Texas Top 250 Expo 2024 Guards (Part 1/3)

<p>There was plenty of talent on display at the Prep Hoops Texas Top 250 Expo in Dallas. This is my in-depth analysis of each of the players in attendance. Be on the lookout for the rest of my top player’s list and my coverage of all the athletes.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1204918" first="Dontrell" last="Watson"] 2024 5’11 Manor High School</p> <p>Dontrrell is an impressive offensive weapon, he displayed an ability to score from all three levels of the floor. He knocked down open shots from the corners and the wings and was able to put the ball on the floor and attack the rim. He is strong in the paint and is fearless going against bigger wings. He was able to create looks for himself at any time he wanted. He controlled the tempo and was a calm force on the offensive side of the ball. He even displayed a high level of basketball IQ by passing his teammates open.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1274790" first="Kaden" last="Jackson"] 2024 5’11 LD Bell High School</p> <p>Kaden is a fearless finisher on the fast break and knows how to attack defenses in transition. Whether it was making the right reads on a 2-3 fast break or attacking the weak space as the defender hesitated to cover a shooter Jackson thrived on the break. He is a great passer and knows how to set his teammates up for easy looks. He was designated as the team out-of-bounds passer when on the baseline and sideline and created a plethora of looks for his team. I would like to see him work on squaring up on all his jump shots, even the ones off the dribble. There were instances in which he faded away unnecessarily or let his feet kick out to the sides and caused his shot to be off.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1295843" first="Cai" last="Nix"] 2024 6’1 Little Elm High School</p> <p>Cai is an aggressive on-ball defender, he plays with high energy on both ends of the floor. He loves running the floor and got a plethora of looks at the rim. He has great athleticism and leaping ability, he skies for rebounds on both ends of the floor and even got a smart tip out to an open shooter on an offensive rebound. I would like to see him work on his ability to get to his pull-up beyond the arc, he showed an ability to get his shot off in the midrange.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1295832" first="Tristen" last="Hicks"] 2024 6’1 Independence High School</p> <p>Tristen is a high-energy player who is great at applying full-court pressure. His aggressiveness as an on-ball defender showed out as he showed no fear of picking up high-level ball handlers the length of the court. He plays hard on both ends of the floor and showed an ability to attack the rim and fight for rebounds. I would like to see him work on his overall ability to get to his shot whether it is attacking the bucket, getting to a floater, or a pull-up.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1295870" first="Jalen" last="RaShad Robinson"] 2024 5’9 South Oak Cliff High School</p> <p>Jalen is an impressive attacker of the rim. He is a solid finisher despite his size and never has any worries about attacking bigs and wings. He can control the tempo of the game and create open looks for his teammate. He has active hands and knows how to play the passing lanes to get easy steals and bait opponents into lazy passes. I would like to see him work on his ability to get to his shot off the bounce, especially behind the arc.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1295847" first="Nicholas" last="Guereca"] 2024 Guard 6’3 Lamar High School</p> <p>Nicholas is a combo guard with great length and motor. He is a tenacious on-ball defender who has a knack for poking the ball free and making his opponents uncomfortable. His long arms wreak havoc on both ends of the floor. He looks like he is not done growing, and flies around the court after loose balls and rebounds. He showed an ability to space the floor and knock down open looks and is great with a live dribble. I would like to see him slow down without the ball, and work on cutting and finding weak spots in the defense with his movement. Guereca looks like a very strong prospect who should garner attention over the next few years.</p>