On Wednesday, Phenom Hoops traveled down to Waxhaw, North Carolina for an open gym preview of ACE Skill Development’s pair of 15U teams—Burns and Palmer. The guys competed hard throughout the practice session and highlighted some intrigue throughout the live action stretches. This article will take a closer look at their pieces and how they fit into the overall structure of their respective group, staring with Coach Palmer’s squad…
It doesn’t take long to see how Ethan Gramaglia asserts himself as a focal point. His motor, creation skills, and ability to get involved on seemingly every possession allows him to shine as a leader. He’s unselfish, yet knows when to attack versus defer. Gramaglia defends, rebounds, and pushes the break effectively in transition. That being said, Jake Brunnemer also stands out as one of the top pieces on this roster. Between his size, skill, and smooth nature, he has no issue finding production. Brunnemer is a reliable shooter, willing passer, and reliable defender.
Continuing onward, Adam Miller II showcased the makings of a well-rounded player who can impact the game on both ends of the floor. He did a little bit of everything offensively while rebounding and making plays defensively. Miller operates within the framework of the offense, but can also expand his production as needed.
While several guys performed well, Shyam Jobanputra and Charlie Parker were two of the more intriguing guys on this roster. Jobanputra is a long, wiry wing with a nice blend of size, skill, and athleticism. He’s a scrappy defender, useful finisher, and capable shooting threat. Jobanputra clearly has long-term potential remaining. On the other side, Parker is a scrappy utility piece who naturally finds ways to assert himself within the flow of the action. He scores as needed but regularly stood out through his ability to fill in the gaps on either end of the floor. Parker’s motor, toughness, and nose for the ball make him quite valuable.
Between his length, fluidity, and general explosiveness, Brayden Allen was the best athlete in the gym. He finished around the basket, defended multiple positions, and rebounded on a consistent basis. Allen utilizes his length very well to cause problems for opponents. He was also consistently the first guy to finish sprints. Meanwhile, Deshaun Hamrick displayed solid ability as a lead guard. He’s small but quick, scrappy, and pushes the pace effectively. He’s a capable scorer but looks to get others involved whenever possible. Hamrick offers an active two-way presence.
Rounding out this group, Chase Moser, Beckett Denton, Vasili Katsanos should provide meaningful minutes. Moser and Denton play hard, make hustle plays, and understand how to assert themselves as needed. Katsanos is a developing post prospect with obvious appeal through his length, mobility, and nose for the ball. There are a lot of useful pieces within this roster, so it’ll be interesting to see how they grow going forward.
