The Top Row: Live Period Two
Calling Tom Konchalski a pioneer in the grassroots scouting world would still be an understatement - Konchalski’s devotion to scouting every player on the floor was as firm as his handshake. No matter the game, no matter the competition level, Tom took pride in his ability to properly evaluate and find a level of basketball for each player that laced them up. Everyone who’s been around knew that once the ball tipped, you could find Tom in the top row, notepad in hand, attention fully invested on the game at hand. We hope that this small nod to the titan, as well as the work that follows, will honor his guiding principles - to invest fully in the game & to cover every angle of scouting, for every player, for every game. To rise to that lofty standard, we have brought together a group of the brightest minds in this space from all across the country, offering their own unique insights on the prospects, teams and data that you need to know.
Who had some of the spotlight performances of Live Period 2?
Aaron Proia (@pr0ia Scout/Owner- @owe_hoops) I thought Josh Hubbard had a consistently good weekend and stood out while sharing a backcourt with Duke commit Caleb Foster. Standing at 5’10 with a strong frame, Hubbard got downhill whenever he wanted and finished well in the paint amongst the trees, showcasing some some finishing craft with step throughs and floaters. Hubbard fluctuated between distributing and shooting it himself at an effortless clip, hitting teammates with skip passes and dropoffs but knocking down the shot when the ball swung around the court to him.
Also thought local DMV guards Jordan Smith Jr (Team Takeover) and Isaiah Coleman (Team Melo) were consistently productive in a weekend that their teams definitely needed it. Playing up as a rising freshman with the 15s- Smith stood out with a motor that always ran hot, getting to the rim with purpose and finishing through contact. Isaiah Coleman did Isaiah Coleman things, had some wildly good acrobatic finishes with either hand through contact around the rim. He plays with a herky jerky tempo that is hard to time as a defender, blowing by off hesitation dribbles or snatching back on the perimeter to hit a pull-up with ease. As a high-level two guard, Coleman is wired to score but I need to see more creation flashes and effective off-ball movement from him to take advantage of the scoring gravity that he possesses. Once he masters that, I think he’ll reach another level as an offensive player and elite prospect.
PD Web - (@abovethebreak3) Writer, Cerebro Sports: Isaiah Coller of TSF was the talk of Indianapolis. The 6’3 PG for TSF may be the best passer of the guards in this class & he has taken the leap forward as a shooter. In Indy, Collier shot 45.8% from deep, on 6.8 attempts per game, including a 6-12 bombardment against Alabama Fusion on Saturday. With this shooting development cemented (81 3PE in EYBL to date), Collier will challenge to be among the very top of the guards in the class & is rightfully 2nd overall in our C-RAM metric. The highlight of the weekend for me was the comfort with which the GA guard displayed his shooting versatility.
What were your takeaways from 17u?
Alex Brown (@ahbanalytics - Scout - Pro Insight): 17s were a really impressive group, with so much to dive into and so many takeaways. It was incredibly difficult to narrow down the guys I wanted to talk about, but I will settle on the following:
Isaiah Collier has special talent, Matas Buzelis is a real guard at 6’10.25, and JoJo Tugler looks to be an impact player at the high major level.
To start, Isaiah Collier was just the best guard in attendance over the weekend. His 10.8 C-Ram was the highest of anyone who played 4 games, and the eye test backed up his analytical impact. He just got it done at multiple levels that were head and shoulders above the competition. He excelled at generating defensive events, throwing lobs with elite touch, hitting the 3pt shot with ease, and attacking the rim with a variety of counters and advantage creation tools. Overall, he had one of the most complete performances with multiple tools at an elite level, putting him firmly in the conversation for the top guard (that is not named DJ Wagner) in 2023.
