National Prep Championships: First Round backcourt standouts

With 18 of the nation's premier prep school programs assembled under one roof to compete for a national championship, there were sure to be a large handful of standout performances. After taking in a full day of opening round action, we take a look here at some of the top performing unsigned guards we evaluated on the day (listed in alphabetical order).    Quiet for much of the game, Geremia was huge when things tightened up late with a number of key shots to swing the outcome of Newman's overtime comeback win. Geremia shook off his early struggles to finish with 14 huge points thanks to a quartet of shots from long range. He hit shots of all varieties off the catch from increasingly deep range as defenders began to key on him. The mental toughness to shoot through the slump to be ready when it mattered most will pay major dividends for the high-academic sniper when it comes time to transition to the next level.     It's impossible to watch Green play without being struck first by his tentacle-like arms and then later by the ways in which he applies that length consistently on both ends of the floor. A graceful athlete with quick pop off the ground, Green shows elite instincts for the ball on both ends. Whether it be cutting to the rim, playing passing lanes, crashing the glass, or flying around for blocks, he's constantly around the play without requiring many touches or anything to be called for him. Green has the tools and approach to be an elite defender on the wing up to the highest levels of college basketball. The key swing factor in his recruitment figures to be the consistency of his jumper, which looked smooth and fluid on a handful of attempts in Putnam's blowout win.     With Newman facing a surprising 19-point first half deficit, Morillo put the team on his back for a gritty 32-point performance to engineer a comeback win in overtime. The New York native and Dominican national looked notably stronger, allowing him to better hold up through contact while showcasing his advanced polish and pace off the dribble. Morillo worked his way seemingly wherever he wanted on the floor for a number of tough finishes and high-IQ passes. He remained a steady factor off-ball with his dangerous high-release stroke off the catch. Morillo was also impactful in the floor game, grabbing 14 rebounds while using his size and instincts to contribute defensively. His talent has long been cause for intrigue, but complete performances like this one are why high-major programs have come calling for the big guard this winter.     As prolific a shotmaker as there is in all of prep school, Rainey had it going early and often from long range to key an upset win. The upstate New York product knocked down five 3s on 11 attempts, showcasing his dynamic stroke while converting on a number of difficult looks both off the catch and dribble. Rainey kept defenders honest while showing a balanced skillset off the bounce on a series of polished, hard-nosed drives. He's not the biggest or quickest but manages to make an impact on D with his strength and smarts. As D2 programs already clamor for his services, Rainey continues to solidify himself as a legitimate D1 prospect by stacking performances like this one down the stretch of his post-grad season.     As productive and dynamic a scorer as there was among all New England underclassmen, Whyte kept things going right away with a big effort in Vermont's first round upset. An athletic downhill slasher, the New York City native has continued to polish his skillset and mature his pace off the bounce to better showcase his playmaking feel. Whyte also looks to be continuing to make strides with his shot selection, scoring his 15 points in this one on just seven attempts from the field. Continuing to refine his perimeter stroke will be the next step as Whyte looks to play his way onto high-major radars in the coming years, but his showing in West Hartford was the icing on a year of unquestioned growth.

With 18 of the nation's premier prep school programs assembled under one roof to compete for a national championship, there were sure to be a large handful of standout performances. After taking in a full day of opening round action, we take a look here at some of the top performing unsigned guards we evaluated on the day (listed in alphabetical order).