We held our annual July camp with Agent Zero Masterclass out in Lake Forest last week, with over 70 players from across the state split up into two groups. We are starting by releasing evaluations from the upperclassmen group of 2027 and 2028 players.

Blue Team:

Kaeden Ackley (6’2 PG/SG, North Shore Country Day 2027)

Ackley provided a nice spark for the blue team with his on-ball defense and ability to push the tempo to create for others. He had a good number of assists off of his downhill drives, and finished a few for himself as well. Ackley has a physical build and a nice first step to beat primary defenders. Those traits really showed up on the defensive end where he was able to stand up other ball-handlers and ultimately force tough, contested shots or dribble pickups. Ackley is a solid, high-academic combo guard to look out for.

Reymundo Garibay (6’0 PG/SG, Kenosha St. Joes [WI] 2028)

Playing on the ball for stretches for his team, Garibay delivered as a strong decision maker, particularly in P&Rs. There was no rush to his operation, getting good angles to run defenders off screens before picking apart the defense with passes to rollers, shooters off of skips, and baseline cutters. Any time the defense was noncommittal, he went into another gear to get to the rim, where he had some athletic finishes. Garibay mixed in some jumpers off the catch and a few dribble pull-ups as well. I was very impressed with his on-ball defense to fight through screens and disrupt actions that other teams were trying to get into during the scrimmages. He produced on both ends throughout the whole 5-on-5 segment.

Ben Newcomb (6’3 SG, Lakes 2027)

Newcomb’s level of IQ, versatility, and efficiency can’t really be properly quantified. He showed a willingness to impact the game in whatever way is needed to win. The rising guard was excellent out of the triple threat, making quick decisions to either catch-and-shoot, shot fake and go, or explode to the rim. The Lakes standout was one of the most proficient off-the-dribble shooters, with textbook balance and mechanics when rising up into his shot. Newcomb also made pinpoint passes and identified mismatches to invert into the post, where he sealed the backside and scored around the rim well. He also was scrappy defensively and has the length and athleticism to make a consistent impact. I remain incredibly high on Newcomb.

Jackson Wood (6’3 SG, Hope Christian Academy 2028)

Wood was another dynamo offensively for the blue team, bringing consistent three-level production. Well-built with good athleticism and burst, he rose right up over defenders for pull-ups and drilled threes with defenders in his grill. Wood also excelled when driving closeouts, showing some speed and serious body control as a finisher to go around, over, or through help-side defenders. He had a few powerful dunks throughout the day and seems to have effortless lift in the paint. Off the ball, Wood was a productive cutter and lane-runner, while also adding value as a defender who switched onto bigs at times when needed. Wood is trending up.

Elie Ghattas (6’6 PF, DePaul Prep 2027)

Ghattas won MVP of the older group, and for good reason. I know the term “motor” gets thrown around a lot, but Ghattas really plays like he has a V12 engine. Throughout the live segments, he compiled rebounds on both ends, going up strong with two hands, while also showing similar effort to block shots and run the floor. When he got touches inside of 10 feet, he was dunking anything he could and playing through contact on dropsteps and rolls. What also stood out was how unselfish and decisive he was as a passer. He wasted no time whipping some of his offensive rebounds out to shooters and was quick to read the help once double teams came. There was never a moment where Ghattas let the opposing teams off the hook, and that trait, combined with his athleticism and developing skill set, will make him a priority frontcourt recruit.

Sean Ryan (6’1 PG/SG, Maine South 2028)

A perfect complement to the other scorers on the blue team, Ryan is just a winning player. He had his hands and feet ready as a spacer, burying a bunch of spot-up looks, and also made the extra pass on numerous occasions to go from a good to a great shot for the team. The lanky guard was solid off of the dribble as well, willing to take contact on drives and going into the paint with a plan every time. He also fought defensively to stay in front of the ball and used his length well to affect passing lanes and shots. Everything was clean and deliberate for Ryan, who is going to have a big year for a new-look Maine South team.