ENG United Raptors big man Jeremias Heard named a Top 5 center in Georgia's 2024 class by Prep Hoops, following a stellar junior season at Model High where he helped lead his school to their first-ever region championship and state Final 4 berth.
In addition to cementing his name in Model High's history books, Jeremias also earned 7AA Co-Player of the Year alongside his brother Jakenes Heard who is an ENG United 2023 class alum.
Standing at 6'9" 270lbs, Jeremias has virtually flown "under the radar" until this winter (2022-23). A two-sport athlete, Heard's recruitment is heating up in both basketball and football, with his first offer coming from Tennessee football this winter. On the basketball side, several Division 1 coaches have begun inquiring about Jeremias.
As our spring-summer 2023 travel season gets underway, it's safe to say Jeremias will see a major spike in his basketball recruitment.
Four (4) ENG United Raptors 2024 players have earned 2023 All-Region and Conference All-Star honors for their outstanding play this winter 2022-23 with their high school varsity basketball teams.
Jeremias & Jakenes Heard: Co-Players of the Year (GHSA Region 2A-7)
Jace Freeman: Conference All-Star (GAPPS Region 3A-1)
Jayden Hames: 2nd Team All-Region (GHSA Region 2A-7)
Quentin Rakestraw: Honorable Mention (GHSA Region 6A-6)
Jeremias Heard and his brother Jakenes Heard (2023 ENG Raptor) shared Co-Player of the Year honors with Model High in Rome, GA. Jace Freeman was earned Conference All-Star nominations with Cornerstone Prep Academy in Acworth, Georgia. Jayden Hames earned 2nd Team All-Region honors with Model High School in Rome, Georgia. And Quentin Rakestraw earned All-Region Honorable Mention honors with Woodstock High in Woodstock, Georgia.
As we prepare to launch our spring-summer 2023 travel season, these four young men - alongside their teammates - are going to play a major role in our program's success this year. Check out our 2023 tournament schedule to see where you can come watch us play.
ENG United Raptors would like to acknowledge those players who earned Georgia High School Association (GHSA) All-Region honors with their respective boys varsity basketball teams this 2021-22 winter season.
These five (5) ENG United Raptors worked extremely hard to earn their All-Region recognition:
Jeremias Heard (2024): 1st Team All-Region (Model High, Rome, GA)
Jakenes Heard (2023): 1st Team All-Region (Model High, Rome, GA)
Nicholas Majors (2023): 2nd Team All-Region (Druid Hills High, Atlanta, GA)
Cameron Keith (2023): All-Region Honorable Mention (Rome High, Rome, GA)
KeShaun Pace (2023): All-Region Honorable Mention (Carrollton High, Carrollton, GA)
The ENG United Raptors family would like to congratulate 2024 center Jeremias Heard on earning 1st Team All-Region honors in Georgia High School Association Region 7AA for the 2021-22 winter season.
Only in his sophomore year at Model High School in Rome, GA, Jeremias is a formidable presence in the paint, leading the Blue Devils in both blocks and rebounds per game this season. Heard also placed himself among the Top 3 in scoring for the varsity squad.
At 6'8" 250lbs, Jeremias Heard has established himself as one of Georgia's top 2024 prospects. His stock is guaranteed to rise during the upcoming 2022 travel basketball season with the ENG United Raptors 16U (2024) team, under the direction of head coach Shaine Freeman and assistant coaches Chris Rakestraw and Burbee Heard.
"Jeremias is, in my opinion, the best true big man in Georgia's 2024 graduating class. Ignoring his obvious size, his nose for the ball and shot blocking talent, coupled with his court vision, are what makes this kid special. I don't know very many bigs his age and size who can run the floor, block shots, rebound, and pass like a point guard the way this kid does. There are no other 16-year-olds in Georgia like him! To cap it off, he's a high academic student-athlete. This kid's stock will skyrocket this travel season," says Coach Shaine Freeman.
October 2nd-3rd, five ENG United 2024players traveled to Dallas, Texas for the 2021 Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp to compete against 240 top players from 19 states, and prove why they are amongst the top 2024 players in the country. Players who took the trip included: Jace Freeman, Gabriel Mason, Quentin Rakestraw, Jeremias Heard, and Charles Kimani.
Only 240 players from 19 states were invited to the camp, with nine players representing Georgia; five (5) of them from ENG United. Here's how it went for our future collegiate student-athletes.
Gabriel Mason: Fresh off a strong showing at the 2021 CP3 Rising Stars camp, Gabe was selected by national media and Pangos camp director Dinos Trigonis as the #15 ranked player at the All-South Frosh/Soph event, proving why he is one of the top 2024 prospects in the nation. Thanks to consistently strong play throughout the Dallas camp, the 6'-4" wing was the only player out of nine from Georgia selected to compete in the camp's Top 30 game, which featured players from the 2024 ESPN Top 25. As a result, Gabe also secured an invite to the 2022 Pangos All-American Camp, which is held in Las Vegas, NV each year, and features the nation's top juniors and seniors.
Jace Freeman: Fresh off his first unofficial visit to the University of North Carolina, Jace made his national camp debut in Dallas and showed why he is one of the toughest point guards in the 2024 class. The 5'8" floor general kicked off the camp wreaking defensive havoc on every opponent that dared test him; and in typical Jace fashion, he was the sparkplug for his squad, leading them in steals (5) before suffering a sprained ankle in the final minutes of his team's first game and 30-point victory. Unfortunately, Jace was sidelined for the final day of camp.
Jeremias Heard: The All-Region big man, standing at 6'8" 240lbs, was a real beast in the paint. Leading his team in blocked shots and rebounds, Jeremias put on a show, garnering "oohs and ahs" from spectators and athletes alike with his low post play. In addition to showing off his elite paint skills, Heard knocked down multiple 3-pointers to show off his shooting range, while also displaying his guard-like court vision and passing abilities. Jeremias is by far one of the top "bigs" in the 2024 class.
Quentin "Q" Rakestraw: Noticeably one of the most skilled players on his camp team, Quentin showed off his elite abilities to defend and score at all three levels. The 6'1" wing got off to a slow start, but by the close of the camp's first day, Q began to heat up - making multiple aggressive scoring moves to the basket out of the triple-threat position. Rakestraw continued his aggressive play into the final day of camp helping his team to an overtime victory, finishing as one of his team's leading scorers.
Charles Kimani: The athletic 6'-1" lefty guard kicked off his recruitment journey showcasing his knack for rebounding and finish strong at the basket over bigger defenders. Throughout the camp, Charles displayed his developing deep shooting range, as well as his ability to run the point and set teammates up for easy buckets. A rising star in Georgia's 2024 class, Kimani was undeterred by taller defenders who would attempt to challenge him on his way to the basket, breaking out his signature spin-and-reverse move several times for easy lay-ins. When it was all said and done, Charles Kimani made a very strong national camp debut; one that he will undoubtedly build upon moving forward.
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