Be Seen Tour: Team Northeast

Dylan Thayer | Thursday, May 16th, 2024

Fresh off a run to the championship game in the top varsity division at Super 16, Team Northeast is ready to show out at this weekends live period at the ZGXL Summit.

James Cray has put together a team full of college prospects with scholarship level talent, and guys Division III schools should check out. Let's take a look at what this year's 17U squad has to offer. 

Jermelle Cotton is the focal point of their offense, and has scholarship interest from a number of schools. He controls the tempo of the game with his threat to score from anywhere on the floor. Cotton has a shifty, tight handle which he uses to keep the defense guessing. He gets into shots quick from outside, has limitless range and a consistent release to knock down shots efficiently. On defense, he is outstanding as an on-ball defender, timing his hands well for steals, and can even track down and alter shots.

Leighton Williams has picked up Division II interest in the class of 2025 as the guard brings a strong scoring arsenal to the court. The southpaw has good touch a few feet out from the rim, but has versatility from farther out being able to hit standstill and movement shots. His on-ball defense is eyecatching and he can impact the game in transition. He recently suffered injury which will hold him out this grassroots season.

Patrick Tehan is a familiar face as he competed with Andrews Osborne this school year. Standing at 6’5” he is a floor stretching wing that can put the ball on the floor as a ballhandler. He is a solid catch-and-shoot threat as he relocates to open space, makes important hustle plays on both ends of the floor and rebounds it well.

Six foot guard Nikolas Yudin made his impact felt on the defensive end, using his footwork to keep the ball in front of him. In our viewing he did a good job of using his timing and quick hands to force steals, and knocked down a few shots for himself.

Drew Sisson is a stockier guard that gets really low on defense using his strong legs. On offense he made an impact as a guard using his pace and IQ to get to different spots on the floor. His scoring touch particularly on floaters is impressive, but he can wiggle around defenders to finish through contact as well.

6’6 Peter Nydam’s switchability on defense allows him to guard multiple positions and wreak havoc on defense. He gets into strong box outs and uses his length to control the ball. As a scorer, he can use both hands around the basket, has good mid-range touch and converts while getting downhill.

Ladariun Jones brings a lengthy wingspan to the court, which combined with his pop off the floor, allows him to finish above the rim for dunks. He has a solid first step on drives, sliding down the lane, does well finishing through contact, and getting to the free throw line.

Sean Quinn stood out immediately as a shooting threat, knocking down three-pointers in rhythm and in bunches. He brings a lot of energy to the floor playing with a high motor and making important hustle plays. His effort is noticeable on the boards as he gets physical to box out and grab the ball, as well as chase down loose balls.

Cairyn Jessie stands at 6’3” but did a great job playing in the frontcourt on defense. He puts his body on the line and uses his long arms to crowd passing lanes and alter shots. He has some sneaky bounce towards the rim to slam down dunks or finish acrobatically.

CJ Azor is a tough guard that has quick burst with he ball that allows him to carve up a defense when getting downhill. He has vision to create for others, but also does a little bit of everything - especially getting after boards.