Adidas 3SSB Championship: The Cassidy Awards

ROCK HILL, S.C – The 2022 Adidas 3SSB Championship is in the books. Champions have been crowned and prospects from all over the county have improved their stocks as prospects. Rivals.com recruiting director Rob Cassidy was on hand for the final three days of the event, and he dishes out his awards to several prospects below.

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MORE FROM THE EVENT: Takeaways from Friday's action at the 3SSB Championship | Takeaways from Thursday's action

2023 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2024 Rankings: Top 125

Transfer Portal: Latest news

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WHAT HE DID: We first encountered Sandfort at this time last year and thought he had a chance to be a high-level prospect. That hunch seems to be turning into reality as the No. 138 player in the 2024 class outperformed that ranking at 3SSB over the weekend. A top-flight 3-point shooter with the length and muscle to finish through contact at the rack, Sandfort got buckets in every imaginable way on Friday. A four-point play that saw him knock down a deep 3-pointer despite heavy contact brought spectators to their feet, but his ability to impact the game in any number of ways, including guarding multiple positions, is what impressed scouts in the crowd. Sandfort’s days of being ranked outside the top 100 are numbered.

RECRUITMENT: Sandfort says his recruitment is wide open, but the fact that his brother, Payton Sandfort, is currently a standout for Fran McCaffery at Iowa should be noted. The Hawkeyes have already offered. So have schools such as Clemson, Nebraska, Washington State and Wake Forest.

WHAT HE DID: When it comes to playing vertically, the 245-pound Cyril is as explosive and dangerous as any big man in the country. He spent Saturday afternoon wowing onlookers with tip-dunks and finishing lobs, but also made a difference defensively, where he used his size and explosiveness to pin shots against the backboard and force guards into tossing up low-percentage floaters. The broad-shouldered Cyril needs some polish offensively, but he’s built like an NFL defensive end and has raw ability in spades. His high ceiling is obvious. Reaching it will depend on how he absorbs coaching in the year ahead.

RECRUITMENT: Cyril holds a number of high-major offers, but Kansas seems particularly high on the 2024 center. Expect the Jayhawks, Tennessee, Georgetown, Memphis and others to be among the schools in the mix when his recruitment begins to take shape.

WHAT HE DID: The event’s MVP as named by the tournament itself, Mustaf led his New World AAU team to the tournament championship and turned heads in the process. The No. 72 player in the class of 2024, Mustaf impacted games in a long list of ways and showcased his physicality and ability to score in the paint despite playing up an age group. Mustaf gets to the free-throw line with incredible regularity. In fact, he shot more than 20 free throws in the title game. Mustaf also rebounds well, as the multidimensional guard is a master when it comes to using his bulky frame to get position.

RECRUITMENT: Mustaf has seen new schools enter the mix because of his performance in Rock Hill. Texas A&M offered on Sunday and that won’t be the last major school to get involved. The junior-to-be holds offers from places such as Maryland, Georgia, NC State, Xavier and Rutgers.

WHAT HE DID: The sixth-ranked player in the 2024 class, Bidunga’s upside is not a secret, but his ceiling seems a bit higher each time we watch him. Already one of the top defensive players in the nation regardless of class, Bidunga has potential to be one of the best shot blockers we’ve seen in quite some time and he reminded everyone of that fact in Rock Hill. He is a total game-changer on the defensive end, where he changes a high percentage of the shots he doesn’t manage to block and affects nearly every possession. Offensively, he’s still a bit raw but his upside on that end is also clear. He has potential to improve on his lofty ranking and will likely find himself well within the top 5 eventually.

RECRUITMENT: It’s too early to tell much about Bidunga’s recruitment, but most every school in the county is having a look. The junior-to-be already lists offers from programs such as Bradley, Wake Forest, Auburn and Arizona State.

WHAT HE DID: Baker led his Chicago-based Team Rose squad deep into the tournament’s consolation bracket and was one of the better players on the floor in a high-level game on Saturday, where flashed his versatility by staying in front of smaller guards and banging with 250-pound center Somtochukwu Cyril, who he held in check for stretches. Offensively, Baker boasts a confident and smooth jumper and also handles the ball relatively well. The 6-foot-7 forward could stand to add muscle and polish, but what he did over the weekend was encouraging.

RECRUITMENT: Akron, Northern Illinois and Toledo seem to be most involved in the race to land Baker, who seems to have a high-major ceiling even if his offer list suggests otherwise.

WHAT HE DID: The son of Penn State head coach Micah Shrewsberry, Braeden Shrewsberry came out firing in a semifinal contest that saw him knock down at least six 3-pointers. Shrewsberry thrives in catch-and-shot situations but also showed the ability to create for himself via pull-up jumper on occasion. Defenses need to be aware of where the 6-foot-2 guard is at all times, because he can take over a game if given too many open looks at the rim.

RECRUITMENT: Shrewsberry is committed to Penn State.

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WHAT HE DID: Lewis looked a bit out of sorts early in the spring, but he seems to be playing more like his old self these days. Saturday saw the four-star guard turn in a well-rounded performance that showcased his ball-handling, explosiveness and ability to create for himself and others. Lewis did what he does best, which is scoring the ball in transition and using his college-ready body to create space in the half court.

RECRUITMENT: Lewis is committed to Arizona.

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WHAT HE DID: Cosby came to life down the stretch for his Team Loaded (Va.) squad and impacted both the semifinals and championship games with huge shots down the stretch, including a highlight-worthy layup that sent the finals into triple overtime. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard has good length, an impressive motor and the ability to take defenders off the dribble with a quick burst. The three-star prospect could find himself in the rankings when they update.

RECRUITMENT: Cosby has seen his recruitment pick up steam in recent weeks, as schools such as Wake Forest, Alabama, Texas A&M and Cal have offered.