HOOPTOBER SCOUTING REPORT
Ben Nacey
2024 6’8” C
Cox High School
Virginia Beach, VA
The ‘22-’23 Beach District POY looks to pick up where he left off last season at Cox HS. The 6’8” Nacey is the engine of his team where most of the offensive sets run through him. Ben has continued to improve his jump shot and face up game where he is now a threat in DHO, split, and high/low actions. Of course, Ben’s bread and butter is his ability to score out of the low/mid post. He possesses an array of post moves & counters to score on his opponents. Another separator is that Nacey is a tenacious rebounder and despite his size, still works hard to end possessions on defense or create additional possessions for his team on offense.
As far as Ben’s recruitment, the 2024 C had a summer where he picked up an offer from Division 2 Lees McRae. Hooptober had coaches from Averett, Virginia Wesleyan, & Randolph Macon all in to check on Nacey. On October 9th, Ben visited Randolph Macon’s campus. Expect Ben Nacey to have a monster senior campaign and contend for a repeat POY in the Beach District.
Adrean Newton Jr.
2025 6’0” PG
Maury High School
Norfolk, VA
The team that had the most “eye catching” moments at Hooptober was Maury High School, where the attack was spearheaded by their 2025 PG Adrean Newton Jr. Newton is one of those players who reminds you that basketball is more a game of mentality than it is physicality. All weekend long, the undersized PG shredded defenses off the bounce and scored in a multitude of ways. He puts pressure on defenses by constantly being in attack mode, whether looking for his own shot or finding one of his (many) talented teammates.
Going 3-0 on the weekend, Newton showcased why he’s considered by many to be a certified Division 1 guard. One of the best individual match ups of the weekend was when Newton Jr. took on Catholic’s new lead guard 6’4” Ashton Walker. The childhood friends battled in a gritty contest, with Maury taking a 10 point win over a loaded Catholic HS roster. Newton Jr. displayed his best attribute on the biggest stage, his eagerness to compete. Maury will no doubt play deep into the state playoffs and Adrean Newton Jr. will be a lead force on that run.
Ty Outlaw
2024 6’6” F
Team Push NC (TBS)
Team Push NC came through with a team full of high flying talent, one of the premier teams in competition at ETC’s Hooptober. Ty Outlaw shut the gym down on more than one occasion with a posterizing dunk. The forward is built like an inside linebacker, with quick feet, capable ball handler in face up situations and once again show stopping athleticism.
Outlaw picked up an offer from NC Division 2 program Winston Salem State, but Division 1s should definitely be checking in on Outlaw throughout his senior season. While he is a bit of a tweener, he has a lot of growth potential in his game and reminds me a lot of Deonte Burton. A player who’s physical build plus next level athleticism create a match up nightmare for opposing teams. Outlaw also crashed the glass effectively, even against bigger players. His upside outweighs a lot of his positional concerns and I believe he can compete at the Division 1 level.
Zion Walker
2024 6’1” PG
Team Push NC (TBS)
Leading the attack in the backcourt for Team Push NC was recent Mount Saint Mary’s commit Zion Walker. Walker is as smooth with the basketball as they come. He has a deep dribble package and was able to create a ton of shots off the bounce. Walker had incredible balance on the offensive end as well. When his team needed a bucket at the end of a quarter or late game situation, Walker consistently knocked down contested jump shots.
When speaking with Walker, he talked about how he always plays with a chip on his shoulder and it’s what makes him motivated on the court. Zion Walker is the type of player who can change the culture of a program with his infectious energy. Team Push NC (TBS) has a slew of college prospects on their roster and will no doubt make a run this year in the Hoop State.
Ashton Graves
2027 6’4” PG
John Champe High School
Stone Ridge, VA
Despite being a true 2027, Ashton Graves was definitely one of the best prospects at Hooptober regardless of class. Graves plays for Coach Walt Webb who runs a system of space & pace, a playstyle that's perfect for Graves. Graves understands how to use his dribble to create shots for himself and his teammates. He is also an elite shot maker even at 15 years of age, using his 6’4” frame to simply shoot over his defenders.
I was most impressed by Ashton Grave’s handle. In the first game I watched him, he single handedly broke full court presses on his own. Never forcing the issue or having the ball stolen from him. While you can still see some youth in his mechanics, particularly his jumpshot, he has all the tools to continue to get better and he’s with a coach that will push his development. In today’s landscape of the transfer portal, being a true freshman receiving Division 1 offers is a rarity. But Ashton Graves is one of those prospects. He has a HM ceiling and his stock will only continue to rise.
