Strictly BBall Newsletter 23

Strictly BBall High School 3x3 Nationals Preview

Who will take the crown for their home state?

by Griffin Greenberg on Aug 8

The inaugural Strictly BBall HS 3x3 Nationals kicks off this weekend! This is an event featuring the best high school players from six different states duking it out for a national 3 vs. 3 title. In addition, some of the biggest creators in female basketball are pulling up for a shooting contest on Friday. Let’s preview this event!

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3x3 Nationals Preview

by Griffin Greenberg 

The biggest early high school basketball season event is here, the Strictly BBall 3x3 HS Nationals at Mall of America in Minnesota! Six states will have teams representing them in aims to win the tournament at Mall of America in Minnesota, here are the state teams… Minnesota, California, Utah, Texas, New York, and Pennsylvania. Let’s take a look at the players on each squad!

Minnesota

Jayden Moore, Anthony Smith III, Jalen Wilson, and Chase Thompson

Jayden Moore (Hopkins): Moore is the highest-ranked player in the state. The junior is a quick and crafty guard who plays with a very high motor. He scores at a microwave level and is one of the country's best at doing so, while having a high IQ and playmaking ability.

Anthony Smith III (Hopkins): Smith is Moore’s running mate in high school hoops so their chemistry will be valuable. He is very explosive off the dribble and shoots it well. Smith isn’t afraid to take it to the hoop and finish around defenders.

Jalen Wilson (Benilde-St Margaret’s): The top senior in the state will bring good size and efficient scoring for Team Minnesota. Committed to Northern Iowa, Wilson shoots it at a high clip and plays with pace. He’s able to put it on the floor and create shots for himself and it should be a key piece in his squad’s successes.

Chase Thompson (Alexandria Area): The rising senior will cap off his big summer in the 3x3 national event. Thompson is an elite stretch four. He can muscle his way to the hoop but also put it on the floor and show some polished moves. Thompson could score from anywhere on the court.

California

Tounde Yessoufou, Nikolas Khamenia, and Isaiah Carroll

Tounde Yessoufou (St. Joseph): The 5-star is the highest-ranked player in the event. Yessoufou is a freak athlete who can throw down flashy dunks and block tough shots. He is quick and strong and uses his skillset to finish at the hoop at a high rate. His mid-range game is elite and he’s gotten better and better shooting from outside. He has recent college interest from UConn, Kentucky, and Baylor.

Nikolas Khamenia (Harvard-Westlake): The high 4-star has one of the best mid-range games in the country. He’s a smart player and exemplifies that with his playmaking and shot-creating, an elite trait he possesses especially with his 6’8” frame. Aside from that, his craftiness is impressive on the court. Khamenia has an accomplished high school basketball career, winning two state championships, a PRO16 League championship, and a Team USA U18 gold medal.

Isaiah Carroll (Harvard-Westlake): This is another squad with some chemistry, as Carroll and Khamenia are close and play high school ball together. He always finds himself in the right place at the right time and isn’t afraid to do dirty work in grabbing offensive boards and going for loose balls. Carroll has a strong suit in shooting the ball from deep and isn’t afraid to put it on the floor.

Utah

Katrelle Harmon, Dean Rueckert, Junior County, and Chamberlain Burgess

Katrelle Harmon (Wasatch Academy): The top-35 ranked junior is a guard who plays with control and offers some incredibly acrobatic finishes at the hoop. Harmon has elite scoring ability from anywhere on the court but also knows how to get his teammates involved. Harmon is an elite scorer and puts on a show anywhere he goes. He has a high-level court vision and can make defenders pay with his ability. Make sure to keep your eyes on him and Team Utah.

Dean Rueckert (Timpview): Rueckert is among the most intriguing juniors in the country and is also very highly ranked. He plays very well off the dribble and can create separation because of his size. He also shoots it very well and does so at a high level off of the catch.

Junior County (Wasatch Academy): County is a quick guard that isn’t afraid of contact at the hoop. He scores it at an efficient rate and is a high-energy player possessing the ability to bring that in a variety of ways. County is a poised player, he picked up recent offers from Minnesota, Purdue, and TCU.

Chamberlain Burgess (Orem): Burgess has been raising his college stock by the second with his strong summer. Burgess rounds out the well-built team as he’s a high-energy big who isn’t afraid of contact. He’s an elite shot blocker and doesn’t only score at the rim, but also in the mid-range area at a high rate. He’s in line for a big senior year and recently won the Adidas 3SSB finals with Utah Prospects.

New York

Brandon Stores, Asher Elson, and Julian Desir

Brandon Stores (St. Raymond for Boys): The Georgia Tech commit can punish players at the hoop on each end. Stores is a forward possessing a strong mid-range game. He can bully his way to the hoop and plays high-quality defense, using his frame to get in front of players and block them at the hoop.

Asher Elson (Overtime Elite): The newest member of OTE should be a key piece for Team New York. Standing at 6’10” Elson is a hyper-athletic big that possesses a ton of energy. Elson has an impressive game, able to put the ball on the floor and blow by players his size, but also can shoot the three and hit tough shots over those defenders. Elson has picked up offers from Georgia Tech and Syracuse this summer.

Julian Desir (Christ The King): Desir has a strong presence around the rim and blocks shots at a high rate. Desir shoots it well and at his 6’5” frame, he can make acrobatic finishes. Desir has a quick first step and can also knock down shots from deep.

Pennsylvania

Onyx Nnani, Justin Houser, and Deuce Maxey

Onyx Nnani (The Phelps School): The lanky forward should provide a ton of energy for Team PA. Nnani is an athletic forward who can also punish players at the hoop but step back and hit threes. He’s a good connector on the court and fills a lot of holes at the high school level. Nnani athleticism and energy can spark Team Pennsylvania.

Justin Houser (The Phelps School): The 7-footer that’s committed to Penn State will bring a huge interior presence to Team Pennsylvania. Houser is a skilled big who reads the defense well and can block shots. On offense, the lefty has a strong post-game and can finish in multiple ways.

Deuce Maxey (Archbishop Wood): Maxey is an entertaining guard who has a burst of explosiveness in his game. He’s a fast-paced player and knocks down shots at a high rate. Maxey is a great shooter off the catch and is quick on the court, making it tough for defenders to stay in front of him.

Women’s Creator Shooting Competition

On Friday, this competition will kick off the event. Competing is Briana Green who used to play for the Harlem Globetrotters and for UTEP in college, Jenna Bandy who played for CSU Monterey Bay, Hannah White who played for Cleveland State, Carson Roney who played for Shawnee State, and more! This electrifying event features some of the biggest female creators in the basketball industry and is a must-see event!