2026-27 Garden State Academy Player Profiles
Garden State Academy is located in Woodbury, NJ about 12 miles southwest of Philadelphia. It is a post-grad/prep college basketball prep academy. They offer accredited academics in a daily structure of 8–10am classes (SAT prep, credit recovery, general) bolted onto a full-time basketball operation. Their published daily structure: 8–10am classes (SAT prep, credit recovery, general). From noon on its devoted to college basketball prep development.
The basketball agenda includes a 40-game schedule (preseason, tournaments and showcases). Their home facility features NBA-regulation sized courts.
In 2025, Garden State brought in Rich Marcucci to oversee the implementation and expansion of the program. Marcucci has four-plus decades in basketball development. Over that period, he worked with the likes of Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Lamar Odom and Kevin Durant. Prior to Garden State, Marcucci was the Director of Operations at Olympus Prep Academy (NJ).
Garden State has a full staff of coaches. Jacob Hoffman is the post graduate team head coach. Rob Lawton is the high school head coach. John Sanderson is the middle school head coach. Kevin Maldonado is the Head of Operations, and Michal Juzwaik is the Academic Life Coach.
The 2026-27 Garden State teams are featuring the following college prospects of note:
Amos Ayodeji Abiodun (2027) 6'10 (7'2 wing span) - Abiodun is athletic and good around the basket. He has good hands and can run the floor.
Micheal Adekunle (2027) 6'7 wing - Athletic, long and versatile. Adekunle can score the ball.
Alfred Sørensen (2027) 6’6 wing - From Denmark, Sørensen is a a versatile player, who brings size, physicality, and a high basketball IQ to the perimeter. He can stretch the floor as a shooter while also using his strength and handle to attack off the dribble and finish at the basket.
Asger Jacobsen (2027) 7’3 center - From Denmark, Jacobsen is a 17-year-old with tremendous long-term potential. Despite his exceptional size, Asger moves well, has good rhythm in his stride, and shows significant athletic upside as he continues to develop physically and refine his game.
Moritz Renner (2027) 6’6 wing - From Austria, Renner is an 18-year-old who brings shooting, athleticism, toughness, and leadership to the floor. He has developed his game while playing for IBAM Academy in Germany, where he has also served as a team captain.
Aleksandre Mgeladze (2027) 6’6 combo guard - From the country of Georgia, Mgeladze is a 19-year-old who possesses an impressive combination of size, athleticism, and basketball IQ. His understanding of the game and ability to see the floor at a high level immediately stand out.
Owen Atkins (2027) | 6’0 point guard - Atkins had a great summer, showing his ability to run the point while also being an effective scorer. He is strong with the ball and a tough on-ball defender. His ability to impact the game on both ends makes him a strong college prospect, and he should have a big impact on the GSA program.
Afonso Palhau (2027) 6’4 point guard - From Spain, Palhau is a physical guard with good size who can get to the basket and create for himself. He has the ability to knock down the three and sees the floor well. His combination of size, scoring ability, and vision gives him strong college potential.
Dante Cromwell (2027)| 6’7 wing - Cromwell is an athletic and versatile wing who can create off the dribble and attack the basket. He has a creative handle and the ability to knock down shots from the perimeter. His combination of size, athleticism, and versatility makes him an intriguing college prospect.
Matthew McField (2027) 6’2 guard - McField was arguably one of the best defensive guards in high school basketball last season. He has also proven to be a terrific offensive player, capable of knocking down shots, creating for teammates, and scoring at a high level. He is a strong two-way guard who can impact the game on both ends of the floor.
Andria Ratiani (2029) 6’0 point guard - From the country of Georgia, Ratiani is a 16-year-old with outstanding court vision and natural playmaking instincts. He sees the floor extremely well and has the ability to create opportunities for teammates while controlling the pace and flow of the game.
To accommodate college scout visits, Garden State holds a schedule of Fall Open Gym runs, the details of which can be found here.
The post grad team’s 2026-27 schedule and results will be found here.