Kansas 17U Guards Who Stood Out at the Jayhawk Jam

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Jayhawk Jam wrapped up Sunday afternoon with teams from across the Midwest battling from start to finish. With 26 teams in the 17U division, it was an opportunity for Kansas kids to show the region what they can do.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It came as no surprise that Olathe West junior [player_tooltip player_id='1939374' first='Brady' last='Collar'] totally tore up the competition. He's an established varsity veteran who is getting better with each passing day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are five other Kansas guards who shined in the 17U category at the Jayhawk Jam (in alphabetical order):</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2412708' first='Adrik' last='Gomez']-Esquibel</strong>, 6-foot-1 guard, 2025, Lakin, Magic Basketball Blue:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a pleasure to see the Lakin star for the first time. He demonstrated why he earned all-Hi Plains league honors as a junior. He has a powerful build and maturity about his game. He handles the ball well and overpowers small opponents on the drive. Due to his strength, he can defend taller forwards. He knocked down three-pointers and got to shots on the bounce, showing floaters and nice dishes on penetration.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2412030' first='Kaden' last='Hardy']</strong>, 6-foot-1 guard, 2025, Holcomb, Magic Basketball Blue:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Like Gomez-Esquibel, Hardy showed a maturity and versatility for the Magic Basketball Blue squad. The lefty guard uses a lot of start-and-stop drives to get defenders off balance. He has the length to get around a defender or to pass over him. He runs the offense with confidence and gets the ball to shooters on time. He can hit shots and finishes well at the rim.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Josiah Harris</strong>, 5-foot-10 guard, 2025, Turner, KC Lakers:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Harris was one of a group of guards who kept the Lakers running 100 mph all weekend. The team wasn't big, but the Lakers stressed opponents with their pace. Harris is both fast and quick, with lightning hands and a penchant for steals against opposing ball handlers. Though he's not very tall, he gets shots off on penetration with a super-high release. He can break a defender down with a nice crossover and a quick first step.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Derryl Jean</strong>, 6-foot-1 guard, 2025, Olathe Northwest, Livin' the Dream:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jean plays like a powerful bully against smaller guards. He gets them on his hip or backs them into the lane and powers up for jumpers in the paint. Jean has a nice combo of length, strength and athleticism. He gets most of his buckets near the goal, but he also delivers it effectively from the point. He's a nightmare on defense, harassing opponents and taking them out of their game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Johnny Young</strong>, 5-foot-10 guard, 2024, Topeka West, Kruse Elite Blue:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A veteran with lots of experience, Young took it to the 17U field in Lawrence. He's super quick and dangerous off the bounce. He's got a flash to his game, showing off quick pullup jumpers and lofting floaters on his super-quick drives into the paint. He is pretty dangerous off the ball too, running to catch and shoot on the move, dropping shots in the midrange and beyond the arc. Young is disruptive defensively too, with the ability to elevate quickly and to dart into passing lanes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->