Phenom Hoops tuned in to watch some of the tremendous talents that were on display at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship that kicked off on Tuesday afternoon. We were able to view two amazing games, with the first being between Canada vs. Dominican Republic and then we wrapped it up with the USA taking on Puerto Rico.' We dive into our thoughts and standouts from each game.
Dominican Republic vs. Canada
Personally, I've been very interested in the talent in Canada as they have produced some strong prospects over the years and that doesn't look like it will be slowing down any time soon. Getting a chance to watch some of the young, rising talents coming up, it really opened up to some incredible talents to watch out for.
2027 6'9 Paul Osaruyi (Canada) led the charge, and it didn't take long to be blown away by this young man's talent and potential.' There is no doubt in my mind you will be hearing about this kid for years to come, as there is a lot to like for someone his age. Yes, he stands at 6'9 but he is highly skilled as well; he is smooth and fluid for a prospect at his age.' He also surprised us with his ability to put the ball on the deck, his body control, his ability to score in a variety of ways, and his impact in the paint.' After watching, we walked away saying that this kid was something special.
2027 Godson Okokoh (Canada) is another young, long big man that has a chance to be a strong prospect in the coming years.' He really showed flashes of his game, as he ran from end to end, was extremely active in the paint and on the boards, and had nice touch around the basket.' For someone who is only 14 years old, there is a lot of potential in his game as he continues to develop.
2026 Kamai Samuels (Canada) is a guard that we spoke highly about not long ago, and he caught our eyes again.' Samuels is an aggressive and assertive guard that loves to attack and get downhill. He creates well off the bounce, is able to get inside the defense and in the lane consistently, and does a nice job of either scoring or finding his teammates.'
2025 Lucas Morillo (Dominican Republic) was the one that caught my eye with the Dominican Republic, as he led the charge with 21 points.' He had good length, solid footwork and feel, soft touch, and the ability to score around the basket or step out as well.' He really looked for his shot all game long, was able to get to the rim and finish, as well as used his 6'7 frame to knock down shots as well.
USA vs. Puerto Rico
The talent was on full display in this game for the US, as big-time name after big-time name were making plays all throughout the game. So let's dive into a bit of what we saw and captured our eyes.
2025 Cayden Boozer (USA) was one that I really liked on the court in this game.' I really liked his production and effort on the floor, making plays on the defensive side, creating problems with his size, setting up his teammates for big plays, and also scoring effectively as well.' I really do think he set the tone early on in this game and loved his energy.
2025 Darryn Peterson (USA) has been known to fill it up and that was on full display in this game, scoring 22 points in just over 23 minutes of action.' He was able to be in attack mode, get to his spots, get inside the defense, and score with ease all throughout the night. But he also was able to fill up the boxscore as well with six rebounds, five assists, and two steals.'
2025 Koa Peat (USA) is a player that I'm high on with what I've seen. Peat is just a physically dominating prospect on the court, using his body and frame to do what he wants and get where he wants. He does a great job in being strong in creating off the dribble, getting to the basket, and simply overpowering his opponents. But he can also have a tremendous impact on the boards as well.
2026 AJ Dybansta (USA) is going to be something special.' We have talked about it before and will say it again, there is a lot to like with this young man's game.' He has the length at 6'8 already, and though shots didn't always fall, Dybansta played with a ton of energy, always remained active, and creates problems on both ends with his size and length.' Start following him now if you haven't already.
2025 Cameron Boozer (USA) continues to show why he is so highly-regarded as a player. Boozer has the size, the fluidity, the skillset, and the IQ/feel that you have to love for a big man.' He can be really overpowering at times but in all, he is a monster down in the paint and on the boards.' Really do love how he can mix it up offensively, and how he runs the floor on both ends.
2025 Jayden Quaintance (USA) was another player I wanted to check out more, as the 6'10 big man has been making an impression with his play on so many. He checks off a lot of boxes, as he moves well, is able to step out, has a strong feel, is quicker than many may think, and made his presence felt on the boards and also on the defensive end with multiple blocks. The other youngster that provided that big spark early was 2026 Tyran Stokes, who is a physically demanding player that changed the energy of the game with his high-flying throwdowns, something we have seen countless times before.
2025 Vincent Stewart (Puerto Rico) was a player we watched earlier this year with DME, and he was one that left an impression on us after his showing vs. the USA.' Listed at 6'8, Stewart played bigger with his game, staying active, finishing strong around other bigs, and finishing at the rim in transition.' He continues to show his ability to carve out space, how he works to get deep post touches, and has nice touch.' Also a willing passer as a forward.
2026 Felipe Quinones (Puerto Rico) is a young player to start jumping on early.' Was really impressed with his ability to knock down shots, showing his range and his ability to create.' At 6'6, he has the size and length that can make him an issue, but he also has a smooth release in which he went 6-for-7 from behind the arc in this game to finish with 20 points.