KSR's Tuesday takeaways from Nike Peach Jam

ZGeogheganKSR

Day three of the 2022 Nike Peach Jam came to a close on Tuesday night in North Augusta, GA. In case you missed KSR’s recap from what we saw on Monday, you can check that out here.

But Tuesday was a brand new day with brand new matchups. The usual Kentucky-connected suspects took the hardwood once again, including the likes of DJ Wagner, Robert Dillingham, and Justin Edwards. There were also a handful of ’24 class prospects with significant Kentucky ties battling it out, such as Tre Johnson, Tahaad Pettiford, and Johnuel “Boogie” Fland, all of whom have publicly announced offers from the UK coaching staff.

Speaking of the staff, college coaches will be allowed to sit in on the action starting at noon EST today. The recruiting dead period takes a brief hiatus during Peach Jam every year to allow coaches one final AAU look at their top and future targets. The evaluation period will last until July 24 at 6:00 p.m. EST, which is around the same time the final championship games should be wrapping up.

So what did KSR learn while in attendance on Tuesday? Let’s dive right in to find out.

Tre Johnson falls short against DJ Wagner, Aaron Bradshaw

For me personally, this was my first time watching ’24 five-star Tre Johnson in person. Playing for Team Griffin, he’s every bit of the 6-foot-5 he’s listed at and maybe even an inch taller. It didn’t take long at all for Johnson to “wow” the packed crowd (which included the likes of Blake Griffin, who is the sponsor for Team Griffin, and LeBron James). He finished with a team-high 20 points on 8-20 shooting (4-11 from distance), connecting on some of the toughest shots I’ve seen all week long. Johnson has a seemingly unlimited range, can get to the rim in spurts, and commands the ball on offense.

I’ll definitely make sure to check him out again before I leave, but he sure did look every bit of a five-star talent. He also added six rebounds and two assists to his stat line.

Unfortunately, his Team Griffin squad couldn’t keep up with the New Jersey Scholar’s Big Three of DJ Wagner, Aaron Bradshaw, and Duke commit Mackenzie Mgbako — a trio of ’23 five-stars with various skillsets. The contest was tight until about midway through the third period when the Scholars began to take control. Team Griffin wound up falling 73-57.

For Wagner and Bradshaw — two incredibly high Kentucky targets — it was business as usual on their end. Combined with Mgbako, those three scored 56 of the team’s points and were the only ones in double-figures. Wagner finished with 16 points, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals on 6-17 shooting from the floor. Bradshaw was right behind him with 14 points of his own on 6-9 shooting to go along with seven rebounds.

Boogie Fland talks about his Kentucky offer

Much like Tre Johnson, this was my first time watching Johnuel “Boogie” Fland live and in person. I watched him play for Team USA over in Spain during the 2022 U17 FIBA World Cup, but from the comfort of my home, of course. On Tuesday, Fland took the floor for the third time this week for the PSA Cardinals 16U program. He’s just a week removed from international hoops, which is a completely different playstyle entirely, but he made the transition rather seamlessly.

Fland was known for being a do-it-all type player in Spain (averaging 4.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.1 steals per outing) and that’s been the case on the AAU circuit, as well. Through three Peach Jam outings, he’s averaging 11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.0 steals while shooting 43.3 percent overall from the field. The 6-foot-3 point guard is a constantly active player with solid ball handling and playmaking skills. Fland can get to his spots with relative ease and can be a pest both on the ball and in the passing lanes on defense.

He’s also a great personality and a down-to-earth type of kid. After he helped lead PSA to a 51-47 win over MoKan Elite on Tuesday, he spoke with KSR to talk about his recruitment, the Kentucky offer he received last week, and how he got the moniker of “Boogie”. Fland had a smile on his face the entire time he spoke with the few media members and made sure to point out his mom and grandmother in the stands as major influences on his life (and his nickname).

For more on KSR’s interview with Fland, check that out here.

Tahaad Pettiford, NH Lightning top Justin Edwards, Team Final

Another ’24 point guard who earned an offer from Kentucky last week was Tahaad Pettiford, who is currently considered a four-star and the No. 28 overall prospect by On3’s own rankings, but could be due for a rise in coming updates after a couple of months of superb play. Again, this was another UK target I was able to watch in person for the first time with my own two eyes.

Despite playing up a year in age, Pettiford doesn’t look like he’s playing out of his comfort zone. Admittedly, the 6-foot-0 point guard finished with just four points (2-10 shooting) and three rebounds, although it came in a 68-52 win over Team Final and five-star Kentucky target Justin Edwards, who is expected to make his college decision on Monday. I should also add that Pettiford dropped 23 points in his Peach Jam debut on Sunday before posting eight points, two rebounds, three assists, and two steals on Monday. He’s playing for a talented NH Lightning squad too that can afford to spread the love.

As for Edwards, his performance was a far cry from what I saw on Monday. Granted, Team Final’s talent level is nowhere near that of the NH Lightning — Edwards is the only top 50 recruit on the roster. He finished with seven points, one rebound, and three assists on 2-13 shooting on Tuesday as the opposing defense tried to make his life hell on nearly every possession. If the goal was to frustrate Edwards, for the most part, it worked. We’ll see if he can bounce back against the Oakland Soldiers on Wednesday night.

Wednesday’s Peach Jam schedule for Kentucky fans

5:00 PM | City Rocks vs. Florida Rebels (Karter Knox ’24)
5:00 PM | Team Griffin (Tre Johnson ’24) vs. Brad Beal Elite
6:30 PM | Mokan Elite (John Bol ’24) vs. Team WhyNot
6:30 PM | NJ Scholars (Aaron Bradshaw, DJ Wagner) vs. PSA Cardinals
6:30 PM | LivOn-Fleur De Lis vs. Team CP3 (Robert Dillingham)
6:30 PM | NY Rens (Naasir Cunningham ’24) vs. Team Durant (KJ Evans)
8:00 PM | NH Lightning (Elliot Cadeau ’24; Tahaad Pettiford ’24) vs. Indy Heat
8:00 PM | Expressions Elite (Matas Buzelis) vs. Houston Hoops (Amier Ali ’24)
8:00 PM | Team Final (Justin Edwards) vs. Oakland Soldiers