NW Battlegrounds: Top PGs
Chehalis, Washington— In my opinion, and I am biased, the point guard is the most important position in basketball. I played the position my whole career so I love when I get the chance to watch good point guard play,…
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Continue ReadingChehalis, Washington— In my opinion, and I am biased, the point guard is the most important position in basketball. I played the position my whole career so I love when I get the chance to watch good point guard play, especially from young athletes. The NW Battlegrounds tournament featured some really good PGs in the 2025 class. Here are the top five PGs from the tournament.
Gavin Hightower | Rose City Rebels (OR) | Class of 2025 (featured image)
Gavin was really fun to watch all weekend. He plays fast and with lots of energy. He has good handles and used them to get to the basket at will. He also did a good job of finding his teammates all weekend. He made the kick ahead pass in transition, and the dump-off and kick out pass on drives. Where he stood out the most was on the defensive end. He gets into the ball and has active hands which leads to a lot of steals.
Zion Norman | Team Bradley (WA) | Class of 2025
Norman was the smallest guy on the floor in every game this weekend. That did not affect his ability to impact games though. He did exactly what a PG should— he got his teammates involved, he hit open shots, and he played lockdown defense. It was clear to see that size did not matter to him, it was all about pride and heart, and he has a lot of it!
Leyton Martin | Seattle Select (WA) | Class of 2025
Martin is small in size but has big game. There was a lot of physical defense being played and he was unfazed by it all weekend. He handled traps, presses, and aggressive on-ball defense. He is a pass-first PG and for good reason; he can really see the floor. Teammates must always have their hands ready when Leyton is on the floor. He makes passes with both hands too, so he’s an assist threat wherever he is on the floor. I was impressed with his finishing ability at the rim. He consistently finished over bigger defenders all weekend and he did it in a variety of ways. He earned my respect as a giant slayer for sure.
Cole Hammack | Team Dynasty (WA) | Class of 2025
Cole was solid all weekend. He got to the basket and finished well, he showed his ability to make shots, and he rarely turned the ball over. He did a good job playing in pick and roll situations. He knew when to stop and pop from mid-range, when to stop behind the screen and shoot the three, and also when to make the pocket pass to the rolling big. The game is mostly pick and roll now for PGs so his ability to make solid decisions in those situations will be an advantage for him as he gets older.
Caden Young | Seattle Select (WA) | Class of 2025
Young is the coach’s son and it shows. His IQ and understanding of the game are high level. Although he isn’t always aggressive to score, he is the perfect floor general. He’s good at initiating the offense, he keeps the ball moving and does a good job being vocal and leading his team. Don’t be fooled though, he has skills and the ability to score, too. He has a tight handle that he used to blow by defenders and finish at the rim. He is a good shooter from three as well and makes defenses pay for leaving him open.