National Junior Circuit, National Senior Circuit, and The Platinum Circuit Tournament December 12-14, 2025

Style of Play:

The National Junior Circuit, National Senior Circuit, and The Platinum Circuit is one grassroots tournament with a variety of Canadian prep schools participating. It has an AAU type feel with a lot of easy fast-break and transition opportunities for teams to score. In the half-court, the teams that had success were the ones that could run a pick and roll or implement a drive and kick offense with multiple shooting options. The type of players that had the most success were rim running bigs with size, athleticism, and physicality dominating the competition; guards who could attack in transition and took advantage of mismatches and switches in the pick and roll, as well as tall shooters who took and made a good amount of catch and shoot three-pointers.

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Standouts:

Mouhamed Sanogo

Position: C

Height: 6 Feet 10 Inches

Team: C.O.D.E Academy

Circuit: National Junior Circuit

Class: 2029

Uncommitted

Mouhamed Sanogo is the biggest standout in the tournament. He operates as a rim running big. He is quick, explosive, and fluid for his size allowing him to beat opposing teams’ bigs down the floor with ease. He shows moments where he can bring the ball up as a ball-handler in transition. He has a good tight handle for his size and for a big. His ability to push the pace after grabbing a rebound and not having to find his teammates to handle the ball speeds up his team’s pace and allows them to get easy high-percentage shots in transition at a higher rate. In the half-court, he has the mobility to operate as a cutter to the rim. In all situations he is a lob threat with good hands and an above the rim finisher. He dominated this competition level being significantly more athletic than everyone else.

He has success passing the ball for a big. He can make passes out of the high post into the low post in big to big action and can find the leak-out guy in transition after pushing pace as a ball-handler. When making passes into the post, he has poise to wait for the post up player to fight and get deep post positioning, setting them up for a high-percentage shot.

He has a significant size advantage that he can use to rebound the ball and dominate the glass. He gets extra possessions and second-chance opportunities for his team and limits them for the opposing team. On putbacks after getting offensive rebounds, he has a nice finishing touch in the paint.

On the defensive end, he has his biggest impact. His main skillset is being a rim protector and blocking shots at the rim. He doesn’t allow any easy fast-break points with his ability to get back in transition quickly and use his length to challenge shots. As a shot blocker he has timing, instincts, and covers a lot of ground. He keeps the ball in play when blocking shots sparking fast-break opportunities for him and his team to create offense from his defense. When defending the pick and roll, he is a switchable defender. He moves his feet well and can stay in front of guards forcing them into tough contested shots through his length and size.

Anthony Nnajiofor

Position: C

Height: 6 Feet 10 Inches

Team: Canada Topflight Academy Gold

Circuit: The Platinum Circuit

Class: 2026

Uncommitted

Anthony Nnajiofor is at his best when he keeps the game simple and operates as a rim running big. He is quick and explosive getting down the court in transition making it hard for other bigs to keep up with that pace. In the half-court, he is a big part of their pick and roll offense setting good hard picks and freeing up the pick and roll ball-handler. He generates switches for pick and roll ball-handlers into favorable matchups where they can attack and score. His picks are impactful as he generates a lot of screen assists, gets higher quality shots for his teammates, and makes the game easier for them. When the game slows down, he gets his scoring opportunities in the post and as a cutter. In the post he is at his best when he uses his quickness, mobility, and fluidity to spin out of the post and gets to the rim. He struggles more in the post when trying to get deep post positioning and goes to a hook shot. He has the size and physicality to get deep post positioning but lacks the poise and takes tough off-balance hook shots away from the rim. He catches lobs and is an above the rim finisher when cutting to the rim.

He is an underrated passer. He can find cutters either out of the high post or out of the low post when he draws double teams and has good timing on his passes setting up his teammates.

In this tournament, he has a size and athleticism advantage he uses to rebound the ball. He gets extra possessions and second-chance opportunities and limits extra possessions and second-chance opportunities for the opposing team.

An area for improvement offensively is pushing the pace in transition as a ball-handler after grabbing a rebound. He is inconsistent with this aspect of his game. At times, he has a loose handle and is clumsy and stiff allowing the other team to force him into turnovers. He is at his best bringing the ball up at a slower pace or finding one of his guards to handle the ball, which causes him to have less of a loose handle and makes him less turnover prone.

On the defensive end, he protects the rim and blocks shots using his size and length.

David Kouadio

Position: G

Height: 6 Feet 4 Inches

Team: Tri-City Prep

Circuit: National Junior Circuit

Class: 2029

Uncommitted

David Kouadio is a big guard who thrives in the open court getting downhill or getting to his spot for a dribble pull-up jumper. He is aggressive attacking the rim more than settling for pull-up shots. He uses his body and frame to shield and keep defenders off him. He can change speeds and direction making it hard for defenders to stay in front of him. When getting into the paint he has the strength to absorb contact, finish through traffic, and get to the free-throw line. In the half-court, he operates in the pick and roll as a ball-handler. His team tries to get him switches and mismatches he can attack. He gets to his spot in the mid-range where he can elevate and shoot over smaller defenders or get to a floater with good touch. When he starts scoring, teams send a lot of hedges and double teams in the pick and roll. He plays at his own pace and doesn’t get sped up, displaying poise and calmness in his game. He can operate in the post against smaller guards. His approach in the post is to use his strength to overpower smaller players, have good footwork, and find angles where he can score. Even though he is a primary scorer and his team needs him to score, he is a willing passer and can find the open man. He operates as a drive and kick passer and off dribble penetration.

