The final July Live Period got done close to a month ago and after having some time to reflect on the different events I attended during the time frame, here are some stock risers from Peach Jam and PIT. These 2 tournaments provided a great opportunity for me to see lots of guys as the action started before the live period began. There were countless prospects who helped themselves and left their mark in Augusta; these 7 fit that description. 

6’7” 2023 Amani Hansberry (Team Durant)
Hansberry was a double-double machine at Peach Jam, finishing with averages of 16.1 PPG and 10.3 RPG for Team Durant. His production showed that an old-school game can still be effective. Hansberry isn’t the tallest and isn’t the most explosive forward out there, but his rugged, hard-hat approach gets the job done seemingly every time out. He might have been my favorite guy to watch in Augusta because he’s tough, physical, and full of competitive energy. If there was a rebound in his vicinity, it was likely that Hansberry was going to come away with it. He has sure hands that grab almost everything, pursues the ball, and is great at using his big, strong body to create angles & separation. Even in traffic, he was able to convert at the basket due to that aforementioned physicality in addition to dexterity & touch as a finisher. While he is a problem on the interior, Hansberry also showed some face-up & mid-range ability in the different games I watched and made smart, accurate passes to teammates. He woke everyone up that may not have considered him among 2023’s top forwards prior to Peach Jam and now Hansberry is getting ready to focus on his college decision.

6’1” 2023 Jaland Lowe (Houston Hoops)
Lowe opened lots of eyes and had many people talking about him at Peach Jam. He put up 17.7 PPG in addition to 4.7 APG during Houston Hoops’ Final 4 run, ending his travel ball career with 18 & 7 against Mokan. The 7-day stretch in Augusta also saw him finish with a 50% mark from the field, his highest of any EYBL session. Lowe was hard to contain off the dribble throughout his time at Peach Jam. Whether it was attacking 1-on-1 or using ball screens, the quick lefty consistently got into the teeth of the defense and made productive plays. He can go either way and is crafty when looking to convert with shot-blockers near. Lowe really reads the defense and has great vision & timing, dropping pinpoint passes to teammates frequently, even in tight spaces. Things just ran smoothly when the ball was in his hands; Lowe was in control & plays with good pace and it created lots of scoring opportunities for Houston Hoops. His quickness was an asset on defense as well, applying pressure on the ball and using active hands to create problems for opponents. Continuing to bulk up and become more consistent as a shooter will make him even more of a weapon.

6’4” 2023 Tre Norman (BABC)
Norman had strong performances throughout the spring & summer but raised his level of play another notch in Augusta. TJ Power got his warranted attention the last few months as did Reid Ducharme for BABC, but it was Norman who led them with 23.3 PPG and 8.9 RPG in their 7 PIT games. He was extremely aggressive each time I caught a BABC game, looking to attack & make things happen each time the opportunity presented itself. Norman has great size as a muscular 6’4” guard and makes full use of it. He initiates contact on drives and commonly gets all the way to the rim, forces defenders into fouls, and backs down opposing guards to score through or over them from the block. He’s consistent as a finisher and can do so in various ways among bodies. While he did assert himself as much as he could have, I thought Norman showed more patience & control than in previous viewings. He didn’t just put his head down and try to barrel through guys but instead showed feel on when to make his move. This resulted in 52% shooting from the field on the week. Norman has facilitating potential as well; the way he gets downhill puts pressure on the defense constantly and forces help to come, which opens things up for teammates. He has vision and is a good passer when he wants to be. Norman played about as well as he could have in Augusta and if his 3-point shot comes along, he’ll be an impactful player in college too.

