Grind Session: AZ Standouts: Guards

On January 27th and 28th I attended the Duel in the Desert Grind Session at Dream City Christian in Glendale, AZ.

I watched four of the top local Grind Session teams and here were the standout guards:

Harrison Reede Harrison Reede 6'2" | SG Phhoenix Prep | 2023 State AZ Phhoenix Prep

One of the top shooters in the state. He will catch and shoot from the parking lot if left open. He is a real game changer. Every time the team makes a run, he fires away and hits a triple. The defense has to extend out to be aware of where he is at all times. He won’t wow you with his bounce but has become more athletic in the last year and can create more off the dribble to gain separation. 

Facundo Aranda Facundo Aranda 6'1" | PG Phhoenix Prep | 2023 State AZ Phhoenix Prep

A pure PG from Argentina. He is a next level passer and plays with some swagger to his game. He has quick hands to collect steals and can euro his way to the basket. His passing definitely makes his game go with up the court passes, drive and kicks and dump offs after he beats his defender. He can shoot it from the perimeter and burst past his opponents.  

Gabe Pickens Gabe Pickens 6'0" | PG Dream City Christian | 2024 State AZ Dream CIty Chrisitan

The orchestrator of the offense most of the game was Pickens. He handles heavy ball pressure seamlessly and moves the ball like a true old school point guard. He is extremely strong, brings toughness, he has a tight handle and a big IQ. 

Jamari Phillips Jamari Phillips 6'3" | CG AZ Compass Prep | 2024 State #17 Nation AZ AZ Compass Prep (Pictured)

One of the more gifted scoring guards in the West. He makes shots from all levels with range beyond the three point line on the move or off the catch. He is a better passer then you realize since he is usually filling it up and drives and kicks it often and can dart a ball into a post player. 

Darnell Fizer Darnell Fizer 6'5" | SG Bella Vista Prep | 2023 State AZ Bella Vista Prep

A bigger and stronger off two guard can score in traffic using his body to his advantage. He is a quick second jumper to rebound and can shoot it from the perimeter. He is a very good passer and defends a few positions.  

Jason Fontenet Jr Jason Fontenet Jr 6'6" | CG Bella Vista Prep | 2023 State #255 Nation AZ Bella Vista Prep

One of the top scorers for the Bears who is a legit three level scorer. He uses a strong upper body to score in the paint and makes catch threes and has a polished mid-range pull-up off the dribble. He makes plays for his teammates and his size, skill and strength makes him an attractive Spring D1 signee.  

Bradley Swillie Bradley Swillie 6'4" | SG Bella Vista Prep | 2023 State AZ Bella Vista Prep

The teams three point sniper of the team. He has picture perfect form and lets it fly quickly. He will get hot from the stripe in any game. He makes smart reads to teammates and he will defend his position.

Vincent Delano Vincent Delano 6'1" | CG AZ Compass Prep | 2023 State #292 Nation AZ AZ Compass Prep

The Dragons deep shooter is Delano. The Portland commit can drive it with his left hand in traffic and use his bounce to go over or around the post defenders. He loves the three point shot and comes with a quick trigger and he rattles them off and gets hot in a hurry. He will be needed to produce if they make a Geico run.

Vyctorius Miller Vyctorius Miller 6'5" | PG AZ Compass Prep | 2024 State #4 Nation AZ AZ Compass Prep

The bigger combo guard has high level body control to score in the lane and is a good passer. He can hit the three off the catch and gets high elevation on his jumpers from mid to the arc. He uses his length to play the passing lanes and had a steady two days.  

Tru Washington Tru Washington 6'3" | CG AZ Compass Prep | 2023 State #61 Nation AZ AZ Compass Prep

The tough guard made multiple catch triples and is tough to rebound in the trenches. He made a couple high level contested pull-ups off the dribble and has a polished floater game. He will defend nearly any HS position and is a willing passer. He made one full court pass on a rope to a running teammate that was a thing of beauty.

Terrence Hill Jr Terrence Hill Jr 6'2" | PG TBD | 2024 #175 Nation OR AZ Compass Prep

The team’s facilitator for the two days was Hill Jr. He was diming nearly every teammate with drives and dishes, up the court finds and blow-by and dumped it off to a post player. He made threes with range off the catch and he can pull-up from mid-range with confidence. A tight handle and a flashy passer make him a fun watch.