2024 Peach Jam: Saturday Updates + Preview of Championship Sunday

What should we expect from Peach Jam on Sunday?

AJ Dybansta / Stu Boyd II-The Commercial Appeal / USA

Team Durant 70 (MD) Team Herro 69 (WI) 15U

Baba Oladatun’s game-winner propelled Team Durant past Team Herro. The No.1 ranked freshman in the country showed his mettle to propel his team into the final four. Just as time was winding down his teammate found him baseline with just enough time to catch and shoot and Baba Oladatun delivered. Oladatun finished with a game-high 19 points on 8-18 shooting. He also had several highlight reel dunks. 

The telling stats in this game were the turnovers as Team Herro doubled Team Durant having 12 to just their six. Team Durant also had 13 steals. Jamaal McKnight Jr and Kye Gray led the way as they combined for 11 steals. Gray filled the stat sheet finishing with 15 points, seven assists, five steals, and four rebounds. 

Team Herro controlled the game throughout but could never establish their dominance in the game as Team Durant continued to stick around. Jack Kohnen did all he could for Team Herro as he finished with a triple-double, 10 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. Kohnen also had two steals. 

It was a great opening game for the elite eight that left you on the edge of your seat and delivered an unforgettable finish. 

Pro Skillz (TX) 65 Vs Drive Nation 60 (TX) OT 16U

Steven Spurlock’s 17 points and Marcellous Jackson Jr's near triple-double led Pro Skillz past Drive Nation in a tightly contested game. 

As things went into overtime tied at 58-58, Pro Skillz held Drive Nation to just two points in the extra period. Their defense clamped down and clogged the land and made Drive Nation into a jump-shooting team. Both teams struggled to score as they shot under 40% in the game. A key stat is how both teams shot a combined 5-29 from three-point range. 

The story of the game was Marcellous Jackson Jr. who finished with a near triple-double with 14 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. Every time Pro Skillz needed a play on offense he was there to make it whether it was setting up a teammate or hitting a big shot. 

He made winning plays in overtime to help send Pro Skillz to the Final Four hitting a floater in the lane to give them a lead and moments later finishing his teammate Joshua Goodwin Jr for a pivotal three that helped secure the win. 

Drive Nation’s Phoenix Woodson finished with a double-double adding 10 points and 10 rebounds. Austin Goosby led all scorers with 18 points. It was a balanced scoring effort for Drive Nation as four scorers finished in double figures including Woodson, Goosby, Dakari Spear, and Xavier Green. 

Ultimately Spurlock and Jackson Jr were just too much for Drive Nation to overcome.

Georgia Stars (GA) 77 Team Durant (MD) 64  

Georgia Stars used a strong fourth quarter to pull away from Team Durant in the Peach Invitational Tournament. 

Salim London led the way for the Georgia Stars with 18 points and was key on the defensive end poking away at three steals. Kuol Deng was a huge factor on the offensive glass and used second-chance opportunities to punish the defense. Deng finished with 15 points and six rebounds. He also had a monster jam that helped spark a run in the fourth. 

The Georgia Stars were able to pull away with their defense and get out on transition. They forced Team Durant into 12 turnovers. The Stars only had three all game. Team Durant kept the game competitive throughout the first half as they trailed 35-34 at the break. In addition to the turnovers, Team Durant struggled to shoot from deep, only converting four of their 22 three-pointers attempted at 18.2%. 

Team Durant was led by Acaden Lewis, who is one of the best players in the country and led his team in scoring with 17 points and also added eight rebounds. When Lewis was aggressive and attacking downhill, he was tough to slow down. Cameron Ward also chipped in 14 points and seven rebounds. 

Although it was more of an exhibition game, it was a good back-and-forth contest until the Georgia Stars were able to pull away. 

Game 3 Oakland Soldiers (CA) 70 Vs New Heights Lightning (NY) 64 17U

Tyran Stokes and AJ Dybansta combined for 48 points to lead the Oakland Soldiers past the New Heights Lightning. 

New Heights Lightning gave the Oakland Soldiers one of their best tests of the tournament. They simply just didn’t go away. The Lightning kept it close throughout the game and as the game started to get out of reach they pulled back in with a run of their own. Maleek Thomas dropped 30 points and was aggressive all game on the offensive end. Thomas also added four assists. Thomas is adept at getting to his spots and is a potent three-level scorer. 