6’8” 2023 Jeremy Lorenz (Team Herro)
Lorenz picked a good time to put everything together and show all of his different tools as he recorded averages of 12.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 3.3 APG, and 1.3 BPG in 7 games for Team Herro. He was especially good early on with 20 PPG on 67% shooting while also showing defensive IQ in Herro’s matchups with BABC & Team Thad that I took in. Lorenz was very productive away from the basket, proving to be effective in pick & pop situations. He was confident taking 3’s and got a lot done pulling other forwards out to the perimeter where he would then put the ball on the floor & get inside. Lorenz was better & tougher playing through contact too; that improvement paired with touch and the ability to finish with either hand helped him finishing in the lane. Lorenz also stayed active & ready from 10 feet & in, finding holes for good scoring opportunities where he catches consistently and made quick decisions after doing so. Lorenz has a collection of traits that are desired for next-level MM forwards and he has started to gather some nice college options.

6’4” 2024 Kon Knueppel (PhenomU)
It might not be fair to label a kid with Knueppel’s type of offers as a stock riser but given his production, there really just isn’t enough talk surrounding him on the national level. He’s one of the most consistently productive 2024 prospects I’ve seen with a mature, advanced offensive game that has few holes. Knueppel averaged 23.4 PPG on 51% shooting and 42% from 3 at Peach Jam, ending as the leading scorer among E16 players in Augusta. His value starts with his outside marksmanship as Knueppel has a pure release that’s very consistent and he always seems to be on balance, even when he's pulling up off the dribble or catching on the move to shoot. He’s comfortable from almost any spot on the floor. After a slow start versus Team United, Knueppel got hot in the 2nd half to finish with 27 points in a big victory. Even though he doesn’t have explosiveness like some others, Knueppel’s strong, thick build and savviness with the ball allow him to penetrate & be effective attacking the basket. He can also get off the floor better than you might assume and will take advantage of mismatches by taking smaller guards into the post. The skill level & fundamentals he displays and the way he gets to his spots methodically & efficiently while being a smart passer as well point to a prospect that will have a successful college career.

6’4” 2024 Jalil Bethea (Team Final)
I’m not sure there was another 2024 guy who saw their recruitment take the type of leap that Bethea’s did as a result of their performance at Peach Jam. He had a handful of offers coming in, most notably from Mississippi State and VCU, but left Augusta with offers at the blue-blood level from Villanova and UCLA. I caught the 16U Team Final group against both Mokan and Team Griffin; Bethea didn’t disappoint in either. His showing in the Mokan matchup was hard to top as he erupted for 33 points on 7-10 from beyond the arc. Bethea has no conscience as a shooter and wants to take every big shot. There’s no hesitation when he catches on the perimeter and Bethea has lots of arc & touch from deep to go with it. He’s deadly from the corners, can hit combo moves off the bounce before knocking down shots, and is comfortable on the move. His shooting prowess was used to open up the rest of his offensive game too. Bethea is capable attacking closeouts and has the length & touch to score in the paint. He doesn’t just settle for jumpers. I love the confidence & competitiveness Bethea brought each time out and I think he’ll continue to grow as a player. His great week produced averages of 16 PPG & 4.8 RPG on 52.4% shooting overall & 43.2% 3-point shooting.

6’8” 2024 Jackson McAndrew (Howard Pulley)
When I watched the Pulley 16’s at the Orlando EYBL Session in early April, I walked away thinking that McAndrew could see his recruitment heat up before summer’s end. It has started to do that to an extent, as he now has 3 offers and many more tracking him with Nebraska pulling the trigger most recently after the final July Live Period. McAndrew was great against Team Durant in the 1st game of the morning on Thursday at the PIT, scoring 27 points while hitting 5 3’s. At a legit 6’8” with long arms, McAndrew is a dangerous threat from beyond the arc, sporting a quick, simple release that comes off his hand cleanly and has lots of rotation. He’s able to shoot off of flares, staggers, and more while still getting square quickly and being ready to shoot. His touch is evident closer to the basket as well, although those attempts aren’t as plentiful yet. He does need to add a lot of strength, but McAndrew showed a willingness to give effort rebounding and contesting shots. I think he moves well enough where he could guard on the perimeter in time as well. The shooting, length, and understanding of the game he already possesses are enough to make him a well-recruited prospect right now, I will be paying attention to how he grows in other areas over the next year.