#PHMidwestShowdown: 17u Guard Standouts

Eight of the guards who stood out in the 17u games I watched at the Prep Hoops Midwest Showdown!    There aren't many guards in the Midwest who have been playing as well as Jamarion has this spring. He simply goes out and makes the game look effortless, as his combination of poise and polished skillset allows him to produce in a variety of fashions. Against Wisconsin PGC he hit some clutch pull-up jumpers in the 2nd half, and showed some athleticism as he beat his man with a backdoor cut for a two handed dunk. Batemon established himself early in his career as a knockdown shooter, but has since shown he's a tough defender, can facilitate a little, and can create his own shots off of limited dribbles. Helped lead his team to a 3-0 record over the weekend.     Even in games filled with future D1 players, Juan's athleticism stands out. He's an explosive athlete with the ability to hang in the air for dunks or acrobatic finishes. Against Power 5 he had his team in it until the very end as he was slashing to the basket for tough finishes against size. In the two games I watched he showed his ability to create separation for jumpers, which are tough for defenders to contest because of how he elevates on his shot. Combination of long arms and athleticism make him a tough on-ball defender who can come up with steals due to his length. Helped lead his team to a 2-1 record.     Max seems to produce every time I see him play. Now listed at 6'4 he has good positional size, with the ability to play either guard spot when needed. In the game I watched he spent time running the point, while also acting as a wing scorer at other times. He wasn't forcing his game, and was able to put up points efficiently to help lead his team to a win over All Wisconsin. Was comfortably knocking down threes off the catch or dribble, and showed good change of speed to maneuver his way to the basket. Has the length that allows him to extend and finish against size around the rim. Helped his United Hoops team go 4-0.     Running with S.O.Y.L. Eagles Xspress, Clevon showed some impressive flashes. At 6'4 he has some freakish athleticism, both with his quickness in changing direction and his explosiveness to get off the floor. Early in the game I watched he was pressuring the ball hard against smaller guards, and using his length to poke the ball free for steals. You don't see a lot of players at 6'4 with the type of quickness that Clevon has. When he got a path to the rim, Easton was able to elevate for a couple of explosive dunks, or hang in the air for acrobatic finishes. Helped lead his team to a 21 point win in the game I watched.     Bradley Elite went 3-1, and Raheem played a key role in their success. Playing up a year, the junior-to-be excelled at getting out in the open floor, either picking up steals on his own or leaking out after a shot went up. He isn't the biggest or most explosive guard, but he makes up for it with his change of speed and feel for the game. Just knows how to work his way to his spots, and is a dangerous shooter off the catch. Really impressed with his all-around production while playing up a year.     Zayn was one of the most athletic guards in attendance over the weekend. I've seen him at multiple events this spring, and the Midwest Showdown was probably the most productive I've seen him. Zayn put together a big game against 24:Up UA Rise, slashing to the basket for acrobatic finishes and dunks. Just has a quick first step that allows him to blow by defenders out on the perimeter. Against a Power 5 team loaded with D1 level size and athleticism, he was still able to produce going at the rim and sitting deep in a stance on defense. Has a level of natural athleticism you can't teach, and is so dangerous when his jumper is falling.     Ky'moni produces every time I see him play, whether it's a high school game, AAU, or fall league. The unsigned senior is exceptionally quick, and brings toughness to the floor on both ends. His motor never seems to stop as he's constantly pressuring opposing ball handlers and trapping players out on the perimeter to force turnovers. Hunt is able to thrive out in the open floor as he's so quick getting to the rim, but also knows when to dump it off at the last second to a teammate. In the game I watched he started off cold from three, but took over in the 2nd half when his outside shot started falling.     Bolden fits in so well with a Power 5 team loaded with talent. He doesn't need to score to be effective, and it showed in a win over [program_tooltip program_id='2075258' first='ABC' last='Young Lions'] where he was dropping dimes to set up his teammates. Has tremendous vision in the open floor to hit his wings/forwards for dunks, but can also create in the half-court. When penetrating the lane he always kept his eyes scanning the floor for any open teammate, and he was able to make passes from angles that not every guard can. When he wasn't dishing out assists to his teammates, Bolden was hitting the three at a high clip.

Eight of the guards who stood out in the 17u games I watched at the Prep Hoops Midwest Showdown!