McDavid All-American Camp Standout Guard Play

There were wall-to-wall guards at camp, and here are some that stood out…

Travis Brown (5’0/CG/’30/Wilton Manors Elementary)

Instagram: Doubleup85

Travis is one of the younger kids, and as I say to all players his age, he needs to continue to stay in the lab and work on his all-around game. Regarding camp, Travis had defenders on skates with his ability to change speeds and directions. He was hitting defenders with a hesi that you would normally see done by high-level high school guards. He was one of the more advanced skilled players in his age division, and his fundamentals really separated him from most of the others he competed against. There is a lot of optimism surrounding Travis’ game, and I look forward to seeing the jumps in his game as he continues to develop his overall game.    

Regarding camp, Travis had defenders on skates with his ability to change speeds and directions.

Terry J. Drake

Aysia Daughtry (4’11/Wing/’30/Hidden Oaks K-8) 

Instagram: Aysia_j_d_baller

I was absolutely impressed, but probably the real feeling of watching Aysia compete was that of a proud feeling. It took me by surprise at first, then everyone started talking about the young girl that was out on the court playing. She was holding it down and playing with the utmost passion and intensity. She defended well, got after 50/50 balls, got on the floor, and was attacking off the bounce offensively. She did not back down from the physical play, and even when she got hit in the mouth, I felt some kind of way, but she got up, came to the bench, gathered herself, then got back out there. Of course, she is developing, but she has a great example to whom she can look up to in her brother Cadyen Daughtry. I honor Aysia for being willing to compete on a stage like that and opening up the possibility to more young girls who like the game and want to compete in camps such as the McDavid All-American Camp.  

She was holding it down and playing with the utmost passion and intensity.

Terry J. Drake

Orlando Roche (5’11/PG/’27/Belen Jesuit Prep)

Instagram: roche.Orlando

When it came to a kid that could score the rock, look no further than Orlando. The kid can flat-out get it done on the offensive end. He was causing defenders problems, and everyone who stepped up to guard him had their hands full. He has crafty handles that he uses well to get to his spots. He scored from all over the court in a variety of ways, and he even made tough shots while at it. He is a PG with good size for his age, and he is still learning to play the position. He showed during camp that he is a score-first PG with high-level scoring capabilities. One thing that was really impressive about Orlando was his determination to get to the rim and not just settle for outside shots. Being listed as a PG, I want to see Orlando show a little more of his ability to facilitate, as he showed it at times a little, but make no mistake about it; most of the time when I was watching, he was putting on a scoring show.

When it came to a kid that could score the rock, look no further than Orlando.

Terry J. Drake

Cooper Clinger (5’8/PG/’28/Central Florida Christian Academy)

Instagram: coopclinger     

Twitter: @cooperclinger

One of the smoothest players at the guard spot the entire weekend was Cooper. He is a legit pass-first PG that does an exceptional job orchestrating. He plays at a nice pace, doesn’t get rushed, has a great feel, and has a good IQ. He sets the table for his teammates, and he does a great job getting the rock to them in places they can be successful. Cooper was one of the players that had the most complete showing throughout camp. Cooper is a terrific set-up guy and makes life really easy for his teammates. In a camp full of guards, he stood out not by getting his but by creating for others who were determined to get theirs. He was one of the camp’s most reliable floor leaders and took care of the ball better than most. He can score the rock when opportunities present themselves, as he is a difficult cover when attacking off the bounce, he can pull up for the mid-range, and he has the floater in the repertoire.      

One of the smoothest players at the guard spot the entire weekend was Cooper.

Terry J. Drake

Honour Mays (5’6/PG/’28/The Conservatory MS)

Instagram: honoryourname1

Honour is a small PG that did an excellent job orchestrating and getting his teammates involved. He is a skilled guard that handles well and makes good decisions with the ball in his hands. He plays with his head up, sees the floor well, and thinks pass-first. Even though he sets the tables for others, he showed that he can score the rock, especially in tight spaces. For his age, he has ok point guard size, but he does have the quickness, agility, and leaping ability that a player would desire. He is still developing and is an exciting player to keep an eye on. Hopefully, he will stay in the lab and continue building upon a game that showed a lot of potential at camp.    

He plays with his head up, sees the floor well, and thinks pass-first.

Terry J. Drake

Jobens Blanchard (6’2/CG/’27/FLVS)

Instagram: _jobens_

An exciting player that I enjoyed watching was Jobens. He was a high-energy guy, especially on the offensive end of the floor. He has not met a shot that he does not like. He is a high-volume shot-taker who has to work on his efficiency. He has good positional size and is a solid two-way player. He has a willingness to defend on and off the ball and works hard at getting stops. Offensively he can light it up from anywhere on the court, as he is loaded with versatile tools to go along with his natural scoring instincts. His speed and explosiveness enable him to be terrific in transition. He plays at one speed offensively, and that is the speed of attack. He has a frame that will grow more, and he will stretch out more. I like his trajectory, as he has a knack for getting shots with his creative ability. He is a player that can carry a team with his offensive ability by draining 3’s or breaking down the defense with the dribble and scoring from mid-range or in the lane. I know it was a camp, but I want to see more consistency and efficiency when I see JB again. 

An exciting player that I enjoyed watching was Jobens.

Terry J. Drake

Jacob Isaac Smith (5’10/CG/’26/Camden County HS)

Instagram: Yxng_jaxe

Twitter: @yxng_jaxe

Jacob showed to be a player that really just came to camp to learn and to get better. There was nothing flashy about his game, but he was very productive and a kid that did things that contributed to winning other than scoring. He is a multi-level scorer that shoots it well from beyond the arc and scorers off dribble penetration in the paint. He makes winning plays on both ends of the court as offensively he makes plays for others, setting them up for easy buckets, and defensively he helps in gaps and in help-side D. He is a very clever player with playmaking abilities and a trustworthy guard to have in the backcourt. I liked that he showed up and quietly just went to work.      

Jacob showed to be a player that really just came to camp to learn and to get better.

Terry J. Drake