OTR Hoops: Underclassmen Report from Carolina Mania – April 7, 2024
SPARTANBURG, South Carolina, – On the Radar Hoops brought its team of media members and staff to host the Carolina Mania. Many of the top sponsored programs and independent teams squared off in quality competition. Here is a rundown of underclassmen who caught our attention from Saturday’s action.
By: Jonathan Hemingway
Sifeng Huan – Team Breakdown – 2026
Huan is an intriguing prospect. He presents great size standing around 6-foot-9 and shows nice hands and coordination. He collects rebounds around the bucket and finishes at different angles in the paint. He also showed some step-out range on his jumper, which gives him another dimension of impact. It may be too early to predict what Huan’s ceiling may be, but he is worth tracking given his blend of talent and skill.
Cody Peck – Garner Road 16U – 2026
Peck’s potential might be the highest of any prospect we evaluated this weekend. He has the prototypical length and skill set that modern scouts want from the 4-spot. He recently measured at 6-10 and has a wingspan that looks to stretch beyond that. If he is in arm’s reach of the rim, he will dunk the ball with ease. He has face-up skill including the ability to shoot the ‘3’ and lead the break. Peck struggled at times with physicality and confidence this weekend. But he also had moments where he showed elite potential. This year on the circuit will be an important one for him to prove that can compete with the upper echelon of prospects nationwide.
Malik Gooden – Rare 1s – 2026
Gooden is ready each time he laces up his shoes. He has a whole lot of game and confidence to match. We watched him put a game on ice down the stretch and secure a victory for Rare 1s on Saturday evening. He is slick with the ball going either direction and rips the nets with his jumper. And just like all good lead guards, he can lead his teammates to an easy shot. He is fun to watch, and we look forward to getting another chance to watch him.
Eli Williams – Pro One – 2026
We appreciate players who can back up a reputation with production. That is what Williams was able to do on Saturday at the event. We watched scored in double digits in both games and do it with precision shooting. He has earned the title of a shooting specialist. Yet his game is far from just being a spot up threat in the corner of the offense. He moves off screens and will mix in ball fakes and pull-up jumpers to keep defenders off balance.
Lavonte Jackson – Team Charlotte – 2027
As we mentioned on X (formerly known as Twitter), Jackson is a talent. He has great size for his age and position. He has long arms and strength that should not be overlooked. We took note of Jackson’s ability to create shots off the dribble. He used his body well to create angles to score in traffic. The along with his touch in the midrange make him a scoring threat in the half-court offense.
Ethan Pack – Team Charlotte – 2027
Pack has a well-rounded skill set. He can run the offense as a point guard, or he can slide to the wing and become a scorer. We watched him score double digits on Saturday morning by swishing 3s, finishing in the lane, and by getting to the free throw line. The freshman has potential, and we are ready to watch him grow into it.
Brennen Jefferson – Garner Road – 2027
Of all underclass guards, Jefferson left the biggest impression in our memory. After going scoreless in the first 28 minutes of his team’s opening game, he unloaded ten straight points and almost single-handedly won the game himself. He has a terrific pull-up jumper that is as quick as it is smooth. We want to see more of Jefferson and watch how his game grows.
Jonathan Hemingway has been a National Evaluator for On the Radar Hoops since 2013. He has been involved in the basketball community since 1995 as a coach, camp director and evaluator. You can reach him at JLHemingway@gmail.com and follow him on twitter @JL_Hemingway.
