Nike Peach Jam is in full swing, with Providence commits Jamier Jones and Jaylen Harrell in action

The summer grassroots season is wrapping up this week, and the focus in Friartown is on the Nike Peach Jam, where Jamier Jones and the Florida Rebels and an Expressions Elite team featuring Jaylen Harrell are looking to make noise on the biggest stage.

The Expressions split their first two games of the week (Peach Jam runs until Sunday, July 21) with a win over Vegas Elite (64-57) behind 13 points, four rebounds, and three assists from the Friar commit Harrell, but they fell on Sunday (69-48) to Drive Nation out of Texas with Harrell sidelined after suffering an injury on Saturday. Harrell may return to action this week, and the hope among the Friar Faithful is that he is active for Tuesday’s highly anticipated matchup with Jones and the Florida Rebels.

A look at Harrell on Saturday:

Here is the Expressions’ schedule through Friday (all games are streamed on the Nike EYBL website):

• Tuesday, July 16 at 6:00pm vs. Florida Rebels

• Thursday, July 18 at 6:00pm vs. Team United (NC)

• Friday, July 19 at 3:00pm vs. JL3 (TX)

One thing to watch for in Harrell’s game is his offensive versatility. Much has been made of his ability to stretch the floor, and more fans are seeing how Harrell punishes smaller defenders in the post, but he’s also an adept passer. He spent much of the spring ranked in the top 15 or so in assists in EYBL play, as he passes well out of the post and finds cutters consistently.

Jones and the Florida Rebels are 2-0 at Peach Jam to date, with wins over JL3 (71-67) and Team United (82-56). Jones finished the opener with 17 points on 8-10 shooting from the field (he did not attempt a 3-pointer) and he committed just one turnover in 30 minutes of a tight game. Teammate, and Providence point guard target in the class of 2025, Jalen Reese finished with 15 points and four assists.

Jones was needed for just 20 minutes on Sunday, shooting 5-7 from the floor in scoring 13 points in the blowout of Team United. Syracuse power forward commit (and top-25 player in the class of 2025) Sadiq White Jr. finished with 18 points and seven boards for Team United.

Here’s Jones putting in some work on Saturday:

The Rebels’ schedule through Friday is as follows:

• Tuesday, July 16 at 6:00pm vs. Expressions Elite (MA)

• Thursday, July 18 at 12:00pm vs. Vegas Elite

• Friday, July 19 at 1:30pm vs. Drive Nation (TX)

From a national lens, the biggest names participating at Peach Jam this week belong to the Oakland Soldiers (CA) and Nightrydas Elite (FL). Fans of grassroots basketball are hoping to see a star-studded final between these two clubs. The Nightrydas are led by 6’9 power forward Cameron Boozer on a team that won the EYBL U15 and U16 titles the past two seasons, while the Soldiers feature Brockton, MA native AJ Dybantsa (a teammate of Jaylen Harrell’s at St. Sebastian’s two years ago) and an elite power wing in Tyran Stokes. Dybantsa is a 6’9 small forward that just reclassified to the class of 2025. Dybantsa and Boozer are considered the top two prospects in the class of 2025, and will vie to go number one overall in the NBA Draft after college. Both of their clubs went 14-1 during the EYBL regular season.

Look out for more updates throughout the week.