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OTR Power 24 – Day 1 RECAP – July 16, 2023

OTR Power 24 - Day 1 RECAP - July 16, 2023
July 16, 2023

POWDER SPRINGS, Georgia, – The Power 24, hosted by On the Radar Hoops, will prove to be the top event in the nation this weekend. Teams from all three shoe circuits plus many of the best independent programs joined up to play in front of hundreds of college coaches at McEachern High School. Our staff watched all the action and reported it on social media. Here is a brief recap of the notable names and performances from Saturday.

By: Jonathan Hemingway

Star Watch

The No. 2 ranked player in the class of 2024, Ace Bailey (AOT), went head-to-head with Bryson Tiller (ATL Xpress) who is a consensus top ten in the class of 2025. Bailey would get the better of Tiller in his first game of the day. Bailey followed that up with 28 points and the game winning tip-in  versus the Florida Rebels later that evening.

North Carolina State commit Paul McNeil (Garner Road) turned in two terrific performances on Saturday. He scored 23 points in a win over B Maze Elite and Duke commit Isaiah Evans. McNeil followed that up with another 23-point outing versus the Showtime Ballers.

Braedan Lue is headed in the right direction after another outstanding performance this afternoon with Team Huncho. He earned offers from Louisiana Tech, California, and FIU after the first open period weekend. He notched another offer from George Mason after his 15-point outing on Saturday.

Upward Stars wing Jordan Watford is on a trajectory as an elite recruit out of the Southeast. With a Mississippi State offer in hand, there is reason to believe that other high major offers are around the corner. He led his Upward Stars team to a big win over Garner Road with an impressive second half. The 6-5 wing out of Lancaster, South Carolina, will be a name to track coming out of this event.

Signature Performances

Class of 2024 guard Luke Flynn with the Atlanta Timberwolves earned praise from nearly all of our evaluators. He scored 34 points in an impressive win over the Georgia Stunners. He connected on seven 3-pointers and continues his ascent of top prospects in the North Georgia area.

Midwest Basketball Club brought several talented prospects. Class of 2024 wing Trent Noah put in the one of the most complete games of the day. He scored 21 points with five 3-pointers. The 6-foot-6 wing is an all-around player who can grind on the interior with defense and rebounding. He complements that well with his offensive skill set which is polished and balanced.

Class of 2026 guard Jonathan Sanderson turned heads in a morning game with Midwest Basketball Club. He scored 26 points and dished out the game winning assist in the final seconds of the game. Sanderson is a good-sized lead guard that plays with energy and a chip on his shoulder.

Class of 2024 wing Brock Rose with Team Synergy turned in an impressive game at Kell High School with our Keith Agran sitting courtside. He was impressed with the 6-6 wing’s ability to create plays and score at every level on the floor.

New Names

With so many talented teams from across the country there are several new faces for our staff including Ivan Moskalenko from B Maze Elite. He is a class of 2027 prospect who stands at 6-8 and has a diverse skill set. He scored 17 points which included several from downtown in front of our Jennifer Brazelton.

Class of 2025 forward Nate Ament caught fire with Team Loaded VA. He scored 31 points which included five 3-pointers. He presents a balanced inside-out attack and surely will be a player to track coming out of the event.

Class of 2025 guard Casper Pohto with ATL Xpress burst on to the scene during a morning game. He is solid combo guard with good instincts on both ends of the floor.

Class of 2026 Kosi Mgbejiofor of Team Loaded VA is a long, athletic post player. He is a threat to punch a dunk on the interior. Cam Rickers reports offers from Mississippi State and Texas A&M coming into this event.

Our Keith Agran tabbed Preston Copeland as a new name to track with Garner Road. The 2025 post player provides strength and can use his body to carve out space.

Underclassmen Watch

This event, more than any event on the OTR circuit, provides us a glimpse of the names of tomorrow. Three years ago we identified Asa Newell as a potential top 25 player in his class with his play at the Power 24. Now heading into his senior year at Montverde Academy, he is on a trajectory to land within that elite company. Which names should we be tracking after this event? Below is a primer:

Class of 2026 point guard Jayden Joseph from Team Breakdown continues to impress with his shot making ability. He regularly puts up 20-point games with impressive range and consistency.

Joseph’s Team Breakdown teammate, 6-11 center, Marcis Ponder, is another must-watch prospect coming out of the event. Already with a frame like Clint Capela, Ponder is simply too much physically for opponents to handle. Yet, he does have a bit of refinement to his game. Drop steps and soft baby hooks complement his rim-rattling dunks.

Team Loaded post, 6-8 Latrell Allmond, put together a very fine morning at the Power 24. He has the size to impose his will close to the bucket. OTR evaluator Willie Evans reported Allmond’s face-up game where he connected on jumpers and drove it to the bucket from the high post.

BMaze Elite class of 2027 point guard Jamal McKnight was a bright spot on Saturday https://twitter.com/Jr_OTRH/status/1680271743817072640?s=20morning. He plays the game with surprising poise and has the body control to finish among the bigger defenders in the lane.

Redline Elite forward Charlie Gersmehl earned the attention of Jennifer Brazelton. She reports that the 6-7 prospect has footwork and a soft touch around the basket. He is also able to fill up the stat sheet with blocks, rebounds, and steals.

Offers Earned

With so much talent and college coaches looking on, there are a number of offers being reported this weekend. Here are a few of those that our staff is aware of:

Class of 2025 guard Isaiah Denis of The Skill Factory picked up an offers from Radford and Georgia State.

Class of 2026 point guard Jayden Joseph of Team Breakdown reports an offer from Samford.

Class of 2024 forward Braedan Lue of Team Huncho received an offer from George Mason.

Class of 2024 forward Mekhi Turner of Wood Elite earned an offer from USC-Upstate.

Class of 2025 post Mekhi Ragland of Team Huncho reports an offer from Kennesaw State.

Class of 2024 guard Jamie Phillips with the Florida Rebels earned an offer from UPenn.

Class of 2026 point guard Jonathan Sanderson of Midwest Basketball Club picked up an offer from Eastern Michigan.

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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