West Coast Spring Showcase: Intriguing Point Guards

<p>The West Coast Spring Showcase took place at Mountain View High School in Vancouver last weekend, and a number of top teams from around the Pacific Northwest were in tow at the 17U and 16U levels. There was quite a bit of talent on hand and here are some of the intriguing point guards that we saw this past weekend.</p> <p><strong>Maui Sze (2020 Roosevelt/WA Supreme)</strong> - Eze was the best pure point guard we saw all weekend. The 5-foot-11 guard may lack some size but he's quick, has outstanding court vision, and fires pinpoint passes. Sze was constantly surveying the situation on the floor whether in the half court setting or in transition, looking to set up his teammates for scores. He wasn't a total offensive non-factor either as Sze hit some open jumpers out to three-point range and also finished some plays at the basket. A stellar student, he is currently hearing from high academic schools from the East and West Coasts and also has a walk-on opportunity from Gonzaga.</p> <p><strong>Keshawn Hall (2021 Jefferson/Rose City Rebels 16U)</strong> - Hall is a 6-foot point guard who has been playing in Las Vegas but has moved to the Portland area. He wasn't present on Saturday but showed up on Sunday and definitely made a difference in the Rebels title run. He's quick with the basketball with a tight handle on the rock and really looks to attack the basket where he can finish in a number of acrobatic ways. In fact the quick move and layup high off the glass in the finals against Washington Supreme proved to be the game-winner. Defensively Hall played hard and was very active with his hands and feet. Hall recently started attending classes at Jefferson.</p> <p><strong>Dondrae Fair (2022 Grant/Rose City Rebels 2022)</strong> - With a couple of key players on the Rebels out, Fair needed to step into a larger role and he was able to do that. The 5-foot-11 used his mature body to create space on drives to the basket and his athleticism to finish plays. Fair played with a good motor and showed some great persistence on the offensive boards despite being outsized most of the time. His outside shot lacked consistency but he was able to knock down some jumpers to keep the defense honest.</p> <p><strong>Jayden Vranes (2020 Crater/Team PUSH Black)</strong> - Vranes continues to grow on us each time we watch him play. How can you not fall for the 6-foot point guard, who despite his lithe frame, works his butt off on both ends and makes things happen? Vranes was super tough getting to the basket and finishing, finding open teammates off the dribble, and getting after the ball on defense, winning every 50/50 loose ball situation he was involved in.</p> <p><strong>Isaiah Gilliam (2021 South Albany/All-Around Players)</strong> - Gilliam is a 6-foot sophomore who can best be described as a power guard. He was extremely aggressive in going to the basket, using his strength to overpower defenders on his way in and to the rim. Gilliam showed an outstanding motor on both ends of the floor and while it seems like his overall game could use some polish, he definitely plays with an edge.</p> <p><strong>Brandon Hopson (2021 Roosevelt/Maeko 16U)</strong> - We only got some brief glimpses of the 6-foot point guard from Roosevelt but the word once again was he was lighting up the scoreboard all weekend long. Hopson is quick with the ball, can shoot it from distance, and can really take it to the hoop. There's no question we will be making a concerted effort to catch him in person at the next tournament.</p>