Wings were the thing during OTR Sweet 16 Session I

Wings were the thing during OTR Sweet 16 Session I

By Robert Alfonso Jr. 

POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. – The way the game is transitioning college coaches are looking for players who can knock down shots, rebound, and be that dude eventually.

There was a list of players who knocked down shots and showed how to handle the ball on the perimeter. They also displayed versatility and skills that helped turn some heads while coaches notated their names on notepads.

Here are some players that made enough of an impact on the weekend.

Derrion Reid is a name many people will hear throughout the spring and summer. This Grovetown High product will be part of Team Dickerson. They will have the 6-foot-7 forward has a sneaky upside. The Class of 2024 product plays at a hard pace. He knows how to shift gears while attacking and is not afraid to mix it up on either end of the floor. His length causes havoc on either end of the floor. There is no quit in him. Look for him to garner some serious attention if the play continues from this opening weekend.

Jordan Butler may have been the gem every college program came to see on the weekend. The 6-foot-10 hybrid post is a player who gives you inside and outside vibes. His game is fluid and consistent on either end of the floor for Team 1 of 1 Elite, which is a Puma-sponsored LaMelo Ball club. The younger brother of current Florida State standout John Butler has a nice touch from the outside and is an elite defender. South Carolina offered the Christ Church Episcopal School product after seeing him on the weekend to go along with Georgia Tech and Wake Forest. 

Asa Newell was one of the more explosive dual forwards in the gym all weekend. The lefty, from Chooctawatchee High, holds offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia Tech, and Illinois and you can see why. He attacked the rim as it owed him some money. There is no letting up on either end of the floor with him. Newell is not afraid to challenge anything at the rim. Look for more college programs to check in on him as the spring and summer progress.

Donovan Hand was one of the more explosive wings during the showcase. The 6-foot-6 forward played above the rim in a big way for the GA Canes. He sprinted to the rim and dropped the hammer of a highlight dunk. His athleticism also allowed him to absorb contact inside. Hand is a solid rebounder in and around his area. Many programs have expressed interest in the unsigned senior.

William Jobe is a long 6-foot-9 stretch big with one of the prettiest jumpers in the Peach State. His ability to extend the floor with the range is a weapon every program will like on their roster. The young fella has improved his strength and it shows with his willingness to battle inside. He currently holds offers from Indiana, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, and Xavier.

Mason Etter has what every college program is in search of – a smooth-looking jumper. It doesn’t just look good the finish is sweet. There is a level of consistency to his shot a coach will feel comfortable with giving Etter the green light. Etter is projected to have a breakout summer.