The Formula: Sophomores Thriving at 17u for Team Rampage

In the Grassroots world being the best at your age or graduating class is highly valued. Shoe circuit teams work hard every year putting together teams that can compete for championships at every age (15-17u) with hopes that players develop into potential college players. However, there are situations where players may play up if they are good enough to contribute at a high level as an underclassman. For Team Rampage, underclassman playing up has been used as a tool for development & exposure for those that are ready. 

There have been several examples of underclassman playing up for Team Rampage in the past 10 years. Some sophomores have started on 17u, others have come off the bench to be groomed into becoming a potential face of the program. The most recent sophomores that played 17u was Tyler Bailey (2026) & Cliff Willis (2026). Bailey played up as a sophomore with a team full of talented unsigned seniors. He did not start but he accepted a 6th man role in which he thrived in. Once the seniors signed scholarships & moved on, spots opened up on the team which allowed Cliff Willis to earn a spot on the roster as a sophomore as well. Willis came later In the summer going into his junior year, & held his own. One Year later as incoming seniors, Willis & Bailey turned into one of the most dynamic backcourts in AAU on the west coast. Both helped Team Rampage win the E32 division of the New Balance P32 circuit, & both currently have scholarship offers from levels ranging from D3, NAIA, & D2.

Another group of sophomores that played up was from the 2019 team. This team featured 6 sophomores at the time that all went on to play in college. Jeremiah Jones (Cal State Stanislaus) Lucky Hampton (Cal Maritime) Jacob Ebert (Pacific Union) Christian Rodriguez (Cal Maritime) Jaden Alexander (Cal State Bakersfield) & Keaton Massey (Butte College). This group is legendary in Rampage history as they had the opportunity to play the EYBL Oakland Soliders that featured two NBA Lottery picks, Jalen Green & Zhaire Williams, & also high school phenom Dior Johnson. Playing up was done more on a collective level with this group but they all got the exposure & development that was needed for them to thrive at the next level. 

Most of the grassroots world takes pride at dominating at every age. With Team Rampage, being good at every age matters but not more than the development. Coach Brandon Bracy & Director Antonio Hodges have not been scared to put sophomores that have potential & the mental capacity to handle playing up on 17u early. The success rate of underclassman playing up for Team Rampage & developing into really good players at the next level has been very high. The competition, exposure, & development that underclassman gets by playing up enhances their confidence, & allows them to level up with all of the elite players who didn’t play up. It will be interesting to see if there will be any underclassman that plays up in 2026!