Illinois Freshman Showcase: Top Point Guards
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Top floor generals from this past Saturday at the Illinois Freshman Showcase! Nasir Rankin Nasir Rankin 6'2" | SG Whitney Young | 2026 State IL — Whitney Young Rankin really made a strong impression with scouts on Saturday. The point…
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Continue ReadingTop floor generals from this past Saturday at the Illinois Freshman Showcase!
Nasir Rankin Nasir Rankin 6'2" | SG Whitney Young | 2026 State IL — Whitney Young
Rankin really made a strong impression with scouts on Saturday. The point guard is very solid everywhere. He never pushes too much, either. For a young prospect, I was very impressed with the poise and confidence that Rankin played with. As a slasher, the PG is very dangerous. He does an excellent job of making moves to the rim and converting on layups.
Marquis Clark Marquis Clark 6'2" | PG Whitney Young | 2026 State IL — Whitney Young
Clark is a true two-way point guard who impressed on both ends of the court on Saturday. The Whitney Young standout is a tremendous ball-handler and scorer. I loved how Clark was able to blow by defenders and get into the paint. I also thought that he showed a lot of promise as a passer and defender.
Carter Newsome Carter Newsome 5'10" | PG Waukegan | 2026 IL — Waukegan High School
I am very confident in saying Newsome will be a top prospect in Illinois’ freshman class moving forward. The Waukegan High School product is very well-rounded. He plays tremendous defense, can drain threes, and plays very hard on both ends of the court. As a young player, I was very impressed with all of the tools that Newsome possesses.
Synceare Simons Synceare Simons 6'3" | SG United Township | 2026 State IL — United Township High School
As just a freshman, Simons proved to have a very advanced offensive game. The United Township High School point guard showed off a little bit of everything on Saturday. He was able to make shots from deep and get to the rim and convert on layups. I also thought that Simons showed some flashes of greatness as a passer.
James Ford lll — Beloit Memorial
There didn’t seem to be any prospects in attendance on Saturday who were able to successfully stay in front of Ford on defense. The point guard was simply too quick. On multiple occasions, Ford was able to use his blazing speed to blow by opposing defenders and get to the rim for an easy layup. The Beloit Memorial prospect also showed off an effective jumper.
Alex Granville — Grayslake
I love Granville’s overall game. The Grayslake point guard prospect is the type of player who gives it his all for every second of every game. Granville is a excellent defender and overall point guard. He is a solid passer and scorer who can do a little bit of everything on the offensive end of the court.