OTR Sweet 16 Saturday Standouts (Rickers) – April 25, 2023

OTR Sweet 16 Session 1: Saturday Standouts

This weekend marked the first live period of the spring and top independent teams gathered from all over the country for Sweet 16 Session 1. Next Play 360 hosted the 17u division and was packed with college coaches, scouts, and spectators. Here are a couple of players that upped their stock.

By: Cam Rickers

2024 G Tyson Wilson – Athletes of Influence

Tyson Wilson is a name that’s been passed around a lot at OTR events in recent weeks, a stock-riser as we like to call it. Wilson is a quick and shifty point guard with some bounce that might sneak up on you. He was getting to the cup frequently throughout the weekend where he’s got a bag full of creative finishes. I saw a lot more control and good decision-making from him this weekend which leaves me hopeful that Wilson may get some nice looks this spring.

2024 C Jeremias Heard – ENG United Raptors

Jeremias Heard is a diamond in the rough up, one of the best bigs in Georgia’s 2024 class, yet you rarely hear his name. He recently led Model to the final 4 of the state playoffs and looks to be carrying that momentum over into the spring with ENG United. Heard is a dominant force inside, both rebounding and rim-protecting at a high level. His offensive skillset is well-versed and he’s got soft hands around the paint. He could very well end up being a steal for a LM D1 or high D2 program.

2024 G Isaiah West – AE5 Gold  

Isaiah West has bounced around a little bit throughout his high school career but his development has been steady all along. Now 6’4, West possesses the size and athleticism that you look for in a college combo guard. This weekend, he showed a lot of growth as a decision-maker and facilitated AE5’s offense with poise. He will be one of the premier pieces for this AE5 Gold team and could continue to garner attention if he keeps playing like this.

2023 G Avante Nichols – EYA Sports Unsigned

After recently committing to Cowley College (D1 JUCO), Avante Nichols chose to get some extra work in with the EYA Sports Unsigned team. Nichols is one of the state’s best athletes and put on a show full of highlight dunks and rejections at the rim. His development has really come a long way and a year of JUCO will tighten the bolts. With an eye-opening performance this weekend, I’m sure coaches on the baseline were already intrigued with what they could be getting into a year from now.

2024 G Kaiden White – Team Florida

Kaiden White was one of the top scoring guards we saw all weekend, constantly pressuring defenses by always looking to score. White showcased some really impressive shooting ability in every game and his jumper looked effortless at times. He shot a high percentage from mid-range and from behind the arc while managing to get to the rim occasionally as well, a true three-level scorer. I wouldn’t be surprised if White’s name landed on a lot of lists this weekend.

Cam Rickers has lived in Georgia his whole life and joined OTR as scout/evaluator this spring. He spent the year prior scouting for PrepHoops, working hard to make a name for himself within the grassroots scene. In addition to his work for OTR and PrepHoops, he is also the Recruiting & Scouting Director for Wood Elite. You can reach him at camrickers12@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @CamRickersHoops