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OTR Memorial Day Classic – Standouts Part 3 – June 7, 2023

OTR Memorial Day Classic - Standouts Part 3 - June 7, 2023
June 7, 2023

ORLANDO, Florida, – Hot dogs on the grill are what the average American may do over the Memorial Day weekend, but for basketball fanatics like us, the gym is where we ended up at the end of May. The OTR Memorial Day Classic provided a bookend to the spring travel season. A final opportunity for players and their teams to compete and get covered on the travel circuit. The Orlando edition of this tournament was a good one. Plenty of competition and standout players. Here is a third look at the players who caught our eye.

By: Jonathan Hemingway

One of the top shooters from the weekend was class of 2025 guard Jeremy Penner. He is a good-sized wing who can line it up from deep consistently. We also saw his ability to finish off the move as he connected on a fast break lay-in to secure a win for his Sunshine Elite in one of their Saturday afternoon games.

Another top shooter from the event was class of 2025 guard Ivan Polishchuk from Game Speed Elite. He showed his ability to hunt shots all around the perimeter. His consistent shooting pocket and high release allows him to get his shot out quickly each time his teammates find him on the perimeter. We were impressed with his poise and his eye for shooting.

There were several 16U players that earned recognition over the weekend. Guard Liam Bolton with Gold Elite was one of those names. The 2025 prospect has a high energy attitude and willingness to give extra effort put him on this list. He is a quick handler who is constantly looking for a gap in the defense. He also found rhythm with his jumper, which helped propel his team to a win when we sat in on one of his games.

The success of a team often hinges upon how well the star players perform. However, no team can survive simply by relying upon one or two players. Solid role players are needed at every level. This is why we noted Vuk Lazarevic in this write-up. He is a 6-foot-7 forward who does what needs to be done for his 1 Family squad. He defends, rebounds, passes, sets screens, posts up, spots up, the list can go on. While his teammate Asa Newell will grab most of the attention and spotlight, pay attention to the work that Lazarevic does. He is often making his teammates job easier.

Class of 2023 guard Allen Omana had a terrific Monday afternoon. He came out on fire connecting on four first half 3-pointers en route to an 18 point performance with Team Breakdown. Omana can spotlight as a specialty shooter, but he has other dimensions to his game. We took note of his ball handling and ability to create separation on the perimeter. He is a next level candidate should the right situation arise for him.

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.


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