The annual NY2LA Sports Generation Next Tip-Off featured some of the top teams and prospects in the Midwest and the talent was on full display all weekend. The tournament provided a platform for the future stars of the game to show what they could do, and they did not disappoint. 

Standout Performers 
Note – Not listed in any particular order – This is not an exclusive list

Quinton Lomack – G - 2024 
Quinton Lomack is a bright young talent. He showed impressive vision and feel for the game, running the point even as the biggest player on his team. In half-court offense, Lomack knocked down jumpers off the dribble – hitting 5 threes in his first game of the weekend – and was aggressive attacking the basket where he was able to finish through contact or drop off passes to teammates for easy baskets. A legitimate triple double every time he touched the court, Lomack has a very bright future and is clearly one to watch closely moving forward. 

Gus Yalden – F - 2023
Gus Yalden may have had the best weekend of any player at the 14U level, capping it off by scoring 30 points in the championship game to help his Wisconsin Phenoms team to the tournament title. Yalden has a great combination of size and touch around the basket, and has soft hands which allowed him to catch and finish tough passes from teammates. He also showed flashes of a smooth perimeter jumper, hitting a couple of threes. The most impressive part of his play, however, may have been his competitiveness. He played with an edge and toughness which showed he clearly puts winning over individual stats. Yalden is a great young prospect and looks to be a major problem moving forward. 

Tayshawn Bridges – G/F - 2024
A dynamic guard prospect, Tayshawn Bridges had a huge weekend for the Milwaukee Spartans, helping them to capture the 13U championship. Bridges is a shifty ball handler and was able to break down defenders off the dribble with ease and get to the rim, where he showed creative finishing ability with both hands. He shot the ball well from three on catch and shoot and hit midrange shots off the dribble. Bridges also showed some flare as a passer in the open court, hitting teammates with no look passes for lay ups. Bridges is one of the top 2024 prospects in the Midwest and has potential to develop into an elite prospect nationally. 

Kyrii Britton – G - 2024
Kyrii Britton is a uniquely talented player at this level, as he has the skill set to play Point Guard, as well as the size and toughness to guard opposing team’s biggest players and battle on the glass. A good ball handler, Britton was able to get bigger defenders off balance and use angles to attack the basket where he finished or drew fouls. He also showed great court vision, racking up the assist over the weekend as he led his Mac Irvin Fire 13U squad to the Final 4. Britton has a chance to be next in line of a long list of big time talents to come out of the Mac Irvin Fire program. 

Mekhi Cooper – G - 2023 
Mekhi Cooper is a true floor general on the court, playing with good pace and always under control while still being aggressive. Cooper was able to get into the paint and finish with floaters or pull up jumpers, and consistently find open teammates when the defense collapsed. A blur in the open floor, Cooper thrived in transition, using his quickness to get into passing lanes and finish on the break. He also showed solid mechanics and rotation on his jumper, hitting catch and shoot threes as well as pull ups from midrange off the bounce. 

Naz Beamon – PG - 2024
Naz Beamon teamed with Tayshawn Bridges to help the Milwaukee Spartans to the 13U championship, and was a matchup problem for anyone who attempted to defend him. A powerful driver, Beamon was able to get to the rim off the dribble and finish through contact with either hand. His jumper is solid and he knocked down deep shots when given time and space. Beamon also impressed with his tenacity at times on the glass, out working his opponents for offensive rebounds and put back buckets. Along with Bridges and Lomack, Beamon showed there is good reason to be very high on Wisconsin’s 2024 class. 

Chikasi Ofama – F - 2022
Chikasi Ofama is a powerful post prospect who showed some potential as a combo forward throughout the weekend. He was generally the strongest player on the court at any given time, over powering his defenders for rebounds and finishing through contact at the basket. He’s very young for his grade and he’s a good athlete, able to sky for rebounds with two hands and had a couple dunks. Ofama also showed flashes of his budding perimeter skill, going by slower defenders off the dribble and utilizing a go to spin move to finish at the rim.

