The premier EYBL event, the Peach Jam, is a few days in after beginning on Monday, July 3. It runs through Sunday, July 9. The Rutgers coaching staff is in Augusta, South Carolina to watch a 2024 commit and many other top targets. Note that RU commits Ace Bailey and Bryce Dortch are not playing at the Peach Jam. This is because the EYBL is the AAU circuit for Nike. Both Bailey and Dortch play for Adidas programs.
Here are updates on Rutgers commit Lathan Sommerville and priority targets playing at the Peach Jam.
Lathan Sommerville
The Rutgers commit continues to play well this spring and summer. Through four games at the Peach Jam, Sommerville is averaging 13.0 points on 52.8% shooting along with 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 block in 23.5 minutes per contest.
On Tuesday, he scored 23 points on 8 of 11 shooting (72.7%) and 7 of 8 from the foul line (87.5%). He added 4 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal in 30 minutes.
On Wednesday, Sommerville had a double double with 17 points, 13 rebounds, a block and a steal in just 24 minutes of action. He was 6 of 13 from the floor (46.2%) and 5 of 7 from the foul line (71.4%).
Sommerville is dynamic at times due to his diverse offensive skill set and willingness to bang inside. He has a soft touch and at 6’10” can stretch the floor.
Rivals’ national basketball analyst Rob Cassidy singled Sommerville out on Wednesday for his performance.
On Friday, Sommerville’s team, Bradley Beal Elite, will face the New York Rens. Both squads are 3-1 this week so far. The Rens are led by the No. 1 recruit in the nation and it should be fun to see him face off against Sommerville.
Dylan Harper
Of course, the No. 1 recruit in the nation is Dylan Harper. Fresh off playing for Team USA last week at the FIBA U-19 World Cup, Harper missed the first game of the Peach Jam on Monday. However, he’s excelled as usual in the three games he has played in. Harper is averaging 19.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 steal in 28.3 minutes per game. He is shooting 24 of 47 from the floor (51.1%), 22 of 35 from two-point range (62.9%), just 2 of 12 from three-point range (16.7%) and 7 of 8 from the foul line (87.5%).
Steve Pikell and Brandin Knight traveled to Hungary last week to watch Harper play for Team USA. On Thursday, they were courtside along with new assistant coach Marlon Williamson. In the recruiting world, having three coaches from the same program watching a recruit is a strong statement.
Darius Adams
A top target for Rutgers in the 2025 class, Darius Adams is showing out for the PSA Cardinals at the E16 level at the Peach Jam where most rising juniors play. He is averaging 17.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 29.0 minutes per game. Adams is shooting 22 of 55 from the floor (40.0%), 14 of 32 from two-point range (43.8%), 8 of 23 from three-point range (34.8%) and 17 of 23 from the foul line (73.9%).
Adams announced this week that he was transferring from Manasquan to La Lumiere in Indiana for next season. The school plays in the extremely competitive National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC). It features some of the best prep schools in the country and provides a great opportunity to play at a higher level than typical high school basketball. The top recruit in New Jersey is a top 25 player in the 2025 class. His sister just transferred to Rutgers and Adams will likely remain a top priority for Pikiell in the next recruiting cycle.
Darius Acuff Jr.
The fast rising guard has had a great spring and summer on the EYBL circuit. His offer list is impressive and Rutgers is firmly in the mix with assistant coach Marlon Williamson. Acuff Jr. plays for The Family, a Detroit based AAU program. Williamson previously coached and was President of Youth operations before becoming a collegiate assistant.
At the Peach Jam, Acuff Jr. is averaging 17.8 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.0 rebounds in 29.0 minutes over four games. He is shooting 28 of 76 from the floor (36.8%), 21 of 44 from two-point range (47.7%), 7 of 32 from three-point range (21.9%) and 8 of 11 from the foul line (72.7%).
Meleek Thomas
The top shooting guard in the 2025 class is playing for New Heights Lightning at the senior level. He is averaging 16.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals in 28.3 minutes through four games. Thomas is shooting 24 of 67 from the floor (35.8%), 20 of 44 from two-point range (45.5%), 4 of 23 from three-point range (17.4%) and 12 of 18 from the foul line (66.7%). You can read more about Thomas and Rutgers’ pursuit of him here.
I’ll have more updates as the Peach Jam continues this weekend.
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FlaRef
July 7, 2023 at 7:31 am
Good to read about the current happenings with RU Basketball and Pike’s pursuit of the best talent! Thanks for the updates!
thevinman
July 7, 2023 at 11:30 am
My head shakes in disbelief each time I read a story about who is coming to Rutgers, and who might be coming to Rutgers. While the men’s team is reaching for the top tier, the women’s team is no slouch either. What a time to be a Rutgers basketball fan!!
pj43
July 7, 2023 at 11:36 am
Ditto your comments. Regarding Sommerville – …”A blast to watch in the post because he has a surprisingly deep bag of moves.” Rob Cassidy. That comment is music to my ears!