I was out at M14 to watch a handful of 17U games from teams I haven’t been able to see much of this month. Here are some of the standouts.

Illinois Flight 17U

Nick Brzezniak (6’6 SF, Lincoln-Way West)

As the game progressed, Brzezniak’s activity was critical in going on a nearly 20-0 run to erase a double digit deficit. His length in the passing lanes led to several steals and transition runouts, where he showed good open court agility for a 6-foot-6 wing. With some other size on the floor, he did a nice job defending guards in space and sliding his feet to keep his chest in front of the ball. Brzezniak also cut well along the baseline for easy layups and showed serious athletic pop and potential at the rim.

He has so many different ways to affect the game, acting as a high post passer in the middle of the zone early on, attacking in straight lines well, and also adding a three in the second half. Brzezniak should be a coveted wing prospect with size, shooting ability, and versatility on both ends.

Nathan Munson (6’0 PG, Lockport)

Munson has a ton of IQ and feel at the point guard spot to complement a toughness and physicality that works well. He was attacking paint all game, either finding open shooters and bigs, or playing through bumps to score. Even as the defense started ramping up pressure later in the game, he never seemed to be sped up and his processing remained sharp.

Late in the shot clock, he was able to create separation for some threes and showed a consistent set shot with some range to it. I really like Munson’s defensive ability and projection, particularly as an on-ball disruptor who has the upper body strength, lower half, and discipline to make life tough on other ball-handlers. Munson was a factor as a two-way lead guard.

Wes Shelby (6’6 PF, Lincoln-Way East)

The shooting ability stood out most for the well-built, 6-foot-6 forward. Shelby knocked down a handful of threes throughout the game and looked comfortable taking and making shots with defenders flying out at him. He got his feet set well and produced well as a spot-up threat, particularly from the middle third of the floor as a pop and trail threat.

He’s also a deceptively good vertical athlete who can elevate well around the rim and block shots when he gets a running start. There were a couple of dump-off finishes that he had in the dunker’s spot and he rebounded well on both ends. Shelby is a quality face-up 4/5 man to track.

Meanstreets EYCL 17U

Elijah Bell (6’2 PG/SG, Marian Central)

The power and explosiveness that Bell possesses out of the backcourt is a real differentiator. Any time he had a driving angle, he put his head down, played through contact, and scored with double clutch layups and bump finishes. He has easy bounce around the rim and has no problem finishing through or over size on the help side.

He was a nice scoring piece for Meanstreets, mainly in the open floor and off of stampede catches where he could get defenders on their heels. As a shooter, he has nice elevation on his pull-up and can heat up from the perimeter when he gets in rhythm. Bell also flashed some playmaking ability as a drive-and-kick decision maker who can find guys at high speeds. He’s got the frame, burst, and attacking mindset that should appeal to coaches across several levels.

Brady Harris (5’11 PG, Francis Parker)

Harris was tremendous at the point of attack defensively, regularly forcing guards to try to make counters to get by him. He was on those too, sliding his feet well and either forcing a pass, tough shot, or turnover. Harris seemed to really welcome guarding some skilled backcourt guys who had some size and length.

Offensively, Harris continued to look like an energizer who can score in bulk at times or run the offense. He didn’t force anything and used his speed to get downhill before delivering the ball on time to guys. His combination of shooting range, IQ, and dribble penetration remains worth monitoring. I can’t speak highly enough about how hard Harris competed defensively.

Amir Tucker (6’2 PG/SG, St. Ignatius [2028])

It has been great to see the exponential growth that Tucker has shown over the last few years. Playing up an age today, he was getting quality separation, shaking off some physicality from defenders, and shooting it at a high clip. His offensive game is so smooth and precise, able to lull defenders to sleep with size-up moves before lifting into his jumper or getting a driving angle.

It was a lot of fun to watch the offensive efficiency he showed today. But he held his own on the other end as well while playing against a team with size across the board. There is a maturity about his game, with the feel and knowledge of angles, spacing, and timing that often take players years to develop. The arrow continues to point up.

MidPro Academy 17U

Brady Welch (5’11 PG, Moline)

While this isn’t a news flash for anyone in the Quad Cities area, Welch can really shoot it. He put on a three-point barrage, coming off of flares, hitting long threes in transition off the bounce, and creating space with crossovers and counters before drilling some bombs. It may have been the best individual shooting performance that I’ve seen this summer, and it was off of some tough, movement shots.

Welch displayed a tight, controlled handle as a primary decision maker and kept the ball popping offensively. I like how he is willing to give it up early and immediately cut to open space, either going backdoor or chasing it to get a handoff. Welch may lack some size, but he is tough as nails and has the ball skills and long-range marksmanship that will play well at the scholarship level.

Brendan Petty (6’7 SF, Morton)

You don’t find a lot of wings with the size and frame of Petty who are as fluid and explosive athletically. He was all over the glass for MidPro, getting to the rim to snatch rebounds or get tips. His defensive profile remains as intriguing as any wing defender in the 2027 class, possessing great instincts and the physical tools to both affect passing lanes and recover to block shots at a high rate like he showed today.

