OTR Hoops: Elite 32 2026 Notable Performances – July 15, 2025

Marietta, GA- The On the Radar Elite 32 July Live Period event featured multiple teams from multiple U.S. states. Collegiate coaches from all levels attended the event- which featured multiple gyms in and around the Marietta area, looking for players to enhance their programs. Here is a look at the 2026 standouts from our observation time at Etowah, Next Play 360, and Woodstock locations during the love period.

By: Joel Hillsman

2026 Jalil Amous (Grind Family Chicago); Amous is nimble on his feet and moves well without the ball. He has a sweet stroke from the perimeter and uses his body to his advantage around the rim playing through contact for buckets. He runs the floor well and defends well. His most notable effort was a 16-point performance where he scored 14 of those in the second half during a deciding stretch of the game. Grind Family Chicago posted a 5-1 mark in the event.

2026 DeAndre Harvey (Tre Mann NXT); Harvey is a smooth scorer and knows how to get any shot he wants. He is a force when below the foul line, can score from the perimeter and is productive slasher. Defensively he guards his yard and uses his length to disrupt his opponents. He rebounds well and can lead the break for a finish or an assist. He is active on the defensive end and communicates well. In two games we observed he averaged 18.5 points.

2026 Talla Mbaye (Greater Destiny Prep Academy); At 6’11 Mbaye uses all of it to me a dominant force on both ends of the floor. He finished several dunks with force around the rim, showed a little mid-range game, and sprinkled some off the dribble drives in as well. Defensively his aggression is on another level. He constantly is contesting shots which leads to blocks and altering of shots and is always talking on switches and ball screens. Over the games we observed he recorded at least three blocks in each game as Greater Destiny Prep Academy went 4-2 with the two losses by a combined five points.

2026 Tyler Jones (GAA); At 6’7 Jones has decent size. Jones runs the floor well, plays within the flow of the offense, is a good passer, rebounds and defends at an elevated level. His length led to blocked and altered shots in the games we observed. Jones also showed good poise in tough situations and communicated with his teammates constantly on defense. Coaches in attendance were impressed with his play over the weekend.

2026 RJ McPartlin (Grind Family Chicago); In the two games we observed McPartlin displayed all aspects of his game. He can score around the rim, from the mid-range and off the dribble. He rebounds well on both ends of the floor. His most impressive feature is his fundamental defense. He guards from the floor to the ceiling below the foul line and rarely commits a bad foul. That defense led to one of his more notable efforts where he finished with 7 blocks to go with 16 points and 7 rebounds. Grind Family Chicago lost one game by one point in the event.

2026 Javarious Russell (Legendary Athletes); Russell, state champion in Arkansas, is an aggressive player on both ends of the floor. He attacks the rim under control and looks to finish through contact. He can knock down shots from the perimeter and is a good distributor of the basketball. Of the games we observed his most notable outing was a 25-point 7-assists effort in a close victory.

2026 Niteno Pierre (South Florida Kings NXT); Pierre is an athletic, aggressive, attacking wing. He tallied 18 points in a victory by scoring in a variety of ways including hitting a few perimeter shots and a wicked putback jam-which speaks to his aggression on the glass. Pierre’s aggression was seen on the defensive end also as he had a number of impactful plays whether it was getting a steal, deflection or hedging on screens. He was always around the ball and was always getting the 50/50 balls with his hustle and hitting the floor all the time.

2026 Caiden Braketa (B&B Academy Black); Braketa can fill it up from the perimeter. He has a fluid stroke and can shoot it off the bounce and off the catch. He hit five three-pointers from various parts of the floor. He is a willing passer with good vision, rebounds well for a guard and is a tough-nosed defender.

2026 Jayden Prosper (Strive 4 Greatness OTR); Prosper displayed an attacking game to get to the basket and score to the tune of 37 points in a hard-fought victory. It was rinse and repeat as he got to the basket from all areas of the floor multiple times. Prosper keeps the defense honest by hitting mid-range shots that set up his drives and creates for his teammates. Defensively he makes plays that lead directly to easy buckets.

2026 Jalen Nicholson (Cascade Kings Black); The 6’6 Nicholson showed the ability to score around the basket and put pressure on the defense which in turn drew multiple fouls. By drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line (10/12 FT in a game we observed) he opened his teammates up for scoring chances. He guards his yard defensively, uses defense to create offense and makes good decisions in the open floor.

2026 Brandon Mason (ABC Spotlight 17U) Mason has the potential to be an incredibly good prospect. He gets to the rim with a quick first step, can hit from the perimeter, has good length that he uses on defense. The New Mexico native showed his ability in front of New Mexico, Jacksonville and, Cincinnati during a game and his poise showed when he was on the wrong end of a poster. He went right back to playing and turned that into a stretch where he tallied 8 quick points that jump started his team and led them to victory. His play earned him an offer from Cincinnati.

2026 Mechack Olungu (Hoop Grind) The 6’10 Olungu is a presence inside on both ends. Olungu can score in the paint and stays on the glass, especially on the offensive glass. His length is a factor on defense as he recorded 3 or more blocks per game in the games we observed. Olungo is a rim-runner and is always in position to get easy buckets in transition or in the half-court.