The Battle of the Magic City has become one of the top tournaments that kick off the spring season. Talent from as far as Virginia and Texas converged in Hoover, AL, and provided a weekend of exciting basketball. I got…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inThe Battle of the Magic City has become one of the top tournaments that kick off the spring season. Talent from as far as Virginia and Texas converged in Hoover, AL, and provided a weekend of exciting basketball. I got a lot of notes on players and identified a lot of players to keep track of over the next few months to track their development. Here are a few players that caught my attention early…
Herly Brutus (6’4/Small Forward/2026)
Team: TCB-Nightrydas
Instagram: Noluv_herly
Twitter: N/A
Herly kicked off the spring and summer with an impressive performance during the Battle of The Magic City. His game has expanded so much since I laid eyes on him last summer. He is much more comfortable handling the rock in iso situations and in the open court. He is still dominant on the low block and was virtually unstoppable in the paint, at the rim, and on the glass.
As I have said before, his long-term upside is highly robust.
His game off the bounce is what was most impressive and is what I noticed is the most improved aspect of his game. He is definitely in the conversation when talking about the best players across the country in the 2026 class.
Opportunities For Growth: As Herly continues to expand his perimeter game and add efficiency from behind the arc, he is going to be a tough cover for years to come.
Erick Dampier Jr. (6’4/Power Forward, Center/2028)
Team: Team Heat elite 2028
Instagram: edampjr2028
Twitter: N/A
A lot of hype surrounded EJ, as conversations in the barbershop were held about him playing at the event and people saying they were going to come and check him out. He has the pedigree, and you see already that he is going to have the size and length. What impressed me most was the demand that his dad, who is coaching the team, placed on the team to play man-to-man pressure defense.
EJ is learning to defend on the perimeter and is not being allowed to sit back in the paint.
You could tell he was out of his comfort zone and was winded, but he kept pushing himself on the defensive end of the floor. At this age and with his size, he is dominant in the paint and on the glass. He is definitely an emerging prospect, and I am excited about his development.
Opportunities For Growth: As I say with all kids EJ’s age, he needs to continue to work on all aspects of the game. He is developing on both ends of the court, and I look forward to seeing him in July after several months in the lab and in high-level competition.
Solomon Lawyer Bradshaw (5’9/Point Guard/2026)
Team: Young Pro Global
Instagram: Kingsolomon_tv
Twitter: @kingsolomon_tv
One of the many things that I loved about watching Solomon play was his passion and excitement for the game. Another thing that I loved about his game was his response to an obvious mistake he made, and whether it was by design or was just a coincidence, he was taken out of the game. When the coach on the bench talked to him about the mistake, he responded, “Yes Sir, I got you, coach.” That showed me that he is coachable, which checks off a box that many college coaches look for, especially with players that will be running their team.
Solomon is a true floor general with a high IQ and makes good decisions with the ball in his hands.
His crossover is lethal and leaves defenders scrambling to recover. He has vision and passing accuracy and is a big-time creator off the bounce. He was one of the top facilitators throughout the weekend.
Opportunities For Growth: Solomon has a lot of skills and tools as he gets ready to transition to high school. I’m not sure if he is already getting varsity action, but if he has not, I encourage him to get in the weight room working on his strength and speed, as the game is stronger and faster at the next level.
Sequel Chance Patterson (5’10/Combo Guard/2027)
Team: Tre Mann Elite
Instagram: 2.timessssss
Twitter: N/A
Sequel has definitely improved his game since the last time I saw him last summer. He has become a more versatile player on both ends of the court. His skill set has improved, and he is very confident in his ability on the court. He is tough off the bounce, stayed getting to the paint and the rack, competed with a lot of effort, and was a ferocious playmaker.
He had several crafty finishes at the rim and simply produced at a high level.
His speed and explosiveness were terrific in transition, and each time he got out in the open court, he looked to put pressure on the rim. His scoring arsenal has improved, and he is poised to make a lot of noise this spring and summer.
Opportunities For Growth: Sequel has to continue to work on his trey ball. He struggled to make the trey during the game I watched him play. Becoming more efficient in that area is going to expand his overall game.
Jaxson Davis (5’10/Point Guard/2027)
Team: Illinois Flight
Instagram: _JaxsonDavis_
Twitter: N/A
This was my first time laying eyes on Jaxson, and he went from my notes to my immediate takeaways after several trips up and down the court. Jaxson is one of the first of the spring and summer seasons of hidden gems that I have found. He is a tough cover and constantly broke down defenders, forced help, and made the right decisions when the defense collapsed on him.
He got downhill in a hurry and was finishing well in the paint and at the rim.
He played with an edge, and in the game against Game Elite, he scored 17pts and was the best player on the court that game. He is a score-first PG that was relentless off the bounce.
Opportunities For Growth: JD has to continue working on his shooting efficiency from the perimeter. As teams play the gaps and wall up against his dribble penetration, he will need to be able to loosen up the D with his outside shooting.
Stay close as more is coming from The Battle of The Magic City.
