OTR Sweet 16 Session II – Emerging Names – May 5, 2023

MARIETTA, Georgia, – Session II of the OTR Sweet 16 kicked off with a bang on Friday night and did not let up until early Sunday evening. Teams from across the Southeast made their home in Northwest Metro Atlanta for the weekend hoping to earn some time in front of college coaches during the NCAA viewing period. Here are the players that made the most of their weekend below.

By: Jonathan Hemingway

The most impressive part of Sam Maynard’s game this spring is his willingness to mesh into a new role with the Georgia Legacy. Last year we became accustomed to seeing Maynard be the lead ball handler, and lead scoring option for his travel team. This year he has had to find his spot aside other ball handlers and scorers. We caught Maynard’s outing on Sunday afternoon where he worked the weakside glass and grinded his way to what appeared to be a double-double effort. We expect the 2024 prospect to mesh well into whatever system he finds at the next level.

We liked Ransom Soles game with South Florida Elite. He has great size at 6-foot-5 for a player who can play the shooting guard position. He is also a knockdown shooter. Playing alongside talented play makers such as Jeremy Innocent and Hedrens Bartelus, he gets plenty of opportunities for open looks on the wing. We also took note of Soles’ defensive ability as well. The 2024 prospect anticipated well in the passing lanes and found steals and fast break opportunities for his team.

Class of 2024 forward Jack Pfister carved out a nice reputation for himself with Team South Carolina over the last two weekends. He is a hard-working front-line player who brings his hard hat to the court each time he suits up. There is always room for a player who does not need direct touches in the offense to be productive. He finds his productivity by working the weak side glass or by spacing properly when guards penetrate the lane. Pfister earns recognition here by fulfilling his role consistently.

The Athletes of Influence roster is littered with prospects who can make plays and execute the game plan. Tyson Wilson popped onto my radar specifically in a game on Sunday morning by exhibiting some terrific athleticism. Of all the players on the AOI roster, Wilson might have the highest ceiling at the next level. The 2024 guard can finish above the rim and he flashes range on his jumper. He seems built to be a true combo guard who can go get a bucket when the defense is overplaying on the wing, or he can create as a lead guard late in the shot clock.

We are putting Hudson Dykhuizen on this list because of the flash of potential we saw from him on Sunday morning with the Florida Bayhawks. The well built 6-4 wing is comfortable on the perimeter as a secondary handler and an open jump shooter. Yet it is his body control and footwork in traffic that earned our attention. The 2024 prospect looks to have a lot of tools to work with. We will be anxious to see how he can put all of these things together in his senior year at Santa Fe Catholic in Florida.

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.