The players of the Generation Next Basketball Association all have games which are in development and looking to fine tune different skills and understandings of basketball, some as they move on to the next level playing high school ball which is a whole new world from the middle school ranks. There were both current 7th and 8th graders that came up with some top notch performances during the weekend at the Fieldhouse in Illinois. Check below to see some of the players I felt played the best throughout the weekend when I had the chance to see them play, and the others who had really good games for their teams and look to be attracting looks for their play as they move into summer basketball soon.

TOP PERFORMERS
AMAR AUGILLARD – 2021 – SF – KESSEL HEAT
Augillard is 6’4” and is built strong like a forward who can play on the blocks and fight through contact, which he did a number of times over the weekend, making shots around the hoop and grabbing rebounds down low. He also continued to show his ability to play from the wing, and broke down defenders a couple times to attack off the dribble and then pulled up for some mid-range jump shots, but he was also able to hit some three-point shots and typically led his team in scoring.

ELIJAH BULL – 2021 – G – ALL IN ATHLETICS
Bull had a pretty consistent weekend overall, playing with strength as a smaller guard, and definitely using his quickness and controlled handles to constantly be a threat to the opposing defenders when he had the ball. He did a nice job of using his crossover to setup the opponent and then blew by to attack the middle of the defense and he was patient then when he got there, which is a mature aspect of his game. He settled and either made the move all the way to the hoop from there, or he would find a teammate that was open and had a number of assists. Bull also was able to keep defenders honest on the outside by hitting some three’s with pretty good form and confidence, hitting the 20-point mark in each of the two games I saw him play.

STEVE CLAY – 2022 – F – WI SHOOTERS
Clay had a really solid day on Saturday, and with other glances over at his games he was competing defensively, made some nice plays offensively, and was working hard on the boards, using his length to an advantage. Built a bit in the ‘Giannis’ mold with long arms and skill-wise being good on the attack and showing instincts, Clay does excellent when he’s running the floor in transition and can really use his physical traits to make plays past or over defenders. He showed good body control and made some nice plays at the rim, drawing fouls often and being able to either finish and get to the line, or at least getting to the line for some free throw chances. He has the skills and size to be a double-double type player as he continues to develop.

ROBERT DELONG – 2021 – SG – WI SWING
Delong made some really nice plays for his team. He was really good assisting others during the weekend and showed good court vision. On top of that though, he was excellent making plays offensively for himself as well, creating his own looks and was able to knock down shots throughout games. Delong was great from the perimeter, hitting several three’s and putting up some good numbers across the board.

KAMARI MCGEE – 2021 – G – BUTLER ELITE
McGee put on a display this weekend that shows he is ready for high school play next year. He anticipated plays really well on defense and was an absolute terror in Butler’s press. When it turns the other end of the court, McGee was just as much a threat as he pushed the tempo and scored on the break, or he blew by defenders to attack the paint and score driving to the hoop. He also drained shots from the perimeter and just generally played with a lot of energy and smarts to make whatever play needed to be made each possession.

TYNAN NUMKENA – 2022 – F – QUAD CITY ELITE
Numkena is an up-and-coming prospect after this weekend, as he made a lot of plays for his team on each end of the court and his aggressive play allowed him to get several opportunities from the free throw line. He rebounded the ball pretty well, especially on defense where he was active defensively both on the ball and coming over in help to teammates, and then finished plays off by just outworking opponents on the boards or hustle balls. When he went on offense, he was able to beat teams by getting to the hoop, and at times showed a nice jump shot. Numkena was also passing the ball well and overall was just heady and smart with his moves.

TE’JAI PRICE – 2021 – G/F – DTA
Price is an outstanding athlete and his quickness and strength really paid dividends for him on the court this past weekend. He had good games all weekend, just using his leaping ability to pull down a number of rebounds for his team, he was quick on the ball whenever it was loose, and pushed the ball up the court. He really showed up big on offense in a game Saturday though when he attacked the rim to finish several plays, but was also able to hit a couple pull-up mid-range shots that show his developing game.