Moving on to Matas (one of my personal favorite development cases to track), I was blown away by how effective he was handling the ball and getting to his spots on the interior and perimeter. For his size, he just does some sick things with the ball in his hands. At 6’10.25, he routinely was able to take guards off the dribble with his tight handle, quick counters, and pace. Additionally, he shot the ball very well both off the dribble and off the catch, showcasing tight, simple, repeatable mechanics. He also showed that he is improving on finding his spots as a slasher, and while he can still get walled off by stronger players the ease of creation & confidence is improving. Matas added notable defensive value on rotations and in the passing lanes, blowing up plays with excellent anticipation and burst. He did all this as well as provide his usual positive court presence & playmaking. He still is very thin, but has added muscle and played with more physicality and toughness than the last time I saw him live, which is a great sign overall. His C-Ram of 9.9 was one of the highest in attendance (and the second highest behind Collier of anyone who played all 4 games) further solidifying him as a top performer throughout the weekend. Special talent.
Joseph ‘JoJo’ Tugler was the most consistently impactful player for Houston Hoops, bringing his high motor, toughness, physicality, rim protection, and efficient floor game every day. As a tough gaps guy rather than a creator, JoJo further excelled as a rim runner, dunker spot finisher, roller, and transition high flier as well. The eye test along with the Cerebro numbers suggest that this kid is a high major talent, posting a C-Ram of 9.1 this session after an impressive 8.9 in session 1.
Kevin Daniels (@kdscoutingbball - Kevin Daniels Scouting) Mouhamed Dioubate of PSA Cardinals 17U continues to improve and develop into a consistent high energy, high effort forward, with a skillset made for college basketball. He averaged 15.3 ppg and 7.5 rebs per game. I was impressed with his 12.2 rebs and 58% field goal percentage per 40. Dioubate finished with a C-RAM of 8.4. I’ve elevated him for a few years and he continues to make an impact wherever he goes. His activity on both ends allows him to be a mismatch for forwards. He’s capable of facing up 4’s utilizing the dribble drive or jumper beyond 15 feet. The southpaw attacks the rim at will. He’s quick off the floor and fearless. His footwork stood out as well. He’s not only a straight line driver, he starting to add some wiggle to his repertoire.
PD: How well the 4 position played, and how many different styles were represented in 17s. The top overall performer was 6’9 2024 Jacob Cofie of Rotary (10.9 C-RAM) who scored hyper efficiently (25.7 points per 36, 83.2 TS%, 93 PSP), & looking among the top 10 performers in Indy we have many versatile 4s: 6’9 2023 Matas Buzelis (Expressions), 6’8 2023 Sean Stewart (FL Rebels), 6’7 2023 Justin Edwards (Team Final), 6’9 2023 Brandon Garrison (Team Griffin) & 6’8 2023 JoJo Tugler (Houston Hoops)
Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep Founder - @Rookie Scale)
Bona Fide Studs
Matas Buzelis | Expressions Elite | 6’10 ¼” | Guard
Being based in Chicago, I had my chance to scout Matas a handful of times last spring/summer when he ran with Mac Irvin Fire. The context with that team may not have been the most favorable for him, but the talent was obvious.
After a season at Brewster Academy and recently participating in the Nike Hoop Summit, I was looking forward to getting an in-person feel for how Matas’ game had progressed.
Safe to say, he did not disappoint.
Matas Buzelis is on the short list of most intriguing NBA prospects in youth basketball. Legit 6’10” guard w/ a smooth handle, fluidity, live-dribble passing chops, and more. Incredible talent. 20 PTS on only 11 shots through three quarters in an imminent blowout of UPLAY.Matas finished fifth in 17U’s with a 9.9 C-RAM, averaging 14.8 PPG, 3.8 REB, 2.0 AST, 1.5 STL, and 1.0 BLK on a red hot 77.5 TS% while leading Expressions to a 3-1 record. And this stat line doesn’t even do him justice.
It’s not uncommon for young players with size and even a remote semblance of ball skills to refer to themselves as a BIG GUARD™, but Matas really is just that.
