The final adidas 3SSB tournament of the year is a chance for the outgoing class to make one more statement at the conclusion of their AAU journeys. In his final tournament with Team Trae Young, Ja’Kobe Walter showed one more time that he is primed to be a star at the next level, and the one after that too.

Ja’Kobe didn’t have to make a statement. He’s already committed to Baylor, one of the top college programs in the country, a five-star recruit and a consensus Top 20 player in the country. But that didn’t stop him from putting on a show in California this past week, complete with a signature moment to last a lifetime.

The TTY 17U squad was locked in a tight battle with another strong team, Dream Vision, tied 51-51 with just seconds on the clock. Dream Vision had the ball and a chance to win the game. But Walter produced a steal, his seventh of the game, with four seconds left and got off a leaner right before the buzzer to guide Team Trae to a victory in the opening game of the tournament.

Ja’Kobe finished with 25 points, 20 of which came in the second half, including the game-winner. His second half efforts helped TTY overcome a double-digit deficit to win, much to the delight of Trae, who was seated courtside for the contest.

Team Trae rode the momentum of that win on an Elite Eight run at the 3SSB 2022 finale in California. They went on to defeat We All Can Go 64-57, and NY Jayhawks 54-34 thanks to a stellar game from Class of 2024 prospect Dink Pate to put themselves into the Elite 8.

However they would go on to lose a tough one to Southern Assault, 62-58 to end their run.

Still it was a strong tournament for many in Team Trae’s Class of 2023. In addition to Walter, Kaden Cooper continued his eye-popping summer, Cam Barnes had a big tournament showcasing his big potential, Kieran Elliott showed his prowess in the paint as his profile keeps growing, Rasaun Collier continued to be a force on the defensive end, Jadyn Toppin made his presence felt near the rim and Sebastian Perry made a difference as a scorer and facilitator.

The Team Trae 16U team also wrapped up their Circuit season in Cali, posting wins over Jalen Green Elite (66-45) and Midwest Basketball Club (56-44) in their first two tournament games.

Those two wins put them in the Finals where they were defeated by Utah Prospects, 73-53. They finished the week with a 4-3 record.