TANNER RESCH – 2021 – G – RAY ALLEN SELECT
Ray Allen Select’s team is very balanced and any game a different player can lead their team in scoring or impact the game in a variety of ways. Resch was the major contributor for his team consistently this past weekend though as he was aggressive with the ball in his hands and his quickness off the catch, particularly when fading off a screen and then attacking baseline where he used his floater well. Then there’s his perimeter shooting, and Resch had that rolling well again in Illinois, knocking down several three’s, a few of them in clutch moments when they really needed a bucket, such as in their final game when they trailed big early and Resch’s triples helped them inch their way back into the game and eventually winning in OT.

BRENNAN WHITE – 2022 – G – MADE MEN
White seems primed to he is one of the better three-point shooters around as he was firing them through the nets often this past weekend. White was able to hit several three’s in each game and he did it a couple different ways, showing he could hit them off the catch where he could get a good rhythm step in, and also that he could hit them after taking a dribble or two to pull up and shoot it with good control and confidence. He made some other nice plays for his team both Saturday and Sunday, like passing the ball well overall and working hard defensively, but his biggest impact was clearly in his ability to put up points in a hurry with his outside shot.

JAMAURI WINFREY – 2022 – F – IL IRISH
Winfrey had a couple nice games during the weekend, really putting together strong outings with his skill and his effort. Offensively, Winfrey has some tools, and he put them to work by pushing hard to the hoop often and not being afraid to be physical attacking rim. He was a regular at the free throw line, made a couple nice and-1 finishes, and also showed up well from the mid-range area. His shot looks to be coming along and he puts himself in good spots to score inside off the catch when a couple of his guards are driving and dishing.

STOCK BOOSTERS
DELONE AUSTIN – 2021 – G/F – PLAYGROUND ELITE FLETCHER
Austin makes some really nice plays for PGE, and he does so in a couple different ways. Sunday, he was really active in Playground’s pressure defensively, and Austin used his length and athleticism for a wing to come up with some deflections and steals to get himself and his team out on the break for some scoring opportunities. He does a nice job finishing inside when he attacks but he was even better from the perimeter, knocking down a bunch of three’s, eclipsing 20 points in their final game Sunday, but having a generally strong weekend overall.

ISAAC HANEY – 2021 – G – YANDERS LAW
Haney isn’t the biggest guard or even the quickest guard, but he played again this weekend with intelligence and craftiness that he uses to get open looks at different levels of the offense. He is exceptional from the perimeter when he gets any kind of clean look, but he also continued to show the ability to knock it down on the move from the mid-range area and even when getting down towards the hoop, using floaters and runners to catch the defenders inside off guard. His aggressive and crafty play also forces defenders to have to foul him at times and he was very good from the free throw line when he got the opportunities.

BRYLAN PHILLIPS – 2022 – PG – IL IRISH
Phillips was outstanding throughout the weekend with his ability to attack defenses in a number of ways. He had good handles and used both hesitation and crossover moves to get the opponent off balance and then worked his way to the paint, making plays on jumpers in the middle or finishing against contact with good body control at the hoop.  On top of scoring around the hoop on the drive, he can also step back and hit shots, which he did well this weekend also. Defensively, Phillips needs to get a bit more consistent, but he did a nice job at times of using his athleticism to anticipate passes and come up with steals, or to just dog the ball-handler into getting rid of the ball in a rush.

KELLEN THAMES – 2022 – SG – ST. LOUIS CLIPPERS
Thames can get hot and cold at times in games, but when he’s hot his game soars. The sleek young guard had a huge first half in a game Saturday night that really showed off his firepower ability, where he was draining three’s without hesitation, and then also scoring on the break. He proved later he could reign it in a bit and attack off the bounce for scores as well, and has a developing offensive game.

MARCUS TOMASHEK – 2022 – G – WI BLIZZARD
Tomashek is a heady player with some nice tools to his offensive game. The young guard prospect can beat opponents in a number of ways, but it really starts with his ability to send home shots from the perimeter with relative consistency. Once he got his three-point shot rolling in a game Saturday, Tomashek was able to use fakes and his handles to get inside and make some shots from mid-range areas, with jumpers and a nice floater once as well. He does a nice job of drawing contact on his shot and getting himself opportunities at the free throw line where he shot the ball really well also.