#NationalBattleofTheMagicCity Standout Shooting Guards

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">There were a lot of shooting guards who could score the rock at the # NationalBattleofTheMagicCity, and here are a few who stood out over the weekend…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2375280,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Bryce-LaCross-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Bryce-LaCross-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2375280" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Bryce LaCross</strong> (6'0/SG/'28/Club1 Prime) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: lacross.bryce</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Let me just say this: Bryce can stroke the rock, baby. Defenses have to be aware of him at all times. He is a caliber player who cannot be helped off because he does not need a lot of space to get his shot off. He was definitely one of the top-tier shooters in the 8th-grade division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2375281,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Rylan-Gardner-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Rylan-Gardner-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2375281" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Rylan</strong> Gardner (6'0/SG/'29/WER1) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: @therylangardner</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Rylan showed that he can really score the rock. He is at his best when he is in attack mode and getting to the cup. He has length at the off-guard spot and was very good knifing through defenders. He was constantly breaking down defenders and scoring at the rim or dropping dimes to open teammates. He makes quality decisions with the rock in his hands, and from my view, he has a lot of tools to unlock out of his toolbox.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2375286,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Deuce-Johnson-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Deuce-Johnson-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2375286" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Deuce Johnson</strong> (5'8/SG/'28/Decatur Blazers) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: certifed_deucesotuff</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Deuce is a marksman from deep. He can really light it up, and he made one shot that left me speechless. He had a hand in his face and very little space, but he still hit nothing but the bottom of the nets. He is also a disruptive defender as he was very aggressive with his on-ball defense, making opponents earn everything. He competed with tremendous effort throughout the weekend and was cash money with the jumper.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2375287,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Tyler-Bennerman-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Tyler-Bennerman-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2375287" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Tyler Bennerman</strong> (5'11/SG/'28/Carlos English Elite) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: tylerbennerman</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Tyler showed that he can go and get a bucket at any point of a possession. He scores from all three levels and is tough to contain in his one-on-one match-ups. He has respectable handles along with court vision and awareness. He gets downhill and to the rack. He functions as a triple-threat player who contributes as a shooter, passer, and driver. He serves as a secondary ball handler who, if needed, can slide over to the lead guard spot and initiate the offense. Tyler is a player who needs touches, and it is a great idea to get him touches, as good things happen when the offense is run through him. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2375289,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Lee-Steele-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Lee-Steele-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2375289" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2748253' first='Lee' last='Steele']</strong>&nbsp;(6'4/SG/'28/Team Grind)&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: lee3steele</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">This was my first time seeing Lee in person, and from what I have seen on film and what I have heard over the past year did not do him justice. He has good positional size and a solid build that has a lot of developmental potential with time in the weight room. Offensively, he was one of the best pick-and-roll ball-handling practitioners I saw the entire weekend. He does a good job reading the defense when coming off the ball screen and makes the right decision with the rock a high percentage of times. He has the ability to make shots from different angles and is a tough shot-maker off the bounce. He proved to be lethal from beyond the arc and does not need a lot of space to get his shot off. You can see the potential of being a two-way force, and the realization of that is Lee's decision to make on whether or not he wants to be as good on the defensive end as he is on the offensive end of the court. He has the physical tools and potential to emerge into a high-profile prospect that college coaches will be after if they have not already identified him. The basketball community in Alabama needs to get used to the name, especially if Lee stays hungry at getting better when the lights are not on.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2375290,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Stephen-Stevens-III.-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Stephen-Stevens-III.-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2375290" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Stephen Stevens, III.</strong> (5'7/SG/'29/GTA) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Stephen.Stevens.3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Like many in this article, Stephen scores the rock at all levels and is extremely tough off the bounce. Stephen did a good job pushing pace and getting and keeping his team in an uptempo style of play that gave them an advantage. He lived in the paint, and if he wasn't scoring the rock, he was spraying to open teammates around the perimeter. He is a hard-nosed competitor who plays hard on both ends, and his level of play makes everyone around him better.    </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2375295,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Kingston-Moore-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Kingston-Moore-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2375295" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Kingston Moore</strong> (5'9/SG/'28/Promise Elite) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: k1ng.m2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Kingston is a shooting guard who is a tough player for opponents to account for in the half-court as well as in transition. He shot it well from beyond the arc but was really difficult to keep out of the paint as he made a living playing in the heart of the defense. Despite his team being out-matched in the game I saw him compete, he has a toughness about him. Kingston did not back down as he kept bringing the fight despite the scoreboard not being in his favor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":2375296,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Mario-Lee-Jr.-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/PHN-Mario-Lee-Jr.-C.png?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-2375296" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Mario Lee, Jr.</strong> (5'9/SG/'28/Top Notch) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Allaround_mj</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Mario is a small guard who, at times, seemed as though no one could keep him out of the paint and away from the cup. He is a dynamic ISO scorer who changes speed well and has a hesi move that leaves defenders stuck. Mario is very effective off the dribble, slippery on the drive, and crafty with his finishes. He is very skilled at getting his shot off in tight windows, and when he is in his groove, he is a top-notch scorer.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->