16U Guards that can Defend we’re looking out for

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From locking up ball handlers, getting steals in the passing lane, and elevating for a block, these players are determined to make their presence known on the defensive side of the ball. We will be excited to see how their defense pans out this grassroots season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2298901"],"_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":"Elijah is a 6' 2u0022 guard with a great frame that he uses to cause havoc in the passing lane. He uses his IQ to be one step ahead which has resulted in him getting a steal followed by a fast break opportunity for his team. He is very quick so he'll use his speed to jump a pass if he already isn't pre-rotated on defense. He averaged 3.3 SPG this past season with a bottlenose Apollo team.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1482165"],"_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":"Rider has a great build for a guard at 6' 5u0022, while he uses his height and athleticism finishing at the rim, he also gets blocks on the defensive side of the ball too where he averaged a little over a block a game. He roughly averaged 2 steals a game as well, using his frame to get his hands in passing lanes and create fast break opportunities. Look out this AAU season for one of the best guards in the 2026 class.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1574517"],"_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":"Jaylin has the ability to predict passes before they happen and put himself in positions to force turnovers. The steals he gets generates multiple fast break opportunities for his team but he also uses his quickness to take the ball coast to coast and either get a foul or bucket out of it. He has also shown the ability as a guard to elevate and get blocks. He averaged exactly a block a game for Camelback last season as well as roughly generating 3 steals per game. This past season Jaylin also earned First Team for the 6A Metro Region.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2466067' first='Adrian' last='Stubbs']","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Maryvale ","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Adrian while being a smaller guard, makes up for it with his grating defense. This past season with Maryvale, he averaged a whopping 5.8 steals per game. He uses speed and toughness in generating turnovers on the defensive end, making his presence felt. He will get steals off the ball by intercepting it at the last second, as well as poking the ball loose when he's on the backside of a post-up situation. He's a pesky on-ball defender that can get deflections and rip the ball away from the ball handler and create fast break opportunities. Adrian also earned First Team and Offensive POY in the 6A Metro Region this past year with Maryvale.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["2147243"],"_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":"Jaden at 6' 2u0022 has a good build for a guard. He has superb athleticism which he uses on the defensive end, where he averaged 3.6 steals and a block for his Cienega team this past season. He rotates off the ball very well to put himself in position for steals which in some cases are breakaways in which he likes to finish above the rim. He also does a good job at jumping passing lines to put himself in those breakaway fast break situations. Keep an eye on Jaden's defense this AAU season where he plays for AZ Select Tucson.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6614406107cad"} /-->