Under the Radar Standouts from the Easter Classic

<p>Elijah Guidry - Bandits - McArthur Senior - 2024 (pictured above)</p> <p>Guidry was in his own league as a ballhandler last weekend, proving to be elite getting downhill while having a knack for drawing fouls. He proved to bring high level energy on both ends, where he demonstrated incredibly soft touch around the rim. His reaction speed is quicker than most athletes, at times he deciphered opposing actions and found ways to get a steal thanks to his intuition. Standing at roughly 6’ tall, Guidry should catch eyes all summer thanks to his crafty playstyle.</p> <p>Landon Anderson - Destined For Greatness - Mexia - 2023<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/IMG-4345-rotated-e1650847779622.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1438218 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/IMG-4345-rotated-e1650847779622-300x289.jpg" alt="" width="203" height="195" /></a></p> <p>At 6’, Anderson was about as dependable an off-ball defender as you could want at the guard spot, finding ways to disrupt full court passes and quickly sliding into help against layups. Another strength of Anderson was his shooting confidence, where he stepped into multiple long threes past the college line. Another strength of Anderson, is his capabilities bringing the ball up against a press and making the right decision under pressure. </p> <p>Andrew Cannatti - ATX Force 2023 - Westlake - 2024</p> <p>The 6’7 sharpshooter for the Force was a consistent and legitimate floor spacer who doubled down as a decisionmaker while attacking closeouts. Cannatti was capable stepping out a couple feet behind the three point line, where he kept the same strong base. Regardless of his height, Cannatti has one of best jumpers off the catch, thanks to his core strength and compact upper body motion.</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/mckinney-e1650847954759.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1438225 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/mckinney-e1650847954759-300x231.jpg" alt="" width="214" height="165" /></a>[player_tooltip player_id="1203719" first="Sam" last="McKinney"] - ATX Force 2023 - Johnson (buda) - 2024</p> <p>McKinney was a durable jack of all trades at 6’6, capable stretching out the floor and making high IQ decisions. The wing was especially dependable on defense, making quick rotations where his size deterred opponents. McKinney was a consistent plus on offense through his ability to stretch the floor and make the right read when attacking the rim. </p> <p>Joshua Washington - Houston Kings Elite 2024 - Bellaire - 2024<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/IMG-4420-rotated-e1650847673653.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1438212 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/IMG-4420-rotated-e1650847673653-300x287.jpg" alt="" width="189" height="181" /></a></p> <p>At 6’4 Washington was incredibly active on the glass while scoring quite a few buckets in transition. The lefty continued a steady dose of shots in the paint, coming mainly out of the roll and transition. Washington proved he could switch onto bigger or quicker opponents while holding his own, he projects to be one of those rangy wings that will add a winning impact wherever he is.</p> <p>Mekhi Johnson - Dallas Showtyme - Allen - 2023<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/IMG-4381-rotated-e1650847505832.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1438210 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/IMG-4381-rotated-e1650847505832-300x289.jpg" alt="" width="207" height="200" /></a></p> <p>One of the five most versatile defenders in the gym, Johnson was a suffocating on-ball defender this whole weekend. Johnson was especially potent as an offensive rebounder, where he simply reached above opponents due to his plus wingspan. The wing was especially potent in transition, where his long strides allowed him to glide past opponents. While Johnson is only 6’4, he was able to give stronger or quicker opponents trouble due to his high level footwork and lateral mobility.</p> <p>Jaitrel Pettit - JEB Elite 2024 - Epic Charter Schools - 2024<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/pettit-e1650847413765.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1438209 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/pettit-e1650847413765-292x300.jpg" alt="" width="188" height="193" /></a></p> <p>While only standing roughly 5’8, Pettit came up big on defense and as a transition scoring threat. The guard was influential on defense by snatching away the ball three or four times a game. While he has quick reactions, the biggest x-factor is his decisiveness collapsing onto opposing drives. He consistently capitalized on those steals, by pushing it full court for a bucket or tracking his teammates for an outlet pass.</p>