Hoop Group Summer Jam Fest-Standout Guards (Pt. 2)

<p>This weekend I attended Hoop Group’s Summer Jam Fest event held at Spooky Nook Sports. After a long hiatus, getting back in the gym to see player I knew an didn’t know was refreshing as ever. It was well ran as always and took all of the safety precautions necessary to provide players a platform for exposure. Many of which have garnered new college interest or offers over the last 24 hours.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="990935" first="Stevie" last="Mitchell"] | 6’2 | Philly Pride</strong></span></p> <p>Mitchell provided a surplus amount of energy and passion in his play for Philly Pride. They played two tough opponents in Team Spartans and Crown Basketball going 1-1 for the weekend. Mitchell made his presence felt in multiple categories. He shot well from beyond the arc, got into the paint forcing the defense to collapse and made plays for teammates off penetration. He was active defensively both on and off the ball and manufactured a number of turnovers for transition opportunities. I left this event understanding why the Marquette commit had a number of programs recruiting him heavily.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Honor Huff | 5’11 | L&amp;L Running Rebels</strong></span></p> <p>Huff had quite the performance despite coming up short against Team Choo in double overtime. Huff is a 5-foot-11 tough-nosed guard who brings tremendous competitiveness to both sides. He scored from all three levels and hit multiple three’s late in the game and in the two overtime periods to keep his team in it. Defensively he moves his feet and stays in front of the opposing ball handler without fouling. His active hands resulted in deflections and extra possessions for his team.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="777071" first="Christian" last="Winborne"] | 6’2 | Team Thrill ’22</strong></span></p> <p>You can place Winborne in pretty much any atmosphere and he’s going to give you these things: scoring from the lead guard position, a competitive leader and a player who’s willing to do whatever it takes to get a win. Thrill 16’s finished with a 2-1 record for the weekend and Winborne’s production was a big reason why. He did most of his damage off the dribble attacking close outs and rising up for mid-range jumpers with great body control. </p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Solomon Ball | 6’1 | Team Global ’23</strong></span></p> <p>I hadn’t seen Ball in live action prior to Saturday, but heard plenty of good things. It didn’t take me long to see why. The 6-foot-1 southpaw facilitated his team while being aggressive as a scorer. He has a smooth approach to his attack and can finish with craft around the rim in order to dodge shot blockers. Ball has a beautiful jumper and gets picture perfect rotation on the ball no matter if the shot comes off the catch or off the dribble. He’s a willing rebounder for the guard position and did a nice job of keeping the opposing ball handler at bay and out of the paint.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="902007" first="Jao" last="Ituka"] | 6’2 | Team STAT</strong></span></p> <p>Ituka has visibly put on some weight over the last calendar year, but it hasn’t stopped him from being a quick-twitch shifty guard that gets where he wants. It seemed like every time he touched the ball, Ituka was getting by his defender and finishing around the rim. His explosiveness on finishes still impress and catch shot blockers off guard while his strength is enough to fend off and finish through contact from opposing guards. Ituka was a constant communicator on defense and with Team STAT’s underwhelming size throughout, he had to be a big presence on the defensive glass, which he was.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="991186" first="Chance" last="Westry"] | 6’4 | Team Final Red ’22</strong></span></p> <p>Westry gave his oppositions fits on almost every touch. The 6-foot-4 guard combo guard is a dynamic scorer who showed he could do so from all three levels. He consistently took advantage of isolation situations to get to the rim and finish with either hand. In transition Westry did a nice job of advancing the ball quickly to teammates for buckets. His blend of size, athleticism and quickness is why he’s building the reputation as a top guard in the 2022 class.</p> <p>https://twitter.com/TheHoopGroup/status/1292875076778565632?s=20</p>