Not only does he bring the ball up the court with regularity, but his handle is smooth and effective in creating space, his jumper is become more and more reliable, and his live-dribble passing feel/vision/precision is wildly impressive. While he only averaged two assists per game, there were a plethora of unconverted high-end assist opportunities throughout each game where Matas really flashed his playmaking upside.
All signs point toward Matas having an NBA future.
Isaiah Collier | The Skill Factory | 6’3” | Guard
Collier has always had a physical frame and dynamic sizzle as an off-the-dribble creator, but this session was particularly revealing as to his dramatic improvement as a three-point shooter.
Isaiah Collier is among the most impressive guards here at EYBL and in America, period. Built like a tank, a blur in transition, and a wizard at manipulating defenses to create easy looks for teammates. 23 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST (6-of-12 from three 👀) in a W over Alabama Fusion.Scouting that 6-of-12 three-point shooting performance was eye-opening, but it wasn’t a one-off blip. Collier finished 11-of-24 (45.8%) from deep for the session. This was thought to be the most glaring hole in his game. If this is any indication of what’s to come for Collier and the willingness/accuracy improvement as a shooter is for real, it’s hard to even comprehend his new ceiling.
Collier finished second in 17U’s with a 10.8 C-RAM while averaging 19.0 PTS, 7.5 AST, 4.0 REB, 1.8 STL on a 66.7 TS%. Ridiculous all-around performance.
Undervalued Stock-Risers
Solomon Ball (Team Melo), Milan Momčilović (Team Herro)
AP: There were a lot of effortless bucket-getters at this level. Matas Buzelis, Milan Momcilovic (Team Herro), Justin Edwards (Team Final), Tre Autry (City Rocks) but I want to zoom in specifically on Team Griffin’s Richard “Tre” Johnson. 6’6 ‘24 CG hit threes, has some handle/creation ability, very fast and athletic with a plus wingspan. I thought he was effective in halfcourt and transition contexts, maneuvering through the defense to get to his spot and scoring from all three levels. Once he adds weight to his frame, watch out
How about the 16u age group?
AP: Jalen Shelley (Pro Skills) is a monster.
6’7 with a 7’1 wingspan, Shelley uses his athletic tools to slice through the paint to score via an array of step-throughs, euro’s and spin moves. Left-handed with good burst, Shelley uses his frame well to bump the defender and attack before he can recover. Solid handle allows him to go 94 feet in transition, hit several shots from the perimeter and showed good touch on floaters in the paint. The length and movement skills combined with a competitive tenacity at such a young age- especially when you consider the fact that he was primarily a football player until 6 months ago- speak to the high ceiling for Mr. Shelley
Daquan Davis impressed for TTO 16s on both ends of the floor. One of the best on-ball defenders in the class, Davis plays patiently on the defensive end of the floor. Does a great job of getting underneath taller matchups, forces a change of direction, doesn’t gamble often, and is almost always in position to make a play. The defense always leads to offense for him, steals lead to layups and he begins to take midrange elbow pull-ups and set 3s once he gets hot.
PD: Howard Pulley has a gem in 2024 6'2 guard Daniel Freitag - he’s a wild run and jump athlete with a funky handle that continually generated big time advantages in the halfcouty. Pulley leveraged the athleticism of Freitag both as a primary ballhandler & as an off-ball cutter, a formula that made every moment a potential panic point for a defense. Freitag averaged 19.3p, 4.5r, 4a in Indy. I don’t quite have a great feel for the jumper - Freitag didn’t take a ton of volume, but ended the session at 50% from deep, due in large part to the 5-8 3P against Team Griffin. If the volume and comfort rises, I’m not sure how defenses can will keep Freitag out of the paint & themselves out of the highlight tape going forward.
4. In 15u, what players or teams captured your attention in the class of 2025 & 2026?
AB: The 15u games I caught were incredible, and some obvious takeaways to get out of the way would be that Nightrydas is far and away the most elite 15u squad out there right now, and that the Boozers, Cooper, and Darryn are just SPECIAL.
