Magic Memorial 17U BattleCup: Standout Guards (Pt. 1)

<p>ANAHEIM — The 2022 edition of the Magic Memorial Day event brought together a solid field of Southern and Northern California club teams and a handful from programs from surrounding states including Nevada, Arizona and Nebraska. In this piece we take an in-depth look at some of the standout guards from the 17U BattleCup Division.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="814508" first="Andrew" last="Camacho"]</strong>, AZ Firestorm - At first glance, Camacho wouldn’t strike you as the type of player he is. The 6-foot-2 rising senior out of Peoria high school in Arizona doesn’t have explosive speed or leaping ability, but his craftiness, basketball IQ and finishing around the basket make up for any athletic or size shortcomings. Camacho is a reliable ball handler when pressured and knows how to keep a defender on his hip and change speeds and direction to initiate offense. He uses his body well when finishing around the basket as he can create space from defenders and use the glass to his advantage for his paint baskets.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="989243" first="Angelo" last="Kambala"]</strong>, Dream Vision - Kambala is one of those combo guard types who impacts the game both scoring and playmaking off the bounce. The Liberty (NV) high school product has deep and consistent three-point shooting range from multiple spots from behind the arc and, in this event, showed that he can put pressure on the rim off the dribble and knock down mid-range jumpers and floaters. The 6-foot rising senior has the ability to put points on the board in a hurry and helped Dream Vision win the 17U BattleCup Championship.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="992482" first="Darius" last="Carr"]</strong>, Compton Magic - Carr made his presence felt with a handful of explosive transition finishes and catch-and-shoot three’s in the half-court setting. The 6-foot-3 off-guard is a menace in transition as his combination of speed, explosiveness and aggressive mentality when attacking the basket puts defenses on its heels. Carr is a great slasher and finisher off the ball who can also spread the floor with his consistent jumper from behind-the-arc.</p> <p><strong>Dedan Thomas, Jr.</strong>, Dream Vision - "High basketball IQ" is the best and most simple way to describe the game of Thomas, whose ability to control the pace of a game, make high level decisions in transition and play out of pick-and-roll action led Dream Vision to the 17U BattleCup championship. The lefty signal caller plays with patience and poise, is a willing and capable distributor and knows the strengths of his teammates’ offensive games.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1436325" first="Isaiah" last="Johnson"]</strong>, Los Angeles Elite - The smooth left-handed guard had a two-way impact for his club team over the weekend as he took over point guard duties due to injuries and showed his multi-positional defensive abilities. The 6-footer out of San Gabriel Academy flashed his playmaking ability in transition and his versatility when shifting off the ball and knocking down open perimeter jumpers.</p>