GAINESVILLE, FL – The SIAA’s High School Summer Live event brought together some of the prestigious National league’s 20 schools as well as a few participating teams from around the southeast and gave them a chance to showcase the work they’ve put in this offseason. These were the guys who made an impact in front of scouts and coaches alike.
BIG WEEKEND FOR BIG MEN
The tournament showed off some of the best interior talent from around the state. Starting with arguably the most impressive performer of the weekend Ibrahima Traore. The 2024 big man stands at 6-9 with wide shoulders and an impressive physical build. He’s a relentless interior presence and an active voice of leadership (as well as some trash talk) for a successful West Oaks team. He’s going to have a monster season with West Oaks this year. DME Academy 2025 7-2 big man Moustapha Thiam showed why he recently went from Unranked to #52 in the ESPN Top 100 and #49 in Rivals. With insanely long arms and jaw-dropping height for his age, Thiam’s skill set goes far beyond his unique and elite frame. He handles the ball surprisingly well for his size and has a good looking jumper that he can utilize in the midrange. Thiam is one of the most intriguing players I’ve ever watched, and will for sure continue to impress this season with DME. 2026 6-8 big man Elton Smith, Jr. from Cardinal Newman (SC) is a mobile and aggressive post player with a host of developing interior skills. He’s a reliable rebounder with good feet and great strength for his age. He has the ability to score in the midrange and can shoot off the dribble well for his size. With additional size, physicality and confidence, Smith could develop into a high-level big man with unlimited point-forward potential.
WELL WORTH IT WINGS
The wing core at this event was strong as well. They were anchored by great performances from Jalen “Roc” Lee from West Oaks. The 6-6 2024 wing has generated offers from schools like FSU and UCF thanks to his incredible length and motor. Lee is an elite rebounder, explosive finisher, and above-the-rim scorer. Lee also showed that he’s a reliable shooter who can play well as an on-ball or off-ball guy. Along with his great defensive work ethic, Lee should be able to translate well to the next level with his mix of physical intrigue and great skills. The Academy of Central Florida’s Maodo Niang was one of the weekend’s biggest stock risers. Niang is a freak athlete with a great handle at 6-8. The 2025 wing showed his ability to penetrate and distribute in addition to his above-the-rim finishing. He’s a “buy stock now” kind of guy. RJ Jones from The Rock was a pleasure to watch, especially since he is healthy and looks great! The 6-9 forward is still an elite shooting presence, but showed his ability to withstand and impose physicality and battle as an interior presence. With that part of his game being worked on, he’s shown he will be able to contribute defensively and offensively in more ways than one at the next level. Aiden Agnew from Downey Christian School is a promising wing with great strength around the rim. He’s an explosive guy at 6-7 and excels through contact. He’s a tough defender with a nose for finding the ball in the passing lane. Agnew has a beautiful jumper to pair with his interior finishing and point-forward passing skills.
HARD TO GUARD GUARDS
There were some great primary guards who excelled over the weekend. One of the most impressive was The Rock’s Erik Taylor. Erik was figuring out how to play alongside his new The Rock teammates while also demonstrating his explosiveness, knockdown shooting and crafty handle. He has a deep bag that aids him in getting to the rack with ease and is a gifted passer who looked great despite playing with new teammates. He’s a locked and loaded guard who can hurt your defense in a variety of ways. Southeastern Prep’s Alexander Springs lives up to his epic name. One of the best athletes in the state, Springs has developed a lot of his guard skills and looked very comfortable taking tough mid range shots off the dribble and distributing in the lane. He looks like a true guard instead of an overly athletic, undersized forward. DME Academy’s Chris Kitenge was one of the strongest guards of the event. At 6-5, Kitenge is not necessarily a primary guard, but his intense physicality and ability to explode to the basket made him hard to stop in the half court. Kintenge will be able to develop into a full weapon of a wing and balance his impressive attack with some perimeter skills.