For my portion, I’ll focus on Rose City’s Winters Grady, who played a very good game against 5 star Badara Diakite, who also impressed. Winters has had a legitimate physical transformation, and now looks the part of a top 25 kid in the class of 2025. When I first saw Winters live, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of him. He had legitimate skills for a stretch 4 his age, but lacked a basketball body. However, now he stands at about 6’6 with room to grow and has slimmed down by about 15-20 pounds. He was looking far more mobile and athletic than my previous viewings, which was my primary concern about his game back then. Now, he is playing more as a wing who can pick and pop & shoot off the catch with the best of them, but is more mobile on defense and isn’t as limited as a self creator. There are some areas to continue to iron out of course, but seeing him rise up for a one-handed slam and shoot the ball with ease from NBA range certainly captured my attention. His development curve is all of a sudden that much more promising, and will be ever more intriguing to follow.
KD: I traveled to Pittsburgh last weekend, for Hoop Group Pitt Jam Fest, and two prospects, outside of the regular buzzing guys caught my attention, 2026 Guard Owen Zabel of the New York Rens United 15U and 2025 Lucas Dipasupil of the Riverside Hawks 15U (NY).
AP: Elijah Parker New York Renaissance 15u
Even though his team fell in a matchup with a juggernaut Nightrydas Elite team, Elijah kept his team in it through the middle of the second half. A lefty with solid length, Parker rebounds the ball really well from the guard spot (3 offensive rebounds in one possession), anticipates and shoots gaps in passing lanes very well, got to every loose ball, and was killing as a live dribble passer throughout the contest. Parker used his length to showcase some scoop finishes and blocked a few shots in the paint. I see good upside as a balanced creator that can play either guard spot and handle a variety of defensive assignments. Even with his team down 20+ towards the end, Parker stood out as a kid who will compete to the very end
JC: I’ll reiterate Alex’s sentiments on the Boozers, Flagg, Diakite, and Grady. The class of 2025 seems to be oozing with upside.
While Cameron Boozer and Cooper Flagg were the clear headliners of the Nightrydas Elite vs. Maine United 15U showdown, I want to call out three others who stood out during the course of that game.
Cayden Boozer | Nightrydas Elite | 6’3” | Combo Guard
While he may have gotten the short end of the genes stick relative to Cameron, Cayden is a high-end prospect in his own right - recently tabbed 24th in ESPN’s Class of 2025 rankings. Watching him warm up, I found myself scratching my head a bit trying to figure him out. But once the ball tipped, man was he good.
Cayden took control of the game from the get-go. He has a great feel for the game, plays hard as hell, is aggressive, yet under control, creates advantages, pushes the pace, keeps his head up as a facilitator, and is constantly communicating as the team’s vocal leader. He finished with 23 PTS, 6 AST, 3 REB, 3 STL on a 96.0 TS% (!!!) and ran the show with precision.
While the jumper still needs some work, there’s a really strong foundation here.
Landon Clark | Maine United | 6’6 ½” | Forward
While the Flagg twins rightfully garner a ton of attention, Landon Clark emerged from their looming shadow as an intriguing prospect in his own right.
Clark has a lanky, lefty three/four hybrid with a smooth stroke and competitive edge. He showed really well against one of the most dominant EYBL teams in recent memory, knocking down mid-rangers and threes with confidence, attacking closeouts, and using his length to make an impact defensively.
As his frame fills out a bit more and he becomes a bit more explosive of an athlete as he matures, look out.
Alexander Lloyd | Nightrydas Elite | 6’4” | Guard
Man, is this kid an exciting player. Like Cayden Boozer, he also snuck into the tail end of the ESPN Class of 2025 rankings, and rightfully so. While he’s currently ranked 22nd, it’s easy to see an avenue to him ascending toward being a top ten player in the class.
