Run N Slam: Shane’s Top 17U Guards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This past weekend I was out at my first AAU tournament this season and I was lucky enough to start at the very talented pack Bill Hensley Run N Slam in Fort Wayne Indiana. This article will talk about the top 17U guards I saw this weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1222348"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003ca href=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Jonathan-Powell-3ssb.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-1949556 alignrightu0022 src=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Jonathan-Powell-3ssb.jpg?w=300u0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022191u0022 /u003eu003c/au003ePowell had one of the best shooting performances I've seen all weekend. Powell's talent and skill as a player are not in question but with Midwest 3SSB this weekend he was unconscious from beyond the arc. His confidence was through the roof. He was knocking down everything; off the dribble, catch and shoot, and coming off of screens. He needed very little space to get his shot off because of his long wingspan and unlimited range. If he did hit it when you were near him, he'd let you know about it too. Showed some great passion and competitiveness. He showed that he has the ability to score a lot of points with limited to no dribbles at all. The kid played from inside a telephone booth and was killing it this weekend.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1148120"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"u003ca href=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Luke-Skalijac-Buckets.jpegu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-1949194 alignleftu0022 src=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Luke-Skalijac-Buckets.jpeg?w=300u0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022225u0022 /u003eu003c/au003eSkalijac has a very simple but effective game. He is not going to do tons of dribbling moves but he will get to his spot ad give you buckets. He was great this weekend for the Ohio Buckets. He was a scoring-first guard that understood to let the game come to him. He knows attacking lanes and getting to the rim very well and has some really good touch around the rim. He seemed to be best in transition with attacking and passing it to his teammates. I really like this kid's game because it is just about buckets.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1432014"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"u003ca href=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Jerry-Easter-AOR.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-1949562 alignrightu0022 src=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Jerry-Easter-AOR.jpg?w=300u0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022207u0022 /u003eu003c/au003eJerry Easter is a big-time player with big-time talent. He has been playing a grade up this year with All-Ohio Red 17U and he doesn't seems at all like he doesn't belong. He is physically and athletic just on par and better than most 17U guards he played abasing this season. This was on full display when he came off a ball screen in the half-court coming off a screen and threw it down on someone. He was getting to the rim very effectively this weekend. Ball fakes, hip swivels into a change of speed, and just being strong going down attacking lanes were the difference. He is a high-level close-to-the-rim scorer. Such a strong slasher that you can tell is getting more and more comfortable with his jumper.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["1158216"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"u003ca href=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Jaxon-PArdon-slam.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-1949568 alignleftu0022 src=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Jaxon-PArdon-slam.jpg?w=300u0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022191u0022 /u003eu003c/au003ePardon was phenomenal in the lane all weekend. He was getting to the rim by finding the angle, patiently attacking, and exploding to the rim when the opportunity presented itself. Even though he seemed to never get stopped when attacking the rim he was super unselfish while doing it. He could see and feel the defense collapse on him when he was getting to the rim and passed out of it very well. He had some unbelievable finishes that had everyone looking at one another questioning how he did that. He is a very good athlete with great defense and the exact type of guard you want on your team.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["1181712"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"u003ca href=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Kevin-Hamilton-AOS.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-1949569 alignrightu0022 src=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Kevin-Hamilton-AOS.jpg?w=300u0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022219u0022 /u003eu003c/au003eHamilton is an unsigned senior that played 17U this weekend and you could tell he was trying to prove something. Hamilton already plays with maturity beyond his years but now that he was playing with a grade below him this weekend he put on a masterclass as a point guard. Leadership, calmness in the chaos, and just control of the game. He was great with communication all weekend and controlled the game like how he always does. One thing that was different for Hamilton this weekend was his aggressiveness to score. He was coming off screens looking to score more than pass like how he usually does and he was giving teams buckets. His pull-ups in the midrange were great. Finishing around the rim over bigger defenders with his right was on full display. I saw him play two games this past weekend and the first game his right hand was taped up and in the second game it wasn't and he shot the ball significantly better in the second game. In that same game, his team was down 12 points at the half, and in the second half he completely dominated the game and willed his team to the bracket play dub.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["1476382"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"u003ca href=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Noah-Smith-nova.jpegu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-1949202 alignleftu0022 src=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Noah-Smith-nova.jpeg?w=300u0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022218u0022 /u003eu003c/au003eSmith has all the tools of a college guard you want to have. He isn't going to flat you with his skill but his athleticism, length, and willingness to defend set him apart. He has it all athletically; speed and quickness, strength, and leaping ability. That along with his length lets him be able to guard every position on the court. He can pressure the point guard the entire length of the court and then switch onto the big and make him earn every inch in the post. He also seemed to want and thrive on the defensive end. Offensively this weekend he did seem more confident and comfortable with his jumper and he was knocking it down showing some real 3 and D potential. He knows how to play the game and thrives in his role.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":6,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64597f4b50227"} /-->