Rockford sophomore tried out for Team USA last week
Jace Opoku, a sophomore at Rockford High School, plays in a Fall Ball game at Cornerstone University on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Jace Opoku missed playing with his high school teammates last week during Fall Ball.
But he had a good reason.
The sophomore from Rockford High School was one of 80 high school basketball players invited to tryout for Team USA’s youth basketball teams on Oct. 10 in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Opoku isn’t sure if the made Team USA roster, but he sure came home with a lot of gear.
“It’s an honor,” he said. “A big deal wearing USA. I got a lot of gear.”
He won’t find out if he made the cut until April.
“We did a little bit of training, some shooting and competing,” Opoku said. “There was a lot of learning, playing in front of the coaches. There were NBA scouts, too.”
Opoku spent four days in Colorado Springs and said he was happy with how he performed.
“It’s a huge deal,” he said. “You figure out how you stack up against some of the best players. If you aren’t playing well, you go back home. If you are playing super well, then you know you are one of the best. And it boosts your confidence.”
The 6-foot-2 point guard helped Rockford win the Division 1 boys basketball state championship last season. He has five Division I basketball offers: Central Michigan, Louisiana-Lafayette, West Virginia, Bowling Green and Iowa State.
He wasn’t the only Michigan basketball player to tryout. Jackson Huffman, a 6-foot-8 freshman from Hillsdale Academy was there, too. Huffman and Opoku both play travel ball with the Grand Rapids Storm. Huffman started on varsity all last season as an eighth grader and led the team with 16.1 points and 10.3 rebounds.
Rockford sophomore Jace Opoku tries out for Team USA in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Oct. 10, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Team USA).