PH Last Dance: Top Guard Prospects

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Which guards played well at Prep Hoops Last Dance event?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2140982' first='Torrence' last='Rivera'] -- SG -- [program_tooltip program_id='2075258' first='ABC' last='Young Lions']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rivera is a great two-way player who impacts winning in a real way. On defense, Rivera is a pest. He plays elite on ball defense and uses his quick hands to create steals. Offensively, Rivera is a confident ballhandler and slasher. He doesn't shy away from tough matchups and seeks out contact in the paint. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2409258' first='Gabe' last='Jensen'] -- PG -- [program_tooltip program_id='2075622' first='M14' last='Hoops']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jensen is a dynamite player on the offensive end of the court. He passes at an elite level, runs his team's offense well, and can score when he needs to. I was very impressed by Jensen's court vision and maturity as a passer. It is clear that the PG is far ahead of the curve when it comes to passing skill. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2381436' first='Michael' last='Essoka'] -- PG -- Milwaukee Young Bucks </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Essoka's player archetype is one of my favorite ones to watch. The undersized guard is a fearless player on both ends. Regardless of the situation, the PG is going to play hard and <em>attack </em>his opponent. Essoka is also physically strong and sturdy. What Essoka lacks in height he makes up for in toughness, strength, and desire to win. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1900422' first='Donovan' last='Calloway'] -- PG -- [program_tooltip program_id='2075258' first='ABC' last='Young Lions'] </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Calloway's moxie and basketball IQ is far beyond his age. The point guard plays with confidence and skill on the court. Calloway makes outside shots, is a slick slasher, can pass at a high level, and is a great point of attack defender. The PG's high level shot making and creation separate himself from the rest of the competition. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brooks Bakko -- PG -- ND Phenom</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Touted as one of the best prospects in the Dakotas, Bakko continued to boost his stock at The Last Dance. Standing at 6-foot-5 with plenty of athletic pop and solid fundamentals, the point guard is pretty much unstoppable. He has excellent footwork in the paint and a soft shooting touch. As he continues to improve, I see Bakko developing into a mismatch nightmare. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1845363' first='Rajan' last='Roberts'] -- PG -- [program_tooltip program_id='2452456' first='Mac' last='Irvin Fire']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Summer 2024 marked blowup season for [program_tooltip program_id='2452456' first='Mac' last='Irvin Fire']'s Roberts. The 6-foot-2 point guard out of Illinois had a tremendous July capped off by a great showing at The Last Dance. He is a quick, shifty ballhandler who does a great job getting defenders off balance and then attacking the rim. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2125627' first='Ethan' last='Vahl'] -- CG -- [program_tooltip program_id='2078448' first='Illinois' last='Wolves']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I didn't get to watch Vahl play a full game in Illinois but saw a few plays that caught my eye. The young combo guard is a three-point sniper with deep shooting range. At The Last Dance, Vahl drilled outside shots on a consistent basis and put a lot of pressure on opposing defenders. Only just dipping his foot in the water of elite competition, Vahl has been impressive so far. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->