Jayden Sepulveda
2024 5’10” PG
Landstown High School
Virginia Beach, VA
The biggest head turner at Hooptober was an under the radar guard out of the Beach District in Landstown’s Jayden Sepulveda. Sepulveda plays with a lot of flare and is a fun player to watch, using his handle to create a ton on the perimeter and he has the ability to score in bunches. He is a microwave player that doesn’t need to see the ball go in too many times before he’s dialed in.
The gym was buzzing when Sepulveda had the ball in his hands, I watched him go on an 8-0 run by himself in a matter of moments. Jayden had a number of college coaches check him out and was even offered by Averett University (D3) following the event. Landstown is always a contender in 6A and is once again deep with talent (i.e. 2026s Shawn Spellman & Zay Cleveland), expect Jayden to keep turning heads in the ‘23-’24 season.
Silas Barksdale
2025 6’8” F
Woodside High School
Newport News, VA
Hooptober featured many big men from VA, NC, & MD and Woodside’s Silas Barksdale was among the best. The forward has an incredible feel for the game and his growth on the floor is noticeable. Silas did an excellent job using his body to create scoring opportunities for himself as well as create angles for DHOs. Silas soft touch made him dangerous around the basket whether finishing contested dump offs or finishing floaters over his left shoulder.
This past summer, Silas played with Boo Williams EYBL 16u team where his player notoriety greatly rose. Barksdale currently holds offers from Richmond, Norfolk State, Hampton, Texas A&M, St. Louis, Mississippi State, Seton Hall, Tennessee, Illinois, Pitt, & Maryland, but revealed to me at Hooptober that commonwealth universities VCU and Virginia Tech have been recruiting him the hardest. As Wooside looks to repeat state titles, look for Silas Barksdale alongside Jermaine Detrick, Jordyn Houston, Masiah Stevens, My’kel Jenkins to lead the show for Coach Stef Welsh.
Gavin Kay
2026 6’6” F
Hampton High School
Hampton, VA
Adding to the list of talented hybrid forwards is Hampton’s Gavin Kay. Kay had a fantastic weekend dominating the glass and living above the rim. He has a quick second jump even though he has some weight on him. An interesting mix of size & athleticism. Gavin scored easily out of the post, converting a lot of and 1s and forcing defenses to collapse all weekend.
Gavin caught my eye in his first game of the weekend where his team was down 1 point with 10 seconds to go. Originally Kay was on the low block attempting to score out of the post but when the double team came he was forced to kick out. From here the ball was deflected out of bounds by the defense. Hampton called a TO with just under 8 seconds to go. The SLOB set was drawn up where Gavin inbounded the ball, passed to the high post then received a DHO attacking downhill where he converted an and 1 to put his team up by 2 with just under 5 seconds to play, ultimately securing the win for the Crabbers. Gavin Kay is a workhorse and winner, a name who will be popping up all season long.
Zoje Owinje
2026 6’4” G
Clinton Grace Christian School
Clinton, Maryland
Clinton Grace Christian School was yet another out of town team that came to play at this year’s Hooptober. Their roster is also flooded with talent from top to bottom in a range of classes. One of their most impressive prospects was 6’4” do-it-all guard Zoje Owinje, who impressed with his skill and iQ.
Zoje Owinje has all the tools to be effective at the next level with an above average handle, reliable shot making ability and understands how to run the show for a team. I saw Zoje score at the rim and he was able to make jumpers off the dribble with a soft touch. With his size at the guard position, Zoje can also play out of the post if matched up with a smaller guard. Keep an eye out for Zoje and the rest of his Clinton Grace squad this season.
Bryce Adams
2025 6’8” F
Clinton Grace Christian School
Clinton, Maryland
Clinton Grace, like many teams participating in Hooptober, had a number of impressive prospects. All of whom should be on college coaches’ radars, but big man Bryce Adams was especially impressive. This tournament featured a number of legit bigs and Bryce was the best defender of the group. He did a great job walling up in post situations, had good foot speed to rotate on the backline and rebounded at a high level.
The 2025 forward played with a high motor that made him an impact player in every contest. He was effective in the pick & roll game, finishing off pocket passes & lobs. He was also excellent with his back to the basket where he had post moves and saw the floor well, kicking out to shooters or hitting cutting teammates for lay ups. Bryce Adams led Clinton Grace’s impressive front court all weekend long and will be a formidable force for opposing defense for many years to come.
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