I was out in Waukegan on Sunday to watch a couple games at the Fundamental U fall league. Of the games that I saw, here are some of the standouts.

Colby Smith (6’3 PG/SG, New Trier 2025)

Smith was the catalyst for the Trevians in a back-and-forth game, ultimately hitting a game-winner off of a curl cut to end it. That same cut was giving the defense problems all game as Smith continuously came off of curl screens hard and finished inside of the paint. The WashU commit hit a few shots from the perimeter as well and was battling on the defensive end while giving up some size. It was easy to see why Smith was a high-priority recruit for the always-tough Bears.

Danny Houlihan (6’4 SG, New Trier 2026)

As pure of a shooter as you’ll find in Illinois, Houlihan was being blanketed for the majority of the game. But every slip up turned out to be detrimental for the defense, banging a couple of threes and doing a nice job of sprinting his lanes in transition where his teammates found him in stride. Houlihan recently picked up his first Division 1 offer from High Point and continues to trend up.

Elias Fleming (6’3 PG/SG, New Trier 2027)

Only a sophomore, I think Fleming is at least a few inches taller than the last time I saw him in the summer. Fleming is a fluid ball-handler who just seemed to make sound reads and efficient decisions with the ball. He added value as a floor spacer and has compact mechanics that look repeatable. Given his youth and frame, I’d expect Fleming to continue to grow and become increasingly impactful.

Hudson Scroggins (6’8 SF/PF, Lake Forest 2025)

Scroggins was the most impressive player that I saw yesterday. There seems to be noticeable growth in his assertiveness that could be the key in realizing his potential. Playing large stretches at the point guard spot, the 6-foot-8 senior was getting the Scouts into their offense and manufacturing looks as a creator off of the bounce. He is uniquely skilled with his comfort making plays on the move, hitting multiple difficult pull-up jumpers from 15-to-19 feet and elevating well on short jumpers in the lane. Scroggins was getting to his spots early and often and was able to use his size or agility in whichever matchup he had. I also love his competitiveness on the defensive end, taking the challenge of guarding the best players on the other team. While the offers haven’t come yet, I still have Scroggins graded out as a potential Division 1 forward.

Brady Sehlhorst (6’7 SG/SF, NDCP 2025)

Sehlhorst carried the load for the Dons, who were playing without a few of the key pieces for their regular season team. While drawing a lot of defensive attention, he managed to make shots from all over the floor, often lifting up from long range or making aggressive downhill drives to the lane. Still possessing the length that is hard to find at the guard spot, he was able to negate some good on-ball defense with keeping the ball high on his pickups. Sehlhorst has a number of D1 options to consider.

Oliver Gray (6’6 SG, Barrington 2026)

Another talented shot-maker during the day, Gray put on a show as the game progressed while making a high volume of his outside shots and showing his continued growth as a basket attacker. Gray’s speedy release off of the catch or off of live dribbles seemed to catch defenders off guard, seemingly lulling guys to sleep before getting clean looks up. Particularly in transition and off of second chances, Gray was pouring in jumpers. He also had one of the plays of the day with a thunderous poster dunk in transition while a defender went up to challenge him. Look for Division 1 programs to continue to keep tabs on the up-and-coming junior.

Adam Baird (6’3 PG, Barrington 2025)

Baird was getting tips and strips all game long. He took on the challenge of guarding the other team’s top option, which will probably be the case during the regular season for Barrington. Baird’s anticipation and relentlessness set him apart on the defensive end, but he showed pace and timely scoring offensively via dribble penetration. Baird remains an under-the-radar gem at the D3 level due to his winning traits.

Chris Tacher (6’4 SG, Barrington 2025)

Tacher, who recently transferred from Wheaton Academy, showed the scoring prowess that made him a 20-point scoring threat at Elgin Academy the last few years. Athletic and aggressive at the guard spot, he was able to create space for jumpers with quick moves out of the triple threat. He also showed some pop around the rim with a dunk and multiple finishes up near the rim. Tacher is going to provide a nice addition as another shot-maker.

Anestis Hadjistamoulou (6’0 PG, Glenbrook South 2025)

There were moments of excellence from the standout GBS point guard. Hadjistamoulou got to the lane at will and was finishing through contact against size inside. His physical strength allows him to maintain his balance in crowds and he’s got the ability to knock down stop-and-pop shots after bumping defenders off of him. Despite facing some aggressive on-ball defense, he was able to use his shiftiness to comfortably get where he needed to in the offense. Hadjistamoulou is a really good D3 PG prospect.

Jacob Fuller (6’8 PF, Glenbrook South 2027)

Fuller was very impressive with his perimeter skillset at 6-foot-8. He’s got a clean, effortless three-point stroke that led to around a half dozen threes throughout the game. There is natural touch and proficiency from beyond the arc that is about as impressive as any forward that I’ve seen in the 2027 class. Fuller also flashed some ball skills and mobility while attacking the rim in transition and finishing near or above the rim on multiple occasions. To this point, he is one of the most talented face-up bigs in the sophomore class.

