Photo Credit: UK Wildcats

By TESN Staff

The Florida Rebels arrived at Peach Jam believing they had a championship-caliber team. They left North Augusta with the trophy to prove it.

Florida defeated Drive Nation to capture its first Nike EYBL Peach Jam 17U championship, closing out one of the most impressive tournament runs in recent memory. At the center of it all was Class of 2027 point guard Cayden Daughtry, who put together one of the greatest individual performances in Peach Jam history.

Daughtry was named Peach Jam Tournament MVP after averaging 32.3 points, 6.1 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.9 steals over eight games. His production came with remarkable efficiency, as he shot 63% from two-point range, 49% from three and 91% from the free-throw line while leading the Rebels to the championship.

He delivered his signature performance in the title game, finishing with 33 points, nine rebounds and six assists to lead Florida past Drive Nation. Throughout the week, Daughtry consistently elevated his play in the biggest moments, showing the poise, confidence and leadership of a veteran despite being just a rising junior.

One of the defining moments of the tournament came during pool play, when Daughtry erupted for 43 points in a triple-overtime thriller against the NY Rens. Although Florida lost that game by a single point, Daughtry's performance set a new Peach Jam single-game scoring record and became one of the tournament's unforgettable highlights.

Florida's championship wasn't built on one player alone. The Rebels defended at a high level, shared the basketball and received key contributions throughout the roster, but Daughtry was unquestionably the catalyst. His ability to score from all three levels, create opportunities for teammates and make winning plays on both ends of the floor separated him from every other player in the field.

Every summer, Peach Jam serves as the premier stage for grassroots basketball, bringing together the nation's top prospects in front of hundreds of college coaches, NBA scouts and basketball executives. This year, no player left a bigger impression than Daughtry.

By the end of the week, the Florida Rebels had earned the program's first Peach Jam championship, and Cayden Daughtry had firmly established himself as one of the nation's elite players in the Class of 2027—and one of the hottest names in high school basketball heading into the fall.