BEST OF MARCH: Top Grassroots Guards Part 2

We move to Part 2 of our March wrap-up, with another set of top guards from the month: <a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prephoops.com/player/grant-portera/">[player_tooltip player_id="870180" first="Grant" last="Portera"]<img class=" lazyloaded" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/20201212_115336-150x150.jpg" data-src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/20201212_115336-150x150.jpg" /></a>, 6-3, CG, Atlanta Wolfpack (2022, River Ridge) At OTR’s The Opening - Handling the PG a lot for the Wolfpack and it seems to be becoming a better fit each time out, with good size and quickness he can be effective at that spot using his exceptional athleticism to get downhill or for his comfortable mid-range game for the pull-up J, showing much more consistency from 3 and can really get at the rim when he gets a head of steam, poised for a big summer with a talented team around him that is a great fit. Jordan Fordyce, 6-4, CG, Georgia Fire (2022, Eagle’s Landing) At OTR’s The Opening - An elite athlete with the skills to play either guard post, physical build and style makes him a tough matchup, he can back down smaller players or create space out past the arc for 3-balls and mid-range pulls, is as good a rebounder from the backcourt as I’ve seen since November, really gets off the deck and is an exciting finisher both on the break and off the drive. <a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prephoops.com/player/keith-robbins/">[player_tooltip player_id="870204" first="Keith" last="Robbins"]</a>, 6-3, SG, Team Dickerson (2022, St Francis) At OTR’s The Opening - Had perhaps the most dominant display I saw over my time there Sunday with a barrage of 3-pointers and power drives that were simply too much for whoever was guarding him, has as pretty a long-ball stroke as anyone I’ve seen in the class, but I loved how willing he was to not rely on that prowess while showing more than enough strength and savvy near the basket to be a major threat off the bounce, already a known quantity around town but established himself at least in my eyes as a must-fixture moving forward among the top of the SG’s in the class. <a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prephoops.com/player/kyle-burns/">[player_tooltip player_id="1036789" first="Kyle" last="Burns"]<img class=" ls-is-cached lazyloaded" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/20210321_115013-2-150x150.jpg" data-src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/20210321_115013-2-150x150.jpg" /></a>, 6-2, CG, Team Dickerson (2022, Wheeler) At OTR’s The Opening - Playing on a deep HS team currently on a 2-year state championship run can mean the spotlight might not shine your way much, on this Dickerson team he will undoubtedly have the ball in his hands more and showed some of what he can do Sunday, good length and burst off the dribble at the guard spot allows him to get into and thru traffic and finish with a variety of mid-range J’s and floaters, a very sound on-ball defender who’s deceptively athletic in that it’s obvious by his frame he’s inherently gifted but it’s often not apparent how good a “basketball player” he is until he’s by you or knocks one down in your face, he’ll be one of the catalysts for the Wildcats run at a third title in a row next winter. <a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prephoops.com/player/chase-ballard/">[player_tooltip player_id="1047093" first="Chase" last="Ballard"]</a>, 5-9, PG, GA Canes, (2021 unsigned, Stephenson, pictured above) At OTR’s The Opening - If he was 6-1 with the abilities he consistently shows he’d be submerged in offers from a variety of programs, this is just a sound basketball player who does everything you can ask from a modern-day PG – guards and pesters with great quickness, explodes off the dribble be it leading the break or penetrating in the halfcourt, a tremendous passer with elite vision, plenty of shooting range and a no-fear attitude about going after his offense at multiple levels, a small school program would see massive lift from scooping up this sleeper. Jay King, 6-2, CG, Atlanta Xpress (2022, FPD Macon) At HoopSeen Tipoff Classic - Showed a nice, balanced game playing both with the ball in his hands and off the ball, good stroke from distance and showed a variety of moves to put it in the cup including getting to the basket, great energy getting up and down the floor, contributed on the glass and was stout on defense. <a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prephoops.com/player/brady-tillman/">[player_tooltip player_id="1059077" first="Brady" last="Tillman"]BRADYTILLMAN6’0" | SFEast Coweta | 2023#130STATEGA</a>, 6-0, CG, Newnan Elite (2023, East Coweta) At HoopSeen Tipoff Classic - Looked the best I’ve seen him since he burst onto my radar last June when things began re-heating up in town, so versatile at both guard posts he got downhill from the 2-spot and both scored hard with his physicality and knocked down deep treys, then switched over and handled the point and slashed and dished his way to an excellent all-around game vs TNBASouth Red out of FL. Lavonta Truvon Ivery, 6-2, PG, TSF (2024, Thomson) At RYZE Tipoff Classic - Playing up as they all were against Norcross Heat’s 16U, he was exceptional and has been that so far in the young travel season after seeing him Saturday now for the 2nd time, has it all as a freshman – terrific range well part the arc, incredible quickness with the ball, a fearlessness getting to the hole, tremendous defensive instincts, and a natural feel for the game as a lead guard which puts him 1/2 step ahead of everyone else, a monster PG prospect out of the Augusta area. Quantae Rogers, 6-1, CG, ATL Hoops (2021, ATL Basketball Academy) At RYZE Tipoff Classic - One of the day’s surprises for sure as I was getting my first look at this uber-talented guard, plenty talented enough to have played for a 7A power he toyed with defenders and made the game look far easier than it is, plays with 3 other unsigned 2021’s who bear mentioning (<a class="pn-player-link" href="https://prephoops.com/player/jacorye-favors/">[player_tooltip player_id="1130503" first="Jacorye" last="Favors"]</a> of Washington, who may reclassify to 2022, Avante Harper of Parkview, and Elijah Williams of Providence Christian), Rogers is slithery and smart on the floor which makes for a scoring package which was dominant from multiple levels as he handled both guard spots, long-range shooting, crafty drives, decisive distribution, heady defending, it was all there and this is an unsigned 2021 that can help a next-level program right away.