Top 250 Expo - Max's Guard Standouts

The Minnesota Top 250 Expo was loaded with talent all under one roof yesterday at Wayzata! From some of the biggest names in the state to prospects flying under-the-radar, these are some of the top guard performers I saw play throughout the day. Jaden Olson (6’1 2023 G, Eastview)- Really liked what I saw out of Olson in the last game of the day, and think he’s another Eastview prospect that will start to emerge over his last two years of high school. Jaden showed some nice passing vision on the day and dropped a couple of highlight level dimes to set his teammates up for buckets, including a cross-body one handed pass that he zipped with speed right into his teammate’s hands around the rim. Add in a confident stroke from outside and the ability to drive to the basket and finish in traffic, and he’s a 2023 to know. [player_tooltip player_id="962200" first="Jack" last="Janicki"] (6’4 2023 SG, White Bear Lake)- Jack got off to a quiet start, but in the second half he showed why he’s one of the top overall prospects in the 2023 class. The lefty sniper knocked down a few shots from outside, but was really excelling at getting to the basket. He showed a lethal shot fake that either got defenders in the air or froze them in their tracks which allowed him to put the ball on the floor and attack. Once in the lane he has a soft floater to go over the top, he can euro-step to create space, and use his length and athleticism to go straight to the rim and finish. Made big plays down the stretch and seemed to take over in the last few minutes of the game. [player_tooltip player_id="1140496" first="Eli" last="Ocharo"] (6’1 2023 G, Apple Valley)- Eli had the best game that I’ve seen out of him during the final showing of the day, as he took over in the second half for his team. He has a quick burst to get to the basket and whether it was cutting hard without the ball or putting it on the floor and driving from the wing, he found ways to get high percentage looks around the rim. Also liked how he mixed it up with some mid-range jumpers, showing great elevation in his pull-up game which allowed him to get shots off over some length. Played alongside a couple of big name players and was extremely efficient with the looks that he got while not hogging the ball. [player_tooltip player_id="1172835" first="Casmir" last="Chavis"] (6’2 2024 G, DeLaSalle)- As just a sophomore, Casmir may have had the most impressive dunk I saw of the day. The DeLaSalle guard took the ball in transition, and with defenders on both sides of him he elevated in the lane and threw down a dunk that caught just about everyone in the gym off guard. Despite having just started his second year of high school he’s an explosive athlete capable of making those highlight plays. When he wasn’t dunking the ball Cash is dangerous creating his own shot off the dribble, and create space with a stepback or with a bag of moves that he uses to attack the basket. Plays so composed for a young guard and always seemed to make the right reads in transition. [player_tooltip player_id="958677" first="Will" last="Van Scoy"] (6’1 2022 PG, Duluth East)- Really like what Will has brought to the floor this fall. He’s a steady hand at the point, as he’s a smart playmaker who makes good decisions with the ball. Will is the type of player that a coach trusts to run a team, as he constantly has his head up scanning the court and makes smart passes that limit turnovers and help him rack up assists in the process. He’s starting to get that athleticism back after an injury last year, and it showed as he was getting up and down the floor and making plays in transition. Has a calm presence to him despite facing constant ball pressure, and showed he can get into the paint and make plays both passing and finishing. Nas Whitlock (6’1 2023 PG, DeLaSalle)- Simply put, Nas was a bucket on Sunday. He came off the bench and immediately drained three jumpers with an unmatched sense of confidence. He comes into games knowing he can score on just about anyone you throw on him, and time after time he proves to be correct as he always seems to produce. If he had an inch of space, Nas knew he could get off a shot and he was hitting them as consistently as anyone in the building on this given day. Not to be forgotten is his quickness and change of pace that he uses to attack the basket and finish over some size. [player_tooltip player_id="962261" first="Zack" last="Wells"] (6’1 2023 G, LCWM)- Zack had a strong performance in his second game of the day, and possesses some nice physical tools for a 2023 prospect. He has a strong frame, but showed he’s more than just a physical guard as he ran the floor and elevated off two feet for a dunk. Was a steady presence who didn’t force much on the floor, but was dangerous around the rim because he was too strong for most other guards to stop. Andre Renta (6’ 2022 PG, Hudson WI)- Andre made the trip over from Wisconsin, and it proved worth his time as he simply produced at a high level. He’s so quick with the ball and has a shifty handle that had D2 coaches watching him closely. His change of direction allows him to attack the basket and he’s so good at remaining under control when going full speed, and has the balance to go off of two feet to finish in traffic. Also shot the ball at a high level from beyond the arc. [player_tooltip player_id="958669" first="Kenji" last="Scales"] (6’1 2022 CG, Eastview)- Kenji has been on the rise as a prospect over the past year, and for good reason. Yet another Eastview standout, Kenji is one of the toughest competitors you’ll find on both ends of the floor. He doesn’t back down from any competition, and that shows with his defensive effort even in a camp setting. He’ll sit deep in a stance and constantly pressure the ball forcing mental errors from opposing point guards. Even in a camp setting, you’ll see Kenji flying onto the floor for loose balls and communicating defensively. On the offensive end he proved to be a threat from beyond the arc, and used his athleticism to glide to the basket for some strong finishes. [player_tooltip player_id="958742" first="Terrence" last="Brown"] (6’ 2022 PG, Columbia Heights)- Terrence once again stepped into the gym and put on a show with his flashy and exciting style of play. His hesitation move is lethal and it constantly froze defenders which allowed him to get into the paint and extend past defenders to finish. Not too many players can stay in front of him off the dribble, and with the length he’s added over the past 1-2 years he’s now a threat to score at the basket. Although he took on a big scoring role in this game, during his junior season he proved that he can run a team as a facilitating point guard, and with the ability to score at a higher level coming into his senior year, he’ll be even more dangerous for Columbia Heights.