Raeshom Harris – G/F - 2023
Raeshom Harris is a promising young wing guard prospect with good length and agility. Harris is a fluid athlete and showed the ability to handle the ball, hitting a couple jumpers off the dribble and driving to the rim where he was able to finish over smaller defenders. On defense, Harris used his length to affect shots in the paint and get steals leading to fast breaks, where he thrived as a transition finisher. A young talent to watch, Harris looked to have as much upside as any wing at the event at the 14U level.

Prentice Young – G - 2023
A slashing wing, Prentice Young was able to finish at the basket all weekend for his WI Phenoms 14U squad, helping them to the tournament title. He was especially productive in the open floor where he was able to score the ball himself as well as draw defenders and find teammates with nice drop off passes for easy lay ups. Young used his length to be disruptive on the defensive end and was strong on the glass as part of an impressive front line for the WI Phenoms. 

Mac Wrecke – F - 2023
Mac Wrecke showed great timing to block shots and is a fluid athlete. He looked good attacking the rim, using his combination of size and agility to get by defenders. Wrecke had a very impressive sequence on Sunday which serves as a summary of his skill set – blocked a shot at the rim, gathered the defensive rebound and took it coast to coast where he finished with a euro step move to get around his defender and lay the ball in with his left hand. He looked solid handling the ball on the perimeter and scored 20 points in an impressive outing vs a good Milwaukee Spartans team. 

Derrick Johnson – G - 2024
Derrick Johnson was one of the best shooters at the Generation Next Tip-Off, knocking down spot up threes as well as a couple of impressive pull ups in transition. He looked comfortable handling the ball and made some nice passes. Johnson’s best performance of the weekend came against Illinois Blaze on Saturday afternoon, as he scored 19 points and hit 5 threes to help his Mac Irvin 13U team to the win.

Simeon Murchinson – F/C - 2023 
Murchinson is an incredibly long post prospect with a very bright future. He created havoc all weekend for opposing teams, blocking shots at the rim and altering countless others. He used his length well and has good timing to contest shots without fouling. He did a good job of rebounding the ball at its highest point and making solid outlet passes. Offensively, he showed some long term promise as a jump shooter and finisher, knocking down an occasional free throw line jumper, and scoring around the basket off dump off passes and offensive rebounds. 

Kylan Boswell – SG - 2023
Boswell was one of the top shooters at the 14U level throughout the weekend, and capped it off in a big way, scoring 25 points and making 6 threes in a tough 1-point loss in the championship game to WI Phenoms. He has good shot mechanics and a soft touch from deep, hitting shots both off the dribble and in spot up situations. Boswell also flashed some potential as a playmaker as opposing defense were forced to respect him as a shooter, allowing him to beat close outs and get into the lane. 

Parker Sulaver – F/C - 2024
Sulaver is a solid young post prospect and played well for his Batavia Bulldogs squad. He showed probably the best post footwork in the entire event, scoring on a variety of drop steps, spins, and up-and-unders in the post. He operated out to the free throw line area, and threw some nice passes from the high post vs Mac Irvin Fire on Sunday morning. He did show some ability to handle the ball after gathering defensive rebounds, but was best when making quick outlet passes and running the floor. 

Dupree Fletcher – G - 2024 
A quick guard, Fletcher played with both the 14U and 13U Milwaukee Spartans teams throughout the weekend. He was not fazed at all by the older competition, competing on both ends of the court and showing very solid handle vs bigger, longer defenders. He has good shot mechanics, and although he was a bit streaky, knocked down some big time shots, including a tough three in the final seconds of regulation for the 14U squad to send their game vs MUA into overtime. In the 13U Championship game, Fletcher led his team with 15 pts to help them capture the title.

Kyshawn Bankston – G - 2024
Bankston is a physical young guard prospect with instincts, skill, and solid finishing ability.  He was strong with the ball and was able to create his own shots in the half court, hitting some nice jumpers off the dribble. Defensively is really where Bankston made his mark on games, looking to guard the opposing team’s best perimeter player and getting steals leading to run out opportunities. 

James Brown – F - 2024
Playing with both the 14U and 13U Illinois Blaze teams, James Brown was a problem for opposing teams on defense, using his length to block shots in the paint and control the defensive glass. Brown also showed some ability to start the break with a couple dribbles before firing outlet passes to teammates. At this stage most of his offensive production came right around the basket, but he did show nice touch and potential for some long term promise as a mid range threat.