Petty is developing well on the offensive side as well, gaining some comfort off the dribble to make some downhill counters and being able to go up amongst the trees inside and still convert. Although he didn’t have to take many for a team that was lights out from the outside today, he has decent mechanics that should travel well as he continues to extend his range. Petty has the look of a serious, long-term Division I wing if he can put everything together.

Joe Morrow (6’9 C, United)

Against a pair of 7-footers, Morrow’s physicality and activity were difference-makers in neutralizing them. He’s got a great frame and has really come a long way as an enforcer inside who can challenge shots and still finish possessions with rebounds in traffic. He was moving guys off the block and rotating over well, showing some good mobility at his size.

Morrow played to his strengths offensively, setting hard screens and working around the paint well to clean up missed shots and dump off passes. There is some promise on the block going over his left shoulder and plenty of upside as a ball screen outlet who can catch and go up strong. His best basketball is ahead of him and Morrow is a super-high academic big who should have a long list of suitors.

Cayden Love (6’2 PG/SG, Champaign Central)

Love had a big game, providing an immediate impact as soon as he checked in. The bouncy combo guard hit a few threes off the catch and dribble, and was in attack mode all game. He drove closeouts well for them and was able to maneuver himself in traffic to score to avoid the shot blockers.

His energy defensively and in transition stood out as well. Love turned steals into easy looks, even throwing down a powerful dunk off of one of them. He fits the mold of a potential ball hawk who can defend both backcourt spots. Love showed well on both ends today.

Cole Shannon (6’5 PG/SG, Clinton [IA])

Shannon was impressive as a fluid combo guard who can shoot the laces off of it. He was efficient with his footwork and mechanics off the catch, and looked to have range past the college line. With his height, defenders struggled to do much in terms of making effective contests. He also has a functional handle that allowed him to act as a secondary playmaker at times for MidPro.

Shannon’s length and skillset should allow him to flex to multiple spots on the perimeter, which he did well today against a quality team. He has some moxie to him as well as an attacker and decision maker that should serve him well as he continues to fill out. It was my first time seeing Shannon in person and he left a great impression.

Southwest IL Jets 16U

Wyatt Schrage (6’6 PF, Breese Central)

Schrage was a technician from the mid-post, showing impressive footwork, touch, and patience inside. He was making baseline turnarounds look easy over defenders with length, using a high release to get shots over extended hands. Schrage is lethal as a face-up threat, with range out to the three-point line and a ton of confidence to bury long-range shots.

At 6-foot-6 (and seemingly still growing), his feel with his back to the basket is going to be a separator. When they needed big shots inside, he went over both shoulders and scored, looking comfortable with post counters and hooks/step throughs as well. He also moves well in space and is a solid in-area rebounder who was battling defensively. I can only imagine what Schrage will look like 12 months from now as he continues to grow and fill out.

De’Andre Stewart (5’9 PG, Vashon [MO])

There might not be enough adjectives to describe the type of energy that Stewart brought. He gave tireless effort on both ends and was as tough and gritty as you could want from your lead guard. Stewart was applying pressure in space, hustling to loose balls, and rebounding in traffic like a player a foot taller.

The ball was on a string offensively and he regularly knifed into the lane where he absorbed contact and used some creative floaters and off-rhythm shots inside. Size isn’t a detriment when you play with the competitive fire, discipline, and pace that Stewart brings. Still with time to grow physically, he already makes winning plays across the board.

Y&R 16U

Ethan Vahl (6’3 PG, Oswego)

Vahl was the catalyst for Y&R’s comeback, taking control of the game at the point guard spot. He did an excellent job at calming things down, playing with pace, and understanding how to manipulate the defense. When he was isolated, he broke defenders down to either get downhill and facilitate. But he also was able to shake guys and get separation for long threes with several stepbacks in space.

Vahl’s vision remains on a different level than other guards in the class. He used ball and eye fakes incredibly well to shift the help before finding guys open. There were some nice defensive moments as well, moving his feet against a really good point guard and blocking shots as well. Vahl is the most well-rounded floor general in the state.

Amir Beasley (6’9 PF, Danville)

Beasley has a ton of potential and that showed today. He looked best around the rim as a lob threat and quick decision maker inside of 15 feet. His length made it hard for anyone to really impact his shot, and he rose up over guys in the early going. Beasley also showed a willingness to shoot the three, which could really open up his game as he becomes more consistent.

Defensively, he was able to alter shots with well-timed wall-ups. Against a skilled forward, he moved his feet very well and tried to use his length to affect vision. Beasley’s upside is clear as day.

Logan Brown (6’6 SG/SF, St. Laurence)

Another Division 1 prospect for Y&R, Brown’s versatility was most notable. He got clean looks from three, knocking some down with his feet set, and also pushed on the break and facilitated in their offense. Brown’s strides cover a significant amount of ground and give him an edge in catch-and-go situations.

The rangy nature of his defense will be an effortless translation as he continues to mature physically. He can make up in one slide a distance that takes a lot of other wings multiple slides to cover, and that helped him stay in front of the ball all game. I also like his competitiveness and willingness to mix it up on the glass and get on the floor for loose balls. Brown is just scratching the surface of where he will be as a prospect.