He functions as a low usage, high-efficiency role-playing off-guard flanking the Boozers for Nightrydas and does an incredible job at excelling in his role. Lloyd finished with 13 PTS (5-of-8 from the field), 5 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL with several eye-opening upside flashes.
He also showed well on the defensive end with his head on a swivel as an off-ball defender. Lloyd did a great job of helping at the nail, cutting off passing angles, and digging in to help on Cooper Flagg.
Lloyd is a viable off-movement shooter, a ridiculous one-foot jumper of an athlete, and looks like he could grow into a legitimate 6’6+” wing prospect in time.
Shout out to FGCU for offering him so early. Expect a bombardment of high-major offers sooner rather than later.
What was a skill that stood out to you the most?
KD: 2025 Lucas Dipasupil of the Riverside Hawks 15U (NY) Lucas was aggressive from start to finish. His ability to manage the game, at a young age, was advanced. He knew when to serve as playmaker or score. 2026 Guard Owen Zabel of the New York Rens United 15U, is currently in the 8th grade but doesn’t play like an inexperienced prospect. His ability to relocate and attack closeouts was the best I saw all weekend. He shot the ball at a high clip and displayed his ability to make good decisions with the ball.
AP: John Kinziger ‘23 5’11 PG Team Herro 17u
His confidence and aggressiveness on the offensive end of the floor. He wasn’t taking what the defense gave him, he was forcing early hedges on ball screens and came off with such pace that he was able to put several Team Final bigs on an island and score. He gets his shot off quickly on two-foot floaters and pull-ups in the paint, scoring over outstretched arms with ease. Had 16 against a stable of big, physical Final guards. His shooting off the ball and creation in the middle pick n roll blew the game wide open for his team
PD: 6’7 2024 Tyler Betsey of NY Rens shot the leather off the ball, 55% in Indy. To the point that if he got a clean look up, it felt like it was gonna be good. Betsey’s combination of a high release mechanics & quick release timing make for getting his shot up quickly, forcing hard closeouts from wing defenders & opening up chance for Betsey to attack downhill.
What player or players came out of nowhere to catch your eye?
AP: Mason Klabo ‘25 6’1 PG Fargo Davies ND 3.8 Howard Pulley 15s
Gets into the paint, rebounds the ball very well for his size, takes and makes tough shots from the midrange and three point levels, really intelligent player, hit a bunch of threes including the one that sent it to OT, fearless driver. Klabo fits the mold of a modern scoring point guard that is difficult to defend.
25:Charles Love III ‘25 6’6 SG Lincoln SW Mokan 15s
Good length and activity, hit several 3s, gets into his pull-up quickly and finishes with a high release point that is difficult to contest, uses his length to disrupt the offense as a defender- forcing pickups, contested shots, and forcing possessions to start from the volleyball line. Effective and efficient off the ball, scored several times as an offball cutter that in turn led to more open looks from the perimeter. I expect him to be a national name by the start of his sophomore season.
What player had the biggest step up in performance from session 1 to session 2?
AB: Jaland Lowe probably had the biggest jump in the EYBL players I paid very close attention to. I had yet to be impressed by many of his previous performances, and had relatively low expectations after he only averaged 6.5 ppg in session 1 and missed every 3 he took. However, he more than doubled his scoring output (13.5 ppg) and made 8 of his 21 3pt attempts while initiating the offense, communicating, and playing with more toughness than usual. His C-Ram went from 4.2 to 6.9, and the eye test showed a more confident, comfortable approach to scoring and playmaking. He did a great job of getting Tugler, Hardaway, and Ali involved as well. For a kid that is likely going to be a MM+ to HM- recruit, this performance was huge for his stock. He just really needs to add weight/muscle fast. I would also include Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn here, as he too had a major boost in production, doubling his scoring output and notably increasing his usage & volume (also winning all 4 games instead of losing all 4 games).
