East MSA: 8th Grade Top 40 All-Star Selections

June 7, 2023 by Tony McNiff

Queens, New York: Our annual East Middle School Academy returned to the East Coast over the weekend in New York City. While the event was evidently loaded with notable headliners, there was a collection of prospects who took full advantage of the platform and showed out.

Bruiser Edwards
2027 | Guard | Bowie, MD
DMV native Bruiser Edwards made the trip to Queens, NY and didn't fail to put on an impressive scoring display. Quick & methodical point guard who got into the paint at will with his patience and savvy ball handling. Excelled at making the correct pick and roll reads, displaying a polished in-between game converting on multiple floaters in the lane when bigs played in drop coverages. Adept at turning the corner and finishing with his inside hand on either side of the rim, or patiently probing the baseline looking for weak-side cutters. Possesses a skin-tight handle and the IQ of a player you would trust running your offense for years to come. 

Juice Bontemps 
2027 | Guard | Massapequa, NY
Bontemps is a power guard who is physically mature and highly aggressive. Hard-nosed ball handler at the point of attack who forced his way downhill against opposing guards. Hard-nosed rim finisher who certainly didn’t shy away from contact, yet if anything he embraced it. Dangerous ball handler in the open floor who put constant pressure on the rim with his mix of speed and power over the weekend. 

Kamal Mason
2027 | Guard | Elkins Park, PA
Mason is another backcourt prospect who shined throughout the weekend in Queens. Quick-twitch athlete who leveraged acceleration bursts to beat defenders off the bounce with ease. The Pennsylvania native is a walking paint touch who puts constant pressure on the rim with his downhill playing style. An aggressive defender who wasn’t afraid to apply extensive pressure on the ball. 

Jadon Beatty 
2027 | Guard | Dorchester, MA
Beatty played well throughout the winter on our East Circuit and this weekend in Queens was no different. Sharpshooting combo guard with extensive range off the catch & a quick-trigger release. Shifty ball handler who continues to become more comfortable & effective at creating advantages. Flashed his finishing package with floaters, runners, or crafty layups in traffic. Another backcourt prospect that is worth monitoring in the Northeast. 

Kaylen Chilton 
2027 | Guard | Fairfax, VA
Chilton had some strong showings during scrimmages and he is a prospect on our radar moving forward. Smooth guard who proved that he was capable of scoring from multiple levels. Thrives in an opportunistic scoring role where he takes advantage of whatever the defense gives him. Showed some intriguing flashes as a playmaker out of the pick & roll. The Fairfax native is another noteworthy 2027 to track on the East Coast.

Mekhi Allen 
2027 | Big | Hillside, NJ
The New Jersey native pops at first glance due to his notable positional size, yet he’s steadily improving his game. A physical low-post scorer who was a mismatch nightmare out of the pick & roll. His mix of power and size allows him to be highly productive on the glass as well. He was a prominent putback threat who was highly aggressive on the offensive glass. There’s still a ways to go in his development, although there’s plenty to build upon in the coming years. 

Keyshawn Franklin
2027 | Guard | Voorhees, NJ
Franklin is a long and smooth guard who popped during scrimmages over the weekend at our East MSA. Methodical ball handler who leveraged a tight crossover and swift changes of pace to produce paint touches. He was a crafty finisher in the lane who showed off his touch with an array of floaters and layups. The New Jersey native also flashed some multilevel scoring ability as he was able to convert a few jumpers as well. 

Asante Jones
2027 | Big | Hamilton, NJ
Jones is a frontcourt prospect with an appealing physical profile between his blend of positional size, length, and fluidity. He’s a capable slasher who can exploit slower bigs off the bounce. Functional low-post scorer that can leverage his size to finish over smaller opponents at the rim. Proficient rim-runner who flashed his mobility and ground coverage in the open floor. Showed glimpses of his shotblocking instincts by utilizing his length to generate deflections. 

Julius Kimani 
2027 | Big | King of Prussia, PA
The PSA Cardinals product continues to make strides in his game while possessing advanced measurables at an early stage. Physically imposing frontcourt prospect with appealing positional size and long arms. Mismatch nightmare on the interior who has a functional touch around the rim. Leverages his size and length to be a prominent putback threat who tends to earn second chance points often. Impactful rim protector who makes opponents second guess themselves in the lane with his massive stature. 

Noah Johnson
2027 | Guard | Ewing, NJ
Johnson is a tough lead guard who continues to improve his game and he was a notable standout at camp. Quick-twitch & explosive lead guard who is filled with burst off the bounce. Provides paint touches with ease and he was able to blow by closeouts at his own will. Tough rim finisher who plays much more physical than his stature suggests, plus he didn’t shy away from bigger rim protectors. Flashed a fluid pull-up game inside the arc while connecting on some spot-up jumpers from distance. 