For a guard, he has a high motor grabbing rebounds and getting them out of his zone. His ability to rebound the ball gives him more opportunity to play to his strength operating in transition as a ball-handler and allows his team to play at a faster pace.

On the defensive end, he is more of a team defender. He is quick on rotations and closing out to three-point shooters. He is using his length to force tough looks. He has high-level anticipation getting into passing lanes and generating steals and deflections.

Jeremie Mugerwa

Position: PG

Height: 5 Feet 10 Inches

Team: Canada Topflight Academy Gold

Circuit: The Platinum Circuit

Class: 2026

Uncommitted

Jeremie Mugerwa operates mainly as a pick and roll ball-handler in the half-court. He takes advantage of switches with a quick explosive first step blowing by slower more flat footed defenders. He is more of a straight-line driver than someone who finishes with craftiness and footwork to navigate around the defense. He doesn’t shy away from bigger player and physicality, trying to finish through their size in the paint. He absorbs contact and gets to the free-throw line. He needs his teammates to make the game easier for him by setting good picks and freeing him up to get those mismatches. He isn’t as effective rejecting picks and playing one on one. Off the ball, he operates as a catch and shoot three-point shooter with a quick release and fluid shooting mechanics. As a passer, he operates on drive and kick situations and off dribble penetration finding shooters and creating good looks for them. In transition, he finds shooters on leak-outs and trails.

He is a scrappy defender. He picks up full court displaying his physicality and defensive lateral quickness making it tough for ball-handlers to advance the ball. He is in the right spot at the right time and draws charges forcing a change in possession. He creates offense from his defense either getting steals and deflections playing the passing lanes or using his quick, strong, and active hands to poke the ball away. He has all the qualities you want defensively in a small undersized guard.

Kalan Jameer Leith

Position: PG

Height: 5 Feet 11 Inches

Team: London Basketball Academy

Circuit: The Platinum Circuit

Class: 2027

Uncommitted

Kalan Jameer Leith is a scoring guard who can operate with the ball in his hands and off the ball. He is a shot creator and creates a lot of separation from defenders with a step-back jump shot. He is aggressive getting downhill and into the paint using his quick first step to blow by defenders or his shiftiness to get them off-balance. When operating in the paint he has good footwork, is a crafty finisher, and can play off two feet. To get his offense off the ball he moves well along the three-point line, is constantly moving, and finds the open space making it exhausting for defenders to chase him around and run him off the three-point line. He has a quick release and fluid shooting mechanics on catch and shoot three-pointers. He has a shot fake he uses to get defenders off-balance and up in the air making it easier for him to attack closeouts and get into the paint. As a passer, he finds his teammates off dribble penetration and drive and kick setting them up for high-percentage catch and shoot three-pointers.

On the defensive end, he is picking up ball-handlers from the backcourt and applying resistance.

Gabriel Bignell

Position: SG

Height: 6 Feet 5 Inches

Team: Orangeville Prep Varsity Team

Circuit: National Senior Circuit

Class: 2028

Uncommitted

Gabriel Bignell is at his best as a catch and shoot three-point specialist. He has a quick release and fluid shooting mechanics. He gets his catch and shoot threes either in transition being quick to get down the floor and locating the open space or in the half-court off his teammates drive and kick and dribble penetration. At times, when shooting three-pointers in the half-court he doesn’t get enough of his hips, legs, and backspin into the shot resulting in a flat shot and making him more effective on catch and shoot pull-up threes. When defenders closeout on him from three-point range, he can put the ball on the floor and get to a dribble pull-up mid-range shot or all the way to the rim.

On the defensive end, he has length to recover when his matchup creates separation with a step-back jump shot.

Ose Okhiria

Position: F

Height: 6 Feet 7 Inches

Team: Orangeville Prep Varsity Team

Circuit: National Senior Circuit

Class: 2028

Uncommitted

Ose Okhiria is a forward who makes the game easier for his teammates by passing them the ball. He finds cutters out of the high post and makes crosscourt passes to shooters in the corner. He is a high motor player getting extra possessions and second-chance opportunities. When he gets a rebound, he looks to pass it out to a shooter rather than going for the putback.

On the defensive end, he is most impactful. He is quick to rotate from the weak side and contest or block shots. He has the length, timing, and shot blocking instincts. He gets players to lose body control in the paint without fouling. When defending on the perimeter he hedges the pick and roll well, moves his feet, and has length that is tough to pass through. He is an effective post up defender fronting the post and denying deep post positioning.

Makhai Spencer

Position: PG

Height: 5 Feet 10 Inches

Team: RSB Elite

Circuit: National Junior Circuit

Class: 2029

Uncommitted

Makhai Spencer is a player who executes his team’s transition offense really well. He benefited from the fast-paced style of play in this tournament and got a lot of easy high-percentage shots in the open floor. He operates as both a leak-out man and ball-handler. He is quick, explosive, and fills the lanes well allowing him to outrun opposing teams and get either catch and shoot pull-up threes or finish at the rim. He is aggressive getting downhill after catching the ball on leak-outs. He can finish through contact and get to the free-throw line. He has a quick release and fluid shooting mechanics on catch and shoot three-pointers. He is vocal encouraging his teammates to attack mismatches and be aggressive.

On the defensive end, he picks up full-court and applies pressure making it tough for the ball handler to get good ball advancement.