It wasn’t until late in the fourth quarter on a missed Thomas three that led to a Dybansta dunk that helped spark a run for the Soldiers to put the game away. Stokes was also efficient with his touches shooting 57% from the field and scoring 24 points. 

The second-leading scorer in the entire tournament is Dybansta with 23 points per game and he finished with 26 points. It just looks effortless out there for him and he can get anywhere he wants on the floor. He has multiple memorable dunks and a highlight reel euro step to the rim. 

Oakland Soldiers were +13 on the boards and out rebounded New Height Lightning 37-24, which ultimately helped them close out the game. 

I think New Heights Lightning showed that Oakland Soldiers could be tested and beaten if you have elite shotmakers. You will probably need one or two to have a chance to come out on top. If not, it will be a tough outing for you. When it mattered most, the Oakland Soldiers flexed their muscles and showed they would come out on top. 

Preview of Championship Sunday 

Nightrydas Elite (FL) vs Oakland Soldiers (CA) 17U Championship at 11:30 am 

The headliner of championship Sunday is the 17U matchup Nightrydas Elite against the Oakland Raiders and rightfully so. The Nightrydas have three top-ranked players in five-star Cameron Boozer, five-star Caleb Wilson, and four-star Cayden Boozer. Cameron Boozer is the seventh leading scorer in the tournament with 20.6 PPG and third in rebounds with 10.1 RPG. Wilson gives a highlight reel type of play or dunk every time you see him step out on the court and is currently eighth in rebounds per game at 7.6 RPG. 

Oakland Soldiers have the No.1 player in the 2025 class in AJ Dybansta and the No.1 player in the 2026 class in Tyran Stokes. Dybansta is the second-leading scorer in the Peach Jam with 23 points and Stokes is second in the tournament with 10.3 rebounds per game. 

The frontcourt matchup will be something to watch as we rarely get to see this much talent go head-to-head. You simply can’t ask for a better championship matchup than these two going at it. The Nightrydas are on their quest to three-peat but can the Soldiers derail their chances at it? 

Bradley Beal Elite (MO) vs CP3 (NC) 16U Championship at 10:00 am 

It will be best against best in this championship matchup as Bradley Beal Elite has the best offense and CP3 has the best defense. 

Bradley Beal Elite is the highest-scoring team in the tournament averaging 77.2 PPG. They also are 9th in rebounds (27.0) and assists (11.7). Their top scorer is Jashawn Andrews who has scored 120 points thus far in the tournament and is currently fourth in scoring at 20 PPG. Another player to watch for Bradley Beal Elite is Trey Pearson; he is shooting the ball at 75% for the Peach Jam so far and leads the team with nine steals. Pearson is great at both ends of the floor and is shooting the three-ball at a blazing 60%. 

CP3 is the top rebounding team at 33.5 rebounds per game and is only giving up 57.2 points per game which is also best in the tournament. Offensively, CP3 is led by their do-it-all big man Kendre Harrison who leads the team with 84 points and 68 rebounds through the tournament. 

Harrison is a major eraser on the defensive end with his shot-blocking prowess. Harrison leads the team with nine blocks and is one of the better frontcourt defenders in the tournament. He also leads the Peach Jam with 11.3 rebounds per game. Harrison is also an elite football player and is ranked as the No.1 player in the class of 2026 in North Carolina.  

CP3 is a very active team defensively and it shows by how many turnovers they force. 

CP3 has five players with four or more steals in this tournament. As a team, they are at 29 steals for the tournament and will make you pay if you aren’t careful. This will be another entertaining championship game to see who can come out on top. 

WhyNot (CA) vs Arizona Unity (AZ) 15U championship at 2:30 PM 

WhyNot is averaging the sixth most points in the tournament at 66.5 per game. WhyNot has two good scorers in Cole Harden and Christopher Sanders who lead the team with 147 combined points in the tournament. Sanders leads the team with 32 rebounds. Harden is tied for the most assists on the team (11) and is second in steals with five. 

Arizona Unity brings the No.1 defense into the championship game. Only allowed 54 points per game in the tournament. Arizona Unity also has one of the better passing offenses and is currently ranked fourth with 12 assists per game. Their best offensive player is Darius Webbington who leads the team in points (89) and rebounds (52). Webbington is a monster on the glass and is currently ranked second in the Peach Jam with 8.7 per game. Delton Prescott is another standout player to watch in the championship game. Prescott leads the team with 24 assists and also is second in points with 85. 

Arizona Unity has looked like the team to beat in all tournaments and will have to go against a high-powered offensive attack in WhyNot to do so.