Chi-Town Tip Off: Impactful Illinois Guards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Which guards impressed this past weekend in Chicago?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1552408' first='TJ' last='Williams'] -- G -- M14 Hoops</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Even though he is still very young in his career, Willaims is a mature player on offense. The M14 Hoops guard knows how to get to his spots and score. As a ball handler, Williams is proficient. Because he has such a tight handle, he is able to change directions quickly and get defenders off balance. Williams also has a deep bag of tricks once he gets to the rim. He is a good athlete who can maneuver around defenders for a layup. The guard was awesome this weekend. I am excited to see how much higher Williams' stock can climb this summer. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cesar Ortiz -- G -- PAC Elite</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coming off a big high school season, expectations were very high for Ortiz this spring. So far, he has lived up to expectations. This past weekend in Chicago, the guard impressed. From beyond the arc, the PAC Elite standout is a sniper. If given too much space on the perimeter, Ortiz will put up points in a hurry. I also really like how the guard plays as a facilitator. In transition, Ortiz always has his head up, searching for open teammates. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1295649' first='Jeffrey' last='Fleming'] -- G -- M14</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I was only able to watch Fleming play once this past weekend. But in the game that I did have the opportunity to watch, Fleming dominated. The guard was scoring from all three levels with ease. It is rare to see a prospect at the high school level get buckets like Fleming did in Chicago. If you are a fan of tough shot-making, then you will certainly be a fan of Fleming. The degree of difficulty on some of Fleming's shots is unreal! Fleming is an impressive scorer to keep an eye on moving forward. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2410875' first='Dylan' last='Chung'] -- G -- PAC Elite</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chung was no doubt one of the best floor generals in attendance this past weekend. The PAC Elite guard uses his high basketball IQ to find success on the basketball court. Regardless of the situation, Chung always seems to make the right basketball play. He is a sniper from long range but also equally skilled as a passer. I really like the pace that Chung plays at. He rarely gets sped up and isn't ever in a rush. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2105431' first='OJ' last='Powell'] -- G -- M14 Elite </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Powell certainly is an impact prospect for M14 Elite. I really like what the guard brings on the offensive end of the court. In isolation, there aren't many prospects better than Powell. He does a great job of using his rare combination of length, athleticism, and skill to slash into the paint and score. Defenders guarding Powell one on one in the halfcourt don't have much of a chance. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Johntarion Mcfadden -- G -- Illinois Elite </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sure, Mcfadden is very skilled as a basketball player. He can do it all on the court. But his skill isn't what stood out to me when watching him. Instead, it was the effort and passion that the guard played with. It was obvious that Mcfadden wanted to win really, really badly. When you pair grit with pure skill, a special player emerges. Or in this case you get a player similar to Mcfadden. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->