Under-The-Radar 2023 Point Guards (2/2)

Check out my analysis on some prospects who need to be on your radar with how they produced during the live period. These guys really were turning heads every time they were in the gym!

Jeffery Scott 2023 5’9 Mansfield Summit High School (3P Elite)

Jeffery was easily one of the hardest working players on the entire gym, constantly scrapping to steal the ball or get to the rim with his relentless pursuit of the rim and poking the ball free with intense on ball defense. He calmly controlled the tempo of the game in the half court and made very smart decision in the pick and roll. He consistently got around his opponents, both out of the pick and roll but also with his handle in the open court. I was very impressed with how routinely he made the defense pay by finishing over taller defenders with a quick floater or a strong layup after getting them to bite on a head fake. He is not just a slasher either, he confidently pulled up from the mid-range and has led his team in scoring for 2/3 the three games this weekend.

His willingness to do all of the dirty work allowed him to get extra possessions for his team, as well as quickly end them for his opponent. There were two instances in which he simply snatched a rebound from a 6’8 forward and quickly went back up with it for an easy two points. His heart on the court was very impressive, and it seemed to inspire his teammates to work even harder. He has all of the intangibles that a college coach could ever ask for.

Kelton Williams Kelton Williams 6'2" | CG Midlothian | 2023 State TX 2023 6’2 Midlothian High School (Gators Elite 2023)

Kelton is a high level guard who really affects the game in a multitude of ways, but mainly off of his incredible athleticism and foot speed that he uses to maneuver around defenders in the open court. His blazing end to end speed makes him a real weapon on his way to the rim. I loved watching him push the tempo on the break, and continuously beat the opposing team down the court, with and without the ball. I was very impressed with his handle, he constantly created space with his crossovers and overall shiftiness. His ability to get around his opponents allowed him to live at the free-throw line as well as the rim. He is not just a slasher however, he has great control on his step back and showed an ability to score in bunches from the mid-range and beyond the arc. He is a confident scorer off the bounce across all three levels.

Jayden Thompson 2023 6’0 Cedar Ridge High School (Austin United Purple)

Jayden is an intelligent point guard who uses his high basketball IQ to create opportunities for himself and his teammates on both ends of the court. He has incredibly active hands that allow him to routinely poke the ball free from his opponents, but also moves his feet really well to keep his opponent in front of him. When he needs to slide over as a help defender, he is good at staying vertical to reject the shot down low. He has an explosive leaping ability, allowing him to contest more shots than you would think at the rim! He is a high level rebounder for his position as well, constantly creating easy second chance points and jump-starting the fast break with defensive rebounds. On the offensive end, he is a very smooth finisher constantly finishing over defenders and avoiding contact. He is great at using eurosteps at the last moment to create some separation. I was very impressed with how well he made difficult passes look routine, even after he had already left his feet and realized that his first option was not open.

Henry Sanchez 2023 6’0 Copperas Cove High School (ProSkills ATX Brown)

Henry is a true point guard who thrives off his ability to get into the paint and create looks for his teammates off the attention he draws. I was very impressed with how well he used spin moves and euro steps to beat the last defender. He is not just a slashing guard however, he displayed an ability to create any type of look for his teammates on the fast break or within the half court. On the break there was a play where he caught the ball and made a very aware touch pass to his teammate underneath the basket, setting him up for an effortless look. His awareness with a live dribble is very impressive and is a good indicator of how well he sees the floor and controls the tempo. I would like to see him work on creating more with his shot from the perimeter.

Joel Elfret 2023 5’11 Katy High School (Principles First Select)

Joel is a crafty point guard who has a nonstop motor that allows him to a be a real weapon on both ends of the court, diving after loose balls and long rebounds, and doing all of the little things necessary to help lead his team to victory. He loves creating opportunities for his teammates, and does so by getting into the teeth of the defense with his handle and then kicking the ball out to his shooters on the perimeter after the defense collapses on him. I was very impressed with the amount of high level basketball decisions he made, on both ends of the floor, cutting off driving angles and baiting his opponents into lazy passes and then taking the ball coast to coast. I also loved the real connection he had with his big man Cason Cole, who is also at Katy High School, constantly finding him at the right time on the perimeter when he popped out of the pick and roll or as he cut to the rim. The two of them dominated out of the pick and roll, seeming to read each other’s mind and always made the right basketball play.