There were several teams that came away impressed with their play in Rock Hill at the Summer Havoc. One team though, that may not always catch the national eyes, played incredibly well all throughout and really made their mark on the tournament.
The Team Hardaway Jr. program is a talented one down in Florida and is one that is quietly showing others that they are a team to watch. They may not always grab your attention at first but they certainly leave a lasting impression and that is exactly what their 16u team did all weekend long. Going undefeated and cruising through most of their games, Team Hardaway 2023 brought the fight and made their statement.
Going down the roster, there are several names that many may not know but should certainly be put on the radar of scouts and college coaches. 2023 Gabriel Hernandez was one that quickly grabbed our attention, as the 5’10 showed tremendous craft, court awareness, defensive instincts, and surprised us with his bounce. He consistently led the team in scoring and was one of the go-to leaders on this team. 2023 6’5 Joachim Radcliffe is a double-double type machine on the court. He plays much bigger on the floor, loves to work hard on the defensive side, and plays with a great motor on the floor. You add that to his low-post touch and showing how versatile he can be, there are programs that could use a guy like him.
2023 Daniel Fernandez is a true point guard on the floor and a leader. He is very efficient, smart, and crafty, displaying a tremendous IQ on the floor and one that simply makes the right decisions on the floor. 2023 Garyn Bess is an extremely shifty guard that is quickly quick. He gets in the lane when he wants and where he wants, while also turning it on on the defensive side of the ball.
Those four really grabbed some attention but this is one of the more complete teams we witnessed, as other players stepped up big. 2023 Kevin Noriega showed off his range, hitting countless threes all throughout the event. 2023 Javier Rossel brings a ton of energy to the floor and has those point guard instincts on the court as well as providing that scoring boost. 2023 Cooper Josefsberg is a guard that helps get on the boards really well and is a sneaky shooter that can fill it up as well. And you also have 2023 6’5 Jaycee Ruiz, who is a 6’5 player that really helps on the court, battles down low, and provides positive minutes.
Again, this is a team that may not grab your attention immediately but after watching their games, it is one that you will certainly remember. They were quite impressive all weekend long and college coaches should start heading their way more.