AJ Morgan (6’5 SG/SF, Vernon Hills 2025)

The explosive, 6-foot-5 wing was dominating inside of the paint off of dribble drives, cuts, and second chances. Morgan is a force when putting his head down to attack from the perimeter, often making quick moves off of the catch to get downhill. He also shows feel for his pull-up jumper, with range out to the three-point where he has a high arching shot path. Morgan was rock solid defensively in the half court, timing up when to jump passing lanes while also shutting down scoring opportunities. The ceiling is high for Morgan, who is a projectable, uncommitted senior who plays with energy and will on both ends.

Aidan Bardic (6’3 PG, Stevenson 2025)

Always a standout decision maker and creator, Bardic picked his spots and ultimately led the way during the second half blitz. Bardic zipped passes around the floor via skips and ball reversals to get his teammates quality scoring opportunities. The ball never seemed to stick, balancing quick decisions with understanding when to keep his dribble alive. As the game progressed, he got out in transition and was able to bully his way inside for finishes. The Winona State commit should be one of the best pure point guards in the state this year.

Nate Fridman (5’7 PG, Glenbrook North 2027)

Fridman has an innate toughness that you have to appreciate, particularly for a sophomore. He made some big shots from the perimeter, knocking down contested jumpers at different parts of the game. The hard-nosed guard was competing on the defensive end and worked well to beat defenders to spots to get stops. Fridman should be an impact player for a new-look GBN team.

Jake Pollack (6’8 PF, Deerfield 2026)

It was a strong showing from the 6-foot-8 forward for Deerfield. Pollack came out of the gate ready to affect the game on the glass, pulling in multiple rebounds in crowds and starting the break on his own. With touch, body control, and comfort as a ball-handler, Pollack dribbled into turnaround jumpers and absorbed contact well on drives. He showed his three-point range as well and was able to challenge shots effectively as a help side defender. Pollack continues to show signs of being a prime high-academic Division 1 prospect.

Sam Hanus (6’3 SG, Deerfield 2025)

Hanus balanced playmaking and scoring well, finding his shot in the flow of the offense and doing a nice job of driving and kicking as a primary ball-handler. At 6-foot-3, Hanus has a good understanding of how to use his body to shield off defenders and create angles to get to his spots. In his part of the zone, he was active using his length and lateral quickness to take away passing lanes. Hanus should have a breakout senior year as a productive shooter with an increasingly diverse shot profile. He should be a coveted D3 recruit.

Dawson Charles (6’2 SG, St. Viator 2027)

A showtime athlete with a much-improved perimeter shot, Charles was showing off his outside range in the game that I saw. The confidence and comfort setting his feet with defenders flying at him was noticeable, calmly knocking down open threes in rhythm. His first step is jet-quick, which showed up in the half court when closeouts were out of control. I also liked how he fought on the defensive end while giving up multiple inches in his matchup. Charles is a sophomore with a bright future who will take a huge leap in his second varsity season.

Jacob Ony (6’1 PG, St. Viator 2028)

There were a lot of good flashes from the lanky freshman. Only was excellent on the defensive end, applying pressure in the full court and generating multiple turnovers. His quickness and smooth movement with the ball then showed as he evaded defenders at the rim and made layups well. Only has a tight handle as a ball-handler but also has the outside shooting ability to play off of the ball for a guard-heavy Viator group.

Jaali Love (6’7 SF, Waukegan 2026)

The versatility that Love has is a separator for him. His active hands and defensive IQ allowed him to rip multiple ball-handlers in one-on-one situations and he shined as an open court decision maker. With long strides and a solid frame to play through bumps, Love was taking it coast to coast and finishing plays inside. He also has promise as a face-up threat both shooting it and attacking closeouts with some wiggle off of the dribble. Love has a good amount of potential and is trending in the right direction.

Bryce Wegrzyn (6’8 PF, Libertyville 2026)

Wegrzyn was dominant for stretches with his outside scoring ability. He made multiple threes and looked at home beyond the arc when defenders closed out short. On rolls and straight-line drives, he was under control but forceful while making his way inside. Wegrzyn has soft hands inside as a rebounder and screen outlet and had some nice moments making passes when he saw two defenders on him. After breaking out as a sophomore, the Libertyville forward should have a monster junior year.

Panayiotis Sotos (6’2 PG/SG, Maine South 2026)

Sotos is a physical combo guard who was taking advantage of his size inside against some smaller defenders. He got to the elbows and short corners well off of the bounce and shot over the top of guys trying to contest his shot. When he tried to get all the way to the rim, he was able to shed bumps well. Sotos was battling defensively and on the glass, looking like a guard capable of averaging five-plus rebounds a game this year.

Rico D’Alessandro (6’4 SF/PF, Maine South 2026)

D’Alessandro impressed with his energy and ferocious attacks to the rim, finishing with a number of strong dunks and powering his way inside through contact. More often than not, the defenders took the brunt of the damage from trying to step over to help as D’Alessandro couldn’t be denied when he tried to get inside. There were also multiple times where he stopped around the foul line and made sound pull-ups off of the bounce. His game has continued to round out and he should be a problem in his first year with Maine South.