AP: I thought Jeremiah Quigley was much more assertive for TTO 17s in this second live period, playing with a sense of urgency on both ends that ignited runs during the games. A shifty and tenacious defender, Quigley forces his matchup to change direction on the fly with random jabs at the ball and quick footwork. Once TTO unleashed him in a fullcourt man-to-man press, he showed the impact he can have on a game with back-to-back steals and layups at the rim. Offensively it’s impossible to keep him out of the paint, he is always probing and forcing the help defender to stunt enough to create the necessary gap for his shooters to get off their shot once they’ve received the skip pass. While he’s cleaned up his turnover issues (less than 2 per game as a primary ballhandler) and tightened his shot selection, I’d like to see him fire off some more shot attempts from the midrange and behind the arc.
PD: 2023 Caleb Foster of Team Thad unlocked his efficiency thru his shooting & it opened up his entire game. At S1, Foster finished with a C-RAM of 6.8, respectable, but clearly weighed down by shooting splits of 37/19/70 47.9 TS, or in Cerebro metrics his PSP was 56. At S2, the C-RAM was 8.9 & splits of 45/35/93 62.4 TS & PSP of 77.
Who are you most excited to see more of in the next live period?
AB: 15 year old Darryn Peterson tops the list of players I am looking forward to seeing next session. I did not get nearly enough live 15s games to satisfy my interest, and after being impressed by many of the other top 2025 kids I want to get a deeper evaluation of Darryn. After hearing so much about how dominant he was for the 15u NJ Scholars squad as well as how sound the intangibles, maturity, and work ethic are at this stage, my interest has certainly been piqued. Darryn sports a high motor, advanced self creation, 3-level scoring chops, great mechanics, and extremely high upside.
KD: 2024 Tahaad Pettiford New Heights Lightning has grown into his body which aided his overall strength, explosiveness, and overall play. He no longer settles for what the defense gives him. Now he attacking defenses and inviting contact. The ambidextrous uses his craftiness to consistently finish, especially around the rim. His CONFIDENCE is at an all time high.
2023 F Tafara Gapare of Team Melo. As the momentum continues to build around Tafara, I am excited to see what the future holds. The options for him are from end to end on the spectrum. His length and versatility are intriguing to coaches. I saw him in person at the Team Final Scrimmages and within two minutes I could see his potential.
AP: Katrelle Harmon ‘26 6’3 BFL Prep Seattle
Jumbo ball handler, great length, plays with great pace with hesitation dribbles and change of speed, finishes well with either hand around the rim, can handle and shoot well for his size- really believe in his upside and think he can end up being a top 25 player in his class
Avian Webb ‘25 6’ PG Mokan 15u
Deep range on his jump shot, really good handle allows him to escape ball pressure and set up driving angles, shifts gears well offensively to get downhill and evade double teams. He is the straw that stirs the drink on a very balanced Mokan 15u team, always coming through with a basket or assist when the other team has gone on a run. Can shoot from all three levels off the bounce and off of movement/screens- the level of shooter that immediately needs to be identified by the defense and tracked through each possession.
#fightthepower
Role players that stood out for me:
25 6’7 Landon Clark Maine United 15u
Clark didn’t need many looks to get into a rhythm, he hit shots from the perimeter and had a beautiful step-through between guards to split the double team and score with long strides. He can boogie in the open court, dribble pick-ups and finesse moves led to easy baskets for his team in transition. Slides his feet well and can bother shots defensively, really solid all-around player
‘25 6’4 Alexander Lloyd Nightrydas 15u
Crazy bounce, really dynamic in transition, flies up and down the court. Active defensively in passing lanes, fights well to get through ball screens, great digs down to double on the block that led to steals- really aggressive player on both ends of the floor
Connor Dow ’23 6’6 Team Griffin 17u
Shooter, plus length, very active on the glass and gets to a lot of loose balls to extend possessions for his team. Dow gets into his shot prep quickly, handles it well enough to escape double teams and get him to his spots, very patient offensively- takes the shot when it’s open but will skip it to the other side of the court to make the defense move