Week 2 Scouting Report: Standout Guards (Part 1)

<p>I had the opportunity to see two Week 2 matchups. The McKinney Lions earned a dominant 96-63 victory over the Frisco Raccoons on Tuesday, and the Frisco Liberty Redhawks upset the Naaman Forest Rangers 61-58 in a closely contested game on Friday. Let’s take a look at some of the best guard prospects from this past week’s action.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="892132" first="Ja’Kobe" last="Walter"] | 2023 | 6’6’’ Shooting Guard | McKinney HS</strong> - Walter was scorching hot from the field on Tuesday. He started the game off on fire from deep and never seemed to cool off, scoring 30 points in the first half vs. Frisco, with 19 of those points coming in the first quarter. He was lights out from behind the arc, knocking down spot up and pull up threes from a variety of spots, while also displaying comfort when shooting from NBA range. The No. 3 ranked prospect in our <a href="https://prephoops.com/texas/rankings/2023-rankings/">2023 rankings</a> showcased his ability to turn defense into offense by converting steals into breakaway dunks too. If Walter had not been taken out of the game by his coach for the majority of the second half, he would have easily notched a 50-point game at the rate he was scoring. His performance was sensational. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="787366" first="Trenton" last="Walters"] | 2023 | 5’8’’ Point Guard | Frisco Liberty HS</strong> - Walters showed off his three-level scoring and clutch shooting in Liberty’s win over Naaman Forest. He drilled some difficult mid-range jumpers, converting from the elbows and the baseline with off-balanced pull-ups. His ball handling and court vision were excellent as well. The junior floor general played with good pace and was never afraid to call his own number in the defining moments Friday night. He tied things up late in the game by converting a three-point play the old-fashioned way, then proceeded to drain a <a href="https://twitter.com/GASOClips/status/1461881063333150724">game-winning triple</a> off the dribble. Walters made a statement in this matchup with his late-game heroics, ending the night with 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists. </p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/autavious-hobbs-jr-4/">Autavius Hobbs Jr.</a> | 2022 | 6’0’’ Point Guard | Naaman Forest HS</strong> - Hobbs Jr. is the engine that makes Naaman Forest’s offense go. He was terrific as a passer, displaying great court vision. The senior guard was always aware of where his teammates were on the floor and was able to get the ball to them accurately and on time. He also did a good job of controlling the tempo, understanding when to slow things down and when to speed them up. Beyond that, Hobbs Jr. had success attacking the basket, both in transition and off the dribble in the half court, showing good shake when getting around defenders. He ultimately accounted for 11 points. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1327538" first="Devin" last="Vincent"] | 2022 | 6’3’’ Shooting Guard | McKinney HS</strong> - Vincent put together a really solid all-around outing against Frisco on Tuesday. He was a menace defensively when it came to getting into passing lanes and turning steals into easy fast break points. The McKinney senior consistently looked to be a step ahead of the opposing offense. His slashing was impressive too, taking smart angles to the basket and utilizing his firm build to absorb contact and finish down low. He ended the contest with 13 points, three assists, and four steals, and like McKinney’s other starters, he only needed the first half to get to those totals. </p> <p><strong>Matthew Bishop | 2023 | Shooting Guard | Frisco Liberty HS</strong> - Bishop came off the bench for the Redhawks on Friday and provided his team with a huge spark. His second quarter shooting was crucial to their victory, allowing Liberty to stay within striking distance after falling behind early. He hit a trio of catch-and-shoot corner threes, the first of which came almost immediately after he was inserted into the game, exhibiting that he does not need any warm up shots to make an impact and contribute. Furthermore, he got a stop at the other end by taking a charge. The junior sharpshooter produced when his number was called, and that’s exactly what you want to see from a prospect who operates in a reserve role. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1051194" first="Rocco" last="Paul"] | 2022 | 6’4’’ Shooting Guard | Frisco HS</strong> - Paul was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise forgettable night for the Raccoons, accounting for 23 points in their loss to McKinney on Tuesday. His spot up three-point shooting was fantastic and particularly effective from the corners. He looked good shooting the ball after utilizing screens to get open and his form on his jumper was consistent throughout the night. The senior two-guard banked in a runner off the drive as well. It is also worth mentioning that Paul recorded a 22-point, 4-rebound, 5-assist outing vs. Denton Ryan on Friday. </p>