KC-area 2024 Guards Shine at Hoops City Classic

<p>2024s put on a show at the Hoops City Classic in Kansas City this weekend. Here are a few guards who stood out in the showcase:</p> <p><strong>Jackson Bonczynski</strong>, 6-foot guard, Blue Valley Southwest, KC Spurs:</p> <p>Bonczynski is a guard with all the skills covered. He handles the ball, shoots it really well from deep, and can score off the dribble. He is an effective scorer and playmaker.He's a team-first leader who could be described as a ‘utility' guard. He can do whatever you need, and is setting himself for a varsity role by performing well for the Spurs this summer.</p> <p><strong>Maddox Dow</strong>, 5-foot-11 guard, De Soto, KC Spurs:</p> <p>Dow is a playmaker deluxe. He gives the Spurs a spark from the point or off-guard spots because he can handle it and create, but he's equally good running to open spots without the ball, or slashing to catch a pass in transition or through a half-court set. For the Spurs, Dow made some nice strips of drivers and got his hands on opponents' dribbles in the backcourt. He plays with a high IQ and can hurt you in a lot of ways.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1461441" first="Gavin" last="Harvey"]</strong>, 5-foot-10 guard, Blue Valley West, MOKAN:</p> <p>Harvey put on a nice show in KC over the weekend, standing out as one of several fine guards on the MOKAN 2024 club. He showed some creativity once he entered the lane, hitting tough floaters and off-balance shots through contact. He finds spots for a 3 on the break. With the ball on the perimeter, he has a nice crossover, and he showed a nice ability to use a screen to get an open shot. He harasses opposing ball-handlers too.</p> <p><strong>Jordan Mason</strong>, 5-foot-10, Olathe South, KC Spurs:</p> <p>One of the most fun players to watch in KC was the playmaking Mason. He showed a nice ability to drive and drop the ball off to a teammate in the post, demonstrating anticipation and a knack for fitting the ball through tight windows. He dropped 3-pointers when he wasn't cracking defenses off the bounce. He's a handsy defender who created a couple of easy buckets off steals. Mason is a bouncy athlete who plays fast.</p> <p><strong>TJ Porter,</strong> 5-foot-5 guard, Olathe North, KC Red Storm:</p> <p>Ok, so if Mason plays the game fast, Porter plays it like a blur. He races from end to end, creating havoc. Porter is the primary point guard for the Red Storm, but he doesn't always have the ball in his hands. He is equally dangerous off the ball too. He showed he can run at top speed to a spot on the arc to catch and shoot. But when he has the ball in transition, he showed great vision and ability to find cutters and wings for open shots. Porter is physically solid and can bull his way through traffic.</p>