2024 Frosh/Soph #E75 South - The Wings

Saturday, September 14th, 2024

The wings that came out to Connecticut last week look to be a very solid group with lots of upside all around. While small in quantity, this group offers tons of size and upside to monitor over the next few years. A couple guys even earned themselves scholarship offers in the week post Frosh/Soph.

Let's take a look at some attributes they bring to the table.

DJ Hawkins, St. Thomas More - Picking up an offer from Youngstown State on Thursday, Hawkins' upside is undeniable. He's a very athletic wing that finishes in a variety of ways at the basket. His game is fluid with a smooth shot form, does well as an intiator, and has a solid handle on the ball. As he continues to develop as a shot creator and grows into his body, his recruitment will be one to monitor at St. Thomas More.

Talib Martin, St. Peter's Prep - In the days following the showcase, the Staten Island native picked up his second Division One offer from George Mason. Martin brings high-flying athleticism to the court, as well as fludiity with the ball, which allowed him to score all over the court. With a lenghty wingspan to his name, as well as a circle of professional and high-level college hoopers, he is definitely a player to know moving forward.

Elijah Cornell, Stonington - Making his name known playing in both the North and South Frosh/Soph events, Cornell was a true stockriser. He's got size at 6'5" and while he may grow even taller, he's stil growing into his current frame. He's got a shot from outside that he knocks down at a high clip, and intriguing positional versatility that makes him a prospect to monitor in the class of 2028.

Sonny Batchelor, Westminster - An incoming sophomore at Westminster, Batchelor enters New England from nearby Poughkeepsie, NY. At 6'5", he brings an impressive guard skillset to the court with some twitch to his handle. His three-point shooting was well noted by our scouts as he knocked down shots in bunches. With a versatile scoring skillset in his bag, keep an eye on his growth moving forwards.

Milos Vasic, Hotchkiss - A new name to know in Connecticut, Vasic was a true standout at the Connecticut edition of the showcase. He's got two-way abilities to his game, with a smooth stroke from outside at 6'8" that defenders have a tough time guarding. On defense, he offers versatility, has good timing and his length allows him to contest shots all over the floor.

Tyler Newsom, St. Luke's - The son of a longtime college coach, Newsom has continued to impress in our viewings of him. He did a great job last weekend of attacking the basket and finishing through contact. He uses his body well to manuever his way to the rim, has a fluid load up to his shot and has great defensive awareness to jump passes and create turnovers.

Nicola Plalum, Cheverus - One of two prospects who drove down from Maine for the Connecticut event, the Cheverus 2027 showed out. He's a high energy defender that can guard 1-3 with his quick feet and disruptive length. He was giving opposing players a tough time blocking a handful of shots. On offense, he shoots it from outside and can finish athletically above the rim.

Michael Bradley, East Catholic - An up-and-coming prospect at East Catholic, Bradley was very impressive in his showing at the Elite 75. He's got a strong build to him which he uses well to box out and control the boards, but can also finish dunks over contesting defenders. His motor stood out, constantly moving and making good cuts to the basket, as well as crashing to make second chance opportunities. Will be a 2027 to watch in the CIAC this season.

Christian Cournoo, Hamden Hall - Running it back for a second year at the Frosh/Soph Elite 75, there were some noticeable strides made in Cournoo's game. He did a great job of moving his feet on defense and locking in his assignment. On the other end, he did a good job on takes to the basket.

Cooper Acheychek, St. Luke's - A big time pitcher out of Southport Connecticut, Acheychek's game continues to come around on the court. He's got a knack for grabbing boards and a growing skillset as a scorer.

Stay tuned as we delve into a deep group of guards in the coming days!