QUINCY, Mass. — The Boston Shootout – an annual AAU showcase hosted by the Boston Amateur Basketball Club (BABC) – returned for the 52nd time on June 15-16, and it ended in familiar fashion.
Both the 17-and-under and 16-and-under squads from BABC, as usual, came out victorious in the two-day event held at Quincy’s South West Middle School. The BABC 17s had to overcome having just five available players due to injuries, but held on for two victories over Rhode Island Elite. The BABC 16s, meanwhile, were missing point guard Amir Jenkins due to a shoulder injury but still emerged with a pair of dominant victories.
I was in attendance for all eight games of the two-day event. In addition to the BABC teams, the 17s and 16s squads from Rhode Island Elite, New Haven Heat and Black Bear North made the trek to play in Quincy. The weekend featured plenty of talent, from high-major Division 1 recruits to some under-the-radar names to watch.
Here are 10 standouts from the weekend.
Joson Sanon, BABC 17u
Sanon needs little introduction, but the Arizona State-bound wing was by far the best player on the court throughout the weekend. He continued to prove why he’s one of the most dynamic scorers in the 2024 class with 43 points in Saturday’s overtime win over Rhode Island Elite before putting up another 43 in Sunday’s victory over New Haven, made even more impressive by the fact that he didn’t rest once in either game due to BABC being shorthanded. The Fall River, Mass., native was unstoppable offensively, whether it was pulling up for 3-pointers or continuously drawing fouls on strong drives. He demonstrated his advanced ability in using his body as leverage and drawing contact, sometimes against multiple defenders, that will make him an impact player next season at Arizona State.
Sanon also had the highlight of the weekend in the closing moments of Sunday’s win, when he made an insane left-handed poster dunk on New Haven’s Brayden Jones that created several oohs and ahhs around the gym. The 6-foot-5 wing has freakish athleticism.
Ebuka Okorie, BABC 17u
Okorie always seems to be in control, and the point guard did a terrific job of directing the offense under unusual circumstances throughout the weekend given that they lacked substitutions and had to play a two-big lineup with Oswin Erhunmwunse and Ben Ahmed. He finished with 12 assists throughout the weekend and picked his spots being aggressive on offense, which included strong drives and finishes with both hands. He also displayed a smooth shooting stroke, as he knocked down some 3-pointers and also went 7-for-8 from the free throw line in the final moments to close out BABC’s win over Rhode Island Elite.
Tony “Butta” Williams, New Haven Heat 17u
It’s possible that Williams is a hidden gem of the 2025 class who’s bound for a big year, but he was hard to miss this weekend – not only with his mixed color shoes but also his play on the court. The 6-foot-1 point guard did a little bit of everything. His ability to read the game was apparent; there was a calmness about him with the ball, and he found his teammates for good looks on several impressive passes. He was also a pest defensively. He played good on-ball defense on Okorie, and he even stripped Sanon for a steal that led to a transition bucket for New Haven. He was flying all over the place in their full court press and anticipating passing lanes.
Kelvin Odih, Rhode Island Elite 17u
Odih’s motor on the offensive glass is one of his greatest strengths, and he created several extra possessions throughout the weekend – including a key one that tied the game in the final minute against BABC. He had a slow start offensively in the first game of the weekend against Black Bear North that included some questionable shot selection, but he rebounded with a strong second half. He showed great confidence with his jump shot, which included a smooth turnaround jumper down the baseline, and he displayed his playmaking chops, too.
Makhai Anderson, New Haven Heat 17u
Anderson was not even listed on New Haven’s roster for this tournament, but the 6-foot-6 guard is a name to keep an eye on. His athleticism immediately stood out. He can jump out of the gym, illustrated by several loud and powerful dunks throughout the weekend. He has a strong and athletic body that helps him as a versatile defender, and while Sanon exploded for monster scoring performances, Anderson had some moments on him. He had a block of Sanon at the rim that was called for a foul, but these eyes deemed it clean.
Que Duncan, New Haven Heat 17u
Duncan has been making waves on the spring circuit, and he continued that at the Boston Shootout as he showcased his ability as a three-level scorer and a consistent outside shooter. He was a machine from 3-point range in Sunday’s final against BABC as he helped New Haven build an early lead and hang around in the final minutes.
Devin Sone, Rhode Island Elite 16u
Sone is an under-the-radar name who helped lead Classical High School (Providence) to a state championship as a sophomore last season, and he was an underclassman who stood out to me this weekend despite a pair of losses for the Rhode Island 16u squad. He got to the rim consistently with ease, and while he didn’t finish some of his strong takes, there was a lot to like. He was a quick decision-maker in pick and roll actions and demonstrated an ability to hit from outside.
Alex Egbuonu, BABC 16u
BABC’s 16s dominated the weekend with blowout wins over Rhode Island Elite and New Haven Heat, and Egbuonu was a big reason why. The 6-foot-6 forward scored 24 points in Sunday’s final. While he didn’t shoot well on Saturday, he responded with a strong performance and never shied away from taking open looks even if they weren’t dropping consistently.
Collins Chidera Onyejiaka, BABC 16u
Standing at 6-foot-10, Onyejiaka is a huge physical presence who’s a difficult inside matchup for most in his age group, and he overpowered several opponents in the post throughout the weekend. But I was most impressed by his shooting touch. He swished a turnaround jumper from the top of the key in the BABC 16s’ first game against Rhode Island, and he demonstrated a soft touch around the rim several times in Sunday’s final.
Rashawn Tibby, BABC 17u
Tibby didn’t fill up the stat sheet alongside his talented BABC teammates, but coach Leo Papile still named him the MVP of the weekend. The 6-foot-9 wing tragically lost his dad in a car accident two weeks before the Boston Shootout, but still played in the tournament. He honored him with what Papile described as “team-first” performances and played every minute of both games, and his late 3-pointer helped seal BABC’s win over New Haven on Father’s Day.
