cuts, constant motion to space the floor, and reliable three-point shooting. He seemed to be conscious of the tempo and flow of the game, knowing when to push pace or hit the brakes to get into actions. Rogers displayed a general toughness and motor that you don’t see often from freshman. He’d be among the top guards in the class if he was in Illinois.

Kavin Krishnaraj (5’3 PG, Stevenson 2028)

Krishnaraj played with great pace during the scrimmages and kept his dribble alive well before making a decision with the ball. The passes that he made were on time and on target, understanding how to lead guys to the rim. His confidence with the ball really stood out, rarely getting sped up and combatting height with precise decision making. Krishnaraj also shot it well when given time and space.

Kenan Pekovic (6’4 PF, Rolling Meadows 2026)

Pekovic is a physical presence at 6-foot-4. On numerous occasions, he was able to battle inside to pull in rebounds and went up strong in the paint to score. Pekovic balances popping and rolling well, having the ability to short roll or pop to attack closeouts. Pekovic hit a three during the scrimmages and showed some potential to be a face-up threat. Pekovic will have more responsibility aft

Kevin Salkauskas (6’8 SF/PF, Stagg 2027)

For a sophomore, Salkauskas has a unique blend of size and skill. His touch and range stood early on, with the shot-making ability to make shots from multiple levels of the floor. He was good from the mid-post all day, using pivots and knocking down turnarounds effectively. Even while playing against the older players, Salkauskas was using his frame well to deliver contact and complete plays on drives to the rim. During drills, his three-point shooting was on display with the type of form that should be able to expand out to the college line. It doesn’t look like he’s done growing and there is already a ton to like about the inside-out game of Salkauskas.

Levente Tallos (6’3 PG, Lake Forest Academy 2026)

Tallos impressed with his decision making and general activity. He’s got good speed and feel as a 6-foot-3 lead guard, making a number of nice touch passes to teammates and knowing when to put some extra velocity on passes. Even during drills, he showed attention to detail on the timing and accuracy of his deliveries. Tallos has a clean outside shot and made a couple of threes during live segments. His lateral quickness and tenacity at the point of attack defensively was notable as well. Tallos looks like the type of two-way guard that coaches look for to compete.

Logan Luxem (6’3 PG, Hersey 2026)

Luxem is advanced from a creativity standpoint. He hit threes comfortably, but really shined as a playmaker and dribble penetrator. The Hersey floor general drew defenders out in ball screens, made quick moves off the bounce, and collapsed the defense time and time again. He excelled in drive-and-kick situations where he got paint touches and through passes around the perimeter to shooters. Look for Luxem to take over as the primary ball-handler for a Hersey team who has a strong returning core.

Omer Gabela (6’6 SF, Lake Forest Academy 2028)

Gabela has a ton of raw talent and a high ceiling if he can put everything together. He played in both the upperclassmen and sophomore groups, showing a nice outside shot with soft touch. Gabela has a plus wingspan that allowed him to contest shots and extend over help side defenders to finish plays inside. On two-to-three dribble attacks, he was assertive and fluid putting it on the ground. While his shooting seems to be his forte, Gabela has an intriguing all-around game that is worth following over the next four years.

Timo Sakoufakis (6’4 SF/PF, Maine South 2027)

Sakoufakis was a standout in the 2027 group. The combination of proficient interior scorer and shooting potential made him a mismatch all day. He was physical and decisive on drives to the rim, going strong to his left hand to draw fouls or shake off contact to make layups. As the day progressed, he started to find his touch from the perimeter, hitting a few threes off of the bounce once defenders started to give him a step. Sakoufakis played with a high motor on both backboards during live play, shedding box outs and making second and third efforts to corral misses. It was an all-around good day for the Maine South sophomore.

Vince Buzelis (6’4 SG/SF, Hinsdale Central 2025)

One of the stronger basket attackers of the group, Buzelis was a force when he put his head down to get to the rim. With size, strength, and vertical athleticism, he was hard to contain in one-on-one situations. Particularly on ball reversals or kickouts, he picked a direction and got to the rack early and often for contact layups and dunks. Also a solid outside shooter, Buzelis has a compact shot with the ability to make pull-ups comfortably. He competed well on the defensive end at times with the makeup that should translate well to the college level. Buzelis continues to look like a scholarship-level wing with upside.