Justin Urey 
2027 | Guard | Providence, RI
Urey was a notable floor general on our East Circuit and he was highly productive once again this weekend. Ultra-quick lead guard that is loaded with counter moves & a slippery handle. The Rhode Island native showcased his touch, craft, & flexibility when finishing through traffic in the lane. Potent pull-up scorer who is highly confident creating advantages & converting jumpers inside the arc. Disruptive on-ball defender who is laterally quick and difficult to beat off the bounce. 

Avery George
2027 | Guard | Scotch Plains, NJ
George was a prospect who popped onto our radar quickly with his offensive production & noticeable energy. Smooth offensive prospect who has the versatility to score the ball from multiple levels. Reliable spot-up shooter who demonstrated his fluidity & comfortability as a perimeter scorer. Capable mid-range weapon who leveraged his feel & pump fakes to attack uptight closeouts. The New Jersey native took full advantage of the platform at camp and he’s another guard to look out for. 

Mekhi Robertson 
2027 | Guard | Pemberton, NJ
Robertson popped over the weekend in numerous ways and he was another talented prospect at camp. Explosive & bouncy wing guard who was effective playing on or off the ball. Quick-twitch athlete who beats closeouts with ease and he put his springy rim-finishing on full display. Bouncy athlete who could throw down dunks in the lane when given a runway, plus he was a prominent grab & go threat in the open floor. Flashed some spot-up value on the perimeter as well. 

Jahlil Owusu 
2027 | Guard | Englewood, NJ
The New Jersey native is a productive floor general who continues to shine regardless of the setting. Shifty & quick lead guard who has the ball on a string with a noticeably tight crossover. Leveraged hesitation moves, acceleration bursts, & snappy dribble moves to break defenders down off the bounce. Crafty finisher with a soft touch in the lane, plus he showed glimpses of a developing floater as well. 

Jayden Johnson
2027 | Guard | Elizabeth, NJ
Johnson caught fire in a few scrimmages over the weekend and he proved that he could score the ball at a high volume. He’s a potent space-creator who leveraged a tight crossover & advanced footwork to create separation off the bounce. Smooth pull-up scorer who displayed his extensive shooting range & evident touch. An athletic finisher at the rim who was able to weave through traffic and finish in tight windows. The New Jersey native was another backcourt prospect who performed at a high level. 

Noreaga James
2027 | Guard | Jersey City, NJ
James was another New Jersey native who shined throughout the weekend in Queens at East MSA. Walking paint touch who leverages extreme end to end speed and slippery dribble moves to break closeouts. He was lethal in the open floor where he was able to get downhill in a blur. Tough and hard-nosed finisher who didn’t shy away from bigger rim protectors in the paint as well. Scrappy on-ball defender who was highly productive defending in space. 

Josiah Adamson-Hardwick 
2027 | Guard | Dorchester, MA
Adamson-Hardwick was one of the vastly improved prospects in attendance at our East MSA this past weekend. Well-built and tough athlete who leveraged his physicality at the point of attack to get downhill. Hard-nosed & rugged rim finisher who proved that he could throw down dunks when he was given a runway. Developing spot-up shooter who showed glimpses of his expanding range & confidence as well. 

Raul Cruz Jr
2027 | Wing | Dorchester, MA
Cruz Jr is a well-rounded wing prospect who affects the game in numerous facets. Forceful flasher who is a powerful finisher at the rim, plus he’s a reliable spot-up shooter when given the space. Showed glimpses of his advanced processing by making some strong reads when finding cutters or open shooters on the perimeter. Tough defender who can wall-off slashers while being productive on the glass as well. He’s another 2027 prospect to look out for in the Northeast. 

Makhi Richardson 
2027 | Big | Providence, RI
Richardson is another prospect who showed off evident development within his game, primarily on the offensive end. Long, fluid, & mobile frontcourt prospect who continues to add more polish to his skillset. The physical tools certainly pop at first glance, although his two-way impact was hard to ignore at our East MSA. Leveraged a long first step to attack closeouts, plus he had the foot speed to exploit slower bigs. Capable face-up scorer who leveraged his length & functional touch to finish at the rim. The Providence native also showed glimpses of his switchability on the defensive end. 

Jeffrey Brooks 
2027 | Big | Jersey City, NJ 
Brooks is a physically gifted big with a well-built frame and strong positional size. He’s still developing his foot speed & growing as an athlete, although he continues to gain a better understanding of how to leverage his physical tools. His blend of size and power makes him an imposing frontcourt prospect who can take advantage of mismatches in the post. The physical tools also allow him to be a putback threat & productive rebounding the ball on the defensive end.