Star-studded lineup makes Philly’s Team Final the favorite to win the Peach Jam AAU tournament

The crown has heft.

The more hands that help, however, the easier it should be to bear its weight.

Fortunately for Team Final, its roster may have the most talented collection of hands in the nation.

Starting Monday, Team Final’s 17U squad — which features four players ranked among ESPN’s top basketball recruits — travels to South Carolina for the annual Peach Jam to determine the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League champion.

But the team’s togetherness and toughness, says coach Nate Hodge, is as important to Team Final’s success as its talent.

“That’s why this team has been a joy to coach and why we have had so much success,” Hodge said via phone. “These kids have all bought into the team’s success and achieving something much more than individual stats.”

» READ MORE: Archbishop Wood’s Jalil Bethea moves up to No. 9 in ESPN recruiting rankings

Team Final, an AAU team comprised largely of players from the Philadelphia area and New Jersey, is headlined by Archbishop Wood’s Jalil Bethea, a long, lethal scorer who recently ascended to No. 9 on ESPN’s list.

Imhotep Charter wing Ahmad Nowell, ranked No. 30, is another stud on the perimeter, while now-former Neumann Goretti guard Robert Wright is ranked No. 46 and Archbishop Ryan center Thomas Sorber is ranked No. 51. Wright, who led the Catholic League in scoring last season, plans to transfer to Montverde Academy in Florida.

» READ MORE: Imhotep Charter’s Ahmad Nowell: A hot recruit in the new NIL era

The collection of talent, Hodge said, ranks among Team Final’s best teams.

One such squad included Dion Waiters, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Rakheem Christmas, Trevor Cooney, Tyreek Duren, and DJ Irving. Another featured Lonnie Walker, Cam Reddish, Daron “Fatts” Russell, Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, and Justyn Mutts.

The current installment, Hodge added, must win this year’s title to be considered with the team of Jalen Duren, Dereck Lively, Corey Floyd, Otega Oweh, Jameel Brown, and Justice Williams, which beat Bradley Beal’s squad for the 2021 championship.

» READ MORE: Duke’s Dereck Lively II, a Westtown graduate, has risen into national stardom. His mother steered that path.

Experience might be on their side.

During 15U-play, Team Final lost in the Peach Jam’s elite eight. Last year, the group lost in the final four.

So far this EYBL season, Bethea leads the team in scoring (18.6 per game), while Sorber leads in rebounds (8 per game) and blocked shots (1.9), Wright leads in assists (6.2), and Nowell leads in steals (1.5).

“They find each other when one or two guys have it rolling,” Hodge said. “[They] feed the hot hand because they know the next game when they might have it rolling their teammate will do the same. And I think our coaching staff has done a great job of identifying mismatches and putting the guys in better situations to score.”

Oft-overlooked forward Ma’Kye Taylor, who plays at Imhotep, is a major contributor in ways not always charted statistically, making Team Final a well-rounded group.

Uber-talented stars willing to fulfill roles on a team that has climbed almost every rung on the championship ladder could be Team Final’s winning combination this season.

“We have been together as a group for a few years now, so we know what to expect in that environment,” Hodge said. “So we are coming in motivated and looking to get over the hump and finish the job and leave as the 2023 Peach Jam champions.”